In today’s newsletter:

• our discussion of slay the princess
• a FREE book about community organizing
• new game releases to keep an eye on

last week's recap 🎧
​our podcast discussion of the game + other media we've gotten into over the last week.

At the start of Slay the Princess, the developers don't hide the fact that this horror game is a love story. But, how could a game about slaying a princess be a love story?
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My favorite part about playing games -- about any work of fiction, really -- is moving past the level of the literal understanding of the story and digging into how the work connects to a more fundamental exploration of the human experience. Slay the Princess took me through that journey beautifully with its looping structure. I began with the intent on figuring out if I should slay this princess, and if so, why? By the time we chatted on this week's podcast, I felt like this game illustrated the beautiful (and painful) ways that we try to connect.
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I will say that while I do think this is a love story, by the time I was through, this was a game more about how love changes us...and how we need to at least appreciate change to fully build a relationship. I can't wait for you to listen to this episode and our discussion! ​
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Finally, our monthly hangout is this Saturday, November 30th at 3 pm PT in Discord. We'll discuss Slay the Princess (be sure to bring your ranking of the princesses) as well as catch up on the G&G 2025 plans, and general fun chatter. 😊 Hope to see you there!
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🥐☕ the pastry case (show links)

• Jenny
  • Gotta catch ‘em all: I’m enjoying the Pokemon TCG app immensely!
  • ​This game and this game are carrying my mental health in the evenings (let me just chill and turn off my brain for a bit, please and thank you).
  • If you haven’t caught up to Ranma 1/2, it continues to be a JOY to watch each week.
  • Continuing through Oathbringer but also started re-reading Emergent Strategy (which you can get for free here) for some inspiring - and grounded - knowledge around community organizing.
• Joel
  • Just got enough cards today to have my first battle in the Pokemon TCG app!
  • I’ve adjusted Nine Sols's difficulty so that it perfectly fits the level of difficulty I want. Now if only I could figure out where to go!
  • I’m a long time fan of I think You Should Leave by the same creators and The Detroiters just hit Netflix. It’s filling my comedy void and I’m loving the situations they create.
  • ​Dragon Ball Daima is likely what Dragon Ball GT was supposed to be. Lighthearted and fun, I’m enjoying the experience of watching kid versions of my favorite Z Fighters navigate the wacky demon realm.
  • Almost done with Rhythm of War before the new Sanderson book drops!

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👀 🎮notable indie releases this week

Paper Perjury | 13​ ​Puzzle Chill It all started with a simple robbery. When that thread was pulled, a tapestry of mysteries was revealed. Solve cases and outsmart criminals in a detective story full of lies, confessions, and maybe even a murder or two.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake | 14​ ​​Turn-Based RPG Remake DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake is a stunning reimagining of the beloved masterpiece and narrative beginning to The Erdrick Trilogy.

Petit Island | 13​ ​Cute Relaxing Welcome to the beautiful and tropical Petit Island! Relive your grandpaw's youthful adventures by exploring the island and meeting all the unique islanders in this heartwarming open-world narrative exploration game. Preserve his memories before they fade away.

Sorry We're Closed | 14​ ​​Horror Multiple Endings Sorry We're Closed is a nostalgic, single-player survival horror game with rich lore, deep characters and multiple endings. Explore unsettling locations with fixed camera angles. Fight in first person with demonic weapons. Open your Third Eye to see between worlds, uncover secrets and solve puzzles.

next week's brew ☕
​a special edition podcast where we talk through the games nominated for 2025!

Next week, we will begin the voting for Geeks & Grounds 2025 ~ we've got several titles selected for consideration, so Joel and I will take some time to go through the nominees, why we think you should consider them, and talk through how voting works!

reflection question 💭​
​reflect on a question related to what we're playing/considering this week

If you'd prefer to respond via email, that's great too! Just be sure to submit your response by Nov 17th to be included in the upcoming podcast.

Stay in the loop -- listen to the weekly podcast on Spotify and Apple, hang with the community in Discord, and find us on Instagram!

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Thanks for joining our digital café this week -- talk soon!

Jenny