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The Meta Quest took my son on the field trip of a lifetime

BlackForge is the job simulator I didn't realize I needed.

It was a brilliant experience, and it gave him a taste of what it would be like to be a real blacksmith: the forges were blazing hot, the tools were heavy and difficult to wield, and it took a lot of strength and power that a kid under 10 doesn't typically have. In many ways, the game's design echoes what Andrew Eiche of Job Simulator fame told me earlier this year: "[it] allows you to be the character you want to be without forcing oodles of backstory or narrative on the player." A fire spirit dwells in the forge waiting to be fed and pet, giving my son a fun little sidequest to complete while running between the lathe and the smelting pit.

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