Higloman
Genre: Experimental Political Message | Released: October 2016 | Platform: Web browser | Developer: Nicky Case! | Publisher: Nicky Case! | Language: English | Length: 15 minutues | Difficulty: None | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No | Accessibility Options: None | Monetization: It’s free | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Graphic, cartoon blood and gore. Extreme violence | Parenting Guide: Just… No. | How Did You Play It: On PC | Did you need a guide: No | Mods: None
Is It Good: It’s… something. Interesting?
Back of the Box: I think there may be a political message in this video game.
Play It Here: https://ncase.itch.io/wbwwb
We Become What We Behold is a 2016 web game about news cycles, vicious cycles, and infinite cycles according to the creator. It’s very simple, not at all subtle, and is more an art piece than a game. I thought it was neat.
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Is It Good: It’s… something. Interesting?
Back of the Box: I think there may be a political message in this video game.
Play It Here: https://ncase.itch.io/wbwwb
We Become What We Behold is a 2016 web game about news cycles, vicious cycles, and infinite cycles according to the creator. It’s very simple, not at all subtle, and is more an art piece than a game. I thought it was neat.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
2020
Genre: Soft Squishy RTS | Released: July 2013 | Platform: Wii U and Switch | Developer: Nintendo EAD | Publisher: Nintendo | Language: English | Length: 6-10 hours | Difficulty: Easy to Medium | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No, you can jump right in. A few things may be lost on you, but it’s totally fine. | Accessibility Options: A few controller options | Monetization: Single Purchase | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Mild sad cartoon violence | Parenting Guide: 10 +, although young kids may need help | How Did You Play It: I played the Deluxe edition on Switch, and I suggest the hardest difficulty setting for most people | Did you need a guide: No | Mods: None
Is It Good: Yuppers, I am sad I waited so long to play it. Just wonderful.
Back of the Box: I hear Pikmin screaming in my dreams and break into a cold sweat.
Pikman 3 is a 2013 RTS adventure game that is charming, delightful, and most importantly: fun. I really loved the small flourishes and attention to detail the game designers took, with blippy sound effects and gorgeous visual design. Every sound, plant, environment, and written word oozes environmental storytelling.
I liked it so much that I did all the bonus missions and DLC and am very tempted to try a speed run. A great addition to the Pikmin franchise, and a wonderful game to start with too.
Is It Good: Yuppers, I am sad I waited so long to play it. Just wonderful.
Back of the Box: I hear Pikmin screaming in my dreams and break into a cold sweat.
Pikman 3 is a 2013 RTS adventure game that is charming, delightful, and most importantly: fun. I really loved the small flourishes and attention to detail the game designers took, with blippy sound effects and gorgeous visual design. Every sound, plant, environment, and written word oozes environmental storytelling.
I liked it so much that I did all the bonus missions and DLC and am very tempted to try a speed run. A great addition to the Pikmin franchise, and a wonderful game to start with too.
Genre: Beat ‘em up | Released: December 2003 | Platform: Game Boy Advanced | Developer: Treasure, Hitmaker | Publisher: Sega | Language: English | Length: 2-4 hours | Difficulty: Medium | Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope, but you will be lost if you don’t know anything about Astro Boy | Accessibility Options: None | Monetization: Single Purchase | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Mild cartoon violence | Parenting Guide: 10 and up I’d say | How Did You Play It: On an Analogue Pocket | Did you need a guide: Naw | Mods: Nope
Is It Good: It’s enjoyable. Easy breezy, as the kids say.
Back of the Box: Is this… Child warfare?
Astro Boy: Omega Factor is a 2003 short and sweet beat ‘em up that I liked. It’s a little-known gem for the GBA.
I know nothing about Astro Boy and was lost the entire time. But I had a blast!
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Is It Good: It’s enjoyable. Easy breezy, as the kids say.
Back of the Box: Is this… Child warfare?
Astro Boy: Omega Factor is a 2003 short and sweet beat ‘em up that I liked. It’s a little-known gem for the GBA.
I know nothing about Astro Boy and was lost the entire time. But I had a blast!
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2020
Genre: Genre-defining adventure shooter puzzle thingy | Released: March 2020 | Platform: PC | Developer: Crowbar Collective | Publisher: Crowbar Collective | Language: English | Length: 15 hours | Difficulty: Easy | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No, this is a remake of the original Half-Life game with added and changed content. It does not replace the first game, nor is the first game required. I have not played the original and had a fantastic time | Accessibility Options: Fast reactions required | Monetization: Single Purchase | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Violence, gore, gross… stuff | Parenting Guide: M for mature, adults-only | How Did You Play It: Via steam | Did you need a guide: No, and don’t use one unless you really need one | Mods: None
Is It Good: It’s mesmerizing and I can’t wait to boot up the original. A must-play.
Back of the Box: Quite a nasty piece of work you managed over there, I am impressed.
Black Mesa is an odd game, as it’s a fan remake of the first Half-Life fully supported and sold by Valve on their own storefront. This is a fantastic way to experience the original, and I can’t recommend it enough. The new content the team has added to the last levels is fantastic, and I would not have known it was never part of the original game unless told.
It’s an excellent game that is based on one of the greatest games ever made. It’s very, very good. Play it.
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Is It Good: It’s mesmerizing and I can’t wait to boot up the original. A must-play.
Back of the Box: Quite a nasty piece of work you managed over there, I am impressed.
Black Mesa is an odd game, as it’s a fan remake of the first Half-Life fully supported and sold by Valve on their own storefront. This is a fantastic way to experience the original, and I can’t recommend it enough. The new content the team has added to the last levels is fantastic, and I would not have known it was never part of the original game unless told.
It’s an excellent game that is based on one of the greatest games ever made. It’s very, very good. Play it.
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2011
Genre: Space Rail Shooter | Released: July 2011 | Platform: 3DS | Developer: Nintendo EAD and Q-Games | Publisher: Nintendo | Language: English | Length: 1-4 hours | Difficulty: Easy-Medium | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No | Accessibility Options: Fast reactions required | Monetization: Single Purchase | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Mild cartoon fantasy violence | Parenting Guide: Any age really, go for it | How Did You Play It: on my 3DS | Did you need a guide: No, and finding all the secrets is a lot of fun | Mods: None.
Is It Good: Of course it is! An absolute classic!
Back of the Box: Do a barrel roll! Use bombs wisely! Cocky little freaks!
Star Fox 3D is a 2011 remake of the radicle N64 original in sweet eye-crossing 3D. I am biased as the original is a favorite of mine. It’s like playing a Saturday morning adventure cartoon: cheesy, punchy, and to the point. I think this version is better for small quality-of-life improvements, but some will disagree.
Either way, this is a great introduction to the franchise, and you owe it to yourself to play it (or the original).
Is It Good: Of course it is! An absolute classic!
Back of the Box: Do a barrel roll! Use bombs wisely! Cocky little freaks!
Star Fox 3D is a 2011 remake of the radicle N64 original in sweet eye-crossing 3D. I am biased as the original is a favorite of mine. It’s like playing a Saturday morning adventure cartoon: cheesy, punchy, and to the point. I think this version is better for small quality-of-life improvements, but some will disagree.
Either way, this is a great introduction to the franchise, and you owe it to yourself to play it (or the original).
Genre: Narrative Puzzler | Released: January 2023 | Platform: iOS and Android | Developer: Ubisoft | Publisher: Netflix | Language: English | Length: 2-3 hours | Difficulty: Easy | Do I Need To Play Anything First: Characters and events from the first game (Valiant Hearts: The Great War) are referenced, and I assume some moments would resonate more strongly if you played the first. I did not play the first one, and I found no barrier or difficulty to enjoying or following | Accessibility Options: Subtitles, slight dexterity required | Monetization: Requires a Netflix Subscription | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: cartoon blood and gore, depictions of death and war | Parenting Guide: 12+ | How Did You Play It: Ipad via Netflix | Did you need a guide: No, but the game suffers from poor signposting | Mods: None
Is It Good: I thought it was fine, but a bit underwhelming.
Back of the Box: You’ll cry at the end, and be mad you are so easily manipulated.
Valiant Hearts: Coming Home is a beautiful, poignant, labor of love and passion marred by slightly frustrating “gameplay” that I think would be much better a piece of animation. It tells personal stories from the front lines of World War 1, and you guide various characters as they struggle to survive.
This is worth playing, for sure, but more for the informational aspect. The gameplay is so boring, and it says a log that my favorite parts was reading the in-game wiki. But as an educational game, it’s peerless.
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Is It Good: I thought it was fine, but a bit underwhelming.
Back of the Box: You’ll cry at the end, and be mad you are so easily manipulated.
Valiant Hearts: Coming Home is a beautiful, poignant, labor of love and passion marred by slightly frustrating “gameplay” that I think would be much better a piece of animation. It tells personal stories from the front lines of World War 1, and you guide various characters as they struggle to survive.
This is worth playing, for sure, but more for the informational aspect. The gameplay is so boring, and it says a log that my favorite parts was reading the in-game wiki. But as an educational game, it’s peerless.
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2022
Genre: Narrative Educational Experience | Released: 2022 | Platform: iOS and Android | Developer: Frosty Pop Games Inc. | Publisher: Netflix | Language: English | Length: 1 hour | Difficulty: None, narrative focus | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No | Accessibility Options: Subtitles, no fast movements required | Monetization: Netflix subscription needed | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: Suffering, Poverty | Parenting Guide: 12+, I think it’s a great game for youth| How Did You Play It: I played it on my iPad| Did you need a guide: Oh gosh no | Mods: None
Is It Good: It’s an interesting educational experience, as a game it’s pretty bland but as a tool it’s has great strengths.
Back of the Box: 771 million people don’t have access to clean drinking water,
This is a True Story is a 2022 narrative adventure game based on real interviews about the arduous challenge of accessing clean drinking water for so many people. Less a game and more a interactive story, you guide a woman on her daily journey to the clean drinking water miles away from her home. With gorgeous hand painted backgrounds and characters mixed with strong voice over, the game often has the appearance of a moving piece of art.
The game goes into great detail on how the lack of access to safe water impacts every aspect of life. I found some of the ‘game’ elements slightly frustrating and ultimately unnecessary, but overall this is an excellent attempt of trying in some small way to demonstrate another life.
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Is It Good: It’s an interesting educational experience, as a game it’s pretty bland but as a tool it’s has great strengths.
Back of the Box: 771 million people don’t have access to clean drinking water,
This is a True Story is a 2022 narrative adventure game based on real interviews about the arduous challenge of accessing clean drinking water for so many people. Less a game and more a interactive story, you guide a woman on her daily journey to the clean drinking water miles away from her home. With gorgeous hand painted backgrounds and characters mixed with strong voice over, the game often has the appearance of a moving piece of art.
The game goes into great detail on how the lack of access to safe water impacts every aspect of life. I found some of the ‘game’ elements slightly frustrating and ultimately unnecessary, but overall this is an excellent attempt of trying in some small way to demonstrate another life.
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2022
Genre: WarioWare-style microgames | Released: November 2022 | Platform: GameBoy | Developer: Various | Publisher: Bownly | Language: English | Length: 15 min | Difficulty: Easy | Do I Need To Play Anything First: No | Accessibility Options: None, fast inputs required | Monetization: Free! | Microtransaction: None | Gambling Elements: None | Content Warning: None | Parenting Guide: 6+ | How Did You Play It: Analogue Pocket| Did you need a guide: No. | Mods: None.
Is It Good: It’s a gool ol’ blip o’ fun.
Back of the Box: Got 15 minutes and a Gameboy? Play this!
Get it here: https://bownly.itch.io/microgames-jam-pak
MICROGAMES Jam Pak is a 2022 collection of micro games made by various developers during a game jam. The collection plays like a long-lost budget Warioware Gameboy game and is a blast of 15-minute fun. The games are less than 5 seconds each, incredibly simple, and I lost an entire lunch break trying to beat my high score. For something so simple and slapped together, it held my attention WAY more than it should have. It’s free on itch and you can play it on a browser, emulator, or real hardware.
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Is It Good: It’s a gool ol’ blip o’ fun.
Back of the Box: Got 15 minutes and a Gameboy? Play this!
Get it here: https://bownly.itch.io/microgames-jam-pak
MICROGAMES Jam Pak is a 2022 collection of micro games made by various developers during a game jam. The collection plays like a long-lost budget Warioware Gameboy game and is a blast of 15-minute fun. The games are less than 5 seconds each, incredibly simple, and I lost an entire lunch break trying to beat my high score. For something so simple and slapped together, it held my attention WAY more than it should have. It’s free on itch and you can play it on a browser, emulator, or real hardware.
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Kirby and the Rainbow Curse: A 2015 Wii U game developed by HAL Laboratory and Published by Nintendo. Draw lines with your stylus to guide a Kirby ball across beautiful claymation stages. This will probably be trapped on the Wii U forever, which is a shame because it’s delightful. I loved my time with it, it was charming and joyful.
I finished in 7 hours, and it’s appropriate for all ages. A great recommendation, glad I finally played it.
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I finished in 7 hours, and it’s appropriate for all ages. A great recommendation, glad I finally played it.
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Halo Infinite Season 3 Echoes Within: A free 2023 expansion for Halo Infinite multiplayer (Xbox, PC) developed by 343 industries and published by Microsoft. New Maps, New modes, and a great customs games browser and community playlist.
Yes, the game is dying.
Yes, behind the scenes is a burning dumpster fire. Yes, this is an embarrassment for Microsoft. BUT Infinite has fantastic gunplay, mechanical feel, art style, and is a lot of fun for short bursts. Like, A LOT of fun. I played for about 10 hours over the month and had a blast. Don’t let all the negativity prevent you from booting up and having a few fun hours. I played on Xbox series X, and the game is free to play with a battle pass and a cosmetic store. Strong accessibility options. I made no in game purchases for this season.
Absolutely worth playing.
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Yes, the game is dying.
Yes, behind the scenes is a burning dumpster fire. Yes, this is an embarrassment for Microsoft. BUT Infinite has fantastic gunplay, mechanical feel, art style, and is a lot of fun for short bursts. Like, A LOT of fun. I played for about 10 hours over the month and had a blast. Don’t let all the negativity prevent you from booting up and having a few fun hours. I played on Xbox series X, and the game is free to play with a battle pass and a cosmetic store. Strong accessibility options. I made no in game purchases for this season.
Absolutely worth playing.
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1995
I’ve been travelling quite a bit, so I’m once again grateful for God’s gift to his chosen people: The Game Boy. Which I did not use this time in the car, instead I blasphemed and played my first Sega Game Gear game.
The Game Gear (or God’s mistake) is the 1990 plastic brick that needs SIX AA batteries for 4 hours of play. I could not dirty my hands with such a thing (also I don’t own one) and thus used an Analogue Pocket to play Sylvan Tale.
Sylvan Tale is a Japanese exclusive that never came to west, and is currently only playable in English by a fan translation effort.
I love fan translations, because it means that at least one person, somewhere, REALLY like a game. And Aeon Genesis, the fan translator, really liked this game. According to them:
You know, every once in a while, Game Gear games can be pretty damn sweet. Take this here Sylvan Tale game for example. Action RPGs (such as this one) are rare, and GOOD action RPGs are rare indeed. This is just the tip of the iceberg as to why Sylvan Tale is cool. Actually it’s pretty much the entire reason; it’s a damn fine action RPG. The music is simply awesome, especially considering the system (with one small exception!), the graphics are very well done, and the gameplay’s there. It’s ALL there. There’s a plot too, but it doesn’t matter. Who cares? Swing your sword around and kill things! That’s what life’s all about goddammit!
Wow, okay, I’ll give it a go.
Sylvan Tale (シルヴァン テイル) is a 1995 Japanese exclusive Game Gear game published and developed by Sega. Think Zelda, but average in every sense of the word: something that represents a middle point.
It’s fine, short, and has enjoyable moments with a nice art style and painfully basic gameplay. I played the English fan translation by Aeon Genesis (which was seamless) on an Analogue Pocket. This is a rare action RPG, and I enjoyed playing it. It took me six hours and I used a guide twice when I got really stuck (and I’m glad I did as the answer was ridiculous).
Its ‘fun’, but there are a lot of problems. My primary complaint is around the stubby little sword I’m given. Look, the game gear screen is 3.2 inches, why is the sword so small. I often had to get so close to enemies I would bounce into them and take damage. I got used to it, but even near the end I would be swinging at things that I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIT UGH THIS IS SO DUMB I HATE VIDEO GAMES WHO DESIGNED THIS COME ONE.
Sylvan Tale is enjoyable in the curiosity of being a Sega Zelda clone. It never comes close to its aspirations, but I do feel like I’m being very hard on it. I enjoyed parts of what I played, and never once thought about quitting. The game is incredibly easy, although sometimes it was a bit unclear what the game wanted me to do next. I needed a guide twice.
Once because I have jello for brains, and once because the game wanted me to do something that I would have never guessed in a million years.
I personally would not recommend Sylvan Tale to anybody, and my back of the box quote would be “You could do worse”.
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The Game Gear (or God’s mistake) is the 1990 plastic brick that needs SIX AA batteries for 4 hours of play. I could not dirty my hands with such a thing (also I don’t own one) and thus used an Analogue Pocket to play Sylvan Tale.
Sylvan Tale is a Japanese exclusive that never came to west, and is currently only playable in English by a fan translation effort.
I love fan translations, because it means that at least one person, somewhere, REALLY like a game. And Aeon Genesis, the fan translator, really liked this game. According to them:
You know, every once in a while, Game Gear games can be pretty damn sweet. Take this here Sylvan Tale game for example. Action RPGs (such as this one) are rare, and GOOD action RPGs are rare indeed. This is just the tip of the iceberg as to why Sylvan Tale is cool. Actually it’s pretty much the entire reason; it’s a damn fine action RPG. The music is simply awesome, especially considering the system (with one small exception!), the graphics are very well done, and the gameplay’s there. It’s ALL there. There’s a plot too, but it doesn’t matter. Who cares? Swing your sword around and kill things! That’s what life’s all about goddammit!
Wow, okay, I’ll give it a go.
Sylvan Tale (シルヴァン テイル) is a 1995 Japanese exclusive Game Gear game published and developed by Sega. Think Zelda, but average in every sense of the word: something that represents a middle point.
It’s fine, short, and has enjoyable moments with a nice art style and painfully basic gameplay. I played the English fan translation by Aeon Genesis (which was seamless) on an Analogue Pocket. This is a rare action RPG, and I enjoyed playing it. It took me six hours and I used a guide twice when I got really stuck (and I’m glad I did as the answer was ridiculous).
Its ‘fun’, but there are a lot of problems. My primary complaint is around the stubby little sword I’m given. Look, the game gear screen is 3.2 inches, why is the sword so small. I often had to get so close to enemies I would bounce into them and take damage. I got used to it, but even near the end I would be swinging at things that I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIT UGH THIS IS SO DUMB I HATE VIDEO GAMES WHO DESIGNED THIS COME ONE.
Sylvan Tale is enjoyable in the curiosity of being a Sega Zelda clone. It never comes close to its aspirations, but I do feel like I’m being very hard on it. I enjoyed parts of what I played, and never once thought about quitting. The game is incredibly easy, although sometimes it was a bit unclear what the game wanted me to do next. I needed a guide twice.
Once because I have jello for brains, and once because the game wanted me to do something that I would have never guessed in a million years.
I personally would not recommend Sylvan Tale to anybody, and my back of the box quote would be “You could do worse”.
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2022
Genre: Collectible Card Game and Grid Tactics
Released: August 19, 2022
Platform: PC
Developer: Dream Sloth Games
Language: English
Length: As long as you want. I’ve probably played for 40+ hours, and put a TON of time into the original.
Difficulty: Medium-Expert (if you want to be the best). For most players, this is a easy to understand game with a lower skill floor and a very high skill ceiling.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope.
Accessibility Options: None, which is disappointing.
Monetization: Skins and Cards
Microtransaction: Yes. Two currencies, and annoying conversions. It feels icky, and it is. Free currency can be used to buy cards, but not cosmetics.
Gambling Elements: Yes. You get random cards when you buy a pack (which can be bought with the free currency) which leads to luck playing a large role in pushing you to buy more.
Content Warning: mild cartoon violence.
Parenting Guide: 10 years and up. Online elements, and be aware that a credit card is used to buy cards (but not necessary to play the game. However, players can only interact with each other via predetermined stickers, thus abuse is unlikely.
How Did You Play It: Via steam.
Did you need a guide: I use websites to help build my decks (and by that I mean I just copy what people say is good).
Is It Good: It’s really, really fun. It’s my favourite quick pick up game, and I plan to keep playing it for a long time.
You know what sucks? Missing.
Painstakingly moving your units into position, only for Gordo the barbarian to whiff trying to hit an enemy literally the size of a barn.
Or Charizard blasting a literal flame hurricane out of their mouth, and yet cannot hit A GOD DAMN WEEDLE THREE INCHES IN FRONT OF THEIR STUPID DROOLING MUG!
But what if life could be better?
Allow me to introduce Duelyst 2, the greatest thing since Wendy’s sliced, sliced bread. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiwD79mkLn4&ab_channel=Wendy%27s)
Look, yes, Duelyst 1 technically failed and was removed from life support by the developer in 2020. And yes, it is a collectible trading card game with micro-transactions - Hey wait come back! Wait please, listen to me!
I loved Duelyst 1, and was really sad to see it close down. I think Duelyst is something special, and I’m thrilled to find out that I’m not alone. There are dozens of us. Dozens!
See, when Duelyst was closed down, the developer took the unprecedented step of later releasing everything to the public. The art, the code, the engine, everything is in the public domain. You can even go and play the original right now in your browser, with all the cards unlocked for free hosted by fans!
https://duelyst.gg/
In an age where companies have no interest in preserving their own games, it’s really incredible for Counter Play games to release everything after they closed it down.
And because of this exemplary choice, a group of fans have banded together to make Duelyst 2, a continuation of the old game with a few minor (or major if you’re hardcore) changes. And I looovvveee it.
First the elevator pitch for those not down with the lingo, Duelyst 2 is both a collectible battle card game (like Hearthstone or Magic the Gathering) AND a tactical grid-based strategy game (like Fire Emblem… or other games like Fire Emblem). While neither the cards nor the grid-based gameplay is new, the combination of these two elements creates something not only original but better than the sum of its parts.
Genre definitions are growing less and less useful, with it being more and more common for genres to be smashed together in search of a new and refreshing take. Just look at the renaissance the rhythm/music beat genre is undergoing with all the rhythm first-person shooters, rhythm dungeon crawlers, and beat-based brawlers (alliteration is fun!). It’s exciting to see designers explore new combinations, but it can also be tiring as more and more games get extra mechanics bolted onto their sides in an effort to reinvent themselves. Remember the ‘everything must have multiplayer’ age. That was… bad. Metroid Prime 2 deathmatch anyone? How about a game of Dragon Age: Inquisition? (yes, it’s real). And lord save us from the RPG/Loot mechanics being forced into every game under the sun.
The card game is going through a similar phase, it seems every game has card-like elements, be them tower defense, RPG, strategy games, narrative adventures, first-person shooters, and the list goes on and on. So I can forgive you if you are not exactly jumping for joy at the idea of another genre but WITH CARDS. But in this case, cards make EVERYTHING better.
Why do games have stats? Why does my elite sniper in x-com have a 95% chance of hitting something? It’s to add unpredictability to the game and make things more dynamic. But missing feels awful, because you had a plan and random numbers prevented you from executing upon it. It feels like something has been taken away from you, and that’s infuriating.
Deck building fixes this. The nature of drawing cards adds enough random chance to prevent you from doing the same thing over and over again, so if you do draw the unit you wanted, got him on the board, in position, and able to attack there is no reason for some dice to roll. The random nature of the cards already added that mechanic, which means you never, ever miss. It feels so good, trust me.
Plus Duelyst 2 is incredibly forgiving, as each turn you can swap out a card for a random new card at no cost (plus you get 2 new cards at the end of each turn). This ensures at every turn, no matter what you nearly always have at least one interesting choice to make. Should you hang on to the card you have, or swap it for the chance of getting something better? Cards add luck elements without the pain of watching freaking GORDO THE DODO MISS AGAIN!
Then there’s the grid itself, which adds a fantastic dimension to playing cards. In most card games the choice is what card to play at what time. If a unit has a taunt or defense, you play it when it’s needed. But in Duelyst, choosing a card is the first half of making a choice. You also have to consider WHERE you put the unit, which leads to some incredible opportunities for synergies, strategies, and any other ‘ies you could want.
Battles are fast, dynamic, challenging, and filled with nail-baiting gambits, faints, charges, retreats, and spells flying back and forth. A round usually lasts 5 minutes, 10 at the most. And the tactical options are truly huge.
One of my favorite modes is the weekly puzzle, where you are presented a game in mid match and have to try and win in one turn. You quickly see there are so many interesting ways cards and units can interact with each other, from teleporting, buffing, morphing, egg laying, taunting, and so much more. Plus, none of it feels overwhelming, there are simple rules and each mechanic is easy to understand. If a game is supposed to be a series of interesting decisions, then Duelyst 2 is a shining example of said mantra.
It feels balanced, with lots of removal options preventing players from sweeping games, and the different hero armies feel unique from each other and fun to play. There is a great deal of fun to have with experimentation, right now I’m rocking Vetruvian and focusing on summoning obelisks that spit out low-level minions at the start of each turn. And then I can buff them and… it’s… it’s all just great stuff.
In addition to being mechanically enjoyable, the game has this really beautiful pixel art mixed with watercolor backgrounds that really sells a vision for the game. It looks very different from other card games, and the units all have fantastic crunchy animations when fighting which I love.
I am not good enough to speak to balance, or if the changes the fan team have made to the meta are either the best thing ever or the literal death of the game. I dunno. It’s fun for me…
And I have a lot of respect for the new team for trying to modernize and bring new ideas and speed to Duelyst 2.
I hear the complaints, and there are complaints. One, the microtransactions. There is annoyance at the idea of a fan team selling cards they themselves did not make (although they are changing them for balance), especially if you bought cards for the first game. And I also wish there was a way to pay for a one-time purchase of the game.
I have personally not found the need to buy any cards, but I also don’t play this as my only game. I do a few quests, buy a pack or two, and craft what I need. I’ve seen better monetization sure, but it’s certainly not a black stain on the game.
This is a small team, not some mega-corporation trying to bleed you. And live games have server costs, in addition to the team working on developing a mobile version, new cards, new skins, and working on a new ranking system.
Plus they are adding a rouglight mode! Everything must have a rouglight mode.
Now, obviously none of this (minus the balance and the new ranking system) has actually happened yet, and promises are easy to make. But the game has just released in beta, and days are early still. I’m extremely excited for the future, and just jazzed one of my favorite games is back.
My only real complaint is the new music is… mid (as the kids would say). But the team seems to recognize this, as there is a slider to just play the original music only. I clicked that and have never gone back, so no complaints here.
The community is lovely, and there is a real effort to try and make the game friendly to people. I love being able to ‘tip gold’ (the games currency) to a player you beat, just as a thank you for a great game.
This is an excellent game. Don’t sit on it (it may disappear, who knows). It deserves a seat at the table. It’s free, give it a go.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
Released: August 19, 2022
Platform: PC
Developer: Dream Sloth Games
Language: English
Length: As long as you want. I’ve probably played for 40+ hours, and put a TON of time into the original.
Difficulty: Medium-Expert (if you want to be the best). For most players, this is a easy to understand game with a lower skill floor and a very high skill ceiling.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope.
Accessibility Options: None, which is disappointing.
Monetization: Skins and Cards
Microtransaction: Yes. Two currencies, and annoying conversions. It feels icky, and it is. Free currency can be used to buy cards, but not cosmetics.
Gambling Elements: Yes. You get random cards when you buy a pack (which can be bought with the free currency) which leads to luck playing a large role in pushing you to buy more.
Content Warning: mild cartoon violence.
Parenting Guide: 10 years and up. Online elements, and be aware that a credit card is used to buy cards (but not necessary to play the game. However, players can only interact with each other via predetermined stickers, thus abuse is unlikely.
How Did You Play It: Via steam.
Did you need a guide: I use websites to help build my decks (and by that I mean I just copy what people say is good).
Is It Good: It’s really, really fun. It’s my favourite quick pick up game, and I plan to keep playing it for a long time.
You know what sucks? Missing.
Painstakingly moving your units into position, only for Gordo the barbarian to whiff trying to hit an enemy literally the size of a barn.
Or Charizard blasting a literal flame hurricane out of their mouth, and yet cannot hit A GOD DAMN WEEDLE THREE INCHES IN FRONT OF THEIR STUPID DROOLING MUG!
But what if life could be better?
Allow me to introduce Duelyst 2, the greatest thing since Wendy’s sliced, sliced bread. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiwD79mkLn4&ab_channel=Wendy%27s)
Look, yes, Duelyst 1 technically failed and was removed from life support by the developer in 2020. And yes, it is a collectible trading card game with micro-transactions - Hey wait come back! Wait please, listen to me!
I loved Duelyst 1, and was really sad to see it close down. I think Duelyst is something special, and I’m thrilled to find out that I’m not alone. There are dozens of us. Dozens!
See, when Duelyst was closed down, the developer took the unprecedented step of later releasing everything to the public. The art, the code, the engine, everything is in the public domain. You can even go and play the original right now in your browser, with all the cards unlocked for free hosted by fans!
https://duelyst.gg/
In an age where companies have no interest in preserving their own games, it’s really incredible for Counter Play games to release everything after they closed it down.
And because of this exemplary choice, a group of fans have banded together to make Duelyst 2, a continuation of the old game with a few minor (or major if you’re hardcore) changes. And I looovvveee it.
First the elevator pitch for those not down with the lingo, Duelyst 2 is both a collectible battle card game (like Hearthstone or Magic the Gathering) AND a tactical grid-based strategy game (like Fire Emblem… or other games like Fire Emblem). While neither the cards nor the grid-based gameplay is new, the combination of these two elements creates something not only original but better than the sum of its parts.
Genre definitions are growing less and less useful, with it being more and more common for genres to be smashed together in search of a new and refreshing take. Just look at the renaissance the rhythm/music beat genre is undergoing with all the rhythm first-person shooters, rhythm dungeon crawlers, and beat-based brawlers (alliteration is fun!). It’s exciting to see designers explore new combinations, but it can also be tiring as more and more games get extra mechanics bolted onto their sides in an effort to reinvent themselves. Remember the ‘everything must have multiplayer’ age. That was… bad. Metroid Prime 2 deathmatch anyone? How about a game of Dragon Age: Inquisition? (yes, it’s real). And lord save us from the RPG/Loot mechanics being forced into every game under the sun.
The card game is going through a similar phase, it seems every game has card-like elements, be them tower defense, RPG, strategy games, narrative adventures, first-person shooters, and the list goes on and on. So I can forgive you if you are not exactly jumping for joy at the idea of another genre but WITH CARDS. But in this case, cards make EVERYTHING better.
Why do games have stats? Why does my elite sniper in x-com have a 95% chance of hitting something? It’s to add unpredictability to the game and make things more dynamic. But missing feels awful, because you had a plan and random numbers prevented you from executing upon it. It feels like something has been taken away from you, and that’s infuriating.
Deck building fixes this. The nature of drawing cards adds enough random chance to prevent you from doing the same thing over and over again, so if you do draw the unit you wanted, got him on the board, in position, and able to attack there is no reason for some dice to roll. The random nature of the cards already added that mechanic, which means you never, ever miss. It feels so good, trust me.
Plus Duelyst 2 is incredibly forgiving, as each turn you can swap out a card for a random new card at no cost (plus you get 2 new cards at the end of each turn). This ensures at every turn, no matter what you nearly always have at least one interesting choice to make. Should you hang on to the card you have, or swap it for the chance of getting something better? Cards add luck elements without the pain of watching freaking GORDO THE DODO MISS AGAIN!
Then there’s the grid itself, which adds a fantastic dimension to playing cards. In most card games the choice is what card to play at what time. If a unit has a taunt or defense, you play it when it’s needed. But in Duelyst, choosing a card is the first half of making a choice. You also have to consider WHERE you put the unit, which leads to some incredible opportunities for synergies, strategies, and any other ‘ies you could want.
Battles are fast, dynamic, challenging, and filled with nail-baiting gambits, faints, charges, retreats, and spells flying back and forth. A round usually lasts 5 minutes, 10 at the most. And the tactical options are truly huge.
One of my favorite modes is the weekly puzzle, where you are presented a game in mid match and have to try and win in one turn. You quickly see there are so many interesting ways cards and units can interact with each other, from teleporting, buffing, morphing, egg laying, taunting, and so much more. Plus, none of it feels overwhelming, there are simple rules and each mechanic is easy to understand. If a game is supposed to be a series of interesting decisions, then Duelyst 2 is a shining example of said mantra.
It feels balanced, with lots of removal options preventing players from sweeping games, and the different hero armies feel unique from each other and fun to play. There is a great deal of fun to have with experimentation, right now I’m rocking Vetruvian and focusing on summoning obelisks that spit out low-level minions at the start of each turn. And then I can buff them and… it’s… it’s all just great stuff.
In addition to being mechanically enjoyable, the game has this really beautiful pixel art mixed with watercolor backgrounds that really sells a vision for the game. It looks very different from other card games, and the units all have fantastic crunchy animations when fighting which I love.
I am not good enough to speak to balance, or if the changes the fan team have made to the meta are either the best thing ever or the literal death of the game. I dunno. It’s fun for me…
And I have a lot of respect for the new team for trying to modernize and bring new ideas and speed to Duelyst 2.
I hear the complaints, and there are complaints. One, the microtransactions. There is annoyance at the idea of a fan team selling cards they themselves did not make (although they are changing them for balance), especially if you bought cards for the first game. And I also wish there was a way to pay for a one-time purchase of the game.
I have personally not found the need to buy any cards, but I also don’t play this as my only game. I do a few quests, buy a pack or two, and craft what I need. I’ve seen better monetization sure, but it’s certainly not a black stain on the game.
This is a small team, not some mega-corporation trying to bleed you. And live games have server costs, in addition to the team working on developing a mobile version, new cards, new skins, and working on a new ranking system.
Plus they are adding a rouglight mode! Everything must have a rouglight mode.
Now, obviously none of this (minus the balance and the new ranking system) has actually happened yet, and promises are easy to make. But the game has just released in beta, and days are early still. I’m extremely excited for the future, and just jazzed one of my favorite games is back.
My only real complaint is the new music is… mid (as the kids would say). But the team seems to recognize this, as there is a slider to just play the original music only. I clicked that and have never gone back, so no complaints here.
The community is lovely, and there is a real effort to try and make the game friendly to people. I love being able to ‘tip gold’ (the games currency) to a player you beat, just as a thank you for a great game.
This is an excellent game. Don’t sit on it (it may disappear, who knows). It deserves a seat at the table. It’s free, give it a go.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
2022
Genre: Bouncy Bite Sized Challenging Platforming Roguelike
Released: June 9th, 2022
Platform: iOS, Android
Developer: Moppin Games
Publisher: Devolver Digital Games
Language: English, but available in French, Korean, Japanese, Dutch, Spanish Portuguese, Italian
Length: 5-7 hours, feels shorter (in a good way). I rolled credits at 6 hours and did everything. I have kept playing in small chunks for personal challenges.
Difficulty: Medium. Runs are short, and with every level gained you get new powers to make the next run easier. You will finish this game with enough time.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope, this is a standalone game.
Accessibility Options: A few. Adjustable game speed, inverted controls, and the ability to turn off screen shake.
Monetization: Tied to a Netflix subscription, with no ability to for standalone purchase.
Microtransaction: None.
Gambling Elements: There is a slot machine mechanic, but it is nonexploitative. The currency you collect can only go into the machine, you can not lose, and there is a definitive end. Eventually, it can’t be used anymore.
Content Warning: extremely mild cartoon violence.
Parenting Guide: Rated 9+ on iOS and E for everyone on Android. I disagree with iOS, and feel the only barrier for children is their own motor control abilities.
How Did You Play It: iOS via an Ipad.
Did you need a guide: No.
Is It Good: It’s brilliant. Truly exceptional.
Poinpy is a funny game where you get fruits to make juice to feed an unhappy blue cat. And I loved it.
THIS is what fantastic mechanical game design is; a perfect example of simple controls allowing for complex player expression. Poinpy (the adorable titular green bird) launches themselves like a slingshot with a deft flick of your finger or immediately slams into the ground with a satisfying THWACK on a quick tap of the screen. Despite being a mobile touch screen exclusive game, Poinpy controls so effortlessly and precisely that the joy of movement alone is worth your attention. Swipe and tap, swipe, tap, swipe, tap, tap, swipe, swipe, TAP! There is a tactile delight in every action, and Poinpy controls so effortlessly that I often found myself able to play entire sections as though I WAS POINPY. WE ARE THE SAME, TOGETHER, ONE MIND, ONE THOUGHT.
So yeah, the controls are real good.
But Poinpy goes even further, slowly layering unique and interesting ways you can combine these two actions to string together breath-taking combos. It’s incredibly impressive how Poinpy is able to wring out every last ounce of fun out of these two actions, and a testament to the shining amount of polish this game possesses.
Poinpy is fun. Like, really fun. It’s zany and silly, bright and colourful with adorable music and bouncy animations. I would recommend it to anyone. Actually, I recommend it to everyone. If you have a Netflix subscription and a phone, it’s a must-play.
And unlike a great deal of other mobile games, which are only interested in taking as much time and attention away from you as possible, Poinpy actually has an ending (which is just as delightful as the rest of the game). Poinpy explores all the ideas it has to offer, pushes them to their natural limits, and then ends with a satisfying crescendo. I want more, of course, but Poinpy knows when it’s time to draw the curtains.
I can’t help but gush, as everything about Poinpy is worth remarking on. Somehow (I assume via black magic), each random level assembles in a way that feels as though there is a designer just off-screen perfectly laying down each section for you. The animation and creature design is so appealing with stretchy, squat, and fat shapes that scream so much personality and charm. There is an experience and slot machine leveling system that somehow makes the game even better instead of a chore. Each attempt at the game gives experience and later a chance to spin the wheel for a random upgrade, yet instead of feeling manipulative or exploiting your fears or darker urgings, you instead feel rewarded for every attempt and are given fun new twists to look forward to. And this system also ends, and eventually there are no more rewards. Numbers are often used to pointlessly add superficial depth and length, but Poinpy uses these mechanics in exclusively positive ways to add even more enjoyment to an already stuffed game.
Gosh, sometimes I just liked staring at the blue cat, who is such a good kitty and only wants delicious juice for his tum tum. Oh! And there is a whole puzzle mode too, which is worth completing for upgrades and BECAUSE IT’S FUN!
Oh right! There is also a whole build system where you can swap upgrades in and out, which can drastically change how you play the game. But all of it is accessible and easy to understand, and none of it distracts from the true purpose of the game: get fruits, make juice, feed cat.
My only true complaint is that as of this moment I can’t buy Poinpy outright, as it’s tied to a Netflix subscription. Because I want to own Poinpy forever. I want to play more.
I want to play it again. I want more levels, more challenges, more… everything. Not because it feels incomplete or lacking (far from it). But because Poinpy is nearly perfect, and I am only human and want more of a good thing.
Maybe… Maybe one more try.
It’s coming. The creature has been chasing me, hungry and ravenous, ever demanding and always wanting more.
I am not merely leaping away from the creature, not simply spinning higher and higher. Nay, I am an artist. A leaf in the wind. My body and my thoughts are one, mere flicks of my finger cause tumbles and deflections so beautiful, so sublime in their perfect movements it would make angels weep.
But the creature demands more. It hunts me, always hunts me, higher and higher, I fear even the stratosphere could not contain it.
The mantra is all I know. The mantra is what protects me, even now as I fear my end is near.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
The mantra is all.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
The demands are so simple.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
Yet I fear I cannot obey for much longer.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
I miss a banana.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
I begin to fall, down and down and down. Towards the monster.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
It is too late. I do not have the fruits. I have no juice.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
I cannot feed the cat.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
I touch the ground, and the creature bellows in displeasure. The cat will not be fed, and so I must burn.
Play this game.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
Released: June 9th, 2022
Platform: iOS, Android
Developer: Moppin Games
Publisher: Devolver Digital Games
Language: English, but available in French, Korean, Japanese, Dutch, Spanish Portuguese, Italian
Length: 5-7 hours, feels shorter (in a good way). I rolled credits at 6 hours and did everything. I have kept playing in small chunks for personal challenges.
Difficulty: Medium. Runs are short, and with every level gained you get new powers to make the next run easier. You will finish this game with enough time.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope, this is a standalone game.
Accessibility Options: A few. Adjustable game speed, inverted controls, and the ability to turn off screen shake.
Monetization: Tied to a Netflix subscription, with no ability to for standalone purchase.
Microtransaction: None.
Gambling Elements: There is a slot machine mechanic, but it is nonexploitative. The currency you collect can only go into the machine, you can not lose, and there is a definitive end. Eventually, it can’t be used anymore.
Content Warning: extremely mild cartoon violence.
Parenting Guide: Rated 9+ on iOS and E for everyone on Android. I disagree with iOS, and feel the only barrier for children is their own motor control abilities.
How Did You Play It: iOS via an Ipad.
Did you need a guide: No.
Is It Good: It’s brilliant. Truly exceptional.
Poinpy is a funny game where you get fruits to make juice to feed an unhappy blue cat. And I loved it.
THIS is what fantastic mechanical game design is; a perfect example of simple controls allowing for complex player expression. Poinpy (the adorable titular green bird) launches themselves like a slingshot with a deft flick of your finger or immediately slams into the ground with a satisfying THWACK on a quick tap of the screen. Despite being a mobile touch screen exclusive game, Poinpy controls so effortlessly and precisely that the joy of movement alone is worth your attention. Swipe and tap, swipe, tap, swipe, tap, tap, swipe, swipe, TAP! There is a tactile delight in every action, and Poinpy controls so effortlessly that I often found myself able to play entire sections as though I WAS POINPY. WE ARE THE SAME, TOGETHER, ONE MIND, ONE THOUGHT.
So yeah, the controls are real good.
But Poinpy goes even further, slowly layering unique and interesting ways you can combine these two actions to string together breath-taking combos. It’s incredibly impressive how Poinpy is able to wring out every last ounce of fun out of these two actions, and a testament to the shining amount of polish this game possesses.
Poinpy is fun. Like, really fun. It’s zany and silly, bright and colourful with adorable music and bouncy animations. I would recommend it to anyone. Actually, I recommend it to everyone. If you have a Netflix subscription and a phone, it’s a must-play.
And unlike a great deal of other mobile games, which are only interested in taking as much time and attention away from you as possible, Poinpy actually has an ending (which is just as delightful as the rest of the game). Poinpy explores all the ideas it has to offer, pushes them to their natural limits, and then ends with a satisfying crescendo. I want more, of course, but Poinpy knows when it’s time to draw the curtains.
I can’t help but gush, as everything about Poinpy is worth remarking on. Somehow (I assume via black magic), each random level assembles in a way that feels as though there is a designer just off-screen perfectly laying down each section for you. The animation and creature design is so appealing with stretchy, squat, and fat shapes that scream so much personality and charm. There is an experience and slot machine leveling system that somehow makes the game even better instead of a chore. Each attempt at the game gives experience and later a chance to spin the wheel for a random upgrade, yet instead of feeling manipulative or exploiting your fears or darker urgings, you instead feel rewarded for every attempt and are given fun new twists to look forward to. And this system also ends, and eventually there are no more rewards. Numbers are often used to pointlessly add superficial depth and length, but Poinpy uses these mechanics in exclusively positive ways to add even more enjoyment to an already stuffed game.
Gosh, sometimes I just liked staring at the blue cat, who is such a good kitty and only wants delicious juice for his tum tum. Oh! And there is a whole puzzle mode too, which is worth completing for upgrades and BECAUSE IT’S FUN!
Oh right! There is also a whole build system where you can swap upgrades in and out, which can drastically change how you play the game. But all of it is accessible and easy to understand, and none of it distracts from the true purpose of the game: get fruits, make juice, feed cat.
My only true complaint is that as of this moment I can’t buy Poinpy outright, as it’s tied to a Netflix subscription. Because I want to own Poinpy forever. I want to play more.
I want to play it again. I want more levels, more challenges, more… everything. Not because it feels incomplete or lacking (far from it). But because Poinpy is nearly perfect, and I am only human and want more of a good thing.
Maybe… Maybe one more try.
It’s coming. The creature has been chasing me, hungry and ravenous, ever demanding and always wanting more.
I am not merely leaping away from the creature, not simply spinning higher and higher. Nay, I am an artist. A leaf in the wind. My body and my thoughts are one, mere flicks of my finger cause tumbles and deflections so beautiful, so sublime in their perfect movements it would make angels weep.
But the creature demands more. It hunts me, always hunts me, higher and higher, I fear even the stratosphere could not contain it.
The mantra is all I know. The mantra is what protects me, even now as I fear my end is near.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
The mantra is all.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
The demands are so simple.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
Yet I fear I cannot obey for much longer.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
I miss a banana.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
I begin to fall, down and down and down. Towards the monster.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
It is too late. I do not have the fruits. I have no juice.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
I cannot feed the cat.
GET FRUITS.
MAKE JUICE.
FEED CAT.
I touch the ground, and the creature bellows in displeasure. The cat will not be fed, and so I must burn.
Play this game.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
1998
Genre: Light exploratory platformer
Released: March 9th, 1998
Platform: Game Boy (original), Game Boy Color, 3DS
Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Publisher: Nintendo
Original Language: Japanese
Length: 5-7 hours, easy breezy pacing. I rolled credits at 5 hours and spent another 3 looking for secrets.
Difficulty: Easy, nearly zero punishment for making mistakes.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: No, it’s stand-alone (despite the “2”). Up until now each game in the series is VERY different.
Accessibility Options: None.
Monetization: None.
Microtransaction: None.
Gambling Elements: You can wager coins to play mini-games, which are required to get treasure pieces. Spending coins make the games easier, however there is an endpoint and exploitation is minimal.
Content Warning: extremely mild cartoon violence.
Parenting Guide: Rated E for Everyone, and I agree.
How Did You Play It: I played the official English localization Game Boy version on an Analogue Pocket
Did you need a guide: Yes, twice for secrets endings. If you are willing to pixel hunt, you most likely won’t need one.
Is It Good: Yeah, it’s fun. 1 and 3 are better, IMO
Wario Land 2 is a teenager.
And adolescents is hard.
It is a period of transition, where we question who we are. What do we want? How can we distinguish ourselves from the shadow of others? During this time we experiment, try new things, and new identities. We want to be different. But often we don’t know how.
We can’t be too angry at Wario Land 2, they’re still young, you see. And trying to find themselves given their family background is going to be a struggle. They are both the 2nd game in the Wario Land series (officially), the 4th game in the Super Mario Land series (unofficially), and still learning who they want to be. I mean, look at their father Mr. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3. Of course Wario Land 2 will struggle to find themselves.
Full disclosure, Mr. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 and I are great friends. In fact, I count him as one of my closest friends and keep the handwritten copy of the speech he both made and gave at my wedding proudly displayed. I love that guy, and my appraisal of his son is strictly between you and I. He would be devasted to know I found WL2 to be pretty mid.
Now, I know Wario Land 2 will grow into the well-respected family man Wario Land 3, and that his child Wario Land 4 is well known as the greatest Prime Minister this country will ever see. But that is the future, and for now Wario Land 2 is 15 years old and acts 13.
The shadow of their father lingers, and as such there are several inconsistencies within the game design that irk. For example, Wario Land 2 is experimenting with how to make itself different from Mario (their close cousin). There is an interesting power-up mechanism in Wario Land 2, where instead of wearing hats or finding mushrooms, Wario’s physical body changes from some enemy attacks.
This is a really cool idea, and these abilities don’t make Wario faster or more powerful but instead give him different mobility options. Getting struck by a hammer turns Wario into a spring, allowing him to bounce to higher platforms. Getting squashed turns him into a paper-thin floating sheet, allowing him to haphazardly squeeze into crevices and float into new zones. My personal favorite is an enemy that turns Wario into a zombie.
This immediately turns the game into more of a Metroidvania than a strict platformer, further assisted by the games branching paths and slightly (very slightly) nonlinear design. But there are niggling issues I had that detracted from my enjoyment.
For one, sometimes it is unclear which enemies provide unique transformations, and which enemies simply do damage. The only way to tell is to let them hit you. These powers help in solving puzzles, and there are a few times when I struggled to figure out what do to as I had defeated an enemy that I was unaware would provide me with a new Wario form. Enemies come back if you leave an area so I never locked myself out of anything, so I got into the habit of letting every new enemy hit me to see what would happen. This felt less like interesting experimentation and more like a mild punishment.
Given that allowing enemies to hit Wario is a large part of the gameplay, Wario Land 2 has an interesting take on death. For the first time in the series, Wario can not die. Instead he losses coins on contact, and if he has no coins to give he simple bounces back a few feet.
This is a great idea and gives Wario Land 2 an exploratory feeling, as it encourages you to be unafraid to try things as the punishment is very minimal should you guess wrong.
The downside is that the new consequence of making a mistake is wasting time. Instead of restarting, you often have to wait for Wario to change back into his regular form, or trudge a winding path back to where you began. For example, in one level you are trying to get Wario down a series of platforms. If Wario is hit by an enemy he turns into a spring and bounces all the way back to the top of the challenge. This in itself is fine (no different from dying and restarting), but the difference is once you reach the top you then have to WAIT for the spring effect to wear off. It’s only a few seconds granted, but I still found the effects tiresome after a while of waiting impatiently for Wario to turn back to normal.
This is a very easy game in terms of mechanics. There are no deaths, no difficult platforms, and the hardest part boss encounters is walking back after they throw you off a stage (and watching their unskippable into cutscene).
The real point of the Wario Land 2 is collecting treasure, a mechanic toyed with in Mr. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3. Beelining straight to the end of the level is not particularly fun and is very easy. The true challenge is trying to find the hidden treasure in each level, which will later allow you to unlock the game’s true ending. I highly recommend playing in this manner, as nearly all the fun and interesting parts of the game are the challenges in finding secrets.
Thee game appears initially linear, however once you complete the first ‘ending’ you are heavily encouraged to go back and find alternate exits for several levels which lead to entirely new levels. I really enjoyed this aspect, and the world map easily sign posts which levels have missing treasure and which levels are worth returning to find a new path.
However, SOME of the alternative paths are hidden in annoying ‘secret’ blocks which look like everything else. I hated this and grew so frustrated I eventually used a guide for two sections. I’m really glad I did because I am an old person and I don’t have time to painstakingly try to break each block on the off chance it hides something.
However, most of the alternative endings are a great deal of fun to find. The first-level alternative ending is a personal favorite, and well worth the trial and error to find it.
It’s clear Wario Land 2 is taking great strides into becoming the modern Wario formula that 3 and 4 will later take on. Right now Wario Land 2 feels distinct, but its parts are not fully meshed together to make a cohesive mechanical package. Well put together, but some sharp corners are still present.
But while Wario Land 2’s mechanics have a few more iterations to go through, it’s presentation is fantastic. The warbling, grungy off kilter soundtrack is excellent, minus one song which every minute or so goes SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Visually and musically Wario Land 2 has a unique and strong identity, which truthfully will not change much over the next decades. Wario Land 2 is a great looking game, with great bits of animation and bursting with charm and spirit. It’s not ‘good for a gameboy’, it’s just plain excellent.
Despite the crushing technical limitations of the system, the designers manage to squeeze a performance out of the sprites, and take every opportunity to establish Wario as his own unique character. Wario has clear goals, likes and dislikes, and from a personality standpoint is now fully developed. There are small cinematics for plot points and a style that oozes polish and passion. This characterization is assisted by some truly fantastic sprite work, with the boss battles being a true standout for animation and design (although actually defeating them is dull and uninteresting most of the time).
There some performance issues (a great deal of slow down whenever multiple blocks are broken), but Wario Land 2 is a fun game and worth playing.
Wario Land 2 still lives at home with their parents, but there is no doubt they’ll grow up into something fantastic.
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https://thepile.substack.com/
Released: March 9th, 1998
Platform: Game Boy (original), Game Boy Color, 3DS
Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Publisher: Nintendo
Original Language: Japanese
Length: 5-7 hours, easy breezy pacing. I rolled credits at 5 hours and spent another 3 looking for secrets.
Difficulty: Easy, nearly zero punishment for making mistakes.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: No, it’s stand-alone (despite the “2”). Up until now each game in the series is VERY different.
Accessibility Options: None.
Monetization: None.
Microtransaction: None.
Gambling Elements: You can wager coins to play mini-games, which are required to get treasure pieces. Spending coins make the games easier, however there is an endpoint and exploitation is minimal.
Content Warning: extremely mild cartoon violence.
Parenting Guide: Rated E for Everyone, and I agree.
How Did You Play It: I played the official English localization Game Boy version on an Analogue Pocket
Did you need a guide: Yes, twice for secrets endings. If you are willing to pixel hunt, you most likely won’t need one.
Is It Good: Yeah, it’s fun. 1 and 3 are better, IMO
Wario Land 2 is a teenager.
And adolescents is hard.
It is a period of transition, where we question who we are. What do we want? How can we distinguish ourselves from the shadow of others? During this time we experiment, try new things, and new identities. We want to be different. But often we don’t know how.
We can’t be too angry at Wario Land 2, they’re still young, you see. And trying to find themselves given their family background is going to be a struggle. They are both the 2nd game in the Wario Land series (officially), the 4th game in the Super Mario Land series (unofficially), and still learning who they want to be. I mean, look at their father Mr. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3. Of course Wario Land 2 will struggle to find themselves.
Full disclosure, Mr. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 and I are great friends. In fact, I count him as one of my closest friends and keep the handwritten copy of the speech he both made and gave at my wedding proudly displayed. I love that guy, and my appraisal of his son is strictly between you and I. He would be devasted to know I found WL2 to be pretty mid.
Now, I know Wario Land 2 will grow into the well-respected family man Wario Land 3, and that his child Wario Land 4 is well known as the greatest Prime Minister this country will ever see. But that is the future, and for now Wario Land 2 is 15 years old and acts 13.
The shadow of their father lingers, and as such there are several inconsistencies within the game design that irk. For example, Wario Land 2 is experimenting with how to make itself different from Mario (their close cousin). There is an interesting power-up mechanism in Wario Land 2, where instead of wearing hats or finding mushrooms, Wario’s physical body changes from some enemy attacks.
This is a really cool idea, and these abilities don’t make Wario faster or more powerful but instead give him different mobility options. Getting struck by a hammer turns Wario into a spring, allowing him to bounce to higher platforms. Getting squashed turns him into a paper-thin floating sheet, allowing him to haphazardly squeeze into crevices and float into new zones. My personal favorite is an enemy that turns Wario into a zombie.
This immediately turns the game into more of a Metroidvania than a strict platformer, further assisted by the games branching paths and slightly (very slightly) nonlinear design. But there are niggling issues I had that detracted from my enjoyment.
For one, sometimes it is unclear which enemies provide unique transformations, and which enemies simply do damage. The only way to tell is to let them hit you. These powers help in solving puzzles, and there are a few times when I struggled to figure out what do to as I had defeated an enemy that I was unaware would provide me with a new Wario form. Enemies come back if you leave an area so I never locked myself out of anything, so I got into the habit of letting every new enemy hit me to see what would happen. This felt less like interesting experimentation and more like a mild punishment.
Given that allowing enemies to hit Wario is a large part of the gameplay, Wario Land 2 has an interesting take on death. For the first time in the series, Wario can not die. Instead he losses coins on contact, and if he has no coins to give he simple bounces back a few feet.
This is a great idea and gives Wario Land 2 an exploratory feeling, as it encourages you to be unafraid to try things as the punishment is very minimal should you guess wrong.
The downside is that the new consequence of making a mistake is wasting time. Instead of restarting, you often have to wait for Wario to change back into his regular form, or trudge a winding path back to where you began. For example, in one level you are trying to get Wario down a series of platforms. If Wario is hit by an enemy he turns into a spring and bounces all the way back to the top of the challenge. This in itself is fine (no different from dying and restarting), but the difference is once you reach the top you then have to WAIT for the spring effect to wear off. It’s only a few seconds granted, but I still found the effects tiresome after a while of waiting impatiently for Wario to turn back to normal.
This is a very easy game in terms of mechanics. There are no deaths, no difficult platforms, and the hardest part boss encounters is walking back after they throw you off a stage (and watching their unskippable into cutscene).
The real point of the Wario Land 2 is collecting treasure, a mechanic toyed with in Mr. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3. Beelining straight to the end of the level is not particularly fun and is very easy. The true challenge is trying to find the hidden treasure in each level, which will later allow you to unlock the game’s true ending. I highly recommend playing in this manner, as nearly all the fun and interesting parts of the game are the challenges in finding secrets.
Thee game appears initially linear, however once you complete the first ‘ending’ you are heavily encouraged to go back and find alternate exits for several levels which lead to entirely new levels. I really enjoyed this aspect, and the world map easily sign posts which levels have missing treasure and which levels are worth returning to find a new path.
However, SOME of the alternative paths are hidden in annoying ‘secret’ blocks which look like everything else. I hated this and grew so frustrated I eventually used a guide for two sections. I’m really glad I did because I am an old person and I don’t have time to painstakingly try to break each block on the off chance it hides something.
However, most of the alternative endings are a great deal of fun to find. The first-level alternative ending is a personal favorite, and well worth the trial and error to find it.
It’s clear Wario Land 2 is taking great strides into becoming the modern Wario formula that 3 and 4 will later take on. Right now Wario Land 2 feels distinct, but its parts are not fully meshed together to make a cohesive mechanical package. Well put together, but some sharp corners are still present.
But while Wario Land 2’s mechanics have a few more iterations to go through, it’s presentation is fantastic. The warbling, grungy off kilter soundtrack is excellent, minus one song which every minute or so goes SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Visually and musically Wario Land 2 has a unique and strong identity, which truthfully will not change much over the next decades. Wario Land 2 is a great looking game, with great bits of animation and bursting with charm and spirit. It’s not ‘good for a gameboy’, it’s just plain excellent.
Despite the crushing technical limitations of the system, the designers manage to squeeze a performance out of the sprites, and take every opportunity to establish Wario as his own unique character. Wario has clear goals, likes and dislikes, and from a personality standpoint is now fully developed. There are small cinematics for plot points and a style that oozes polish and passion. This characterization is assisted by some truly fantastic sprite work, with the boss battles being a true standout for animation and design (although actually defeating them is dull and uninteresting most of the time).
There some performance issues (a great deal of slow down whenever multiple blocks are broken), but Wario Land 2 is a fun game and worth playing.
Wario Land 2 still lives at home with their parents, but there is no doubt they’ll grow up into something fantastic.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
Genre: Surreal Action-Adventure
Released: August 8th, 2017
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One/X/S, Nintendo Switch
Developer: Ninja Theory
Language: English
Length: 7 hours, feels long. I almost stopped once or twice.
Difficulty: Medium. I died maybe twice.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope.
Accessibility Options: Many. DAGER System has a great write up. https://dagersystem.com/disability-game-review-hellblade-senuas-sacrifice/
Monetization: Single purchase.
Microtransaction: None.
Gambling Elements: None.
Content Warning: Blood, extreme gore, violence, depictions of mental illness, torture, confinement, suicide, horror, shame.
Parenting Guide: This game is rated M for mature, and I agree. Mature teens only, strongly consider a co-play. However, it could be a great tool for discussing mental health.
How Did You Play It: On Xbox Series X
Did you need a guide: Nope. There are some clunky frustrating moments though. I felt the game sometimes did a poor job of explaining what it wanted me to do.
Is It Good: It’s interesting. Good art, poor game.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is:
· A fascinating art piece.
· A vulnerable and authentic depiction of psychosis and mental illness.
· Not particularly good at capturing lived experiences of mental illness.
· A bland and subpar video game
· A watermark masterpiece for the medium of games.
· Something that should have been a film, and not best served by being an interactive game.
I’m unsure how I feel about Hellblade as a whole, and while I think it has some incredible moments and intriguing ideas the game ultimately fails at both being a game and attempting to convey mental illness beyond tropes. While a great deal of depth and nuance appears at first glance, I feel in the end the game has little value in attempting to portray psychosis as a lived experience.
The fact that this is a video game muddies the discussion considerably. A great deal of the (well-earned) praise Hellblade has garnered is because as a video game, it is unmatched. Within the medium of interactive entertainment (I am unaware of anything close to Hellblade) the game is certainly peerless in the way it attempts to portray psychosis with incredible visuals and truly outstanding sound design. But if we step into other mediums, I feel Hellblade’s contributions are much more diluted.
First, a brief summary for those unaware. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice tells the story of Senua, a Celtic warrior experiencing a profound episode of psychosis after her village is destroyed by invading Norsemen. We as the player help guide Senua through her visual and audio projections as she tries to make sense of what has happened and how she can survive such grief.
The game is extremely upfront with its goal of trying to show what having psychosis is like, and the designers and studio have spent a huge amount of time speaking to experts and people with lived experiences to try and depict what some of the most difficult mental breaks are.
I have no lived experienced of psychosis. Given the interviews and writings of others with lived experience, the overwhelming consensus is that Hellblade does an exemplary job at being truthful in its depictions. The game’s depictions of visual hallucinations go much further than the ‘seeing a person who is not there’ present in other media. Walls shift and change, lights appear too bright, the darkness is unfathomable and frightening. Symbols and patterns can be seen everywhere, and it is clear Senua tries to find order and meaning in the cruel world surrounding her.
The audio design is incredible, there is a constant undertone of voices playing in the background. With headphones or a good surround sound system it feels like voices are playing in your mind. Not only are the technical elements strong, but the writing and performance of the voices are also equally matched.
‘it’s not safe’
‘you’re stupid’
‘good job’
‘what should she do?’
Whirr and spin around the soundscape, with spine-tingling whispers or room-shaking booms. It’s disorienting, unsettling, and difficult to concentrate with snippets of words and shouts constantly drilling into you.
The rest of the game’s writing is also strong, paired with excellent performances. The game mixes in live full motion video of actors to incredible success. And while the story is told in a confusing manner, as the pieces slowly come together a compelling narrative is revealed.
It all sounds really incredible, and it is. But here is my issue.
Why is this a game? The restraint of a film is you can’t live the experience. But in an interactive game, you can experience the same journey as a character. But sadly, Senua and the player are never on the same wavelength.
I am not experiencing Senua’s journey, because she and I are never on the same page. We do not experience these things together, and thus we the player become passive observers watching an interesting film interrupted by boring gameplay.
Senua knows what happened to her from the very beginning, while I don’t know what happened until the end of the game. WE are not discovering things together.
Senua is terrified of the monster chasing her, while I know it is not real. I watch Suenua experience delusions, but at no point do I the player question if what is happening is real.
I know none of this is real because the screen is fuzzy and there is literally a magical monster in front of me. A key element of psychosis is the inability to differentiate reality, and I as the player never question what is real and what is not.
The wall of grasping hands? Real to Senua, not to me.
Portals into other universes? Real to Senua, but not to me. I know she is delusional.
This weakens the point of interactive fiction. Senua and I are never confused together, we do not share fear or question our reality together. I am no different from a family member watching a loved one struggle. Which is compelling and can create empathy, but as an interactive story it is not very strong. I as the player am simply not experiencing what Senua is experiencing. I always can tell what is real, and what is not. Unlike Senua.
Lastly, we come to the game itself which is merely (and barely) competent. You fight Senua’s delusions with a simple parry and light combo system, which is not complex or meaty enough to sustain the 7 hour run time. It gets tiring FAST. The rest of the game (really the majority of it) is filled with puzzles, which revolve around shifting your perspective to make objects in the world fit into symbols. It is a cool idea, but again wears thin for 7 hours. I grew to resent the puzzles and combat before the halfway mark, and often wished I could skip a great deal of it.
It’s just not a very good game, because the ‘gameplay’ elements really don’t need to be there. It often feels like the designers are worried players may get bored, and just throw in mindless and repetitive combat to break up the repetitive puzzles. The final encounter is really the only section where the combat and story align and build on each other. Every other time they feel like annoying interruptions and time wasters.
This lack of cohesion in design harms the gameplay. The game screams the ‘see look! Games can do this too!’ vibe that reminds me of the boring ‘are games art’ debate of the early 2000’s.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is an incredible piece of art. I loved the speeches, the story, the dialogue, the sound, and the visuals. But I think it fails to truly capitalize on the interactive elements, and instead feels like watching a fantastic movie but your annoying cousin keeps interrupting you to play a game of fortnight.
I give this a hesitant recommendation, as it is an interesting game. And I am extremely curious about the announced sequel as there is something undeniably special about this team and the clear passion they have for removing the stigma surrounding mental illness. There is great bravery in exploring what it means to have a brain different from others, and why that makes you no less of a hero.
It is truly incredible art.
I just wish it was a better game.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/
Released: August 8th, 2017
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One/X/S, Nintendo Switch
Developer: Ninja Theory
Language: English
Length: 7 hours, feels long. I almost stopped once or twice.
Difficulty: Medium. I died maybe twice.
Do I Need To Play Anything First: Nope.
Accessibility Options: Many. DAGER System has a great write up. https://dagersystem.com/disability-game-review-hellblade-senuas-sacrifice/
Monetization: Single purchase.
Microtransaction: None.
Gambling Elements: None.
Content Warning: Blood, extreme gore, violence, depictions of mental illness, torture, confinement, suicide, horror, shame.
Parenting Guide: This game is rated M for mature, and I agree. Mature teens only, strongly consider a co-play. However, it could be a great tool for discussing mental health.
How Did You Play It: On Xbox Series X
Did you need a guide: Nope. There are some clunky frustrating moments though. I felt the game sometimes did a poor job of explaining what it wanted me to do.
Is It Good: It’s interesting. Good art, poor game.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is:
· A fascinating art piece.
· A vulnerable and authentic depiction of psychosis and mental illness.
· Not particularly good at capturing lived experiences of mental illness.
· A bland and subpar video game
· A watermark masterpiece for the medium of games.
· Something that should have been a film, and not best served by being an interactive game.
I’m unsure how I feel about Hellblade as a whole, and while I think it has some incredible moments and intriguing ideas the game ultimately fails at both being a game and attempting to convey mental illness beyond tropes. While a great deal of depth and nuance appears at first glance, I feel in the end the game has little value in attempting to portray psychosis as a lived experience.
The fact that this is a video game muddies the discussion considerably. A great deal of the (well-earned) praise Hellblade has garnered is because as a video game, it is unmatched. Within the medium of interactive entertainment (I am unaware of anything close to Hellblade) the game is certainly peerless in the way it attempts to portray psychosis with incredible visuals and truly outstanding sound design. But if we step into other mediums, I feel Hellblade’s contributions are much more diluted.
First, a brief summary for those unaware. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice tells the story of Senua, a Celtic warrior experiencing a profound episode of psychosis after her village is destroyed by invading Norsemen. We as the player help guide Senua through her visual and audio projections as she tries to make sense of what has happened and how she can survive such grief.
The game is extremely upfront with its goal of trying to show what having psychosis is like, and the designers and studio have spent a huge amount of time speaking to experts and people with lived experiences to try and depict what some of the most difficult mental breaks are.
I have no lived experienced of psychosis. Given the interviews and writings of others with lived experience, the overwhelming consensus is that Hellblade does an exemplary job at being truthful in its depictions. The game’s depictions of visual hallucinations go much further than the ‘seeing a person who is not there’ present in other media. Walls shift and change, lights appear too bright, the darkness is unfathomable and frightening. Symbols and patterns can be seen everywhere, and it is clear Senua tries to find order and meaning in the cruel world surrounding her.
The audio design is incredible, there is a constant undertone of voices playing in the background. With headphones or a good surround sound system it feels like voices are playing in your mind. Not only are the technical elements strong, but the writing and performance of the voices are also equally matched.
‘it’s not safe’
‘you’re stupid’
‘good job’
‘what should she do?’
Whirr and spin around the soundscape, with spine-tingling whispers or room-shaking booms. It’s disorienting, unsettling, and difficult to concentrate with snippets of words and shouts constantly drilling into you.
The rest of the game’s writing is also strong, paired with excellent performances. The game mixes in live full motion video of actors to incredible success. And while the story is told in a confusing manner, as the pieces slowly come together a compelling narrative is revealed.
It all sounds really incredible, and it is. But here is my issue.
Why is this a game? The restraint of a film is you can’t live the experience. But in an interactive game, you can experience the same journey as a character. But sadly, Senua and the player are never on the same wavelength.
I am not experiencing Senua’s journey, because she and I are never on the same page. We do not experience these things together, and thus we the player become passive observers watching an interesting film interrupted by boring gameplay.
Senua knows what happened to her from the very beginning, while I don’t know what happened until the end of the game. WE are not discovering things together.
Senua is terrified of the monster chasing her, while I know it is not real. I watch Suenua experience delusions, but at no point do I the player question if what is happening is real.
I know none of this is real because the screen is fuzzy and there is literally a magical monster in front of me. A key element of psychosis is the inability to differentiate reality, and I as the player never question what is real and what is not.
The wall of grasping hands? Real to Senua, not to me.
Portals into other universes? Real to Senua, but not to me. I know she is delusional.
This weakens the point of interactive fiction. Senua and I are never confused together, we do not share fear or question our reality together. I am no different from a family member watching a loved one struggle. Which is compelling and can create empathy, but as an interactive story it is not very strong. I as the player am simply not experiencing what Senua is experiencing. I always can tell what is real, and what is not. Unlike Senua.
Lastly, we come to the game itself which is merely (and barely) competent. You fight Senua’s delusions with a simple parry and light combo system, which is not complex or meaty enough to sustain the 7 hour run time. It gets tiring FAST. The rest of the game (really the majority of it) is filled with puzzles, which revolve around shifting your perspective to make objects in the world fit into symbols. It is a cool idea, but again wears thin for 7 hours. I grew to resent the puzzles and combat before the halfway mark, and often wished I could skip a great deal of it.
It’s just not a very good game, because the ‘gameplay’ elements really don’t need to be there. It often feels like the designers are worried players may get bored, and just throw in mindless and repetitive combat to break up the repetitive puzzles. The final encounter is really the only section where the combat and story align and build on each other. Every other time they feel like annoying interruptions and time wasters.
This lack of cohesion in design harms the gameplay. The game screams the ‘see look! Games can do this too!’ vibe that reminds me of the boring ‘are games art’ debate of the early 2000’s.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is an incredible piece of art. I loved the speeches, the story, the dialogue, the sound, and the visuals. But I think it fails to truly capitalize on the interactive elements, and instead feels like watching a fantastic movie but your annoying cousin keeps interrupting you to play a game of fortnight.
I give this a hesitant recommendation, as it is an interesting game. And I am extremely curious about the announced sequel as there is something undeniably special about this team and the clear passion they have for removing the stigma surrounding mental illness. There is great bravery in exploring what it means to have a brain different from others, and why that makes you no less of a hero.
It is truly incredible art.
I just wish it was a better game.
Follow me at The Pile for more reviews (including books and films)
https://thepile.substack.com/