September 2023 Update

Welcome to Natenstine's September 2023 Update!

Hey there Nateizens!
It's time for a quick update on what's been going down in Nate Town. So, let's dive right in!

Stream Schedule Status.

First off, I want to address the stream schedule. Now, I know there were an odd day here and there when I completely vanished, and for that, I'm truly sorry. Sometimes life just hits you like a ton of bricks, and well, I fell asleep. It happens to the best of us, right? (maybe just me?)

So, like any normal person who simply passes out from too much going on I'm considering throwing in some spontaneous streams during the week, but no promises here. The commitment remains solid on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (unless I have another unplanned nap attack, let's hope not).

React Requests and Other Stream Shenanigans

Here's the exciting news. I've set up a dedicated channel on our Discord server, and there's a fancy flair on the subreddit just for your requests. Got some YouTube or TikTok videos, maybe some articles or social posts that you think would be interesting to see me react to? Drop 'em there. I'm thinking of reacting to them during our more relaxed, chill streams, or maybe as a separate segment when we're winding down for the night. These Videos can be anything really as long as they don't break any TOS. Funny vids, Opinion pieces, interview or documentary style videos everything is on the table here.

Game Updates - What's Been on the Menu?

Pokémon Scarlet/Violet: We dove back into the Pokémon world with Curlza and Yak. Together, we wrangled our Mewtwo's in an event-based raid, and let me tell you, it was a real nail-biter. These games, though, they're a challenge for all the wrong reasons. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: they're subpar. Sword and Shield, despite their own issues, are light-years ahead. Scarlet and Violet seem to think taking away things from players is a way to improve the experience (like cutting down on Pokémon spawns, which is a bummer for shiny hunters). The Devs just need to spend some time optimizing the game... It really would be worth their while. As it currently is a year after realese, the games play like trash.

Cyberpunk 2077: We've been making steady progress through Night City, and for the most part, it's been a blast. The story has been engaging, and I've let my darker side out to play a bit. Sure, there have been a few glitches here and there, but overall, it's been a good ride. Let's see if we can finish the playthrough before the new DLC drops!

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: Played this one with BunnysRabbitHole, and I think we've found a solid replacement for Dead by Daylight (at least until the killer clowns from outer space game arrives, right?). It's been a lot of fun, though I might have gotten lost in the basement a few too many times. It's well-balanced, with mostly smooth gameplay and minimal glitches. Expect more of this in the future.

World of Warcraft: I'm dusting off my WoW skills... or lack of and looking to reboot the guild "OnlyHordes." With the help of Devolut10n as an assisting Guild Master (I'm a bit fresh to the GM role in WoW, being more of an Eve Online corporation manager kind of guy), we're inviting anyone interested to join the guild! Keep an eye out for guild-related posts in the #MMO-games forum on Discord, and we've even set up a separate Discord for it.

Starfield: Ah, Starfield, my new love-hate relationship. There's a lot to unpack here, but overall, I'm enjoying it. Pro tip: Don't pay full price; grab it for a dollar through Game Pass (or $10 if you don't have an available gamepass trial). It's like Skyrim meets Fallout 4 with a touch of No Man's Sky, sprinkled with some nostalgia from an old Microsoft gem called Freelancer. Planetary experiences are mostly a blast, although sometimes a bit barren, which oddly fits the game's lore. However, there's a sudden spike in difficulty in space combat that feels like jumping from normal mode to hardcore, even within the same level area. If this isn't fixed, it's a major disappointment, as it was not like this during early access.

Fortnite: Fortnite's going to take a back seat for a while. We might use it for chill sessions and group plays, but unless something big happens or we venture into the PvE side, it's on standby.

Sons of the Forest: I had high expectations, maybe too high. It's good for early access, no doubt, it feels similar to its predecessor (The Forest) but at the same time drastically different. There's a lack of clarity in showing the differences between the two, and you often find out things don't work as expected. I'm not pressing too hard on it since it's early access, and I'm hoping for great things from the dev team. We'll take a break from it until a few updates roll out.

Cassette Beasts: Now, here's a hidden gem. It's like a nostalgia-driven mashup of all your favorite '80s-'90s games, from Pokémon to Digimon, Final Fantasy, and some Zelda vibes. Plus, the music is a blast. I'll be trying to squeeze this gem into our stream schedule whenever possible.

Giveaway Alert:

That upcoming giveaway mentioned in the last update, The copy of Pokemon Violet.
I will hold the giveaway towards the end of September or the beginning of October depending on how things get planned out.
So keep tuning in and I will clarify it soon.

Further more I would like to add that we will be holding giveaways each Saturday Stream of October to celebrate Halloween.
The prizes will vary from stickers to Game keys!
So be sure to tune in.

That is all!

That's the scoop, folks! Thanks for being awesome and staying with us on this wild ride. Catch you in the next stream!