#a monster's expedition

[scruu]

When playing "A Monster's Expedition" i liked to pretend it was Trazyn's gallery this monster fella was visiting. it's nice to think there is one visitor who really appreciates what Trazyn is doing.

[fancypantsrecords]

Eli Rainsberry, Allison Walker, Nick Dymond & Priscilla Snow - A Monster's Expedition + Other Adventures | iam8bit | 2023 | Orange Translucent + Purple Translucent

Music from the games A Monster's Expedition, Sokobond, Cosmic Express & A Good Snowman Is Hard To Build

[catinyourroom]

So, when are we going to do this

[evilkitten3]

HELEN GOULD????????

[justswitchuploads]

A Monster’s Expedition (2021)

[miikarin]

The very first exhibit in this game did not pull any punches. Made me wonder at all the other exhibits that are in this game and how real they were going to get. I’m here to tell you that it gets real (though never mean, which is what delights me so much).

There are so many wonderful plaques in this game and I cannot get over how some of them just makes me feel so seen. Like, let’s be honest, the only reason my stationary bike doesn’t have laundry on it is because it’s in a separate room to a corner and functions much like a piece of particularly ugly artwork that I just haven’t gotten rid of yet. 

And the books one just came for me out of left field. Less said about that, the better. 

It’s a wonderful blend of whimsy, mixed with monsters’ anthropological observation of a humankind that is just enough of us at the moment but also mixed with references to more future years that you start to wonder if the mistakes are misinterpretations or because the monsters are speaking of a humankind au that’s just a little to the left of ours.  

Anyways, would recommend this game for both the puzzle experience and the humour. The mechanic is at its core very simple, but has many different movements and a very satisfying set of internal logic that is followed. When everything clicks and I’m able to move to the next island, there’s such a feeling of accomplishment. Also note that I am only in the beginning stages of the game so clearly have no idea what the later parts of it are like.   

A Monster’s Expedition

(squeeing over here because the monster waves to me and when I’m busy thinking of how to get from one island to another it is so encouraging and sometimes if I’m taking a while I let the little monster sit on the shore with its feet in the water and it can chill for a little while while I am working out strategy and gosh this game is like a balm on my heart)

[wigc]

Embark on 'A Monster's Expedition' of Puzzles Aplenty, Learn About Humans

It finally happened: humans have become an object of genuine curiosity for monsters, resulting in the creation of super-relaxing, open world puzzle, A Monster's Expedition. From one island to the next, there's always something to see, somewhere to go - even if it might require pushing over a tree or two (because monsters are incredibly strong, as it turns out), and oh so many discoveries waiting to be made.

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[blueeyedrat]

Another season, another Steam Game Festival with demos of new and upcoming games to try out. Like last time, I picked out some demos to try; some new ones, some old ones that I passed over before but caught my eye this time around.

More detailed comments under the cut:

Floppy Knights - A deck-builder tactics game; an interesting mashup... not that I was ever all that great with either genre. These kinds of games have never quite clicked with me personally, but I’ve always enjoyed watching other folks play them. I suspect this game will be the same, so I at least have that to look forward to.

When The Past Was Around - A point-and-click puzzle game. I was also intrigued by the creators’ previous work, She and the Light Bearer, and gave that one a brief look as well. I’ll admit, point-and-click games aren’t always my thing (but I know at least one person who might be interested, and I’ve already introduced them to She and the Light Bearer). That being said, both games have quite beautiful art and music, and I’m intrigued by the narrative of each one and interested to see where they go. There’s a notable contrast in how each game presents said narrative: the latter places a lot of emphasis on its writing and dialogue, while the former tells its tale with no words at all. I’ll have to give both of these games a closer look in the future.

Freshly Frosted - A conveyor belt puzzle game. Make donuts, put toppings on donuts, output donuts. Pretty straightforward, but from my experience, it’s hard to go wrong with a game like this. Looking forward to the full release.

The Wild at Heart - An adventure game with management and resource gathering mechanics reminiscent of Pikmin. I like the concept and art style, and the story seems intriguing, but I did run into a few issues playing the demo. With a bit of polish, it seems like it’s got potential.

Wingspan - A strategy card game about managing a wildlife preserve. I’m not familiar with the physical game this is based on, but the digital version definitely feels like an adaptation of it... for better or worse. Even at its most basic, the mechanics felt obtuse, and the UI was a mess. I couldn’t even finish the tutorial; before I had even reached the end of the first round, it was practically impossible to play because of a glitched interface. Hopefully these sorts of issues are ironed out for the final release.

A Monster’s Expedition (Through Human Exhibitions) - An “open world puzzle game” with a Sokoban-esque main mechanic. I’m rather fond of Draknek’s works (Cosmic Express, A Good Snowman is Hard to Build... the man knows how to make a puzzle game, for sure), so this is another one that’s been on my radar since the day it was announced. Of all the demos I played during this event, this one was the highlight, and I’m looking forward to seeing where they can go with it.

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Some highs and lows this time around. If the Steam Game Festival (and similar events) will become a regularly occurring event, I think I’d like to keep making posts like these to go with them.