Exactly what I needed

There are times, particularly under great stress, that you will find me playing games for the simple things. Simple things such as the colours, the sounds, the explosions and the basic pleasure that can arise when said elements combine into an overwhelming synesthesia of light and sound. A much younger me would have considered this ensemble reason enough to enjoy a game, but the older, more cynical me often looks past it unappreciatively. It is often beneficial to revisit said levels of expectations, if not just for the relaxing and carefree game play that can arise. When there are much more serious and darker things clouding the mind, playing a game of this nature can be exactly the thing you need.

With a bit of effort, Strike Suit Zero has become one such game for me, and conveniently so considering current PhD circumstances. I say effort as part of the way to enjoying this game's potential laser show requires abandonment of inhibitions a more careful and sensible me would usually employ. Barrel rolling at terminal velocity, your complete arsenal of weaponry ablaze, into the unfortunate victim of your targeted demise is not exactly a practical or healthy thing to do. But damn, it sure is fun!

Interestingly, I have found that performing these rather dangerous maneuvers have considerably increased my competence at the game. Homeworld style fighter trails and music (same composer) aside, my initial impressions were rather disappointing, finding the game to be slower and less chaotic than I was hoping. However, pushing the Strike Suit to its limits and brutally attempting to take down more than you should be capable of puts you in some ridiculous situations that, after some failure, result in you learning to play better. In some ways it almost clips the skill ceiling of games such as oldskool arena shooters where reaching one's maximum control potential is limited only by the player and not by the game. It is funny as I am yet to see a rated video reviewer play the game anything like is possible, again lending my disdain of the profession.

The following video (recommend 720p+) was originally intended to be a heavily filtered and edited composition, experimenting with some new video editing techniques I have thought up. However, upon performing a first pass of the video using traditional techniques, I thought the resulting short sequence did the job well enough. Maybe next time.

Nevertheless, I do hope my need to indulge in the simpler pleasures of gaming are not necessary in the months to come. While I should try and dedicate as much of my time as sanely possible to finishing my research, there are times when overdoing it can distort your view on the matter, especially when trying to complete a deadline. That is where games like Strike Suit Zero will come in handy, to unconsciously reset the reality of the situation and allow one to cheer up about it.