By the reckoning of NZ time, July is over, ushering in a new month, as is the way of things. Specifically, August, if you want to be all official-calendar-namey about it. Blaugust, though, if you’re keen to throw your hat into the madness of the blogging world.
As is often the case with Blaugust’s and my relationship — I don’t really have a plan, or know where things are heading. Since last year’s wrap-up, I’ve carried the notion that I wouldn’t try shoot for a ‘rainbow’ completion (i.e., posting 31+ times) this year, but instead focus more on the community aspects, read more of the wonderful posts soon to emerge, drop more comments, just… get out and sniff the roses a little.
Sitting here now, on the first day of Blaugust… I can’t help but wonder…
The answer to which I’m sure will become abundantly clear before the first week is over.
Rationally, logically, I know this.
But the heart wants what the heart wants — so for now I’ll continue to fence sit on the matter and simply say, ‘We’ll see how it goes’.1
More on that tomorrow!
For now…!
Gaming Goals
July Gaming Goals
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: Begin the story breakdown posts.
Alright, alright. I have to admit to myself that I’m just not going to do this one.
The idea still appeals, but a large part of the inspiration for the ‘Just Push the Damned Button Already‘ post recently was, in fact, Clair Obscur.
Who knows? Maybe now that I’ve taken it off the goals list, and that Blaugust is here, it might happen naturally.
(Bl)August Gaming Goals
- Anything but Wuthering Waves: Play something, anything, more than the Wuthering Waves playtime over August!
A more generic goal I couldn’t set if I tried. But that feels about right for where I am right now, plus, it might help dislodge the ‘default click’ behaviour of going into Wuthering Waves when at some level I might ‘want’ to be playing something else.
I am on something of a Colony-Sim kick (again), even picked up Dwarf Fortress again for the first time in yonks.
So maybe one of those will float to the top!
I also know that some friends are keen to give Grounded 2 Early Access a go2, so there are certainly options.
Games Played July 2025
| Rank | Game | Hours | % Gaming Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wuthering Waves | 15.6 | 31.5% |
| 2 | Borderlands 3 | 9.7 | 19.6% |
| 3 | The Alters | 8.2 | 16.5% |
| 4 | Dwarf Fortress | 5.7 | 11.5% |
| 5 | Bellwright | 5.4 | 10.9% |
| 6 | Blacksmith Master | 1.5 | 3.0% |
| 7 | PEAK | 1.4 | 2.8% |
| 8 | Atomic Heart | 1.1 | 2.2% |
| 9 | Sengoku Dynasty | 1.0 | 2.0% |
Wuthering Waves released its 2.5 patch and with it a new cycle of story content.
And new gacha characters, of course — starting with Phrolova, a character introduced as a villain basically all the way back at the game’s launch.
While I’m not especially interested in pulling for Phrolova, I have been interested in her story — and the first part of it delivered, in my opinion.
Borderlands 3 was a great jump past the tyranny of just simply… hitting the play button, but may already be on its way out in favour of a range of Colony-Sim (or adjacent) games. Bellwright straddles the line between Survival and Colony-Sim genres, a hybrid genre I’m becoming increasingly enamoured with.
Still… Hard to go past the grandpappy Dwarf Fortress, particularly while trying to convince yourself that you don’t really need to go out and buy the new RimWorld expansion immediately.3
Books Read July 2025
I finished the first and second books this month, and jumped straight into the third: The Book that Held Her Heart.
I only just made the jump into the third book last night on my flight back home, but I’m still half waiting for the ‘reveal’ that tips the understanding of this whole world (universe, really) on its head.
But more than that, I’m hoping it doesn’t.
To upset the understanding of the world as presented now, if it is the one I’m expecting anyway, would be to do the story so far a great disservice, I think.
Still- this is Mark Lawrence we’re talking about here.
He is up there amongst my favourite authors for a reason, so I’ll just have to see where this road leads.
This was posted during Blaugust 2025, the annual blogging event normally hosted by Belghast, with a twist this year of being hosted by Krikket. Blaugust is an event aiming to welcome new blogger blood into the fold and revitalise those who’ve been at it a little longer.
The Blaugust Discord is still available to join in, year-round!
