PC Gamer - UK (2022-02)

T

hroughout my years
of gaming, I’ve made
plenty of daft
decisions. I once
picked a fight with
Gandhi in Civilization IV, for
instance, and decided to complete
Aliens: Colonial Marines. Somehow
though, I find myself making my
most boneheaded choice yet when
faced with a race back to the
dropship in Deep Rock Galactic.

At the end of every level of this co-op
shooter, you need to race from where
you are to the ship that’s coming to
pick you up. There’s a time limit on
this, and a swarm of monstrosities
standing between you and being
rescued. It should be simple. Except,
on this run, I go haring towards our
ship in a straight line, while my
buddy is off on the path we had
already made throughout the level.

I’m directly underneath the ship, but

50 metres below it, so confidently tell

him, “Don’t worry, I’m going to dig

my way up.” He sighs, and say it’s

maybe not the best idea, but at that

point I’m halfway into rockville.

Why is this so thick? Because all

I’ve got above me is the greenish

blocks of rock that really aren’t there

to be mined and the fact that I have

to awkwardly hop into the air to

knock out my next section of path.

This is not conducive to a speedy

dash back. Essentially, I’m a dwarven

Andy Dufresne, except I have five

minutes instead of a lifetime jail

sentence to get myself out.

DIGGING ON A PRAYER

Now, there’s a reason for my hubris.

I’m only on my third mission, having

a friend teach me the cut and thrust

of a game that mines (ahem) so much

frantic glee from getting your team of

dwarves to burrow through alien

planets. Before all this, I’m starting to

get a feel of things, tagging items that

might be of interest, dropping

resources into the ‘MULE’, and

learning the special skills of the

Scout. Instead of playing the level’s

objective though, I put all my focus

Curiosity (almost) killed the dwarf in the excellent DEEP ROCK GALACTIC

“Out pops my head to take in the

surroundings, and a wave of guilt hits”

BUT WHEN IT’S THIS FUN,

I PLAN ON MAKING THESE

KINDS OF MISTAKES AGAIN...

TOP: (^) Give a man two
hand drills, and
everything starts to
look like a tunnel yet
to be dug...
CONTINUED ADVENTURES IN GAMING

EXTRA LIFE

BEN TYRER

THIS MONTH

Was constantly distracted by

anything that could be gold.

ALSO PL AYED

FIFA 22,

Forza Horizon 5