If you want to take a break from the daily grind at practically no cost to you, you might consider a free computer game or two. Here’s a way I sometimes keep myself occupied for an hour or so. This is a short post to introduce Apex Legends – for those of you who haven’t considered gaming for a long time.
Table of Contents
Battle Royale Therapy
The Apex arena has become an occassional home from home for me, especially when I’m in the mood to wind down and get away from responsible thinking. A good computer game nowadays, even for people like me in their 50s and up, can be an enjoyable counterbalance after the physical demands of farming or whatever work you do.
For those of you who haven’t heard of Apex Legends, it’s a free-to-play online multiplayer battle royale. It’s the only game that’s earned permanent residence on my PC these days.
It’s fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled, and unapologetically competitive. More so for us middle-aged and up peeps.
Escaping the Daily Grind
My weekdays are split between teaching English and growing vegetables on farms. By the time Friday rolls around, I’m craving a mental shift away from responsibility. Apex offers that escape, though competing against players half my age comes with its own flavor of stress if I take it too seriously. We’re supposed to mellow with age, after all.
Older Gamer
As a middle-aged gamer, with a decent enough PC, Apex Legends still leaves me in awe sometimes. I grew up on the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, and graduated to PCs around the Windows 98 era, back when games were just emerging possibilities rather than fully realized virtual worlds.
I played Delta Force, Black Hawk Down, Unreal Tournament, Counter-Strike, and Battlefield in my late 20s. Most of those games were excellent at the time, but life got busy and I took a detour away from gaming for quite a few years.
That’s enough reminiscing from the old guy!
The Birth of OldDogZeroTricks
I got into Apex in 2019 just after it was released. It took many people by surprise because it’s free to download and play, and it’s a top quality game.
I think Today’s Apex feels like those early gaming dreams I had: The graphics, the pace, the beautiful chaos of it all. Age has obviously slowed my reflexes, so you won’t find me topping any leaderboards.
I chose the username “OldDogZeroTricks” as an admission to teammates and enemies that I’m just an old guy doing the best I can! Expect enthusiasm, maybe some backup or support – not miracles!
Does your age limit your gaming performance?
Between Squad Comms and Solitude
Too much gaming can become a trap, so I try to keep things in balance. It gives my body needed rest, but mental relaxation? That’s debatable when you’re dodging gunfire and running around trying not to let the team down.
Some might call gaming a solitary pursuit. And living alone, I can’t entirely disagree. But Apex is a multiplayer world with live voice chat – if you’re feeling particularly supportive or sociable.
Finding Community in Chaos
Last year brought significant change when my wife relocated to America, and I temporarily shelved gaming altogether, reevaluating what keeps me grounded.
Like with anything, if you’re trying to stay fairly productive in life, you might consider not getting too carried away and occupying too much time gaming.
Now revisiting Apex, I typically connect to Tokyo servers for the lower ping, but I find myself drawn to American servers for the banter (and funny usernames).
How social is your own gaming experience?
Legends and Limitations
What hooks me about Apex is its selection of Legends that you can play with. Legends are in-game characters with distinct abilities and strengths. As an older gamer (or any age gamer), different characters allow you to comfortably adopt to your play style or mood.
If you’re older and slower, playing with a more defensive character might suit you and help you support your team more. On the other hand, if you like running around shouting `Come Get Some!‘, you might choose a more aggressive attacking type legend.
I mostly main three or four of my favorite legends: Mirage, Caustic, and Bangalore.
It’s worth noting that rotating between legends keeps the gaming experience fresh. Legends also have many humorous in-game audio quips that add to the fun.
Seasonal updates
Apex Legends is updated every three months with a new season which often includes enhancements, and sometimes new maps to play on. As I update this, we are currently in Season 27, “Amped”.
I try not to get carried away
Apex Legends can be addictive. Before you know it, you might be looking to upgrade your PC. I upgraded my PC video card, gaming monitor, and gaming mouse about 5 years ago.
If you are particularly talented, young or ambitious, you might consider streaming on Twitch or similar platforms so that other people can watch you game live.
In my case, playing Apex Legends remains recreation, not vocation. I once let gaming consume a lot of hours, but neglected chores piled up pretty high, forcing me to dial it down a notch. Now, I keep an eye on how we should balance our time.
The Invitation Stands
So there it is, Apex Legends is worth considering if you’re seeking an adrenaline-fueled form of relaxation (which is free to play). I claim no expertise of course: I’m just a middle-aged blogger balancing the daily grind of two jobs, living solo, and trying to keep it real.
Despite my age, I’m not late to this particular party. I’ve been dropping into Kings Canyon (Apex’s original map) since around Season 2 back in 2019.
Finding Your Gaming Balance
How much gaming constitutes too much? Are you in my situation – living alone, or do you balance gaming with family responsibilities? Do you play to win, or play to unwind?
Are you too old to game?
Are you feeling your reflexes slow with age, or still grinding toward Apex Predator status? Is there an age when gaming becomes an irresponsible pursuit? Perhaps I’ll see you in the arena, fellow old guy.. I mean legend.
