Will
@gruffwill.bsky.social
He/Him | Designer at Playground Games | Previously Frontier & Playsport on F1 Manager & Motorsport Manager.
Fan of strategy games, F1 and ice hockey.
Views expressed are my own and don't represent my employer.
Fan of strategy games, F1 and ice hockey.
Views expressed are my own and don't represent my employer.
Promise Mascot Agency - No idea what my expectations were for this, but it surpassed them. It's so moreish. Every time I finished something, I stumbled straight into something else.
Two Point Museum - This was the right level of building fidelity for me. The tick rate of gameplay is perfect too.
Two Point Museum - This was the right level of building fidelity for me. The tick rate of gameplay is perfect too.
June 27, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Promise Mascot Agency - No idea what my expectations were for this, but it surpassed them. It's so moreish. Every time I finished something, I stumbled straight into something else.
Two Point Museum - This was the right level of building fidelity for me. The tick rate of gameplay is perfect too.
Two Point Museum - This was the right level of building fidelity for me. The tick rate of gameplay is perfect too.
Hot damn, we're already nearly half way through the year. Here's my favourite games I've played this year so far!
Blue Prince - My partner and I played this together and it was perfect. Everything unraveled perfectly for us. Something we'll remember for a long time.
Astro Bot - Perfect platformer.
Blue Prince - My partner and I played this together and it was perfect. Everything unraveled perfectly for us. Something we'll remember for a long time.
Astro Bot - Perfect platformer.
June 27, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Hot damn, we're already nearly half way through the year. Here's my favourite games I've played this year so far!
Blue Prince - My partner and I played this together and it was perfect. Everything unraveled perfectly for us. Something we'll remember for a long time.
Astro Bot - Perfect platformer.
Blue Prince - My partner and I played this together and it was perfect. Everything unraveled perfectly for us. Something we'll remember for a long time.
Astro Bot - Perfect platformer.
First game of 2025 finished, just in time to go back to work.
What a joy Astro Bot was! Great platforming throughout and a good mixture of abilities to keep it fresh.
What a joy Astro Bot was! Great platforming throughout and a good mixture of abilities to keep it fresh.
January 5, 2025 at 6:31 PM
First game of 2025 finished, just in time to go back to work.
What a joy Astro Bot was! Great platforming throughout and a good mixture of abilities to keep it fresh.
What a joy Astro Bot was! Great platforming throughout and a good mixture of abilities to keep it fresh.
Lastly, my favourite game of the year was Star Wars Outlaws.
As a fan of Star Wars and im-sims this game was made for me. I've never played something that felt so authentically Star Wars. Then it built on that by giving me lots of systems to play with, perfect.
To top it off, it looks phenomenal!
As a fan of Star Wars and im-sims this game was made for me. I've never played something that felt so authentically Star Wars. Then it built on that by giving me lots of systems to play with, perfect.
To top it off, it looks phenomenal!
December 31, 2024 at 1:15 PM
Lastly, my favourite game of the year was Star Wars Outlaws.
As a fan of Star Wars and im-sims this game was made for me. I've never played something that felt so authentically Star Wars. Then it built on that by giving me lots of systems to play with, perfect.
To top it off, it looks phenomenal!
As a fan of Star Wars and im-sims this game was made for me. I've never played something that felt so authentically Star Wars. Then it built on that by giving me lots of systems to play with, perfect.
To top it off, it looks phenomenal!
There's also things I'm looking forward to playing more in 2025.
Prince of Persia - Great combat and loved the map.
Astro Bot - I loved playroom and playing this over Christmas has been a delight.
Metaphor - Taken some time to get into, but hit its stride now.
Caves of Qud - Best kind of weird.
Prince of Persia - Great combat and loved the map.
Astro Bot - I loved playroom and playing this over Christmas has been a delight.
Metaphor - Taken some time to get into, but hit its stride now.
Caves of Qud - Best kind of weird.
December 31, 2024 at 1:02 PM
There's also things I'm looking forward to playing more in 2025.
Prince of Persia - Great combat and loved the map.
Astro Bot - I loved playroom and playing this over Christmas has been a delight.
Metaphor - Taken some time to get into, but hit its stride now.
Caves of Qud - Best kind of weird.
Prince of Persia - Great combat and loved the map.
Astro Bot - I loved playroom and playing this over Christmas has been a delight.
Metaphor - Taken some time to get into, but hit its stride now.
Caves of Qud - Best kind of weird.
There was a bunch of other great stuff too:
Mouthwashing - Great storytelling.
Balatro - What else needs saying!
Thank Goodness You're Here - Classic British humour.
Duck Detective - Fun, low stakes mystery.
Mouthwashing - Great storytelling.
Balatro - What else needs saying!
Thank Goodness You're Here - Classic British humour.
Duck Detective - Fun, low stakes mystery.
December 30, 2024 at 9:58 PM
There was a bunch of other great stuff too:
Mouthwashing - Great storytelling.
Balatro - What else needs saying!
Thank Goodness You're Here - Classic British humour.
Duck Detective - Fun, low stakes mystery.
Mouthwashing - Great storytelling.
Balatro - What else needs saying!
Thank Goodness You're Here - Classic British humour.
Duck Detective - Fun, low stakes mystery.
Animal Well was probably my favourite game in the first half of 2024.
The way you can combine simple abilities to traverse the world is brilliant. It also captures a great sense of exploration and wonder, all without overstaying it's welcome.
The way you can combine simple abilities to traverse the world is brilliant. It also captures a great sense of exploration and wonder, all without overstaying it's welcome.
December 30, 2024 at 9:43 PM
Animal Well was probably my favourite game in the first half of 2024.
The way you can combine simple abilities to traverse the world is brilliant. It also captures a great sense of exploration and wonder, all without overstaying it's welcome.
The way you can combine simple abilities to traverse the world is brilliant. It also captures a great sense of exploration and wonder, all without overstaying it's welcome.
Persona 3 Reload! As a fan of 4 and 5, I'd never played the original P3, so I was excited for this one. It took me most of the year to finish, but I'm glad I did.
I liked the variety in social links 3 had and Theurgy was a great addition to convey personality and deepen both loops.
I liked the variety in social links 3 had and Theurgy was a great addition to convey personality and deepen both loops.
December 29, 2024 at 9:19 AM
Persona 3 Reload! As a fan of 4 and 5, I'd never played the original P3, so I was excited for this one. It took me most of the year to finish, but I'm glad I did.
I liked the variety in social links 3 had and Theurgy was a great addition to convey personality and deepen both loops.
I liked the variety in social links 3 had and Theurgy was a great addition to convey personality and deepen both loops.
Farming Simulator 25. Since launch this has been my most played game, exclusively in a dedicated server.
There's lots to do, with most jobs benefitting from co-op, but being simple enough to talk over.
It's a nice relaxed space for my friends and I to chat, while progressing and planning our farm.
There's lots to do, with most jobs benefitting from co-op, but being simple enough to talk over.
It's a nice relaxed space for my friends and I to chat, while progressing and planning our farm.
December 27, 2024 at 9:10 AM
Farming Simulator 25. Since launch this has been my most played game, exclusively in a dedicated server.
There's lots to do, with most jobs benefitting from co-op, but being simple enough to talk over.
It's a nice relaxed space for my friends and I to chat, while progressing and planning our farm.
There's lots to do, with most jobs benefitting from co-op, but being simple enough to talk over.
It's a nice relaxed space for my friends and I to chat, while progressing and planning our farm.
With the year ending, I've been thinking about my favourite games of 2024.
First up, Horticular. A great gardening game, using a similar creature loop to Viva Pinata.
There's more to it than I expected, with a strong "one more day" loop and a mission system to give you long term progression.
First up, Horticular. A great gardening game, using a similar creature loop to Viva Pinata.
There's more to it than I expected, with a strong "one more day" loop and a mission system to give you long term progression.
December 27, 2024 at 9:00 AM
With the year ending, I've been thinking about my favourite games of 2024.
First up, Horticular. A great gardening game, using a similar creature loop to Viva Pinata.
There's more to it than I expected, with a strong "one more day" loop and a mission system to give you long term progression.
First up, Horticular. A great gardening game, using a similar creature loop to Viva Pinata.
There's more to it than I expected, with a strong "one more day" loop and a mission system to give you long term progression.
Counter Strike has finally been dethroned 😅
I do feel like the mini version doesn't do justice to the variety of stuff played over the year.
I do feel like the mini version doesn't do justice to the variety of stuff played over the year.
December 18, 2024 at 8:25 PM
Counter Strike has finally been dethroned 😅
I do feel like the mini version doesn't do justice to the variety of stuff played over the year.
I do feel like the mini version doesn't do justice to the variety of stuff played over the year.
65/100 is more than I expected! Feel like there's a few big ones missing though.
December 15, 2024 at 9:11 AM
65/100 is more than I expected! Feel like there's a few big ones missing though.
Game devs, post your first shipped game and your latest shipped game.
I'm also only now realising I wasn't at the studios when either of these games shipped 😅
I'm also only now realising I wasn't at the studios when either of these games shipped 😅
December 15, 2024 at 9:01 AM
Game devs, post your first shipped game and your latest shipped game.
I'm also only now realising I wasn't at the studios when either of these games shipped 😅
I'm also only now realising I wasn't at the studios when either of these games shipped 😅
Windows 11 finally gave me a useful update 😅
November 30, 2024 at 9:27 AM
Windows 11 finally gave me a useful update 😅
Excited to go back to Star Wars Outlaws for the new DLC. Sounds like there's been a ton of QOL improvements too.
It's definitely the most I've ever used photo mode in a game 😅
It's definitely the most I've ever used photo mode in a game 😅
November 22, 2024 at 6:21 PM
Excited to go back to Star Wars Outlaws for the new DLC. Sounds like there's been a ton of QOL improvements too.
It's definitely the most I've ever used photo mode in a game 😅
It's definitely the most I've ever used photo mode in a game 😅
Four games I've worked on:
November 18, 2024 at 9:18 PM
Four games I've worked on:
The new Ticket To Ride deluxe train pieces are 😙👌
November 10, 2024 at 9:23 PM
The new Ticket To Ride deluxe train pieces are 😙👌
Post a random game in your collection, here on Saturday.
November 9, 2024 at 9:45 AM
Post a random game in your collection, here on Saturday.
Exciting to see Bluesky so active! I'm a designer who loves games with deep systems.
I've been at Playground Games since early this year and previously worked on the Motorsport Manager and F1 Manager franchises.
Unsurprisingly I'm also a big F1 and Motorsport fan, but I also love ice hockey.
I've been at Playground Games since early this year and previously worked on the Motorsport Manager and F1 Manager franchises.
Unsurprisingly I'm also a big F1 and Motorsport fan, but I also love ice hockey.
October 19, 2024 at 9:41 AM
Exciting to see Bluesky so active! I'm a designer who loves games with deep systems.
I've been at Playground Games since early this year and previously worked on the Motorsport Manager and F1 Manager franchises.
Unsurprisingly I'm also a big F1 and Motorsport fan, but I also love ice hockey.
I've been at Playground Games since early this year and previously worked on the Motorsport Manager and F1 Manager franchises.
Unsurprisingly I'm also a big F1 and Motorsport fan, but I also love ice hockey.
Finished Turnip Boy last night. Really enjoyed it. It gets good mileage out of the player's limited action set. Enjoyed the puzzling, always felt smart, never got stuck.
The boss fights felt a bit repetitive though, due to the limited combat options. I'm excited to see how it evolved in the sequel.
The boss fights felt a bit repetitive though, due to the limited combat options. I'm excited to see how it evolved in the sequel.
February 4, 2024 at 2:39 PM
Finished Turnip Boy last night. Really enjoyed it. It gets good mileage out of the player's limited action set. Enjoyed the puzzling, always felt smart, never got stuck.
The boss fights felt a bit repetitive though, due to the limited combat options. I'm excited to see how it evolved in the sequel.
The boss fights felt a bit repetitive though, due to the limited combat options. I'm excited to see how it evolved in the sequel.
I enjoyed writing down what I played in 2023, so I'm going to do the same again! First game I've finished of 2024, The Gunk.
A well paced and good hearted action adventure game. It scratched the Chibi Robo itch of making a simple task satisfying and mixes it with fun platforming and puzzling.
A well paced and good hearted action adventure game. It scratched the Chibi Robo itch of making a simple task satisfying and mixes it with fun platforming and puzzling.
January 29, 2024 at 7:51 PM
I enjoyed writing down what I played in 2023, so I'm going to do the same again! First game I've finished of 2024, The Gunk.
A well paced and good hearted action adventure game. It scratched the Chibi Robo itch of making a simple task satisfying and mixes it with fun platforming and puzzling.
A well paced and good hearted action adventure game. It scratched the Chibi Robo itch of making a simple task satisfying and mixes it with fun platforming and puzzling.
I also had a think about 3 games I haven't played yet, but definitely want to in 2024!
Heard great things about all of them so it's time to finally dig in.
Heard great things about all of them so it's time to finally dig in.
December 31, 2023 at 2:43 PM
I also had a think about 3 games I haven't played yet, but definitely want to in 2024!
Heard great things about all of them so it's time to finally dig in.
Heard great things about all of them so it's time to finally dig in.
As it's NYE I've been thinking what my favourite games I played in 2023 were. I think these were my top 3.
Pentiment was a level above everything else I played this year for me. Unique in every way.
Pentiment was a level above everything else I played this year for me. Unique in every way.
December 31, 2023 at 2:42 PM
As it's NYE I've been thinking what my favourite games I played in 2023 were. I think these were my top 3.
Pentiment was a level above everything else I played this year for me. Unique in every way.
Pentiment was a level above everything else I played this year for me. Unique in every way.
A horribly predictable Steam year in review 😅
Played a lot of different stuff though! Especially on the Deck.
Played a lot of different stuff though! Especially on the Deck.
December 18, 2023 at 7:51 PM
A horribly predictable Steam year in review 😅
Played a lot of different stuff though! Especially on the Deck.
Played a lot of different stuff though! Especially on the Deck.