Pocket Mirror is a bonkers gothic fever dream that isn’t well written and doesn’t make sense, but somehow that almost works in its favor? Let me be clear—the story is truly not good, and in a story-based game, that is usually a deal-breaker. But Pocket Mirror is not so much a story as a surrealist collage of tropes and aesthetics, and on this level, the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach pays off. You like jack-o-lanterns? Pocket Mirror’s got ’em. You like doppelgangers, creepy dolls, stuffed animals, eyes, roses, blood, blood on roses, blood on eyes, eyes on eyes, candles, tea parties, stained glass windows, crucifixion, churches, manors, theaters, circuses, unspeakable family secrets, and evil laughter? (Lots of evil laughter?)

Yep. Pocket Mirror’s got all that too. If this kind of stuff speaks to your subconscious, you will probably vibe with this game on some level, since it is mainly an excuse to serve up increasingly gorgeous set-pieces on increasingly lavish platters. And while the service may be amateurish, even hilariously bumbling at times, you can’t deny that the dishes were made with love. And jesus christ do they look good.