(I know its meant to be the eight ball in his cane but.
The only reason the twins stayed constantly hovering over the Mystery Shack. Such a small thing being depicted in such a massive way. Its an overbearing presence, but at the same time out of sight if you were staring straight at the shack like the characters are doing.
Oh Stanley, you break my heart.)
I have an increasing number of Transformers OCs, and I dont know how to draw. Which means that if I ever post about them, you'll see an image badly edited with MS Paint. You have been warned.
I had this idea to make a list of all the games I played in 2022, half as a recommendation list, and half because I struggle to remember when I played what. I have a really bad time ranking stuff, so I'll just list them chronologically (or, as chronologically as I can remember).
Note: Sometimes I dont have a lot to say about a game, but that doesnt mean I didn't like it or that it isn't good.
So, with that being said:
1) Our Life: Beginnings and Always
This game has put visual novels on another level entirely. How must I go on knowing that I will never be treated like royalty by any other game like this did.
Our Life tells the story of your friendship and/or romance with Cove Holden, your new neighbor. This Visual Novel remembers an insane amount of stuff you choose, and it can put you in the state of mentioning something you did as a kid that you completely forgot about.
I actually really liked how you can go the entire game as just friends, or choose when your character develops romantic feelings. I cannot overstate how well made this entire thing is.
Can't wait to play the DLCs and for the sequel to be released.
Absolute recommend.
2) Iron Lung
If you have a computer, you can play it. It is not an option.
Claustrophobic above all, this game captures the pure dread of the unknown, building tension and atmosphere as you travel through this unknown planet's red sea. Highly recommended.
3) An Outcry
Amazing game that I don't see enough people talking about. The first game that made me actually physically ill while playing an alternative route. I don't know what hit me the most, the subject matter or the type of person I played in that route, a person I know exists and maybe I've met, a person I hope I never become.
I knew what the game was specifically referencing, but I found it good that it was able to trigger that response on someone who lives in an entirely different place, with different historical events, but with enough similarities that made the feeling of dread and disgust that much real.
Its message is clear and loud as it should be, and one that I think maybe now more than ever needs to be heard.
I cannot recommend this game enough.
4) Stillwater
Now this is a Visual Novel that I really liked and would have loved for it to be longer, but I love it as it is. It left me wanting more about the world and its characters, and I think that's a good thing.
It feels unfair that this is the one I typed the least about, knowing how much I liked it. It's really worth the read/play.
5) The Caribbean Sail
Have you ever wanted to be a sailor or a pirate? Have you ever wanted to grab a ship, sail into unknown destinations, encounter supernatural phenomenons and watch as your fellow crew members die of disentry five seconds after leaving your first port? Because if so, I have the perfect game for you.
It's inspired by the Oregon Trail game, and that's literally what the gameplay is like, except on the sea. Which was enough of a selling point for me.
6) Carrion
My child, it has every disease. Loved the concept when I saw the trailer, forgot I can actually buy games now, and then proceeded to do that. Being able to live my fantasies of being a flesh creature that destroys and eats everything in its path was a delight. The creature is my child and I love it very much.
We need more games that let you play as the monster, I'm serious.
7) The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
This game is both my beloved and the thorn on my side. Who would have thought that in a game like this you would proceed to suffer through life? I said to myself as if I hadn't known what I was getting into. You'll experience loss, you'll struggle to make a name for yourself, your family will fall apart, and you may never kiss your best friend Tommas who gave you a totally platonic ring to commemorate your friendship because the game doesn't want you to.
Or you'll have a different experience than me on my first playthrough.
You follow the titular Sir Brante from the moment of his birth to his last breath, exploring the world he lives in, full of injustices that at times made me go "I do not care about the lots, give me a fucking gun so I can take you to the fucking Twins". There are many branches regarding life paths, the fate of your family and that of the entire city you live in.
But don't worry about it now, keep looking at those toy soldiers at the store as a little kid, I'm sure nothing will happen in the future.
8) Princess Maker 2 Refine
And apparently I didn't get enough of walking a kid through life.
Who looks at a game about raising a little girl by managing her monthly schedule and balancing her stats, health and money and says "yes, this is the game I'll play to destress"?
I do that. Don't ask why.
I have only reached two endings, in one my beautiful daughter became the royal painter, her art held as the most beautiful and inspiring in the entire world. In another, my girl made a name for herself by exploring the lands surrounding the kingdom, so fast on her feet nobody could even scratch her; she married a dragon prince and became the teacher of her own fighting school.
And even with all of that, her goddess mother was not happy.
So yes, this is the "divorced dad who got custody" experience.
9) Planescape: Torment
What can change the nature of a man? That is a question posed by one Ravel Puzzlewell, night hag of the Gray Wastes. It is one of the many questions that this game asks, intertwined by the many philosophies it presents. Planescape Torment does not stick to one question, it asks many, and it lets you answer.
It is a beautifully written game, one of the best I have ever read. There is one moment that I do not wish to spoil, but it still sticks to my head months after I experienced it. As a writer, I found myself fascinated by how a certain event was told, all because of the way it was presented.
It feels like an injustice to not talk in length about Planescape: Torment, but I seriously don't want to spoil anyone who hasn't played it yet. A blind experience is fully worth it.
All you need to know is that this is the game that made me post for the first time here, two dumb memes for myself and one short analysis that sometimes reminds me that yes, people can interact with it.
Shameless link to it here
10) Growing my Grandpa!
If I had to describe this game without saying too much, I would say it's "heartwarming horror". Two words that don't usually go together, but that they perfectly fit here.
The story is, like the title says, about growing your grandpa, more like helping a girl grow her grandpa, but still. Strangely sweet and unnerving, I was tense the entire time, and even when I had to replay it to get the second ending (this was entirely my fault, since I could have gotten it way easier) that tension never left.
11) FAITH: The Unholy Trinity
I don't remember how I found out about this game, but I remember waiting patiently for it to get a steam release so I could buy it and play its three chapters all together. The day finally came, and all that waiting was worth it.
The gameplay is simple, yet the developers found a way to have me both crying in fear and frothing by the mouth out of anger every time I saw the game over screen (affectionately). In terms of difficulty, I would say the game is easy until it isn't, looking at you Chapter 2 and 3 Final Bosses, you bastards. Then again, I saw people say they struggled in places I didn't, so I would say it depends on the player.
The story is so interesting and it's still marinating in my brain please I need people to talk about how the prologue of chapter 2 and the one note in chapter 3 relate please. The cutscenes are also so well done, and I had to restrain myself from using one as a second picture because I didn't want to spoil any of them.
All in all, a must play, fully recommend it.
And remember:
GARY LOVES YOU
12) Inmortal Mantis
This is a tricky one. On one hand, the game starts off by basically spelling out every action you have to do, and suddenly it goes full on "fuck around and find out" mode.
On the other, the game implements some interesting mechanics that I would love to see developed on a longer game, but I am not going to put the length against it while knowing how hard it is to make a game. And maybe being short plays in its favor.
13) Who's Lila?
This game is my King in Yellow. I cannot stop thinking about it. I finished it with all endings and achievements in a day, and it wont leave me alone. It is always there, forever crawling at the back of my head, stretching itself over my brain and weaving my thoughts into a spiral as easily as a spider weaves its thread. It made itself a home in my mind and I won't kick it out any time soon.
I played it because the concept of controlling a character's face in place of a dialogue wheel was interesting, and the story and the way it's presented (hand in hand with the gameplay) lured me deeper and deeper. I cannot even describe it without giving it the praise it deserves.
It takes full advantage of its medium. Playing this game is an experience that I can't recommend enough, and I'm surprised it hasn't gotten the recognition it deserves.
14) Someone stole MY LUNCH!
This visual novel is pure fun. The humor is so good I found myself reading the entire thing out loud while wheezing. I actually found out recently that it's made by the same people that made Stillwater, which, looking at it now I should have known.
It's good and I'm not still over not seeing that one joke coming; well played.
15) MILK INSIDE OF A BAG OF MILK INSIDE OF A BAG OF MILK INSIDE OF A BAG OF MILK INSIDE OF A BAG OF-
... INSIDE A BAG OF MILK is a short visual novel about a girl going to the grocery to buy milk, and the challenge this seemingly small action can be. It is your responsibility to help her through this.
The steam page description perfectly summarizes it: "This is an artistic manipulation with word and form, only then - a game."
Welcome, one and all! To the moment you have all not been waiting for: The list I do to remember what games I played and when! As before: This is not a ranking, the games are in order of when I played/finished them. Sometimes I don't have much to say, but that doesn't mean I didn't like it! Sometimes words dont come as easily with some games than with others. Sometimes, even talking about them risks spoilers!
(And it also goes without saying that recommendations are more than welcome)
This year I finally got to use my old Xbox 360 again, so you may see some console games besides the good old steam and ichio indie ones.
Now that the introduction is out of the way! Lets begin!
1) NieR (GESTALT)
Yes, that's a fishing mini game as the gameplay screenshot. This is the only screenshot that didn't have spoilers, or wasn't from Replicant. I couldn't get a screenshot from my own playthrough. I have failed all of you.
Before Automata took over the world, there was Gestalt. Or Replicant, if you were Japanese and had a PS3. In the version I was able to play, you play as a man trying to find a cure for his daughter's illness, all while inhabiting a world under the constant threat of Shades.
I have not yet looked at all the supplementary material that came out with the Replicant Remake, and I do not know how this game fits into its series, since I can't play Automata and I know nothing about it, so I’ve judged it and interacted with it through its own merits, and everything that was presented in the game itself.
Gameplay wise, I don't think this game is anything special. If you’ve played an action game or a hack and slash, you know what you are getting into. The rest of the game? The spectacle? Breathtaking. Soundtrack? Amazing. The story…
Man, the story. What can I even say about it that isn't a spoiler? Well, I can say this much: It is good. Yeah, that's it. I do not want to describe it more, I will not talk about the themes it has and how well executed they are. I will not, because I do not want the story to be spoiled for anyone. It is good, more than good even.
Characters, however, I will talk a small amount: Kainé and Emil are my favourites, I love them. I already miss them and by the time of writing this, I beat the game yesterday. Nier (what I chose to name the protagonist) is my favourite caveman of all time, and I never got tired of his banter with Weiss as I dragged him along to do any side quest that appeared in front of me, much to his chagrin.
I almost lost my mind playing the last half of the game (you may know what I mean if you played it. Lets just say I did three certain things all back to back. On the same day. Yeah I don't know why either). I have never felt more like Sisyphus in my entire life, and I am now concerned for who I was twenty four hours ago as of writing this.
Don't be like me, please game responsibly.
2) Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Listen. I actually beat this game twice. Once on the PS2 when I was like twelve. The other when I was sixteen on the Xbox 360.
And now, I’ve beaten it again. “Why, then?” you ask, “Why put it in this list if you’ve already beaten it not once, not twice, but now three times?” Because, my dear poor soul that has chosen to read this list: My Xbox chose to betray me in the most brutal way possible: It ate my save file. That's right: not corrupted, not deleted. ATE. Because such cruelty is not that of an object, but of a beast that breathes and thinks treacherous thoughts.
So, seeing that show of disrespect, I did what any person of sound mind would have done, and did the entirety of the Career mode. All in one sitting. It hurts to type.
And that's why this game is in this list, even if by logic of replays, Bayonetta should be here at least twice in this list, and three times between the other two. Because of WHY I had to replay it.
(Please game responsibly, I said as this is the next entry. The hypocrisy of it all!)
3) Halo Reach
Listen, I am not a Halo fan. The only Halo game I've played before this one was 3, and I don't think it counts since I played it all in one sitting with my cousin, and we were so sleep deprived it took us a literal hour trying to find the exit of a map. We had to google it. I don't even remember what the game was about.
And aside of games, the only contact with anything Halo related I've ever had is Red vs Blue and Guard Duty. So yeah, I hope that makes it clear where I stood when I started playing the game.
I do not have much experience with shooters, at least not any that arent Bioshock, so I cant really say anything about the gameplay that stood out to me. Story wise, I already knew what the game was about and how it ended, that was basically the reason why I even chose to play it in the first place, but knowing how the story would develop didn't take away from the emotional impact of those moments.
I think it was a good game, with a good story. I think my main complain is that there were no subtitles, which I found really weird, so I had to have the volume all the way up to be able to listen to anything anyone was saying while the entire chaos was going on. And also, Kat, I love you, but I struggle to understand your accent at times. I am so sorry queen.
4) Contrition
"As a priest, it’s your job to listen to your parishioners’ darkest secrets and absolve their guilt. But when a sinister stranger comes to the confessional one Halloween night, you realize it’s your soul on the line." That is whats stated in the game's description, and I honestly couldn't put it in any other way.
The atmosphere is intense, the build up of tension with every single sentence, every dialogue exchanged between the protagonist and this unknown figure cloaked in anonymity and darkness. It is a fantastic experience, and it accomplished everything it set up to do in such a small amount of time.
5) FNAF: Into The Pit
Listen, I've been into FNAF since the first game came out, I've been in this hellhole long enough to know and remember every theory, every change, and every book release and how they were received. This game is the best adaptation of Into The Pit we could have gotten. And it's good.
This game is about Oswald, a kid that after being left in a pizzeria by his father, chooses to hide inside a decommissioned ball pit, through which he will travel in time to the year 1985, to a location named "Freddy Fazbear's Pizza".
You play through five days and nights, constantly shifting between the past and the present, in an effort to save yourself and others. All while avoiding the dangerous creature that followed you home.
I was afraid that the gameplay loop of going back and forth between the present and the past was going to get tiresome, but I am glad to say that it didn't. I think its mostly because you aren't in the present for long, so you don't get a long sense of safety because sooner rather than later you are going back into the pit. And the night sections were perfect in ramping up the tension, having to break out of your own house while trying to escape the thing that took your father's place, and you can never use the same escape plan twice.
The sprite work is some of the best I've ever seen. The level of detail, the fluidity of the animations, both in character sprites and cut-scenes, they are all amazingly done. But what stood out to me the most was the sound design: I need to look at the credits again, because whoever was in charge deserves to be praised from here to eternity. The sounds of ragged breaths and outright animalistic groans coming from the Creature will forever be ingrained in my head! I love it! It really drove home that this thing was not human.
Mega Cat Studios really outdid themselves. This was supposed to be a short cartridge game! I'm really glad they went ham with the concept and were able to develop it to this degree.
7) A Date With Death
Well hello there, you handsome reaper. This VN is about the Grim Reaper struggling to claim your soul, and so you both make a bet that if he doesn't manage to do so by the end of the week, you'll claim his soul and keep living. It is your job on these seven days to tease and fluster this man like you are getting paid by the hour. Honestly, the man is after your soul, might as well take his heart!
The dynamic between us the player and the Reaper is really funny, and honestly there are so many moments I could talk about, but I'll let the game speak for itself in that regard if it raises any interest. The writing is gold, the presentation is extremely good, and honestly, I can't wait for that sweet DLC.
UPDATE: I have played the DLC. I need to be put down like a dog.
8) These Heavenly Bodies
On an excavation site, three angel statues are found, and when they are scanned it is revealed that they have preserved bodies within them. The church has decided to investigate further, and you are the priest they assigned this task to.
This is a short yet effective one. The sound design and low resolution visuals affect the atmosphere and tension in a way that I love a lot. Every day that passed, every small change in the hallway leading to the lab, every second scanning those Angel's innards, I could feel a tension inside myself growing, and growing. It really gave the feeling that you were studying something you shouldn't, that that flesh and bone and nerves inside the marble was never supposed to be seen.
Or maybe, it was waiting for one of you to find them.
Maybe it was all according to plan.
9) Dialtown: Phone Dating Simulator
Hi, hello there! Have you ever thought that you needed more characters with objects for heads in your life? Me too! Introducing: Dialtown, a phone dating simulator in which you, a green goblin who refuses to integrate into society, needs to find a bachelor/bachelorette to invite to the funfair and experience the most important event of Valentine's Day: laying eggs in a damp, dark hole! Who said romance is dead, huh?
For those who don't know, I love the visuals of putting objects in place of people's heads. I loved it in Clash: Robot Detective, and I loved it here too.
Besides feeling like crack concentrated in the best way possible, the writing is amazing. I absolutely love how you can be giving your narrator an aneurysm about the most absurd of topics, and then have the most moving scene in the entire route. And it doesn't leave me feeling with tonal whiplash! At least of the bad kind! If that makes any sense.
But for real, the writing is phenomenal, and I cant complement it enough. The tone is as balanced at it is erratic, and yet the more heartfelt moments do not feel out of place. I cannot understand how this was done, but I can recognize a talented hand when I see one. Good job, sir Dog! You have mastered an art form that many people *think* they can do, and they fail miserably.
I will also praise the amount of flavour text in the game, the amount of dialogue choices that may not be mandatory to progress the story, but that are there to flesh out the world or just be plain funny. That is something I will always love when its implemented.
I did not manage to get the DLC, but I cant wait to be able to buy it sometime in the future, hopefully.
10) Slay The Princess
You have been tasked to slay the princess, to protect the world from her. You need to slay her, or else.
Now. This is the type of game I love. The ones that cannot exist outside their medium. The ones that look at you dead in the eye and make you feel uncomfortably seen, holding your hand and tearing into your heart as you tear into them. At least, that's how it felt to me.
I don't know how much to talk about it. The game never hides what its going for, and it becomes clear extremely early on, but even so I don't want to spoil people who may want to go into this game completely blind like I managed to do.
What I will say is that there are A LOT of variations for different scenarios, so many I only gave up when I saw how many there were. It is insane. This is a game I would love to gut open and see how it works, it takes so many things into account its unreal. The programming on this must have been such an interesting thing to do.
I actually didn't know the pristine cut was coming out, and I literally found out a month before its release date. But even that wasn't able to take away any enjoyment I felt. Its also something that already happened to me before, when I played Disco Elysium before the Final Cut came out. A real two nickles situation.
Overall, this game is an experience that will grab you and wont let you go even after you finish it. It is intriguing, and captivating. But above all, it is a love story. Never forget that.
11) 3D Workers Island
Made by the creator of Petscop, this simple game tells the story of a screen protector, and how the internet interacts with it. The narrative constructed around this program is filled with thematic elements seen in Tony Domenico's previous works, blurring the line between fiction and reality constantly, to the point where one might struggle to see where one ends and the other begins.
Definitely worth the time, and a second reading too. You may see things you didn't notice before. And watch it all unfold again. That is all you can do.
12) Dead Space (2008)
Man, Issac really became important on his job and it ruined his entire life.
Dead Space is a survival horror game about Issac Clarke, an engineer who suffers from becoming important on his job once he boards the USG Ishimura and finds the crew dead, is split from his coworkers, and twisted abominations crawl through the halls and vents of this sarcophagus, where he'll fight to survive and escape.
I was afraid that the dismembering mechanic was going to be too hard to get used to, but honestly it was the least of my concerns because I was too busy trying to NOT have a heart attack constantly, something this game felt like it set up to do. I did notice once I reached the shooting range minigame that I got way too used to shooting the limbs, so I don't think I should play any other shooter after this one. I might as well just go to the second one straight away before the muscle memory fades. Also, the Plasma Cutter is my best friend of all time and the only weapon I've ever needed in my life.
The USG Ishimura as a setting is unforgettable, and it never had a moment of pure silence, constantly filled with the sound of machinery mixed with the shuffle of the enemies crawling through it. The game did a really good job at communicating how big the ship was, and loved seeing the traces of the people that lived and died there, and not only their corpses, but the recordings, their notes, who was clearly in the known of what was happening and who wasn't, how these conflicts led to their downfall.
The necromorphs are nightmare inducing in design alone, but the way they behave in game is another layer of horror. Their sound design, their movements, hell the way they sometimes blend in with corpses on the floor to get the jump at you! Or when they suddenly pop up from the vents! Or even how they suddenly showed up in the hub areas that I thought were supposed to be safe but apparently not! Because every time I came back to them there was ONE TIME EACH where one of those fuckers was just waiting to attack. I never knew if it was a chance encounter, or a programmed event, but at some point every time I went back to those areas I would be paranoid, because maybe THIS time the enemy would pop up. It did a good job at never letting me feel safe.
And don't even get me STARTED on that enemy that refuses to die and I refuse to learn its name out of spite. I thought it was a one chapter thing! But it popped up again once at the end and I honestly think that if I wasn't filled with adrenaline, I would have started sobbing. Literally when it finally died I just had to take a ten minute break because of how hard I was shaking. 10/10, I loved it.
On another note, the level design was outstanding every single time. The spectacle and scale is insane! Every time I was amazed and how bigger each level got in terms of spectacle, but it never sacrificed its horror and suspense, something that I appreciated a lot. Like, you are telling me I get to walk on that asteroid and go to the OUTSIDE of the ship? I think it also helped to make me understand just how massive the ship itself was.
I liked seeing the story unfold, finding out what happened to the crew but most importantly why, and how that develops and affects Issac's struggle for survival. I don't want to say much, and honestly I am STILL processing it, and cant wait to play the second game and seeing how the story continues.
13) Threshold (DEMO)
By the time this list is posted, this game will already be available for purchase. I cannot guarantee that I will be able to play it before then, so the demo is getting included. It is short, but it managed to establish the tone of its setting incredibly well, finishing with a cliffhanger that promises so much more. And I, for one, cant wait to find out where the story will take me.
I am curious of the country based difficulty, and how my country will rank. (I hope its not too hard... oh god, its going to be hard, isn't it?)
14) Mouthwashing
Tragedy struck the Tulpar, and now that is has been crashed into an asteroid, it's crew is trapped inside it with each other, a shipment of mouthwash, and a captain incapable of even providing an answer to a simple question: Why?
Man, what can I say about this game that hasn't been said a thousand times at this point. If you are able to, go through this game blind. Hell, even if you spoil yourself some aspects of the story, you are not ready for the full picture. I sure as hell wasn't.
The artistry in this game is amazing, and even tho I was already familiar with Wrong Organ's previous game, I am happy to see them making a more narrative "clear" project (I do not know how to express this sentiment with other words. If you've played How Fish Is Made, you may understand. Or not). Even if the story takes its own version of obscuring itself, it is incredibly effective.
The amazing cinematography of the scenes, the story unfolding in a non-linear way that is organized in such a way that some questions you didn't know you could have get answered in just the right moment. And the way that it was all always there, you just didn't know where to look. But you'll know they are there on your second playthrough, but that wont change the fact that that's all you can do: look.
(It sure feels like a constant of this year's games, huh)
So, you may have noticed, that there is no number 6 entry in the above list. Now, this isn't because I suddenly forgot how to count. No. It is because a beast has its claws on my very soul and refuses to let go, no matter how long I've battled it while writing and edition this post.
And that beast is cringe.
So that's why number six is getting added this far down.
Because I am a coward, and ashamed.
So, with that out of the way: Abandon cringe all ye who enter here
6) Swooning Over Stans
First off: The shame I feel is mine and mine alone, because this visual novel was really good. I am the problem.
I love Gravity Falls. I watched it ten years ago, and I can recognize that it awoke three beasts within me: the beast that loves decoding and analyzing and that it shall never be satisfied, the beast that loves doomed sibling relationships, and the beast that loves old men.
Then the Book of Bill came out, and well, all of those beasts awoke at once. And then this VN fed one specific beast. And man, what a meal it was.
This visual novel had everything I wanted. It was funny, and all jokes aside, both routes are really well written. The people behind it had a good grasp on the characters and what makes them so appealing, staying true to their characterization while putting them in this new context.
Also its Alex Hirsch approved, so, what more do you need?
If you made it this far and are interested in more games I've played, you can check out the 2022 and 2023 lists!
Hey! Better late than never! I actually have been editing this list since november, but I lost some of the things I said about the last games and it took me this long to remember what I had written. The risks I run because my mind flows better when I write with pen and paper.
So, seeing how well the last list did on my memory, and because I got bored of talking to myself, I shall torture the unlucky ones who have found this post with both my video game taste and my rambles about them. I am so sorry in advance.
It's the same as before: they are ordered chronologically, from first played/finished to last, not ranked in how much I liked them. If I dont say a lot its not because I didn't like it, or that it was bad. At times I didn't want to give too much away.
This time I tried to write each segment right after finishing them, or the following days, so that's why I talk way more or in more detail about each game and my own opinions.
And who knows, maybe this will be a yearly thing. I like it, I'm Having fun. And hopefully some of these games get the love they deserve by whoever reads this.
So, once again, and now with more words:
1) Mothmen 1966
Mothmen being in the title was enough for me to give it a go, so it's good to say that the game is also good. It is divided by chapters, each one from the perspective of one of our three protagonists, showing the perspective of these vastly different people even if they are connected in some way.
The game goes from a visual novel style to changing the gameplay to be interactive while also maintaining its format, something that I found entertaining. Its visuals are a treat, and I believe they enhance the horror presented in the story. All of the parts in this game work in its favor.
I cannot believe I am actually saying this, but to get an achievement you need to take an L. I am not joking. It is part of a puzzle and me being good at it made me miss an achievement. No hard feelings, I had a good laugh about it as I was going back to the save file and doing it again. Sometimes, sucking is the way to go.
I may have spent way too much time trying to win the Impossible Solitaire. But I will, one day, you'll see.
2) Roadwarden
You know a game is good when I play it for hours uninterrupted and is the main reason I turn on the computer.
Roadwarden is, as the title image says, an illustrated text based RPG, in which you take the role of a Roadwarden who is tasked to explore an unknown peninsula to expand a merchant's guild's influence, establish its safety, and find out what happened to the missing previous roadwarden.
Let me tell you, this game is amazing from both a mechanical and storytelling level. Mechanically because the game keeps track of so many things, it will remember even an answer you gave at the very beginning, and it'll become an integral part of your character. Even little thoughts as you are about to sleep will shape who you are playing as.
On the story telling level, so many of the quests and towns are interlinked that holding back on finishing certain quests is the way to go, although in some cases having as many done as possible will no doubt help. The characters and towns are all unique and memorable, each with history that shapes them and how they interact with each other and you, the outsider.
Both gameplay and story service each other to present an experience unlike any other, enhancing each other at every opportunity. The art and soundtrack set the perfect atmosphere for each moment.
And the world building. Man, the world building, it's just. So well done, you actually believe this is a real place that existed before you arrived, and that it will continue to do so after you leave. It wasn't waiting for you, it did not kick into gear just because you showed up. It has its own issues, its own history, its own people, nature, culture, and you can feel that with each written word, each piece of information. I can't even explain properly just how good the world building is.
I just really fell in love with being a guy on the road taking care of these settlements' problems, getting to know their inhabitants and gaining their trust, all while falling in love with the game.
There is one quest that I do not want to spoil, but the ending was so. Fitting, in a way, that I was surprised I didn't see it coming. Even as I saw the achievement name once I completed it, I looked back and just. I just smiled like damn, good job.
If you want to really take in this entire world and its people, I would personally recommend playing in Casual, since any other difficulty setting will put a limit to the days you'll be allowed to stay, and I must stress that this experience must not be rushed. Unless you dont mind a time challenge, in which case you do you.
Also don't know about your memory, but I needed to take notes, and some highlights are: "Efren marry me", "We should have all stabbed Thais full Julius Caesar style", "Eudica and Efren my beloveds" and "Thyrsus is my Warlock Uncle". With that being said, the Journal mechanic is a god sent, and I can't be more grateful that it exists. Finally, a journal that doesn't get stuck in the first sentences of a quest from when you first got it.
Oh boy, those are a lot of words. Can you tell I really liked this game? I can't wait to see more from this developer.
EDIT: THE GAME HAS RECEIVED A HUGE UPDATE THAT I HAVE YET TO PLAY, BUT OH BOY IT'S MAKING ME WANT TO REPLAY THE ENTIRE GAME AGAIN.
3) Exhibit of Sorrows
A short game set in a clown exhibit, with a point - click and drag gameplay. I'll keep this one short, since this game can be played for free in both browser and for download in Itchio, and it is a neat little thing that you can beat as fast or as slow as you want.
You interact with each exhibit, clicking and dragging the mouse depending on what you need to do, each with a little buddy that you need to help or have fun with to get the key, and proceed to the next screen.
Its length and artstyle make for a fun and interesting experience, pacing itself beautifully. It is effective in every way.
And come on, they are clowns, they are so cute and look like plushies. I love them all.
4) The Firebrand
A game about a detective interrogating a woman with different word prompts that he writes down in his notebook, all which branch into more questions and answers. You'll uncover the story and the truth of this conversation as you play along, finding out stuff about the woman, the detective, and even the world they live in.
It is an interrogation against a clock that keeps on ticking, and luckily the developers give us the chance to check out a dialogue tree and how to get both the Normal and True Ending. With that in mind, the questions that don't lead to either of these are worth reading, as they serve to paint a bigger picture.
And hey, you can also get the Bad Ending while you do it.
5) Royal Alchemist
Royal Alchemist is a visual novel in which you, the protagonist, are tasked with tutoring the three princes of a nation. You will fight for your life against the challenges this new position presents and also the stat checks you will have to pass at different points of the story, both of your character and the princes.
Speaking of, each one of them represents a different route, with their recommended order (which I highly request following as stated by the creators: Aurelius, then Serin, and finally Nazir. Trust me, they were made to be experienced like this, you wont regret it).
You will experience the constant back and forth, the battle of swords and wits with Aurelius, the emotional build up with Serin, and to describe the main appeal of Nazir's route before playing it would be a spoiler.
The romance in this VN is some of the best I've experienced. I have never read about two characters holding hands in such an intimate way, it made the pure build up of a route worth every second.
And the Princes aren't the only interesting characters, this visual novel is full of fun and complex characters, all with their own personalities and roles. From Raphael, the butler who might as well be the patron saint of patience, to Viola, the infamous head merchant.
It has a mechanic of stat raising and, as stated before, there will be points in the story where you will need to reach a certain level of a skill to be able to pass. But don't worry, there is an official guide made by the developers which is a life saver, which not only has each stat requirement for each route, but also with neat additions like character profiles and more.
The only criticism I'll give it is that some scenes are cut short when they could have been expanded on and it would have had a better effect, not only in terms of an emotional connection, but also to further enforce the bond between the player and the relationship developed in the route.
But besides that small complaint, this visual novel is one I would gladly recommend.
6) Fear & Hunger
God, this game. This game hates you on a mechanical level. This game will put the fear of god in you every time you get further away from a save point, every time you think "yeah I can take this enemy no problem" and next thing you know you are eating dinner with your creator; every time you think "oh neat, a new area" and proceed to eat shit and die for the next hour because you just lost a fucking arm and a leg and can't outrun your enemies anymore. And you refuse to start another run because you are just that stubborn, and you will suffer through the consequences of your early game actions. No this is not my personal experience what are you talking about.
It is a bleak and grotesque horror rpg game, made with RPG Maker. You will accompany whichever poor soul you choose as your playable character in their trip to the dungeon of Fear and Hunger, for whichever the reason their story presents.
Should you play this game? Be mindful of the triggering content, first and foremost. This is a dark game, and it does not shy away from depicting it. From enemy designs, gameplay mechanics, to the way of worshiping gods, to specific game overs, and so on.
Its hard and you will feel it unfair. This game will not hold your hand, and when you think it does it will put its teeth around your wrist and tear it off your body, its saliva infecting your wound with poison and leaving you to rot.
I love this game.
7) Clash: Robot Detective
Fun fact: I never look into games that much before playing them, which in this case led to the asssumption that I was going to play a robot. So I named my character Flesh, because I thought a robot named Flesh was funny and also cool. Turns out, I ended up playing a human named Flesh. Which was somehow even funnier, and ended up becoming a pattern when I played the extras, which have a different protagonist, and I decided to commit to the bit and named them Blood. Flesh and Blood, my favourite human beings.
You play as the extremely new assistant to our titular detective Clash, who asks for your help in solving a mystery taking place in the cruise ship you are vacationing on. Depending on the different dialogue options, you can play as the good or the bad cop, and Clash will balance you out in this act, which leads to different and interesting outcomes.
I have to say, the artstyle drew me in. I am a sucker for these types of illustrations, and I'm glad that the writing and story were as good. I was invested not only in the case, but also on Clash as a character, who I will longingly stare at from a distance because I respect his boundaries and preferences.
Keep on going, you majestic robot detective, I can't wait to see what kind of trouble you get into in the future.
8) EXCUSE ME SIR (Demo)
Long awaited (at least for me) DEMO from Airdoft (creator of FAITH) and , and it all came about because of her videos and a single tweet.
The demo is short, but it shows the great potential of what a game like this could grow into, and I cant wait to see it become a finished project.
EDIT: Sadly, the game has been canceled, so we won't be able to see this concept grow into a finished game. Hopefully it'll inspire others with its style and presentation.
9) (Don't) Open Your Eyes
In this room, you know how everything looks. Does that include your midnight intruder?
This entire VN is a one sided conversation between you and something that may or may not be there, shaped in the darkness of your closed eyelids. Both of you are gripped by the same question, the intrigue eats away at you. Your imagination runs wild trying to give shape to this anomaly, and it is so desperate for you to find out.
There is only one way to do so:
Don't open your eyes.
10) Fortress
Man, short and effective is the way to describe this one. It has such a fantastic grip on atmosphere and tension that I admire. It truly captures the feeling of returning to a place where an impactful childhood memory took place.
Using the same location and making you play through it at different times of the story was done so well. I was ready for things to happen just because they did in the past, the first half of the game, and expected them to happen again.
In the past, I was ready to shoot on sight. As an adult, I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger, not even to see if I could. I don't know why, months after playing it, this little thing has stuck with me the most.
11) The Shadows That Run Alongside Our Car
You leave the gas station with a stranger, either on the wheel or sitting next to you. The silence hangs heavy between you two, the road is empty, the sun is setting, and the end of the world is now. Time to break the silence, you get to choose who.
In this visual novel you get to decide how this conversation at the end of the world unfolds, a game of perspective between our two characters, who may hide certain details about themselves or reveal them, if they give you the choice. After all, what would you gain by hiding a secret in this car ride? It could be your last.
12) Attack of the Murder Hornets
Hornets are evil, evil things of nature. They are coming for your bees.
They are coming for you.
BE READY
13) Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition (+ Siege of Dragon Spear)
There has to be a saying that goes: If you can't play the game everyone is talking about, go play every single game in it's series that came before it. Because that's what I did, even if I already wanted to play the Baldur's Gate games before the third one came around. But it was definitely a good push.
The game's story has a much smaller scope than I expected, or maybe that's just how I feel now that I am currently playing the second game, but I think it works in its favor.
I think the reason I don't have much to say, besides the fact that I had lots of fun, is because my head is still processing Siege of Dragon Spear (with its much bigger scope) and what I am currently seeing in the second game. What all I'll say about that one now is man, what a way to start a sequel.
My suffering came mostly from the ruleset used (which I was unfamiliar with) and the fucking paralysis spell. Fuck it. ALL MY HOMIES HATE THE PARALYSIS SPELL.
In terms of characters, I didn't end up using most of the available NPCs in my party, even if I made the effort of recruiting them all, mostly because the ones I had I liked a lot. I liked Rasaad and I was pleasantly surprised he had a romance in the expansion AND the second game, which I am enjoying a lot. Jaheira and Khalid never left my party, same with Imoen who I kept treating like a sister because come on, the setup of being raised in the same city since birth and being childhood friends was perfect. I love Baeloth an unhealthy amount, he is so perfect in the expansion I made an effort to keep him in the party even if I had high reputation.
In the expansion my party was insane looking. Like Oh yes, the Hero of Baldur's Gate, her monk companion Rasaad, Jaheira and... a gnome nobody knows why he is around, Baeloth the entertainer I guess, and a GOBLIN? At one point I did switch Jaheira for Viconia, only because Baeloth was one point of reputation away from leaving the party. I swear, the grip that man has on me.
The story from Viconia's POV must be so funny: She gets recruited and instantly tells me she is fucking off, gets recruited again only because I dont want an idiot entertainer to leave; and then when she is about to be killed, who comes to her rescue? THIS DUMBASS. She must be like: GOD, DAMN IT, I CAN'T ESCAPE THIS BITCH. I am her surface curse.
My closing thought for this game is: Whoever made the TOSC maze... Who the fuck hurt you? Same goes for whoever made that final boss. WHY?!
Maybe it's just me, but I have always been obsessed with some of the untouched metaphors and possible readings of Silent Hill 4: The Room.
Like, Room 302 is refered to as a mother, but it is more specifically a womb.
Does this make Walter and Henry metaphorical brothers? Twins, since both of them inhabit the womb at the same time, as you later find by the end of the game. What could this mean for their dynamic? What parallels could have been drawn between them?
The one that started it all, and the one that ends it. The one that takes action, and the observer, the witness of everything, one could even say of his own life, forced to take action to save himself.
We know why Walter has this desire to return to the womb, but what about Henry? His matter is less wanting to return to the womb, as he is forced to remain in it. How would this affect the reading of his character? And also, what about the moment the room starts rejecting Henry once his time as a witness ends, and his time as sacrament begins.
This isnt to say I want Henry to be special, or be chosen in any way, I actually really like that Henry is just a person that is part of the Sacraments only because he happened to live in Room 302, and even with this metaphor this aspect should remain as it is. This would just be an interesting twist on the narrative.
Should probably either replay or watch a playthrough with this interpretation in mind, it's been more than ten years since I played it. And I guess with the entire same room = same womb logic, I would have to think how Joseph would fit into this metaphor.
There is something to say about love in Planescape: Torment. Or, the ways people love in this game. The way love is used.
Ravel was so in love with the very first incarnation, that even thousands of years later, seeing a body so unrecognizable in it's scarring and self flagelation, more corpse than man, she still sees the one she loved enough to free from the thing that cages us all: mortality. Yet her love was warped from isolation. Her love now has a possessive tone. You are HER man thing, she MADE you this way, you own? Owe. OWE her.
And maybe, she also loved the Lady of Pain, wanting to free her from the cage that is Sigil. Maybe she loves all caged birds, and even more the ones she set free. But did she free you? Didn't she just put you in another cage by acccident? One of eternity and the inescapable grasp of time on the mortal mind? Maybe like this, even if not intentionally, she can keep loving you through the bars of another cage. She is caged herself, and misery loves company.
Annah is stuck by her love. She loves her father, she loves the Nameless One. She loves people she knows she shouldn't, because they see her as a means to an end or because nothing will ever come off it. But she can't keep herself from feeling it, wanting it, the one thing she can't steal. Even if the Nameless One loves her, she knows that it won't last, and that is what hurts the most.
The Nameless One loves Fall-From-Grace. There is the obvious aspect, her body and appeal as a succubus. But in specific dialogues, there is this clear indicator that, what makes him love Grace, is her perseverance. Her ability to go through the worst and be able to come out the other side. Not unharmed, but. Herself. Her strength in her own self is what attracts the Nameless one to her, her ability to stay true to herself even when all the planes are against her. The walking contradiction: the succubus priest, one who does not feed like her kind should. It is this strength, this knowledge of the self, that the Nameless One loves.
And maybe it's in identifying this kind of love that Grace is drawn to the Nameless One. When you talk to her, and tell her this, and confess to her how much you see her as what she is within. I couldn't help but feel that in that moment, Grace felt loved.
Deinara was a tool, a means to an end, another life to throw away to reach a goal, and her love was what blinded her to her own doom. She loved the man that used her so deeply that it grew like a tumor. The worst part is, whether all the time dead and alone allowed for self reflection and time to think about all that happened, or if it was always there as a voice she didn't listen to: She knows. She knows he hurt her, used her, always intended to kill her for his benefit. She knows, and she forgives you. She knows that he never loved her, and yet. She loves you. She can't help but love you.
Love is a weapon, a tool, it can doom you, destroy you. It can revive you, nurture you, it can change you in many ways.
Love is one of the torments that can change the nature of man.
