Latest from Ra2ej
The Guardian
14 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Alters: unintentionally the realest game about parenting I've ever played
Other than during that golden period when they were old enough to play games and watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer but hadn't yet become evil teenagers, I don't think I'm very good at parenting. When my kids were babies I felt unnecessary and useless, a feeling I have been reminded of most days since. That's OK. We can't be good at everything. I can read words backwards and upside down but I can never find my house keys. I am brilliant at dancing to the Cure's The Lovecats on Dancing Stage MegaMix but terrible at DIY. Don't get me wrong: I love my children. I like hanging out with them socially as young adults because they are smart, funny and entertaining, but then they remember I am their dad, and everything is ruined as they ask me to do stuff then blame me for everything wrong in their lives. So I took advantage of the fact that they all went away on the same weekend to have some uninterrupted dad time and sink my teeth into a game with depth, without disturbance. That game was The Alters. I loved the concept. You are stuck on a planet and have to clone different versions of yourself to operate the base and survive. That's really clever. Even better: you create the clones by looking at your life path and picking moments when you made certain decisions that led to you becoming the Jan Dolski that you are. For example, if you select the path where you went off to study rather than entering the mines like your dad did, then you clone Jan the Scientist, an ace researcher. If you went to work on oil rigs, you create Jan Worker, a load-lightener. If you decide that all you want to do is sit on your backside all day playing with words, you become Jan Writer. (Except you don't. There is no Jan Writer option, which shows how useless I would be in a survival situation.) It's a compelling game mechanic because you are not only exploring, resource building and problem solving, you are questioning the whole nature of decision making. It makes you go back through your own life, wondering at the choices you made and what could have been different. This is horribly depressing though and I wouldn't recommend it. Stick to the game's story, not your own. The problem is that the more clones you have in The Alters, the more you have to work to keep them fed, healthy and entertained. And they are needy little bastards whose first language is Whine. It didn't matter about the fresh food I gave them, the movies I sat through or the games of beer pong I deliberately lost – the Jan Miner character was determined to be grumpy and confrontational, and Jan Scientist was constantly punchably irritating. Whenever I thought I was triumphing at managing the base – helped by a system that allows you to set up automatic production of important things like radiation filters to keep you safe, and allotting different clones to regularly do specific shifts – I would have to drop what I was doing and run around doing something else for my dependants to keep them happy. You see where I am going with this? Sign up to Pushing Buttons Keza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gaming after newsletter promotion The Alters may be pitched as a sci-fi survival game, but really? It's a parenting sim. The very last thing I want to do with my free time. My failures in the game (and there are many) are accompanied by me screaming at the needy sods to give me a break for five minutes. My neighbours probably still think my kids are still at home. I have never felt so strongly that I am the wrong person to play a game that is so right. The script and story are strong, almost like an interactive version of Andy Weir's The Martian. Philosophical concepts are bandied around, such as Camus's idea that heroism is easy, and it's doing the normal things that is the real challenge in life. And the graphics are so distinctive and mesmerising they are works of art. The space base moves around like a futuristic take on Howl's Moving Castle. The game questions the very meaning of existence and what we're supposed to do with it, and it is moving to witness the clones react to their new reality. Some hate you, others are fascinated, but all at points bond with you over shared memories of everything from Mom's pierogies and beloved lava lamps to how you dealt with your abusive father. There is imagination and intelligence in abundance. It would make an incredible novel or animated movie. And 1990s Dominik, who had no kids or responsibilities, would have found marshalling a load of interesting, talented but whiny dependants a fun novelty. It's like The Game of Life, which was a fun board game to play as kids, but hell when we had two in the back seat of our car. Maybe The Alters is the perfect game for you to play if you are thinking about having kids. In fact I urge anyone of child-bearing or rearing age to play it immediately, to see if you are up to the task in real life or if, like me, it all turns out to be too much hard work.
Bloomberg
14 minutes ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
GOP Reaches Tentative SALT Deal at $40K Cap
"Balance of Power: Late Edition" focuses on the intersection of politics and global business. On today's show, Representative Mike Lawler (R) NY shares his thoughts on tentatively reaching a deal on SALT with his Republican colleagues in the Senate. Elizabeth Wydra, President of the Constitutional Accountability Center, & Rep. Sam Liccardo discuss the US Supreme Court's rulings and the impact of these rulings. PWC National Tax Office Co-Leader Rohit Kumar talks about what to expect from the US Senate as the self-imposted Tax Bill deadline is July 4th. (Source: Bloomberg)
USA Today
15 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Two Colorado freshman to appear in EA Sports' College Football 26
I'm officially In The Game #CFB26 @easportscollege #EAAthlete. #Blessed In the NIL era, players relish the opportunities they receive to make a profit off their name, but there is one deal that might trump any other. That is the ability to play as yourself in a video game, or more specifically, EA Sports' latest installment, College Football 2026. On Friday, incoming Colorado freshmen London Merritt and Mantrez Walker announced they'll be in the soon-to-be-released game. The edge rusher and linebacker confirmed that their name, image and likeness will be included in the game, marking another milestone in their young careers. EA Sports brought back the popular college football franchise last year to widespread excitement from fans and players alike, eager to jump back into the game. New to this year's addition, all 136 Football Bowl Subdivision schools will be paid by EA Sports based on the frequency with which gamers play with their respective team. Real-life coaches are also being added to the game this year. Merritt and Walker are both Georgia natives, with Merritt being a blue-chip prospect once committed to Ohio State. Merritt appears to have significant potential with the Buffs, who lost several key pieces to their defensive line, most notably star defensive end BJ Green. Walker was a three-star prospect who has been with the Buffs for most of the offseason, but he projects as a likely depth piece entering his freshman season. Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads and Instagram. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex-Salesian standout Deommodore Lenoir, now with 49ers, arrested for resisting peace officer
San Francisco 49ers defensive back Deommodore Lenoir was arrested Thursday afternoon in South Los Angeles. He was charged with delaying and resisting a peace officer, a misdemeanor. Another man, apparently a companion of Lenoir's, was arrested for possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle, which is a felony. Advertisement According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. on the 4500 block of South Wilton Place. Officers spotted 25-year-old Marcus Cunningham "frantically reaching" into a gray Cadillac Escalade. He then "locked the vehicle and walked away, appearing to conceal contraband." Read more: Former NFL star Antonio Brown wanted on attempted murder charge, arrest warrant states Cunningham threw the keys behind a gate when approached by officers, the LAPD told The Times via email, then "Lenoir retrieved the keys, refused to give them back, and passed them to an unknown male who fled." After additional officers located the keys on a nearby porch, the police opened the car and found "a loaded semi-automatic firearm in the center compartment, a loaded Glock in an open compartment and narcotics," the LAPD said. Advertisement According to the L.A. County Sheriff Department's inmate information center, Lenoir was released on his own recognizance at 1:18 a.m. Friday and is due to appear in L.A. Superior Court on July 25. No release or court information was available for Cunningham. The 49ers released a statement Friday saying that they're aware of the matter and "are in the process of gathering further information." Lenoir, a former standout at Los Angeles Salesian High who played four seasons at Oregon, was selected by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2021 draft. He signed a five-year, $88-million contract extension before the 2024 season. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Cedar News
15 minutes ago
- Cedar News
Jail Escapee Antoine Massey Recaptured in New Orleans
New Orleans, LA – The U.S. Marshals Service announced Friday, June 27, that escapee Antoine Massey has been recaptured in New Orleans. Massey was one of ten inmates who broke out of the Orleans Justice Center jail on May 16 in a coordinated escape that has prompted a sweeping investigation. With Massey's capture, only one fugitive—Derrick Groves—remains at large. Authorities continue to urge the public to report any information that may lead to Groves' apprehension. Law enforcement agencies have been working around the clock to locate the escapees, most of whom have been returned to custody in the weeks since the incident. Officials have not released details regarding the circumstances of Massey's capture. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
