Short Thought: Podcast Games

I don’t know about you, but when I’m listening to a podcast, I can’t just sit there and stare at a static screen. I have to be playing a game at the same time.

I have my PlayStation 4 plugged into my PC monitor, so I’ll set up a podcast -- sometimes even a playlist of them -- then switch over. My go-to game for these last few months has been Rocket League. I don’t even play online. I play 3v3 All-Star bot matches.

There’s a bizarre juxtaposition because I have to be focused enough on playing the game to be mindless enough to listen to the podcast. I have to distract myself fully in order to not be distracted at all.

I’ve also reached the point now where I can’t play some games without something else in the background. I can’t just sit and play Dark Souls, for instance. Dark Souls is my Game Of All Time, but I get bored now if I’ve not got an episode of Regular Features on -- not even the latest one, I’ve started just shuffling all 170 episodes.

There can be times when playing a game is just far too dull on it’s own. Something like your Far Cry’s, Assassin’s Creed’s, Metal Gear Solid V, or Mad Max will give you an expansive play area with half a dozen different collectibles and side missions to find, but they never make it fun. I’m a sucker for achievements and trophies, so I will clear every icon from the map. The only way I can do it is by focusing on something else, and having the game as the background instead.

Is there something wrong in my head? What games do you find yourself playing mindlessly? Do you need the same kind of distractions? Let me know in the comments.