Tag: Games

GOG.com – The Unsung Hero of Game Preservation

Let’s face it: in gaming, everything moves fast. New consoles, photorealistic graphics, massive online worlds—it’s easy to get caught up in the latest and greatest. But what about the games we grew up with? The ones that shaped us, challenged us, and made us fall in love with gaming in the first place?

Well, while most of the industry charges ahead, there’s one platform quietly doing something incredibly important: GOG.com is saving old games from being forgotten.

🎮 What Is GOG.com?

GOG stands for “Good Old Games,” and that’s exactly what it started out offering—classics from the golden age of PC gaming, all fixed up to run smoothly on modern computers. But over time, GOG became more than just a nostalgia machine. Today, it’s one of the few platforms truly committed to game preservation.

And here’s the kicker: all their games are DRM-free. That means no annoying launchers, no always-online nonsense. You buy it? It’s yours. Forever.

🛠️ Bringing the Dead Back to Life (Digitally Speaking)

A lot of games from the ‘80s, ‘90s, and early 2000s just… stopped working. Newer operating systems broke them. Publishers vanished. CDs got scratched. But instead of letting those titles disappear into the void, GOG steps in and revives them.

We’re talking about:

  • Restoring compatibility for modern Windows, macOS, and even Linux
  • Using tools like DOSBox and ScummVM to emulate old systems
  • Fixing bugs and adding support for higher resolutions
  • Including cool extras like manuals, soundtracks, and wallpapers

Games like Blade Runner (1997), Diablo, Theme Hospital, Planescape: Torment—they’re all alive again thanks to GOG. It’s like digital archaeology… but way more fun.

🧩 Why Game Preservation Actually Matters

Imagine trying to watch a movie from the ‘80s, but you need a TV from that decade, a VHS player, and a remote that doesn’t exist anymore. That’s gaming without platforms like GOG.

Games are art, they’re culture, and they’re history. But unlike books or films, games are deeply tied to specific hardware, software, and protections. If no one preserves them, they’re gone. Forever.

GOG is one of the few places that takes that responsibility seriously. They make sure future generations can experience the same magic we did—with less hassle and more heart.

🔓 You Own It. Really.

We live in a world where you “buy” a game, but still need an internet connection, a launcher, or someone else’s permission to play it. GOG said: nah.

Everything on GOG is DRM-free. You download it, you back it up, and you play it wherever and whenever you want. Even offline. Even in 10 years. It’s gaming on your terms.

🌟 Not Just Old Games

Yes, GOG is best known for retro gems—but they also have modern indie hits, a carefully curated selection of newer titles, and even some AAA games. What makes GOG different is that it doesn’t try to be a giant digital warehouse. It feels more like a handpicked collection, where every game has earned its spot.

🌍 A Passionate Community

The GOG community is part of what makes it special. People share fixes, patches, mods, and recommendations. They help each other get old games running or find hidden gems. It feels less like a store and more like a digital club of game lovers who care about preserving something special.

🚀 Why GOG Matters More Than Ever

Today, physical game copies are vanishing, online requirements are everywhere, and platforms are shutting down left and right. If no one takes care of older games, they disappear. And once they’re gone, they’re really gone.

GOG is one of the few holding the line—restoring what’s been lost, preserving what’s at risk, and reminding us that some games never go out of style.

So the next time you’re feeling nostalgic, or just want to support something meaningful in the gaming world, check out GOG. You might just find an old favorite—or discover something new with a soul.

Review: Ghost of Tsushima (PS4)

The game Ghost of Tsushima got released on the 17th July 2020 for the PS4 by Sucker Punch Productions.

At first, I didn’t know much about the game but I have read many good things about it. After watching a few videos about the game play I thought: ” Wow, an Assassins Creed in a Samurai Dress”. As I like Japan and also its culture I gave the game a chance. I bought it eventually on the release day.

Now, more or less two weeks later and a Platin trophy more in my collection, I want to give a small review about the game.

The story itself takes place on the Japanese island Tsushima which is located in the sea between the main land Japan and Corea. At the time of the samurai, Mongols tries to conquer Japan and here is where the tragic story of our protagonist and hero Jin Sakai begins.

One of the game major features is the Kurosawa Mode, a Cinema mode which should remind on old samurai movies from the movie producer Akira Kurosawa. This mode gives the game a black & white color filter, which I actually haven’t used once and I don’t really know why, lol!
Another feature is the photo mode, in which you can actually take astonishing pictures, which I actually only used once for a trophy.

Speaking of taking pictures, the Island is really beautiful and well designed. Many times, when I climbed on top of a mountain, I really enjoyed the panorama view. I think the graphics are not 100% on that level which we got promised but nevertheless they are still awesome!

Game play wise, I keep it short. As I said before, the game is quite Assassins Creed oriented. Dodging, parrying and counter attacking against a horde of Mongols is the main part of the fights. Or if you like to sneak, you can also do it ninja style, killing the enemy silently. The duels are actually nice, in which you have to study your enemy to take the right actions against him.
The leveling system in its core idea is nice but in the end you get your experiences as usual through battles and quests.

Conclusion

In the end I can say that Sucker Punch did a great job with this game, I had a lot of fun. But there were a few things which could have been improved. For example, the story. The story hasn’t really a depth and is quite straight forward and also the development of Jin’s allies is quite questioning.
Exploring the whole island was a pleasure. There are many spots to discover but not to many to get overwhelmed and the size of the island is also acceptable. It doesn’t feel like an endless world map.
Some battles can be sometimes painful, specially when the camera angle is on the wrong spot. The general difficulty for this game on normal mode is ok and shouldn’t be too frustrating for casual players.
Beside the few weak spots the games has, I still really enjoyed it. The beauty of the nature and the great OST are harmonious. And as a Japanese producer said: If you don’t know from where the game come from you will think it comes from an Japanese developer.
I can only agree with that!

How did you like the game? Have you already tried it out? Let me know!

Trailer: