Hello Hive! 😁
It's been a while since my last post, but after a long rest I'm back and ready to start typing up a storm once more. AND, not only that... I'm ready to finally start recording some Let's Plays too.
I'm in the process of starting a 'My Time at Sandrock' video playthrough at the moment actually. Over the past few months I've been recording myself playing games and getting used to the sound of my voice and getting used to talking to myself out loud, and I'm finally ready to do it for real and actually upload some things. 😅 Nervousness, begone!
So, there was a small reason that I was having such a lengthy break — I don't know if anyone else here has had this problem, but for a while there I actually lost my ability to play a game and just enjoy it. I got into this state of mind where even though I enjoyed some games they weren't worthy, interesting, or pretty enough to post about so... I didn't play them. I tried to focus only on things I could write about and share. And I burnt myself out. But that's over now! As is my current spate of irrelevant babbling. 😆
To celebrate my return to excessive typing, let's begin a new adventure...
...in Grim Dawn.
Grim Dawn is an ARPG that was released a good eight or so years ago now. I gave it a whirl while it was in beta and I really enjoyed it, but then, once it was released, I never really got back into it.
There was an update recently which added some Quality of Life improvements to the game such as 4K support, persistent health/mana potions, a spacebar 'dash' ability ala Diablo 4/Lost Ark, among numerous other things... and I felt it was the perfect time to actually check out the game once more. Plus! They're releasing a new expansion soon, so if I find it interesting enough it would be cool to continue onwards.
I don't really know that much about Grim Dawn. From what I've investigated it does have endgame activities and whatnot just like every other ARPG, it has meta builds just like every other ARPG, and it has a slog of a campaign... just like every other ARPG.
Cool!
So, I'm not really following any builds or guides anything. I'd rather work this out for myself.
I've decided to start my character as a necromancer.
What's cool with Grim Dawn is you can have two classes and mix and match abilities between them. I'm starting with the Necromancer, but because it's a minion type of playstyle I feel like my second class could be Occultist, which also dabbles in minions/pets... and have a tonne of friends doing my fighting for me!
There are also shrines hidden around the place that, when restored, give you a devotion point to spend.
The devotion points go into this constellation sheet. You choose which direction you would like to go, and since the purple colour seems to lead towards minion constellations I thought it prudent to head that way first.
It seems as though there will be a few factions to gain reputation with, starting with the folk at Devil's Crossing who just hours ago were trying to kill my character — 😅 — and who are now relying on her help.
I'm not too sure yet what the rewards will be for the factions, but there is a Bounty Table in Devil's Crossing which I can't access yet until my reputation is higher, so that seems like something to aim for.
Being an avid ARPG player, I decided to start this adventure on Veteran mode as well, which is the highest difficulty setting I can access at the moment. There are higher difficulties from what I've gathered, but I can't access them yet, presumably until I finish the game on Veteran.
What's important though is the difficulty setting actually seems challenging!
I'm not just running in and pressing buttons. I need to dodge, I need to strategise. For example, I found this shrine in the sewers beneath Devil's Crossing and when activated four hero monsters jumped out. I think 'hero monsters' are basically legendary monsters. Either way. They were difficult.
It took me a good five or so minutes to kill them, and then I was rewarded with so much loot as well as the shrine restored to glory so I could have another devotion point.
I finish today's journey as a Level 10 Necromancer, my quest in the sewers was rewarded with MORE INVENTORY SPACE, which I love.
(Path of Exile's current league also allows you a small amount of extra inventory space if you select the Primal Huntress. NEED MOAR.)
Speaking of inventory management, another thing I'm really liking with Grim Dawn is the shop window. With the shop open I am able to move my gear around on my character and in my inventory also. Switch things around before I vendor. I wish Path of Exile allowed me to do that too instead of exiting the shop first, rearranging, then re-entering the shop. Gyargh.
Anywho, I'm enjoying my time in-game so far. Hopefully I enjoy it enough to get to end-game and see what's what!
All screenshots in this post are courtesy of me, 
