When your graphics card catches fire 🔥

So, those of you who follow me will be aware that my PC literally died recently. I have been having problems with it for a while, and removed the case so that I could point an extra fan in there to keep it cool. Not having a case seemed to keep it cooler and stop it from switching itself off as frequently for a while, but it also meant that I got to witness the moment that my graphics card burst into flames!! 🔥😱

I have now gone over a week without my PC. I usually spend allot of my free time creating and editing videos, and of course playing games! So to fill this time, and stop me from going insane, I have been playing games on my PS4 (and watching allot of Netflix, which is best discussed in a separate post!) And so I just thought that I would share my experiences with these old games that I had lying around with all of you, just in case your graphics card ever catches on fire!! 😉

1. Divinity: Original Sin – Enhanced Edition

Divinity Original Sin is an open world, turn-based RPG that was released in 2014, and is one that I have very fond memories of. For me, although it in no way compares to Divinity Original Sin 2, which is one of my all time most favourite games, it is still lots of fun. I think one of the best parts about the Divinity games is that you can play with friends and work together through the story whilst making decisions jointly (or having a game of rock, paper, scissors if you disagree!)

I really love the unique environmental mechanics in this game, and how different skills and elements work together, for example, somebody could make it rain which creates a puddle, and then somebody else could throw a lightning skill at the puddle to create electrified water to stun enemies, or freeze the puddle to cause people to slip on the ice, or even heat the water with a fire spell to create steam. The way elements work together, and the slow paced and tactical combat make this a really unique and fun experience, and the story is nice too. I also enjoy the freedom you are given in this game. If you want to be a bow wielding fire mage in heavy armor, then that is absolutely allowed! And there is also a great deal of humor to keep you smiling throughout the story. If you enjoyed Divinity Original Sin 2, then you should definitely check out the first one too!

2. Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a western themed, open world action-adventure game that was released in late 2018. I’m not really a huge fan of guns in video games, I prefer a bow or a sword personally, but even so, I adore this game and put hundreds of hours into it when it was first released (and you do, in fact, have a bow in this game, although it’s really just used for hunting) It was really nice to come back to it again this week and remember why I loved it so much. This game is absolutely beautiful, the graphics and the lighting… All of it! I found myself just sat on my horse in this huge open world watching the sun set, it was stunning.

I also find that you always have something to do in this game, whether that be a set quest, or your own personal mission! I spent an entire night stealing wagons and selling them to a shifty farmer to make money before chasing wild horses around in the wilderness. The story quests are also really fun and engaging, and the characters are well done, and really feel like they have a long history together. This game is also hilarious! The way that NPC’s react to each other and to you, and the unexpected song’s throughout are just amazing! It really will make you laugh, and keep you entertained indefinitely.

3. The Last of Us

The Last of us is a 2013 action-adventure game set in a post apocalyptic world. After not seeing this game for so long, the first thing that I thought when I fired up my playstation and started the game was ‘this game COULD NOT have been made 7 years ago, surely?!’ I even had to go and ask Google because it is so stunning! The graphics are so beautiful that they rival many games released today, particularly when it comes to the characters. The story and game play are truly remarkable, and I found myself playing through the entire story because despite playing it before a few years ago, I was hooked and wanted to find out what happened next!

Like Red Dead Redemption, The Last of Us primarily uses guns for weapons, but that did not put me off in the slightest. The game is fun, action packed, and at times tense. There were times throughout the game that I felt excited, scared and sad… To me, that proves that the story here is very strong, and the atmosphere and characters created are exceptional in helping to portray that story.

Those of you who follow me will also be aware of my slight addiction to building houses in ESO, and this was one of two games that gave me some huge inspiration for a project that I plan to start working on over the weekend. The city in The Last of Us might be destroyed and overgrown, but that adds a certain beauty to it that warranted about 50 screenshots overall whilst I was playing!

4. Dragon Age: Inquisition

I might be incredibly biased with this one, because Dragon Age is, and probably always will be, my favourite game series of all time. Inquisition is the third game in the Dragon Age series, and is an open world, fantasy RPG. I have the same reaction as I do with The Last of Us, when I see the beautiful graphics in this game and realise that it was created in 2014. It is stunningly beautiful, and there are many areas to explore, from the lush jungles of The Emerald Graves, to the barren deserts of The Western Approach. If you have played the first two dragon age games, you might notice something quite different about the whole mood and atmosphere of Inquisition. The first two games had very dark undertones, story wise, which were mirrored in the visual aspects of the game, but inquisition is much brighter graphically, and the stories told are actually far less gruesome too. This is not a bad thing at all, it is just a difference that I noticed rather quickly the first time I played this game.

I think that what makes Dragon Age so special is the lore and the characters. The lore in the Dragon Age games is so very deep and interesting. Each time I play I discover a missed codex or a new conversation that adds a little bit more to the entire background of this gorgeous world. The Characters are something so unique and deep that I can’t personally imagine any other game series ever replicating just how well they are done. Every single npc has such a profound and detailed background, their own beliefs and their own likes and dislikes. They all have opinions on what you do in the game and the way in which you interact with them will completely change your experience, and the experience of the subsequent games, because each Dragon Age game you play affects the world in the next one. No NPC is linear, they all have a story and a purpose and many of them can even develop and change depending on the choices you make. No quest is linear either. Everything you do in all dragon age games really does feel like it makes a difference and has consequences.

This is yet another game that gave me lot’s of inspiration for future ESO housing projects! I would recommend that everybody who enjoys story and lore rich RPGs with real decision making and real consequences give Dragon Age a try, because it really is one of a kind, and I can almost guarantee that you will be hooked! 😜

5. Don’t Starve: Reign of Giants

Don’t Starve is an open world survival game, which was released in 2013 and is available for both PC and console. I really enjoy this game! It’s one of those addictive ones, where you are chopping down trees and building yourself a camp and before you know it, it’s 2am! I have the Reign of Giants DLC which I could never play Don’t Starve without now. It really does change and improve the overall experience of the game, for me personally.

Despite really enjoying this game, I must stress that I am absolutely terrible at it. The last time I played it, I finally made it through winter for the first time. I was really proud of myself! I had built quite a nifty little base with all of the necessities, and I was doing really well! And then the last day of winter came… And a giant came to my camp and smashed it to pieces. This meant that I lost all of my things that I had worked so hard to build, which caused my little Wilson to go insane and eventually be killed by the shadows. I don’t think the game is too hard as such, I think perhaps I just need more practice, but even so, I really recommend this game. Its fun, it’s challenging and it is very cheap to buy!

So, those are 5 games that I have been playing on my PS4 whilst going stir crazy without my PC! None of them are exactly new games, but all are great and lots of fun, and I honestly would recommend each and every one of them. They all offer something very different, and have all helped me get through this past week or so, and taken my mind off of the fact that I really just want to be building houses and creating videos!! 😅 I hope that you have enjoyed reading about them, and perhaps even got a few ideas for new games to try yourself!

Thank you for stopping by my blog!

Elara xxx