A weekly status update from everyone’s favourite caffeinated weirdo.

Hey everyone! Coffee here, and it’s time for more Games with Coffee.

As deputy editor of The Pixels since last year, I was in charge of putting together a weekly column showcasing what our writers were playing during that week. It’s a column I greatly enjoyed writing and assembling, and it was an awesome way to get to know my fellow writers on the site. I continue to prep this column on the site to this day, but now, it’s in a monthly format.

(Speaking of which, go check out January’s edition of the column!)

With that said, I’ve decided to bring that concept here to my site, with a few minor tweaks. Starting today and every Friday for this year, I’ll be putting up a weekly diary of what I’ve been up to. Not only will I talk shop about games, but I’ll share status reports on my writing, my training, what I’ve been watching and even what I’m streaming this week. It should be a lot of fun! And it’ll keep me accountable too, I suppose?

Righto, here’s whatcha boi’s been up to this week:

Whatcha Playin’, Coffee?

I spent my week playing God of War: Ragnarok, with a side helping of Crisis Core Reunion. God of War: Ragnarok has been nothing short of amazing so far. I love the improvements Santa Monica has made from the previous title. And the story is so captivating! I’m really impressed by how the studio stayed true to Norse mythology while putting a unique Kratos and Atreus-centred spin on things. I’m clearing up the favours in Vanaheim and Alfheim, and then I have to go back and confront Atreus on his disappearance to the IronWood… Should be a fun time, I think!

As for Crisis Core Reunion, I’ve hit chapter 5 of the story – I’m about to meet Cloud! Instead of progressing through the plot, though, I’m focusing on missions. At my current level, (Lvl 23/24-ish?) I should be able to complete missions ranked up to 5 stars with no issues. I enjoy the new changes to the game from the original PSP version – the fact that you can interrupt boss attacks is a huge plus. I also like the little restorative bonuses Zack receives after battle once certain conditions are met (taking no damage, using abilities/magic for finishers, etc.).

Also, Kid Espresso really wanted me to play Earthbound on the SNES Mini the other day, so I did. It’s been fun reliving that one.

Whatcha Writin’, Coffee?

On the Mobius VII front, I’m about two chapters away from completing the Book 2 outline. I’m very excited to start the first draft of the book, but alas, I must wait until I finish the outline. Kinda stuck on some dialogue with the Vincent character, but I have an idea of where I’m going with his introduction. I just need to write it out. The chapter after that is gonna be a completely one-sided fight which will be interesting to choreograph.

I still need to work on the new Mobius VII website. I have an idea for the homepage splash art as well as the logo, but I just need to find time to work on those two things. Once those things are finalized and installed on the site, I’ll begin migrating the content from Games with Coffee.

Next up on Games with Coffee, I’ll be talking about the difference between stewardship and gatekeeping. As I mentioned last week, it’s something I’ve been thinking of for the last year and a bit. I’ve actually taken a chunk of that post and used it to start a new one about the roles the gaming industry and media play in compelling us to vehemently defend our gaming choices and to belittle those who don’t share our views. I think it’s an important thing to highlight, especially in these present times.

Whatcha Watchin’, Coffee?

When Mrs. Coffee and Kid Espresso got sick over the holidays, I had to take care of my widdle baby girl, Lil’ Macchiato. To keep myself entertained during that time, I decided to watch/re-watch the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe starting with Iron Man. This week, I’ve reached the end of Phase 3 with Endgame. TV show-wise, I haven’t watched anything new. The last thing I did watch was Sonic Prime, which I binged on the first week. I’m excited to see more of it!

How’s Trainin’, Coffee?

I decided that 2023 is the year where I get freaking huge. Three weeks in and an adjustable kettlebell later, I feel like I’m well on my way toward that goal. Kettlebells are no joke though – my muscles feel more challenged versus bands or dumbbells. Combined with regular pull-ups, I feel like I’m on track to getting super strong by mid-year. After that, I’ll start shedding pounds and see what happens.

This week, I alternated between upper and lower body circuits using the kettlebell. A snowstorm on Wednesday night dumped about a good half-foot of heavy wet snow, so I had to dig out of that on Thursday morning – getting in extra leg work at the same time. I’ve also taken to running around the house with Kid Espresso every night before bed. It works out neatly because not only do I get an extra bit of exercise before bed, but, it also get’s the kiddo tired out for bedtime.

Whatcha Streamin’, Coffee?

No streams as of yet, but I feel that my return to streaming will be closer than I thought. Lil’ Mac’s sleeping in her own room now and we’ve got a routine down pat. I’m thinking the first week of March might be a soft date to aim for. Between now and then, I’m working on some new content for the streams! Custom transitions and intro/outro videos, channel rewards and redemptions, and new segments are just some of the things I’ll be tweaking over the next few weeks. Stay tuned for more info!

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So, what have you been up to? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll see you next week!

~Coffee