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peaceful gaming blog run by a vtuber named heliogale (they/them)

[heliogames]

url change

noncombatgames -> heliogames

I'm recentering this blog as more of a "peaceful" gaming blog rather than strictly noncombat, but that will still be the main focus, so I've changed my handle to reflect that

[freeze-frame33]

Mentions life is strange @lifeisstrange-blog in Tell Me Why game

[archatlas]

Townscaper

Townscaper is not so much a game, as much as a surprisingly satisfying architectural diversion inviting “players” to build quaint island towns evocative of the wondrous worlds of a Studio Ghibli animation setting. 

 The “game” invites users to build charming hamlets, erect enormous cathedrals, direct roads and canal networks, or even construct sky cities on stilts. The beauty of this game beyond the obvious creative possibilities it offers is its entry point for anyone and everyone. Townscaper is described as having “No goal. No real gameplay. Just plenty of building and plenty of beauty. That’s it.”

[wearemage]

The game is very relaxing and fun. Also, perfect to create city maps in an organic and intuitive way :D I think I’ll plan a setting exclusively designed under Townscaper for my current campaign.

[ghostbunnygames]

Honestly, a really cute pleasant game you can find on steam :) 

[nintendocafe]

Coffee Talk coming soon to Nintendo Switch

Coffee Talk is a coffee brewing and heart-to-heart talking simulator about listening to fantasy-inspired modern peoples’ problems, and helping them by serving up a warm drink or two.

[saccharinescorpion]

and there’s a whole list of platforms here where you can find it already out now! https://linktr.ee/coffeetalk

[nvgotd]

The Non-Violent Games of E3 2019

Following requests on Twitter, I’ve compiled a roundup of all the non-violent games announced and showcased at E3 2019. Hoping this can become an annual thing.

There are 41 games here across a variety of platforms, so without further ado…

Keep reading

[nvgotd]

Sea of Solitude

[ PC, PS4, Xbox One / 2019 / Jo-Mei, Electronic Arts ]

A game about fighting your inner demons - but with no actual fighting. Sea of Solitude centres around a young girl named Kay who is been turned into a monster and stranded in a sunken city. As you journey to find out why and how she has become a monster, you soon encounter other fearful creatures. These are manifestations of Kay’s inner conflicts: depression, fear, loneliness and more. There is no way to battle them, but overcome by solving puzzles and bringing light to the darkest places in this surreal world. Players explore by boat and by foot, learning more about Kay’s life and struggles in the real world. The developers aim is to depict how people feel the influences of such personal issues and how difficult it can be to confront them.

Caveat: Should you fail at certain sections, there are scenes or Kay being injured, drowning or dying but you never inflict violence on the monsters you face.

[heliogames]

Take note that going forward this blog will be a combination of reblogs and original posts. The original posts will also not just be game reviews but may include box art, game announcements, etc.

[nvgotd]

When Rivers Were Trails

[ iOS (iPad Only), PC / 2019 / Indian Land Tenure Foundation, Michigan State University ]

This educational adventure game aims to raise awareness surrounding the history of Native Americans. Players take on the role of an Anishinaabeg in the 1890s who has been moved to California as a result of the allotment acts on indigenous communities. The game presents them with various choices as they seek to establish a new life. It’s been described as akin to The Oregon Tail, but telling a similar story from a very different perspective. It was developed in collaboration between the Indian Land Tenure Foundation and the Games For Entertainment division at Michigan State University. Leading the development was by Elizabeth LaPensée, an Anishinaabe game creator, as well as a team of indigenous writers drawing on the experiences of their own families.

[heliogames]

Meet the Ham Hams!

(From the Hamtaro Ham Ham Heartbreak for the Game Boy Advance instructional booklet)

[heliogames]

Hamtaro Ham Ham Heartbreak (2003) box art for the Game Boy Advance

[ionlands]

We’re making a game about a courier in the sky. You fly deliveries and explore a huge futuristic city. The game is called Cloudpunk and is waiting for you to add it to your wishlist. 

> Game Link

[cyberloops]

I saw a few earlier screenshots a while back… I’m impressed with the complexity they’ve managed to wring almost entirely from light and shape.

And the game looks fun too.

[heliogames]

More gifs of Cloudpunk's game play. Cant wait to get my hands on it!

[heliogames]

Stardew Valley- ConcernedApe/Chucklefish

Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Android

In Stardew Valley, the player takes the role of a character who, to get away from the hustle of the city, takes over their deceased grandfather's dilapidated farm in a place known as Stardew Valley. The player manages their character's time and energy levels as they clear land, plant and tend crops, raise livestock, craft goods, mine for ores, and engage in social activities, including romances leading towards marriage, with the various residents of the small town, all while earning in-game money to expand their farm. The game is open-ended, allowing the player to take on activities as they see fit. The game also features a four-player cooperative multiplayer mode.

Stardew Valley is quite obviously a spiritual successor to the Harvest Moon games, and many of the mechanics play out that way. Stardew Valley technically has combat in the mines and forest, but its pretty easy to avoid those as the game is fairly open-ended. Stardew Valley has a huge online community and has been a favorite game of many noncombat players for years now. You can get many hours of gameplay out of this one (I myself have about 45 hours logged and I feel like I’m in the early game stage still.) Replay value is also high as you can arrange your farm differently and romance various characters.

[heliogames]

Portal- Valve Corporation

Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, OS X, Linux, Android

“Portal consists primarily of a series of puzzles that must be solved by teleporting the player's character and simple objects using "the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device", a device that can create inter-spatial portals between two flat planes. The player-character, Chell, is challenged and taunted by an artificial intelligence named GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) to complete each puzzle in the Aperture Science Enrichment Center using the portal gun with the promise of receiving cake when all the puzzles are completed. The game's unique physics allows kinetic energy to be retained through portals, requiring creative use of portals to maneuver through the test chambers.” 

Portal is a great game. It does have things that shoot at the player character, and often times the player has to “take out” the things shooting, but I’m adding it to my non-combat list because of technicalities...and also because its just fun anyway. This game is a master of minimalist and environmental story telling. A puzzle game for the ages, can be played in about 2 or 3 hours, and you can mess around with portals. GLaDOS is also an exceptional character. 

[heliogames]

Firewatch- Campo Santo

Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

The story follows a fire lookout named Henry in the Shoshone National Forest, a year after the Yellowstone fires of 1988. A month after his first day at work, strange things begin happening to him and his supervisor Delilah, which connects to a conspired mystery that happened years ago. Henry interacts with Delilah using a walkie-talkie, with the player choosing from dialog options to communicate. His exchanges with Delilah inform the process by which their relationship is developed.

The story line of this game is a little confusing, and the ending leaves a bit to be desired, but as a walking-simulator it is interesting to explore the open world area. The art and design of the game is really fantastic and I’m excited about seeing more work by the studio Campo Santo. 

[heliogames]

Thomas Was Alone- Mike Bithell

Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Linux, iOS, Android, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Wii U

“In Thomas Was Alone, the player controls one or more simple rectangles representing several out-of-control artificial intelligence entities, working with the shapes to get each to their individual end points on each level. Each shape is characterized with a unique name and personality, including the eponymous Thomas, which are conveyed to the player through the use of a narrator, voiced by Danny Wallace and whose performance earned the game a BAFTA Games Award. “

I played this game a number of years ago, and I picked it up not really expecting much to be honest. What I got was an emotional tale of a simple little rectangle trying to be so much more than the four lines that made up his shape. While technically there are things in this game that can hurt the player character (falling into water) its definitely not combat and the game is forgiving enough that it only gets a little frustrating at times. The narration is what really makes the game stick out. One of my favorite puzzle-platformers, without a doubt.

[heliogames]

Journey and Abzu!

Ooh I like those ones! I'll add them to the queue thank you.

[heliogames]

Katamari Damacy REROLL- BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment

PC, Switch

The game's plot concerns a diminutive prince on a mission to rebuild the stars, constellations, and Moon, which were accidentally destroyed by his father, the King of All Cosmos. This is achieved by rolling a magical, highly adhesive ball called a katamari around various locations, collecting increasingly larger objects, ranging from thumbtacks to people to mountains until the ball has grown great enough to become a star. Katamari Damacy's story, characters, and settings are bizarre and heavily stylized, rarely attempting any semblance of realism, though the brands and items used are based on those current in Japan during the game's production.

This game is ADORABLE. When I talk non-combat games I always make an effort to point out that yes, they can be fun and mechanically interesting. Katamari is a perfect example of that! REROLL is a remake/rerelease of Katamari Damacy with updated graphics. The game play, levels, and design are all the same but its slightly more polished. While the game is pretty expensive for the 3 ish hours it took me to finish, its so fun and enjoyable that I still recommend it. Also, the soundtrack slaps.