I performed Jewel over 200 instances this 12 months, however by no means performed past degree 1

In my Recreation of the Yr 2022 article and video I stated one thing alongside the strains of “Vampire Survivors is my most played game of the year.” I feel which may have been a lie. I didn’t think about that I’ve been enjoying one basic sport virtually each day for the entire 12 months. Whereas this may not be the sport I’ve put essentially the most time into, I’ve actually ‘booted’ Jewel greater than every other sport this 12 months. However why? And why have I by no means performed past the primary degree? Sadly, it is a relatively boring story of how I waste my life to earn tiny quantities of cash.

This story begins a few years in the past, method earlier than the Xbox Sequence X was launched. Microsoft runs a rewards program in which you’ll be able to earn factors by finishing duties. A few of these are web-based, resembling looking out on Bing, collaborating in polls, or finishing brief quizzes. There’s additionally an Xbox aspect to it, with factors being given for finishing challenges in set Recreation Cross titles, incomes achievements in sure video games, and extra. As Meghan Trainor virtually stated, I grew to become all in regards to the factors.

Within the years main as much as the discharge of the Xbox Sequence X, I had grow to be a point-earning machine. I’d do all I might, activating bonuses and finishing all the additional actions to quantity a digital mountain of this particular digital forex. Lengthy story brief, I ended up utilizing all of them on Microsoft Retailer credit score, which resulted in having the ability to purchase an Xbox Sequence X for about £50. Regardless of the each day grind I felt like I’d reached into Microsoft’s pocket and stolen the brand new console.

However the level comedown was quite a bit to take. I’d wiped myself out and was beginning once more from scratch. It additionally appeared as if factors had been changing into more durable to earn, avenues to get them drying up. That’s till I found the Xbox app, which let me earn virtually 300 factors a day. Most of those had been by means of enjoying PC video games (this text might simply have been titled: “I performed Forza Horizon 5 over 200 instances this 12 months, however by no means drove a automotive”), however there’s one tiny level earner tied to ending a single degree of Jewel. So I performed Jewel. I performed Jewel quite a bit.

Jewel is launched from throughout the Xbox app on my telephone. As quickly as you end degree 1 you obtain the notification that you simply’ve earned some factors, so I click on it and add them to my stash. I’ve performed that the majority days this 12 months. After I don’t do it, I really feel a way of remorse. I’m beholden to Microsoft and its reward factors scheme. I’ve even obtained my son concerned and may recurrently be heard asking him if he’s “performed his searches,” as if checking on the standing of his homework. He usually hasn’t, however I let him seize some Minecoins every so often anyway. I’m type like that.

I even managed to get a Steam Deck for about £100 by means of the relatively sophisticated path of changing reward factors into Curry’s PC World vouchers, shopping for Steam credit score on bodily playing cards, then utilizing that to repay a big chunk of the Deck’s value.

The purpose is, although, that I’m now seemingly a professional gamer at Jewel, however just for Degree 1. For all I do know the sport utterly adjustments from degree 2 onwards. I’ve not seen it past the display that claims Degree 2. Possibly they introduce a brand new color jewel, or the jewels change form, or they begin transferring on their very own as if possessed by a ghost that likes to play image colour-match video games throughout its downtime. I don’t know, and I’m unsure if I ought to be blissful about that or not.

On one hand I’ve spent hours of my life this 12 months enjoying a sport I’ve no need to play (and numerous extra hours incomes factors over the past 5 or so years), however alternatively it’s free cash. Possibly I’d have earned more cash with that point by writing a e-book about stealth video games or one thing, however anybody might do this. How many individuals can say they’re nearly as good as I’m at Jewel Degree 1?

With about six years to go till the following Xbox releases, most likely, that’s one other 1200 video games of Jewel Degree 1 to play. What a enjoyable life I lead.