Substack Cross Post: My Dip into Esports!

I looked into the newest shiniest social media platform and wrote a post over on Substack!

After wrapping up a nearly four year run in the Esports world, I looked back at some of the games that left the biggest impression. Am I officially a "Gamer Girl?   Link inside!

My first memories of video games goes back to the MS-DOS era when I played games like Reading Rabbit, Math Blaster, Carmen Sandiego, and Chip’s Challenge. As an Adult though, I had spent most of my hours on computer with The Sims 4 in build mode. I used to spend time on my PS3 exploring the open worlds of Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption. I spent the first part of the COVID lockdown cultivating my own farm with Stardew Valley. That all changed in 2021 when I got a job for a show on Twitch that led to where I am now: FULLY IMMERSED in the esports scene. I’ve produced shows for the various tournaments for really popular games like Call of Duty, Overwatch, PUBG, Clash of Clans, and Brawl Stars. I’ve built showcases for games like Minecraft, Street Fighter, Tekken, and Elden Ring. However, if you thought I’d be ready to team up for some 5v5 Escort or 4v4 Hardpoint.. you’d be severely mistaken. I’ve never been able to get out of the training center.

One of the perks of my job though, was getting a monthly allowance to buy and try out any game I wanted and spend a little time playing for “research” purposes. I have a PS5, Xbox One and now over 70+ games in my Steam library that I cannot have installed all at one time. It is very clear that I have a preferred type of game.. and it’s not First Person Shooter! Here’s a handful of some of my favorite games that I’ll continue to play as well as a couple that left a dark shadow on my gentle gamer soul.

MY FAVORITE GAMES:

DISNEY DREAMLIGHT VALLEY

Classified as a “Simulation/Adventure” Game, I started playing before it was officially released back in 2023. I tell people it’s the same kind of “farming” game as Stardew Valley but it’s in 3D and your neighbors are familiar Disney Characters. You go around the valley collecting resources, you can grow food, mine for gems, go fishing, cook meals, and you can have your favorite character follow you around. I just try to make all the characters my Level 10 friends which is easy but it is a grind. I know my friends’ kids also play this game… but we listen and we don’t judge!

Others I liked: Coral Island, Kynseed, Palia

I play on Steam but it’s available on other platforms | Official Page

POWERWASH SIMULATOR

I love a good satisfying video and one kind I would watch all the time on Reddit was Power Washing. In super speed you can watch a person make a dirty driveway look brand new again in 30seconds. Although this is a cartoonish version, the satisfaction of cleaning off a dirty car or playground or carnival ride or alien space ship are unmatched! The story is a bit silly but the “Ding” notification is a pure hit of dopamine. I’ve got all the expansion packs that are tied to well known fandoms like Sponge Bob, Back to the Future, Shrek, and Tomb Raider. Who wouldn’t want to clean off the famous DeLorean? I even re-played through career mode for an Oxford University study about the games’ effect on mental health. (Spoiler alert, it’s good for you!) They just announced a PowerWash Simulator 2 and I definitely won’t mind spending my own money on the next release.

There are a handful of others that scratch the “satisfying” itch: Farming Sim, Construction Sim, Lawn Mowing Sim, Pool Cleaning Sim, Snow Plowing Sim, Crime Scene Cleaner Sim, Fresh Start Cleaning Sim, and No Place Like Home.

I play on Steam (and I even played the VR version on the Meta Quest!) It’s available on other platforms | Official Page

HOUSE FLIPPER

House Flipper & House Flipper 2 are constantly keeping my HGTV loving heart entertained. Both editions are still getting updates and releasing themed DLC. It mixes my previous love of house building from The Sims 4 with my new love of cleaning from PowerWash Simulator. There is a huge collection of properties available to clean, fix up, rebuild, and decorate all in the name of turning a profit.

Others Like this: House Builder, Hotel Renovator, Party Maker

I play this on Steam and I’ve played VR on MetaQuest but they’re available on other platforms | HF1: Official Page HF2: Official Page

ESCAPE SIMULATOR

I love a good puzzle. I also love Escape Rooms. I have to admit there are still levels I haven’t finished because they’re really tricky! The controls are a little difficult sometimes but this one really makes my brain work. This would be great for Esports or the Olympic Esports for a speedrun. I can see it having some pretty entertaining commentary.. Golf Channel volume “The answer is RIGHT THERE!!!” The developers are coming out with an Escape Simulator 2 that I added to my steam wish list.

Others Like this: Escape Academy, Escape from Mystwood Mansion, Carmen Sandiego (reboot), Humanity, A Little to the Left

I play this on Steam. I haven’t played VR but it is also on Meta Quest | Official Page

HOGWARTS LEGACY

I identify as an Elder Millennial, an extroverted introvert, and a Ravenclaw. (See above for my love of puzzles). The chance to explore Hogwarts? How could I miss it! I don’t think anyone has finished finding all the secrets to Hogwarts Castle but I had a great time trying. I loved flying around the world never needing to “fast travel”. I have one of every magical beast in my personalized room of requirement and overall the game is really fun for Harry Potter fans. I do think the main quest storyline ended on a weak note and there hasn’t been really any extras put out by the developers which is disappointing compared to the other games with tons of DLC and expansions.

Others like this: Red Dead Redemption 2, Horizon Forbidden West, The Witcher 3

I played this on PS5 and it’s available on other platforms | Official Page

GAMES THAT RUINED ME:

STARFIELD

An open world game from the developers of Skyim. I had to jump through hoops to even get this game. I was so excited because of the idea of Skyrim format but in Space choose your own path… but I ended up not being able to play this one on my work computer because the graphics card wasn’t strong enough and was only available on Xbox. Then I had to wait until there was a Black Friday Deal to get an affordable Xbox.. Finally started to play when, in less than an hour into it, I got stuck in a shootout quest that I couldn’t get out of … because I don’t like first person shooter games! I’m not GOOD at shooter games! Bethesda (the developer) gets so much love for Skyrim so I really wanted to like this one. Maybe I’ll try this one again since it’s got a new expansion.

Only available on PC or Xbox Series X/S | Official Page

ELDEN RING

This was my first “Souls-Like” game which I thought I would like because again… I liked Skyrim… It was supposed to be like Skyrim! It had dragons, a big beautiful open world, and you could go on quests! I was not ready for the absolute crushing reality of how hard (mean) this game is. Everything kills you on sight. The dark screen that announces “YOU HAVE DIED” still haunts my nightmares. You have to be the kind of person that doesn’t mind losing everything you just spent hours collecting. I barely made it out of the training ground on this one. Everything in this game killed me. Just turning on this game killed me. However, watching a sheep turn into a ball to roll down a hill helped soften the blow… before I died.

I played on PS5 and it’s available on other platforms | Official Page (if you’re a masochist)



So I guess when people ask me if I’m a gamer, I’ll say “Yes, but I’m a Cozy Gamer No guns or team shootouts for me, thanks!”

Disclaimer - you might think, "Liz! you like all those simulator games, why don't you check out Dishwashing Simulator .. it sounds like another perfect game" You're right, it sounds perfect for me, unfortunately, I learned the hard way that it’s actually a HORROR game and I nearly died from a heart attack in the first 2 minutes. Could someone make a real, non-horror version of this game? It sounds like it would be really satisfying… Asking for a friend

Originally posted on Substack -  Here.