My targeting reticule flashes on a dark corner and I fire three times. Though, I was not aiming accurately the bullets strike true and the enemy pilot dies. My smart-gun could see what I could not: a cloaked enemy, waiting in ambush. I sprint through the abandoned building, running along walls, and leaping over the broken floor, before finally entering the battlefield at large. The robotic support officer’s face appears on my screen, “enemy Titans in the area,” as a massive robot slams into the ground. Blinded by dust, I switch to my rocket launcher in vain as I’m crushed by a massive metal foot. Welcome to Titanfall.

The multiplayer first person shooter genre has been stale for the last few years. Call of Duty 4 was great, but each iteration afterward (has) failed to capture my attention. Battlefield Bad Company 2 kept me up late during my all too short weekends, but I did not even bother to purchase 3 and 4. Titanfall is the new Multiplayer FPS by Respawn Entertainment. In case you hadn’t heard of them, Respawn is made up of the majority of the old Infinity Ward, the team behind Call of Duty Modern Warfare (one). They innovated the genre then, and they have done it again.

Titanfall pits two relatively small teams of players in 6 vs. 6 battles. Currently in the beta there are three modes: Attrition, Hardpoint, and Last Titan Standing. What are Titans? Titans are giant mechs which can be used by the player to gain an edge on the battlefield. You can customize your pilot with different weapons and perks, and can unlock new upgrades and perks by completing challenges.

Players can wall-run, sprint at speeds that would make Bolt blush, and double jump across impossible distances. This sets the game apart from other current generation shooters. Walls and buildings help you chain together double jumps and wall bounces to scale buildings to dodge opponents or to get the perfect sniping spot.

The Titans are big mech fighting suits that your pilot can either have fight on their own controlled by the AI or assume direct control of. Piloting your Titan sacrifices mobility for increased durability and firepower. The 40mm Cannon my Titan has equipped will one shot a player. All pilots are equipped with some form of anti-Titan weapon. Enemy pilots can leap on and blast the Titan directly in the control unit if they can survive long enough in close-quarters combat. This bypasses the Titan’s shields and directly damages the Titan’s hull.

Piloting a Titan gives you a bigger punch but also makes you vulnerable to ambushes. You’re always on the lookout for pilots on the roofs or hiding inside buildings. Titans, when properly utilized, can turn the tide of a battle. However they are superbly balanced as to be not overpowered. When you start a match you have 3 minute timer until you can summon your Titan. This timer is reduced by damaging and killing other pilots or minions, which are another fresh element of Titanfall.

Minions are best equated to the creep or minions in games like Dota or League of Legends. The minions are AI teammates that litter the battlefield helping you maintain position or attack your enemies. Their main function in my opinion is to make the player feel more epic. I’ve run across enemy minions holding one of my team’s minions in a choke hold while another is prepped to punch him. When I enter the room they freeze for a second allowing me to shoot both the bad guys in the head, my AI ally gets up and thanks me before we continue on our merry way. They also have chatter which serves to bolster your ego, “Don’t worry boys! We got a pilot here!” and “These guys are bad ass!” are some examples of their phrases. As many of us know, it is very frustrating to be doing poorly in an FPS, but with the minions around you can still feel good as you run into a room and easily dispatch 4 or 5 minions. The minions are not just there to provide enrich the gaming experience though, in the Attrition game mode you still receive points that count toward winning the match by killing them. The minions further build on Titanfall’s epic experience.

I was not excited or hyped for this game at all, but then I got into the beta and on whim started playing. I didn’t stop playing until my girlfriend dragged me away. I had a dream about piloting a Titan as I slept after the first night; this game has got me hooked. Titanfall checks most boxes for a good FPS: tight controls, fun and innovative gameplay, and balance. Give it a try or check out our videos at youtube.com/Gullington or here on The Healthy Gamer!

I can say without equivocation Man’s Search for Meaning is the most important book I’ve ever read. 

That’s a bold statement, I know. But Viktor Frankl’s book cuts to the heart of existential depression. Is there a meaning to life? Is there a purpose to our existence? Why do we suffer?

Any summary I could write would pale in the impact of reading the book for yourself. So I’ll just leave you with my favorite quotes from Frankl’s work and sincerely hope that you read this book for yourself.

“He who has a strong enough why can bear almost any how.” – Nietzche

“The salvation of man is through love and in love.” – Frankl

“‘There is only one thing that I dread; not to be worthy of my sufferings.’ These words frequently came to my mind after I became aquainted with those martyrs whose behavior in camp, whose suffering and death, bore witness to the fact that the last inner freedom cannot be lost. It can be said that they were worthy of their sufferings; the way they bore their suffering was a genuine inner achievement. It is this spiritual freedom-which cannot be taken away-that makes life meaningful and purposeful.” – Frankl

“Emotion, which is suffering, ceases to be suffering as soon as we form a clear and precise picture of it.” – Frankl

“It does not matter what we expect from life, but rather what life expects from us.” – Frankl

“As each situation in life represents a challenge to man and presents a problem for him to solve, the question of the meaning of life may actually be reversed. Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible. Thus, logotherapy sees in responsibleness the very essence of human existence.” – Frankl

Life is cumulative. As long as you are a living, breathing, human being you have the ability to change the direction of your life for the better.

Arthur understood that all of life was cumulative. It was cumulative stress from jumping out of planes that injured his back. It was an accumulation of years of inactivity and poor diet that lead to his debilitated state. And it was an accumulation of daily disciplines that lead him back to health.

The greatest danger in depression is the loss of hope. Depression makes us look at life and all of the things that we can’t do. You’ll never get that girl, you’re too boring. You’ll never get that job, you don’t have the energy. You’ll never be happy, because look at how depressed you are now! All of those are true statements. But they miss the big picture entirely. You don’t HAVE to turn your life around in an instant! You don’t HAVE to accomplish all of your goals immediately, and you won’t! You only need to take very small steps each day. Each day be a little stronger. Each day be a little happier. And that’s it. Soon you’ll have built the life of your dreams through the accumulation of small daily successes.

Two Apps to Help Your Journey

Chains.cc – Write down goals and swipe them right after you’ve completed that goal for the day. The key to success here is to make it small enough that you won’t be too fussed about completing it. Since I’ve started using this method of daily goals I’ve meditated for 20 minutes every day, spent 5 minute cleaning up my room, and wrote 500 words for 24 days in a row now. All tasks that I previously struggled to complete. This is based on The Seinfeld Method.

Superbetter – “SuperBetter helps you achieve your health goals — or recover from an illness or injury — by increasing your personal resilience. Resilience means staying curious, optimistic and motivated even in the face of the toughest challenges.” While I haven’t personally tried it, I hear it’s awesome. Give it a try.