Beautiful art that doesn't carry a game alone.

Mechanics are very thin, there's a lot of clicking around. The cauldron is interesting on paper but there's no real player agency involved that I've seen.

The main character is annoying and the dialogues are long but aren't very engaging.

I only played a few visual novels so I can't really tell what is considered standard or where this game stands, but I couldn't get into it.

I don't think I've ever played a game with such contempt for humanity.

The gameplay is fun, basically a modern Rampage.

The plot is basically just Don't Look Up but somehow more nihilistic and preachy. There's also some meta commentary about the game industry, why not?

There's a lot of edge that leaves a bad taste from what is otherwise a satisfying arcadey destruction game.

You're fighting the controls more than anything else.
It may appeal to some players but to me it was just frustrating and not fun.

A more arcadey and forgiving version would be right up my alley.

Nice aesthetics and cool music.

Nothing in this is appealing to me.

Never ending toturial screens, a cutscene every 10 meters. The combat is unengaging and might as well be automatic.

I looked forward to playing a Xeno title, maybe this one wasn't a good entry point but I think I'm just no longer the right age.

Mechanically I liked it better than it's predecessor though some of the charm disappears as The Hand of Fate chooses to play it safer.

There are no repeating empty maze screens this time but there are still plenty of red herrings (or world building techniques, whatever you prefer to call it), my favourite being the absolutely useless flying shoes.

The game takes a lot of inspiration from Monkey Island, there are quirky pirates, weird islands and a hefty dose of meta references and 4th wall leaning.

There are very few returning characters and locations, it's a bold choice that clears the playing field for Zanthia in one hand, but on the other I'd like to hear her probably more knowledgeable take on Kyrandia.

The potion mixing mechanic is fun, and emphasise Zanthia as resourceful and competent - a welcome change of pace from the usual in that genre and era.

Speaking of the era, despite being portraited as strong and capable, Zanthia still loses her clothes on few occasions and ends up in a romantic relationship with very little build up. How else would you send off your female protagonist?

It's remarkable how this game makes you care about these fictional people and their stories solely through their tiny patch of old internet haven.

For nearly a year this game was my work break title I played for a bit at the end of the day, when I was already tired. I took it in in small bits and large pauses and eventually picked up a guide to help me streamline the experience. It wasn't ideal because I couldn't truly immerse myself inside Hypnospace's world.

It is slow paced, It's lax, it's emotional and tragic and oppressive. It's an alternate history mirror into an era of the Internet that's almost completely gone.

Hypnospace Outlaw is meticulously filled with rich details that paints the world and life of these individuals and their communities. There's a shit tin of original music, the soundtrack is insane!

I have ambivalent feelings about the ending, I get what they were going for but I felt it was missing a final key note.

I think I'm going to revisit it someday soon and explore more stories, I'm already getting nostalgic.

This my partner's favourite game so my experience with it is curated through her guidance which saved me a lot of time.

Kyrandia is weird beast, it's an old school adventure game filled with randomly placed items that don't always do much. The areas are oversized and are only there to invoke a sense of scale. There's even an optional side quest.

About halfway through I realised that Kyrandia is point and click adventure set in an early open world game.
It's unintuitive and weird but it's also unique and it helps the world building - this is a magical whimsical land filled with magic that is fueld by precious stones, flowers and alchemy.

The game looks beautiful to this day
There is a lot of attention to details - in the dreaded serpent cave the rooms illumination will match the strength of the fireberry you placed or carry.

The animation has some real gems, it's livelier than games tended to be back then.

The story is alright, it's mostly carried by Malcolm the jester. The 3rd act felt a bit rushed, I left the game with more questions than answers.

Puzzles are a mixed bag. A lot of trial and error and ludicrous amounts of backtracking. There are also a lot of clever solutions and the magic amulet system feels organic and come into play a lot.

Kyrandia is game I ultimately enjoyed a lot more than I expected but I'm glad I had a guide to help me filter the rough bits.

A game that is also unapologetically a film is a weirdly refreshing approach.

It's pretty fun. The arenas getting destroyed as the match goes on really sells the superhuman fight feel.

There are a lot of moves of varied complexity so it's pretty casual friendly.

The mini games are silly. At some point you destroy cars that Black Adam throws at you. Cars that he pulls from speeding traffic.