To me, story-driven games are a bit like reading a book, but with the ability to make decisions.

I also quite enjoy games like Celeste where the sheer challenge is the main appeal.

I enjoy the mechanics of games like Smash or League of Legends, but playing online is always so awful. It always feels like I’m either way better than the other team, or the other team is way better than me. And if there’s any sort of communication (e.g. chat in League) it gets so toxic. But I don’t want to turn chat off because occasionally people actually use it to productively share information.

But even in Smash Bros, where there is no chat and Nintendo turned off emotes in an attempt to reduce toxicity, people still find ways to be toxic.

I’d play against people IRL, but League requires 12 people and in Smash Bros I’m at the uncomfortable place where none of my friends want to play against me because I’m too good, but I’m not good enough to go play in tournaments.

While I still feel like I want to be good at these games, I’ve been trying to stop lately because they just make me feel awful.