this week's brew ☕
​What we're playing this week!

What would you do to save a dying world?

The beginning of OneShot - our January 2024 selection - doesn’t waste time introducing some big considerations about consciousness, humanity, acceptance, and loss. You’ll guide the cat-like Niko on a journey in the hope of restoring the sun to a broken world… if it’s not too late.
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​As always, the playthrough guide holds all the important info about the game, including where to find it, content warnings, discussion questions, and more!
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​We begin in the Barrens, a desolate landscape filled with broken-down robots, an interesting energy source, and a mysterious anomaly. One tip, especially at the start: don’t be afraid to use a walkthrough or guide wisely, especially if you’re not familiar with more traditional point-and-click puzzles and some of the logic in combining and interacting with items, it may take a little bit to get used to! Aside from the very first steps in the locked room being out of order, this Neoseeker guide is otherwise a great resource if you find yourself getting stuck and needing a hint or two throughout your time in the game.
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​This week, we’ll play until the end of the Barrens, right before you head to the next area of the game (you’ll receive a prompt for Niko to take a nap). While playing, consider some of the questions from the playthrough guide, ponder the reflection question below, and join in the discussion in our Discord or by leaving a voicemail!
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reflection question 💭
​Each week, we reflect on a question related to the game. Draw on your experiences, other media, and the game as you consider your response. If you'd like, hit 'reply' to this message or leave a voicemail to let me know your thoughts - it may get featured in our next podcast!

Stay in the loop: Listen to the weekly podcast, hangout in Discord, and find us on Instagram!

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pour over 👀
​Supplementary media, materials, and activities to help expand your gameplay experience for the week, explore the game's connections to your life and the world around us, and share miscellaneous media that sparks curiosity and joy.

set up your own card For a fun challenge, join me in setting up a 2024 video game bingo! The link above contains instructions on how to set up your card. ​ My hope is that having this will push me to select a wider range of games this year, and perhaps try things I may not have considered!

preview this year's selections Want to get an idea of what we'll be playing this year? Here's the list of all the confirmed 2024 selections and when we'll play them so you can plan ahead. ​ As a heads up: MANY of them are on deep discount right now on Steam until Jan 4th due to the winter sale (for example, GRIS is only 3.74 USD!)

listen to last week's episode Did you miss the conclusion of our Jusant discussion? Check it out here (along with our end-of-the-year recap!) ​ Also, we're making a small podcast shift: we'll record on Thursdays and they'll release on Mondays as "recaps", helping summarize all of the content we played that week before the new section drops (and to give you all maximum time to respond and share thoughts). So, no new podcast today: we'll be back next week with our thoughts on the Beginning and Barrens!

strengthen your critiquing muscles There's a broad scholarship on thinking critically about games, so how do you start? Here's a "Game Analysis Guideline" from an MIT intro course to help you consider what it looks like to play thoughtfully. Don't feel the need to apply everything immediately: start small! The questions listed on 6, 7, and 8, for example, are great ones to keep in mind as you play any game, for example. Use these to help guide your curiosity as you play OneShot, and post in the forums or chat with your friends.

Thanks for joining our digital café this week -- I'm SO excited for the year we have ahead. Talk soon!

Jenny