Kicking Off My Gaming Comparison Journey
So I was sitting there staring at my messy game library yesterday, feeling totally overwhelmed. Decided enough is enough – time to figure out which size games actually work with my crazy schedule instead of just collecting digital dust.
First step was gathering test subjects. I grabbed three totally different animals from my collection:
- Massive RPG – you know, the 100+ hour commitment kind
- Battle Royale Shooter – quick matches but needs daily practice
- Indie Puzzle Game – bite-sized brain teasers
Cleared my coffee table and hooked up all three systems. Felt like a mad scientist wiring up PlayStation, Xbox and Switch side by side. Wifey walked in shaking her head saying “Really? Again?” but I was too focused to care.
The Gameplay Gauntlet
Started Monday night firing up all three simultaneously. Booted the RPG first – spent 45 minutes just scrolling through skill trees before even hitting combat. Got interrupted by the baby monitor three times. By the time I sat back down, totally forgot what I was doing.
Switched to Battle Royale on impulse. Got smoked in two minutes flat by some 12-year-old who probably plays eight hours daily. Rage-quit after three matches feeling worse than when I started.
Finally loaded the puzzle game around midnight. Knocked out three levels before bed. Felt… actually satisfied? Weird.
Next morning tried something different – fifteen minutes of each during lunch break:
- RPG: Ran around talking to NPCs, accomplished nothing
- Shooter: Spawn-died instantly three times
- Puzzle: Solved two levels while eating a sandwich
That pattern held all week. By Thursday, I hadn’t touched the RPG since Monday. Even remembered some puzzle solutions while driving to work – that never happened with the other two.
Epic Realization Time
Friday night I looked at my notes and laughed at myself. Here’s what clicked:
- The big RPG makes me feel guilty for not giving it enough time
- Shooters just stress me out trying to keep up with hardcore players
- Puzzle games fit between diaper changes and work calls perfectly
Turns out my “gaming habits” are basically stealing five minutes here and fifteen minutes there like a snack thief. I’m a dad gamer now whether I like it or not.
What Actually Stuck
Deleted all battle royale games immediately after the experiment. Felt great. The RPG? Couldn’t bring myself to uninstall – I’ll probably mess with it on rare kid-free weekends. But the puzzle games? Those have migrated to my phone now too.
Funny how we cling to what we think we should play rather than what fits reality. This whole experiment saved me from buying that new 200-hour RPG next month. Maybe when I’m retired and the kids are in college…