Hello readers and thank you for clicking on this week’s column. I want to first extend a heartfelt Happy Thanksgiving to you all. This is a great time of year to reflect on the amazing things we have in our lives. Of course, this has been a rough year for many people. I have documented some of my mental health struggles in previous columns. Additionally, the holidays are hard on a lot of people, so please make sure you all take care of one another.

Enough with the serious part of the column. I wanted to make sure I took some time away from reviews to focus on titles I wanted to play. These last two weeks I have finally been able to dig into Baldur’s Gate 3 with my friend and Save State columnist Vincent Mahoney. We have been playing co-op together. I have heard nothing but amazing things about this game, and Vincent is doing a great job of leading me through it.

To play Baldur’s Gate 3, I built my normal Dungeons and Dragons character which is a Dragonborn that uses polearms to solve problems along with alcohol and violence.

Vincent, being his normal self, created a halfling female for Baldur’s Gate 3 that is as ugly as he could make her. She had long hair that was half blue and half red with makeup that looked like it was applied with a Remington 570. He named her Colegate. As for her guardian, it had to be seen to be believed. Our party looked especially motley.

I knew Baldur’s Gate 3 was trying to implement as much as it could from Dungeons and Dragons, but I didn’t realize how well they translated it. From the various checks to the plethora of dialogue choices, I was almost overwhelmed by the number of options. I was also blown away with how interwoven the story was between the NPCs, the world, and the main plot. Vince and I are currently delving through the darker Act 2 part of the story and are likely to commit another mass murder of cultists.

While gaming is nice, Thanksgiving is also a great time for family and football. I got to watch my Green Bay Packers play while petting my amazing animals. This year I got a bonus gift with the Chicago Bears losing too. I have a goal to get Star Wars: Outlaws around Christmas for my shiny new PS5. I’ve heard mixed things about it, but I am a Star Wars junkie and really want to enjoy it. And it’s nice to have access to anything on my new PlayStation 5 that I was finally able to obtain.

I want to finish this column with a special thank you or two to people I wouldn’t be here without. The first is our GiN Chief Editor John Breeden. He took a wannabe journalist from the backwoods of Ohio and mentored and made him a passable writer. Additionally, he allowed me to join the GiN family in 2011, and I have never been happier. Working here for thirteen years has been one of my best experiences.

Finally, I want to thank each and every one of you who read my reviews and column. You all inspire me to be the best writer I can be.

Enjoy the turkey and potatoes and remember to keep gaming every chance you get, especially during the holidays!