Unmuted #006 - Carly Interview

Hey guys, I’m back with another edition of Unmuted. This time I’m interviewing Carly. She’s a 26-year-old gamer based in the UK with a passion for rich narratives and open worlds. Today, she’s sharing her personal gaming history, her top 5 favorite titles (including some recent shake-ups!), her experiences connecting with the online community, and much more. Let’s dive in!

Tell me a bit about yourself (you can share as little or as much as you want here, like your name, where you’re from, your age and what do you work with).

Hey! I’m Carly, I’m 26 years old and come from the United Kingdom. I currently work full-time in self-harm and suicide prevention (third sector) and have done since 2022 - a couple of years after I graduated from university with a degree in Psychology and Criminology.

What got you into gaming in the first place? Do you have any memories of the first time you played a game?

Looking back, I’d say I’ve always had an interest in gaming, but it’s not something I was really able to commit time to until I was in my mid-late teens and then again in my early twenties.

Throughout much of my childhood and earlier teenage years, it was still very much a ‘taboo’ for girls to play video games. It was also something that my parents were worried I’d be made fun of for doing, and given I’d already had experiences with bullying as a young child, I can see now why they were so concerned (even if it was annoying for me at the time).

So, any time I did get gaming at this point was very limited and something that I only ever got the chance to do either with my dad on his PC or Playstations 1 & 2; on the family Nintendo Wii, or with my younger brother on his Xbox 360.

Some of my earliest memories of gaming include doing the driving for my dad on GTA (between missions) and playing Mario Kart, Wii Sports and Just Dance with my siblings on the Wii.

I think the early gaming memory I cherish the most though (probably for obvious reasons) is the time I was given my first ever console, an Xbox One, on Christmas Day the year after its release. I couldn’t believe I was finally allowed to own my own console. I was so excited to catch up on everything I’d missed out on and finally play the games that I wanted to, when I wanted to!

From this point, the time I spent gaming fluctuated for a number of reasons. Somewhere along the way I’d lost access to my console, alongside my collection of physical games. It wasn’t until a few years later that, after I’d started earning my own money with my first job, I was able to reconnect with gaming as a hobby.

Reflecting on your early experiences and your parents’ concerns about bullying, how different do you think the environment is for young girls getting into gaming today compared to when you started?

I think in many ways there are still some challenges when it comes to female representation both in games and in the gaming industry, but over the years there has been some real positive change and things have undoubtedly changed for the better.

For example, there are a much higher number of games these days that have been released, or that are currently in development, with a strong female protagonist that doesn’t exist solely for sex appeal. Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn; Ellie and Abby from The Last of Us; Ciri in The Witcher and the newer iterations of Lara Croft are all great examples of this.

We are also seeing women in the gaming industry become generally more accepted, whether it’s via streaming or just seeing more women working on games and presenting at events such as The Game Awards.

I think whilst this growing acceptance can likely be attributed to society in general changing and evolving in its perspective of women, I have no doubt that an increase in representation in games themselves, in gaming companies, and at events, has helped here.

Even in my own personal experiences, I very rarely encounter anyone questioning me when I say I enjoy spending time gaming - but this is something that even in my limited time gaming when I was younger, that I would experience frequently.

Of course, that’s not to say that misogyny isn’t still rife in sections of the community, because it is - and we see it talked about a lot when games with a female protagonist are announced. The way female characters are viewed in some sections of gaming is still very much through the lens of whether they are perceived as ‘attractive’ or not - and nothing to do with their skills or abilities. Three examples here where this has been a talking point would be Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West, Ciri in The Witcher IV trailer and with Abby in TLOU2.

I think this is something that could understandably serve to discourage many women from trying gaming for the first time, and even from pursuing a career in the industry, so I would say that this is now where the most growth needs to happen when speaking about this issue.

Can you describe your gaming setup? What equipment or accessories do you use, and how do they enhance your gaming experience? What platforms do you play?

A decade, a degree, a new job and my own home later, I have my own dedicated space for gaming. It’s definitely not as advanced as some set-ups, but I love it all the same.

It’s a ‘DIY’ Ikea desk with enough space for both me and my partner.

Here’s a picture of my half:

I currently own an Xbox Series X, a PS5 and am in the process of saving to buy a Steam Deck.

I play primarily on my Xbox - Game Pass and backwards compatibility have seen me through many years of gaming so far. I’ve discovered many games through this that I otherwise might never have played, and backwards compatibility has come in clutch on numerous occasions when trying to catch up on games I missed out on when younger. I’m also apparently one of the ‘strange people’ that prefers Xbox’s UI and controller. Who knew?!

I use my Playstation mainly for its amazing library of exclusives, not something I’d say I was willing to compromise on despite my preference for Xbox.

There was once a time I dabbled in playing on a PC, but overall I found this far too complicated and also I’m not very good with a keyboard and mouse at all. My first few times playing a shooter on a PC were a deeply humbling experience, that’s all I’ll say on that. Overall, I do find that consoles are much more convenient and affordable in general, even if you are making some sacrifices on graphics and performance.

What are some of your all-time favorite games and/or genres, and why do they stand out to you?

Oh gosh, I do tend to play a bit of everything, but without a doubt my favourite genres/games have to be RPGs and Action-Adventures. To me, there’s nothing quite like exploring an open world with rich lore and a strong narrative. Though I don’t play them nearly as often, I also have a bit of a soft spot for simulation and management games such as Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing.

My absolute favourite games tend to be ones with a non-linear story, where choices you make can shape the series of events you’ll experience as a result. It may come as no surprise then that my current top 5 games are The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Baldur’s Gate 3, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. I have a strong preference for fantasy and medieval style worlds, but have obviously made a few exceptions for Sci-fi along the way, given that ME2 holds one of my top spots.

My top 5 is something I’d also say rarely changes - but my recent experiences with BG3 and KCD2 gave me no choice but to dethrone Dragon Age: Inquisition and Batman: Arkham Asylum, the previous holders of spot 4 and 5.

Since joining Bluesky back in November, I have also become really interested in Virtual Photography, and games like this typically have some of the best environments to take pictures of. Whilst it’s not in my top spot for games overall, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is probably one of the most visually stunning games I’ve played to date. The seasonal cycle and use of vibrant colour made for some really pretty pictures (and a considerably longer play time).

That said, with the sheer amount of amazing games there are available, I have a lot of games that I would still consider favourites even if they’re not in my top 5, such as Dishonored, Horizon Zero Dawn, Assassin’s Creed, God of War, Spider-Man, Days Gone, Ghost of Tsushima, Fable and sooo many more!

You mentioned Baldur’s Gate 3 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II recently displaced Dragon Age: Inquisition and Batman: Arkham Asylum in your top 5. What specifically about those newer games resonated so strongly that they earned those top spots?

As I mentioned a bit earlier on in the interview, I tend to have a strong preference for games that have an in-depth story and offer players a choice that impact the sequence of events or gameplay in general.

Baldur’s Gate 3 was just a fantastic experience all the way through. It was the first time I’d ever tried a turn-based game, and also my first introduction to D&D. I think the characters, the quests and the sheer number of possibilities meant that, for me personally, it being anywhere lower than in my top 5 would have felt wrong. You can tell that from beginning to end, so much love was poured into this game and so many sensitive topics were handled excellently - particularly the themes of abuse we see play out in Astarion’s, Karlach’s and Lae’zel’s stories. I also see this game as a bit of a gateway for my growing interest in turn-based games and the world of Dungeons & Dragons in general.

My feelings on Kingdom Come: Deliverance II are very similar. I have loved the first game for a number of years now but KCD2 exceeded all of my expectations, and was another where I felt I just could not fault it. They improved on its predecessor in almost every way. The world they built was absolutely stunning, I felt genuinely emotionally invested in Henry’s story, it was well paced and reasonably challenging and you could approach almost everything with a different strategy. Every choice mattered, even down to the clothes you wear. One of my favourite features, though, is that you can really feel the difference as your skills improve, which is not something I can say I’ve experienced in other games like it - aside from the obvious higher damage stats.

I still have a lot of love for Dragon Age: Inquisition and Batman: Arkham Asylum, I just feel like I enjoyed these two more overall for these reasons.

If you could erase one game from your memory to experience it fresh again, which one would it be?

The Witcher 3, 100%. Between the base game and its DLCs, I have banked well over 1000 hours in play time and even managed to conquer a playthrough on Death March difficulty (and yet - I still don’t have 100% achievements).

I was around 19 the time I first played it - a couple of years after it had (deservedly) won GOTY at the game awards. I managed to get the complete edition for about £12 on an Xbox store sale - which was an absolute bargain.

I very quickly fell in love with the world, its characters and the story. It was the first ‘proper’ RPG I’d played up to that point and I’d also say the point where gaming went from being something I’d like to do ‘every now and again’, to a genuine, life-long hobby.

It was also around this time - and throughout my years at uni - that I struggled significantly with various aspects of my mental health. It wasn’t the first time I’d hit a ‘low point’, but it was by far the worst. On top of this, I also live with a chronic illness. And whilst I won’t bore anyone with the details, the world of The Witcher, and other games like it, offered me a much needed escape from the stress of life. No matter how bad my day was, or how ill I felt, I knew I could always get lost in a fictional world for a few hours. And let’s be honest, what better way is there to cope than running around with big swords and slaying monsters?

In all seriousness, and I know it may sound silly to a lot of people, I feel no shame in saying I genuinely don’t know where I’d be, or how I’d have coped, if not for video games (and a lot of therapy).

Thankfully, I am in a much better headspace nowadays, the chronic illness is still up and down - but gaming, and my love of The Witcher 3, has stayed a constant in my life ever since.

How do you balance gaming with other aspects of your life, like work, family, or other hobbies?

I’m honestly not sure. I think this is an eternal struggle for sooo many gamers. Now that I have my own place, have got a hold of my wellbeing, and have settled into working full time (and I also don’t have to study and write countless essays alongside this), I strangely have more time to game than I ever have before.

It also allowed me to nurture my hobby further - I already spoke briefly about making a Bluesky account and sharing virtual photography, but I’ve also started to write my own mini-reviews for fun. Through this, I have been able to meet so many amazing people in such a short time and because of this, I can honestly say that I have never felt more connected to gaming than I do now.

Saying that though, it is currently just me, my partner and my dog, a 7 year old golden retriever named Pebbles, at home. Here she is:

I imagine that there will come a time where I have to cut gaming time down again as my responsibilities inevitably change - but I would like to think I’d always have at least some time for gaming alongside everything else.

Do you have a “comfort game” that you always go back to?

I think for reasons I spoke about earlier on in the interview, The Witcher 3 has served as my main comfort game over the years - though I have also been known to play Stardew Valley when looking for something more chilled out.

Can you share a memorable gaming moment or achievement that you’re particularly proud of?

In game, I’d absolutely say it’s either completing The Witcher 3 on death march difficulty, or completing Dishonored 2 without using supernatural abilities, without being spotted and without killing anyone - all in the same run! I’ve never ventured much into soulslikes, so unfortunately I have no ‘big boss’ moments to talk about here.

Outside of games themselves, as silly as it sounds, starting a Bluesky account. I have never been one to ‘put myself out there’ especially when it comes to sharing the things I love with others and socialising - it’s always been a bit too vulnerable for my liking. I had an account, and saw what so often happened on Twitter/X, and it was absolutely not something I ever felt able to be a part of - the idea always frightened me. I feel incredibly lucky to have felt so accepted in a community I’ve never been part of before.

What do you enjoy most about gaming? Is it the story, the competition, the social aspect, or something else?

The story. Even if there’s a huge, beautiful open world to explore, a game often fails to make that much of an impression on me in the absence of a good story. Everything else I see as a bonus.

How do you think gaming has changed or influenced you as a person?

Gaming is something that has allowed me to express myself in ways that I don’t think I ever have in the past. Before I made a genuine connection with gaming, I would always be the type of person who struggled to think of anything when asked about hobbies and interests, as nothing has resonated with me quite as much as gaming has. It was a part of me that, when I was a child, I often felt ashamed of or embarrassed about, because of social expectations and what was considered ‘normal’ for girls back in the early 2000s.

Gaming is also the main reason I decided to open my Bluesky account, and alongside the people I’ve met through the site, and some other things that have happened in my life outside of gaming, I would say my confidence is finally growing. I even found myself uploading a video of myself speaking, and even though it was incredibly nerve wracking, it’s another thing I never thought would be in the realm of possibility for me.

It has helped me to find value in myself outside of what I can give or do for other people. As I said earlier on, I don’t know where I’d be if not for gaming. It is a huge part of who I am.

Do you have any gaming rituals or habits that you follow before or during a gaming session?

No rituals perse, though I do like to make sure my space is tidy and I’ve done all my household jobs before getting stuck in - I think we all know how easy it is to start up a game with the intention of ‘only having an hour’ to then look at the time and realise it’s now tomorrow. No matter how many times I promise myself it won’t happen again, it absolutely will.

I also always make sure I drink enough fluids and get up every now and again for a stretch. Speaking from experience, long gaming sessions and a chronic illness are not a good combo at all if you’re dehydrated and haven’t moved for a few hours. 0/10 would not recommend.

How do you choose which games to play next? Do you have a specific genre or criteria you look for?

Usually I tend to go with the flow, and play whatever catches my attention first - I’ve always found the huge amount of choice to be a bit overwhelming, especially given there are so many different games that appeal to me.

This year, I’ve tried a different approach. I set myself the goal of completing 40 games, and to play more indies than I usually do. Alongside the big 2025 releases, I asked my followers and friends on Bluesky for some recommendations - and now have a bit of a ‘to-do’ list. Once I finish a game, I will spend some time reflecting on it whilst writing my mini-reviews, and unless a new game has come out that I’ve been desperate to play, I just select whatever appeals to me most in the moment.

I am currently on game #13 and I think this method of deciding what to play is working really well - that said, I have doubts I will reach 40 games. We shall see!

Do you prefer single-player or multiplayer games, and why?

Single player games. I find them much more immersive and interesting. There’s no requirement to have friends with the same interests to play with or even to socialise with new people, which is something I have touched on struggling with a lot in the past.

Also, there isn’t any risk of a player 20 levels higher than you killing you and taking all of your stuff after a 4 hour long voyage (I’m looking at you - Sea of Thieves), or of anyone sending you death threats because you beat them in a game of Call of Duty (which has happened more than a few times).

That said, since I’ve met so many people on Bluesky, some of which I would now genuinely consider my friends, I have started to play multiplayer games more often, such as Marvel Rivals and Call of Duty. There’s no danger of my preference for single player games changing any time soon though.

What role does nostalgia play in your gaming preferences? Are there any older games you still love to revisit?

Because I spent so little time gaming as a child, I wouldn’t say nostalgia plays a huge part in my gaming preferences at all.

There are a few games that I vaguely remember playing with my Grandmother when I visited her (they’re all infamous for letting us do pretty much everything our parents won’t let us do aren’t they), such as Tetris; Monsters, Inc.: Scare Island; Rugrats: Search for Reptar and Pac-Man World that I do look back on fondly, despite not remembering all that much about them.

If you could preserve one game for future generations to understand gaming culture, which would you choose and why?

This is an incredibly loaded question and one I’m really not sure I can do justice, as I think it depends largely on the individual and their own, specific gaming preferences as to how they ultimately perceive gaming culture, and by extension, how gaming affects them as a person. For instance, there are many people who have a strong preference for sports and racing games - even though they’re not something I ever play myself.

However, If I was to be forced to answer this question, led entirely by bias, I would say - to absolutely no one’s surprise by now - The Witcher 3. Despite me having jumped on the bandwagon a little bit late compared to some fans, I feel it’s no secret that this game was ahead of its time and played a huge part in revolutionising modern RPGs, and set the bar incredibly high in doing so. Even today, almost 10 years after its release, it is still widely considered one of the best games to have ever released.

Are there any upcoming games or releases that you’re particularly excited about?

For games that are still a while away, and at risk of sounding like a broken record, The Witcher IV; Fable; Mass Effect 5 and Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet are all pretty up there.

If you’d asked me this question a few months ago, I’d have absolutely said Kingdom Come: Deliverance II; Split Fiction; South of Midnight and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows.

For games still due to release this year - for which there are SO many - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33; the rumoured Oblivion remaster; Doom; Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 (will this game ever come out?); Mafia; Borderlands 4; Dispatch; The Outer Worlds 2; Tales of the Shire; Ghost of Yotei and GTA 6 (so not many then /s).

Have you ever made real-life friendships or connections through gaming?

I’ve touched on this already, but not until recently. It was only once I’d started to ‘put myself out there’ via Bluesky that I started building meaningful connections with other people through gaming. I have known people in the past that have enjoyed gaming, but never anyone who shared the same passion as me.

It has only been a short time, but I do feel like I am making some genuine friendships with the people I’ve met online - which is something I never thought I’d catch myself saying a few years back, especially given how toxic some other social media sites can be and how long I had spent pushing this part of myself down.

Do you think gaming will look completely different in 10 years? How so?

Oh absolutely, and I’m really excited to see it. Technology is advancing much quicker now than what it did ‘back in the day’.

I think more improvements to graphics and performance are a given, but I also think we’re moving more towards a subscription based model for games themselves (similar to what we have with TV shows and films) with increasing prices, the sheer amount of games on offer, and the growing popularity of digital purchases.

I think another given will be further advances in immersive technology - I think we will start to see some much more advanced VR headsets and games to go along with this.

On a similar note, and we are headed in this direction already, I think handheld gaming devices, such as the Switch and the Steam Deck, will become much more powerful and more popular than they already are.

I also think that, for better or worse, we will be seeing more AI - I hope that this is not used to replace the creativity and dedication of human game developers. It just can’t be matched or replicated. It is my hope that we will always have something that is truly new available to play, that isn’t just a ‘mish-mash’ of things we have seen done before.

You expressed hope that AI won’t replace human creativity in game development. What potential uses of AI in games would you be interested in seeing, if any? And what are your main concerns about its overuse?"

I think some potential uses for AI could be using it to enhance accessibility features and even NPC behaviour within games.

My worry is that AI could start to become the entire product and potentially even replace devs in some sections of the industry in the long-term, rather than be used as a tool by devs to enhance gameplay. I also worry that some companies could see using more AI as a cost cutting strategy, at the cost of overall game quality.

I believe that original stories such as the ones I’ve spoken about can only ever come from humans. I worry that if we overuse AI, we will see stories and artwork in games become much less unique and that it would limit possibilities for new IP in future - after all, AI at the moment tends to just be a ‘mish-mash’ of things that already existed beforehand, as I mentioned earlier on.

A huge thank you to Carly for sharing her thoughtful insights and personal gaming journey with us. It was fantastic to hear about her favorite titles, her experiences finding community, and her perspective on the evolving world of gaming.

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