I stumble, the son runs
The son is a huge Harry Potter fan, so there’s this new game, Hogwarts Legacy, which (despite some controversy) is universally acclaimed as very good.
I’m not that into computer or console games. I’ve never owned a games console either, and my computer gaming experience is essentially limited to a very few hours of “Roland in Time” on the Schneider CPC (note: I’ll have to add my Oculus VR experiences when I get a chance). But the boys are now both at the age when something like this plays a big role for many, and the PS5 is now quite easy to get after initial delivery problems. After that didn’t work out for Christmas, I strike at a weak moment in which a bundle of PS5 and Hogwarts Legacy is offered together and I’m sufficiently softened by the longing eyes of the son.
The PS5 is controlled with a “Dual Sense Controller” that has little in common with the good old joystick I’m used to. There are so many knobs and levers on this thing! And when you tilt the whole controller, the console recognizes that too and things happen! And it rattles and vibrates and has a microphone built in and a speaker and a touchpad and it lights up and oh, every button does something different.
I’m trying out an introductory game designed to get you acquainted with the controller. A little happy man hops around on asteroids and does things there. I realize how difficult it is for me to keep all the buttons and levers apart and to push or push the right thing at the right moment.
After about an hour of my first gaming experience on the PS5, the younger son – who, to my knowledge, has also never played on a console, but does play on the laptop occasionally – joins in. “Dad, that’s a jumppad, YOU CAN SEE THAT! And that one has red eyes SO YOU HAVE TO BOX THEM AWAY!! GIVE IT TO ME!”. He wrestles the controller from me and after 2 minutes he’s running and jumping through the game like he’s never done anything else.
I actually consider myself to be somewhat digital and tech-savvy, but right now I’m feeling very old.
(Molinarius)