A small charming and cute indie adventure game in a set of three chapters and a bonus level. Beyond its aesthetics and mood, I have nothing much to say about it as it does not have any difficulty or actual deduction to do. Pretty much talking to characters and finding the item they need usually in a quest chain which is not for me. Given its scope, my only complaint is the delay in animations specially in dialogues since it takes longer to read or move than it has to. Not actively recommending this but this is a chill casual experience to vibe with.

Having played the source game, this is definitely has better overall gameplay the its source. For new players, the peeling system, kinesis damage mechanic, optional side quests, reworked weapon alt fires, weapon node upgrade, visual upgrades, interwoven areas (no load screens), voice acting, accessibility just so much to make the gameplay experience so much better and smoother. Having said all that, I feel it makes the story, characters and classic twist less charming. Before I get into my gripes, I do still recommend this game over the source despite me not liking either.

As a remake, I do appreciate how faithful it is to the source to a fault. The key issue I had with the source game was the unskippable cutscenes or moments such as video calls which made replaying sections unnecessarily waste time and energy. Despite the technological advancement in storage and engines, the remake carries this over to a disappointing degree. Tram rides specially takes time to travel instead of a loading screen or warp as added insult. Not to mention some added cutscenes while good compound the issue. I did not want to replay the game at a higher difficulty because of this sole reason which prevents me from appreciating or understanding the game even further.

I would not mind this remake deviating from the source to provide a better pacing or experience such as the reworked turret sections, space movement but sadly not the last boss. While the following sections are preference, it reflects why I think it losses appeal. Although the space movement is easier and nice, I do prefer the clunkier movement as I feel it reflects the hazard and difficulty of the work and would only ask for better camera movement as it can be nauseating. The improved visuals and lighting are generally good, but the lightning makes it harder to see as well as less colorful and distinct compared to the source game where I wish there was a middle ground.

For the characters and story, the voice acting does add some depth and nuance with their performances; however, I do think the source had a more coherent experience. The protagonist being more active while providing technical advice is good, but I feel the others were not really adjusted properly being more passive. I do prefer the more ambiguous and cold characters of the source rather than the more logical and reasoned in the remakes. With the revised twist though, it makes the protagonist actions more questionable with a speaking role and some last moments somewhat confused. I could be wrong here but it feels overall like a failed subversion unless it is planned to be expanded on the subsequent entries.

As a survival horror game, it still feels a bit weak without
limited save system and harsher checkpoints admittedly this being more an action horror game with light survival elements and exploration elements. Because of the unskippable cutscenes, I will give this a pass because the game will be much more unbearable. The expanded optional side quests and interwoven areas does not really add that much as most of them can be visited in the main progress with little backtracking and route planning was not really elevated with the tram and waypoint system. The clearance system is definitely better with weapon schematics as rewards, but nothing really substantial. In a way, I would still prefer the chapter or level structure the source game for a more streamlined action experience.

While I do have some other grievances such as its dependency on back attacks without a 180 turn option and some crashes, this faithful remake is definitely an improvement over the source game and should be acknowledged for its efforts.

What a simple and sweet game. The climbing mechanics are simple yet physically pleasing although other players would want more exciting mechanics. Although I do wish the game was longer and had more harder sections (3 memorable) with stamina and resource management. Adding more environmental hazards and perhaps an non-linear or free structure would really push this to be great. It also has some jank with the movement and recovery but nothing too bad. As a first attempt, I think this is very good and another iteration is definitely welcome.

One of my memorable games of the year and a definite recommend.

Post 100% Completion: The collectibles do not explain anything significant. I like reading notes and piecing thing together but they lack context, information or intrigue despite being natural. The central story of a group of climbers should have been cutscenes instead of notes to punctuate their importance. However, the protagonist does not have any strong character or motivation specially why the horns need to be blown. In this aspect, I do not recommend collecting the optional pieces as it does not feel rewarding.

While I do like the idea of the world running out of water and how the game built this ecosystem and world, I kinda do not like how it resolves partly being a global warming analogy. Still I understand the issues might be beyond its budget and the game still delivers a nice casual experience.

Since I enjoyed the base game, I was definitely invested in learning more about the antagonist of the base game and this DLC did not disappoint. I had a better experience with the pacing as it does have proper chapter segments as well as optional episodes that can be taken in any order which I think the base game needed. Nothing much else to add but perhaps some minor choices would have been nice to add some flavor.

For the some that care about ratings, I just rated this lower on the basis it was a good DLC but nothing mind blowing on its own. Perhaps an unfair comparison is the free DLC chapter of Celeste but this is still good and elevates the base game more which I think matters most.

As a fan of Sekiro, this game has my name written on it. The basic mechanics of just the sword are to the letter where it feels like playing a DLC. Since this is a free game and perhaps a test game for something bigger, I do not have much comments or suggestions unless it is a more complete product. The bosses are fine though and I do like the simple rating system.

I only have a few issues with it. On my Steam Deck, it was running around 40 FPS, so I wish it had more performance or graphics options to maintain a solid 60 FPS for an action game. Perhaps an unfair comparison, I feel the controls and animation could be more responsive as sometimes attacking or blocking does not trigger exactly. Lastly, the child aesthetics can be problematic with having the ability to look up skirts without more clothing.

Nonetheless, I can easily recommend this game as it is free.

A meh short side game with a decent sendoff ending. Coming from Like a Dragon: Ishin!, the combat is as sloppy and inconsistent despite being having more quality of life improvements. Taking place primarily in Sotenbori, the story and characters feel constrained due to the smaller scope. The side stories specially feel unengaging or lacks the surprise factor as they are doled out by a quest giver instead of pleasantly sidetracking the player. Among all the mini-games, Pocket Circuit is thankfully brought back but that is the only thing keeping me invested in the game. Overall there is not much to do outside the Castle or arena dungeon where the combat system dissuaded me.

Not recommending although admittedly burned out. This is still a good game for the fans but do wait for a sale.

A nice indie package of skating, cooking and turn-based combat. What kept me going was the spicy dialogue writing which augmented all of its core elements. The turn-based combat is refreshing simple and story driven with many unique dialogue and responses to try out and does not need level grinding to succeed. On the other hand, the skating challenges is where most of the mechanical difficulty and fun can be had despite how simple the controls are. I really enjoy cooking here as a harder mini-game that provides narrative context, good challenge and level experience which is why I was surprisingly overleveled without purposely grinding.

What holds this back as a Tier 3 game though is the lack of variety and depth even if I did find its simplicity refreshing. First, the game only has 3 areas which is not a big problem but the game would have benefited from a shorter story while retaining the optional skating challenges for value. Second, the story does not feel properly paced or resolved and the ending may be using a justified but slowly overused trope. Third, the lack of genuine variety from its rewards such as equipment and exes. I find it a missed opportunity to provide effects for skating and cooking and not simply just for combat as summons which made the it unnecessarily easier.

I would still recommend this specially to see the animations and dialogue, but do keep it mind it is a small package.

As a fan of Yakuza 0, I find this game slower and less memorable from its story, characters and map design. When I saw equipment and assist levels with a crafting tree and dungeon crawling element, this game was definitely not for me. While I was able to finish the game at Hard mode without grinding or engaging too much with the random elements, the experience was not enjoyable and repetitive. Before I delve into my issues, I overall think this is an okay open world game with good mini-games and provides a longer playtime and value albeit grindy and random.

My first issue is the combat itself. While it does have similar issues with Yakuza 0 such as mostly linear progression and low mechanical depth, my issues stem mostly form single combat such as bosses with Sword stance as multiple enemies can be dealt with the other stances much easily. First off, the general combat strategy is block the enemy combo string, retaliate with a combo string, repeat. Nuance exist for each enemy of course, but I did not really rethink my strategy which made my strategic experience really bland. The only real nuance for me is delaying my button presses ever so slightly so I can dodge whenever the enemy dodges or armors through it. This leads me to a measured and slow button style which I did not enjoy for this genre.

Second is the lack of lock-on where I keep missing my attacks or hitting the wrong target. It just feels really inconsistent and bad specially when it gets me hit accidentally or unfairly at times. A soft lock-on exists with the fighting stance but I never felt I can reliably depend on it as I still miss with it specially charged attacks.

While I have so much more gripes such as the optional guard recovery skill, lack of hurt invincibility frames, dodge orientation and could be my lack of engagement, the implementation here just gave me such a bad experience that I did not want to replay the game and simply finish it.

As for the story and characters, I cannot really comment as much with how accurate or how much creative liberties are taken; however, I will say the story is slow specially cutscenes and line deliveries. It is even more agonizingly slow as skipping to the next line sometimes require waiting for animations to finish where at times. While a few characters can somewhat be somewhat engaging, I do not buy the character relationships entirely specially in the mercenary group. It overall feels underdeveloped and unearned without stronger moments. I do wish the story was not driven by a mystery as it is not executed well since the opening cutscene and physical models reveal a bit too much. The political message of class abolition really feels like lip service without discussing why it happened and what exact changes and repercussion would be.

Since I did not engage with the crafting and dungeon crawling, I will not comment on this as some will find their value here. Also with the open world elements such as the mini-games and substories since I did not majority of them. I will say that the map design feels worse to navigate without much route planning and better fast travel points. Let me reiterate though, this is a good game but this was not for me and I wish I can talk more positively about it given its unique setting.

One of the best pure horror games with fantastic fixed/tracking camera angles, strong level design, challenging puzzles and above all a terrifying atmosphere built from its random events and audio design. Having no combat system, one of its unique points is its permadeath that further heightens the risk and caution in exploration. The episode structure also allows for varied levels without having to interconnect and make each more compact and thought out which I would like to see more in other games. Having an older cast too is much appreciated with their own perspectives and thoughts in each episode. Overall, it is just a strong package with its mechanics and story.

As for criticisms, the encounter mini-games are fine but it lacks accessibility support for those requiring rapid taps and button pressure specially on the higher difficulty where they get harder in succeeding episodes. Perhaps options to hold instead of tap and analog stick instead of pressure would be a good compromise. With permadeath, the game has to make sure every death is consistent and fair and I think the game mostly does that except one inconsistency in the third episode. While I like the puzzles, they can be challenging or difficult but still present a block specially in the last two episodes. The one personal thing I lament is the lack of tank controls which is just a shame. Although the 3D controls is quite workable.

Strong recommend this experience and one of my new personal favorites.

What a chill and casual drawing game despite the time pressure. Despite its simplicity, this game does represent the economics and pressure of being a creative where the demands of the market do not necessarily equate to the whims of the art. As much comedy I can milk from the game, I do want to work without the pressure so I did not acquire the other endings although they are just as hilarious how they can be done. My only criticism perhaps is the drawing controls, but I suppose it intentionally limits the design space and difficulty. While I would want more meat aside from the grind, I can very much recommend this for a casual playthrough and enjoying whatever comes to mind.

When considering the true ending, the experience is quite remarkable how it ties everything together while providing a satisfying conclusion and strong message. While I was concerned with its handling of dark themes (sexual assault, misgendering and the whole lot), it does make it meaningful and worthwhile although this could be a point of discussion.

However, this is not without its faults. The worst is how uninteresting it can be during its initial hours. Since it tells four unrelated stories centering around the house and a girl, it can be hard to see the game's direction and appeal where it feels like wallowing in misery. Even then the early stories themselves are not as interesting or insightful on their own without the bigger context. Making the wrong choices early on can lock players out of most of the story with the bad endings which feels like a wrong design decision.

Past the early hours, the game still feels somewhat unclear since every main character tells their own story including the ones that already did as well as a true version. It does make sense, but it can really add to the fatigue. The dialogue writing is not particularly interesting which is not a problem but would appreciate it to keep me from reading too fast. I do like how the last act resolves, but starting it made me sigh knowing how much I have to go through. A problem of expectation perhaps, but I feel clear chapter separations like with title cards would make it easier for the player to pace themselves. All this to say, I feel the story and structure could have been tighter and better.

Aside from the story, this only really lacks a skip to choice option as the bad ends are surprising past the early stories. I do suggest at least manual saving at the start and end of each story. I do think the art could be better too but I do not really mind here. The menu animations are a tad bit long or can be skippable which may be a remnant of being an older game.

When the story truly makes me empathize with everyone to some degree specially with the antagonist, I think this is one of the better stories if one does make it through the end.

A small cool indie adventure platformer with an unique setting and touch of existential dread. While the story, characters and ending are all okay, the giant and imposing platforming bosses which demand precision is the real hook. Another thing I like is the various spherical levels and how they play around with gravity which is nice but does make levels harder to design vertically. One could definitely see the effort and heart put into this game with its creative risks.

Sadly, I did not have fun with its simple movement system despite the potential challenge balanced around it. Without more advanced movement techniques such as air dash, long jump or anything to increase speed or height, the game depends so much on rails and grapple points for traversal which feel very passive. The only options are skating (sprint) or boosting (dash) that makes traversal not really interesting and more of a chore throughout my experience. Granted the physics and movement does feel responsive and weighty enough. As such I feel this is more of an adventure game with a light platforming combat elements.

The combat system is very light with auto aiming the closest enemies and the enemies are simple yet annoying enough. The real challenge comes from the timed platforming segments and bosses which can be fun but has two major problems. First, it does not have a quick restart option which can make failure unnecessarily tedious specially when falling on high places. When tackling a segment, not all points are revealed immediately to plan a route, so trial-and-error is expected but feels bad without that quick restart option. Second, the camera and spherical levels make it hard to make correct jumps with unstable depth perception. The way camera snaps to the next point is also an issue since it can ruin momentum. This would be easily solved if every or the next few points are revealed so that players can plan their camera movement.

While the bosses is an highlight of the game, it is also one of its biggest problems because of the prior issue being so tall or high and with so many hidden points. Waiting for the bosses to reveal their grapple point also adds to the tedium since they only do one specific animation which does not require much thought. Due to the circular bodies of the bosses, the edge of their platforms can be deceptive which results in a falling down. With how fast the player needs to be in these segments, the camera can have a hard time following and showing where the next points are. All these issues just make bosses feel inconsistent and tedious which is the reason I do not want to replay the game at the hardest difficulty.

As a beginner platformer, I think this game's challenge really works. I still do recommend this game only on a sale though

What drew me to this game is its science creation story through a film noir style and unique aesthetics. While the overall effort and interpretation is commendable, I think it fails significantly in the story and gameplay mechanics. Story-wise, I feel the ending is unearned without clear emotional moments as well as its overall plot. Since it lacks a clear line between abstract and real, it is hard to tell which elements of the plot are to be taken literally or metaphorically. It is also hard to believe that the side characters met on the way become very important later on without developing their relationship. It is just unnecessarily hard to understand character actions and motivation making the game feel like a mess.

Despite having an abstract story, it is the gameplay that ruins the game. The game has so many unnecessary and tedious interactions would be better as cutscenes. For example, rotating the analog stick, picking up/throwing items, holding a button . It can work with the proper context, but the scale and repetition feels like busywork with the jank. The jank is death by a thousand cuts such as fidgety object rotation, unresponsive cursor snapping, unclear invisible walls, slow walk speed, unskippable cutscenes, unresponsive item inventory, soft locks. It feels everything is slower and more restrictive than it has to. If it chose its moments of interactivity well, this would have not been such a bad experience to play through.

I do challenge why the game's abstract science had to be framed in a film noir style since the genre is male and human coded. It limits the design and focus on humans instead of abstract or inventive creatures or designs beyond the cosmos. It also has a female film noir character trope that I don't like to somewhat justify the final choice. The musical choice too of just jazz is also limited where the orchestral or theremin music would make it more vibrant. I just don't think a crime is needed to tell this story.

Due to the lack of an emotional core and taxing gameplay, I have to bump this down a tier and cannot recommend it overall despite liking the concept.

The world warping mechanic is such an interesting hook and the potential for puzzle is intriguing. As more worlds are added, it does become slightly more interesting and challenging; however, the tedium of backtracking, warping and picking up worlds increases so much. It feels like I spend unnecessary time executing the solution than thinking about it. If the game removed or tweaked the timing puzzles in favor of a sprint or some movement mechanic, it would alleviate majority of the pain. The ability to skip the warp animation would also help with the tedium and nausea from repeated warps. Without the ability to quickly wrap worlds inside another via perhaps remembering prior player actions or certain anchor points, it hinders the puzzles from being more complex because of the tedium.

This is why I think the boss fights with different mechanics instead to compensate for the puzzles are somewhat acceptable. I can accept the boss fights allow only one hit because of how simple they are, but the lack of quick retry is questionable in this context. Still, the bosses do not feel mechanically interesting to highlight.

For smaller issues:
- Character motivation or story is not intriguing enough.
- The game only uses two buttons, so I feel it could use more.
- I wish the light bridges had some transparent path to see ahead instead of guessing.

What ultimately hurts this is the lack of more creative and challenging puzzles beyond its gimmick. Still, it does look nice and mercifully short. Overall, not recommend.

No matter what I say, this is a good game with a heart and I always appreciate that. I was drawn by soothing visuals and mini-game turn-based combat. After defeating the optional endgame boss, the game from its story, characters, combat and overall execution felt really lackluster.

For the combat progression, the game really feels stale with only four special moves per character specially in the early game. For example, Moonerang is a fun move to use and master for the high damage; however, it gets so tedious and monotonous over time and wish I had a simpler mini-game (barring the accessibility concerns such as screen shake) move and instead be a more expensive and later game move. The thing is this move is already one of the most mechanically demanding moves where the later moves are less demanding but more powerful granted that this move is imbalanced due to the damage cap. This is to say the mechanical difficulty peaks very early and does not offer anymore since most combo attacks reuse mini-games.

Besides mechanical difficulty, the lack of tactical options with the limited move pool really hurts the depth of the game. I believe the combat only has one buff and two debuffs (which I use often), so everything is mostly centered on damage or lock breaking. The combat feels more like a puzzle balance in preventing or doing damage and nothing much else which can be a fine design choice but I felt bored with the lack of tactical difficulty. As a last point, I only found one boss (not the last or optional) challenging and the others fell with the same tactics which indicates the lack of variety this system can really provide.

A quick note about equipment, I wish the game did not have weapon or armor equipment as they rarely provide any choice being a linear stat/damage upgrades (which is joked by one character.) I do like the accessories and relics, but this leads me to think that a badge system might have been better.

As for characters, I found the protagonist very bland while the side characters more interesting. Even then, there is barely any meaningful party banter or interactions that give them depth. Some of the character stories and payoff feel weak. Rather, I never felt attached or amazed with any character and think the antagonists have way better characterization. It saddens to say that even best ones I like do not endear me beyond their archetypes.

As for story, I have a certain distaste for certain plot points like prophecies, time and space which this game does not utilize well. What I find annoying is that character actions or directions are driven by prophecies yet never allowed to disclose specific information because of some rules reducing character agency. I almost want to give this game credit for a certain character point but was not brave enough to stick with it which soured my experience or investment I had in it. Nonetheless, the story does not really feel emotionally impactful or thematically meaningful, but more so a casual story which I did not like.

One quick note about collectibles, the player must collect all of one kind to fight an optional boss. I do like these reward exploration or effort, but I do not like the ones hidden in plain sight or those merely hidden by the camera considering it is a top-down game. While they can be fine in small doses, the force meaningless backtracking if the player did not. Some are also locked behind progress and the backtracking feels artificially worse without some meaning or intent with backtracking such as new enemies or context. Although there is an item tracker of sorts, this is just frustrating.

Last negative point, I would have been neutral on the linear dungeon design and easy puzzles if the game offered a challenging combat system. As it stands, the game's difficulty is easy overall which is fine but I am looking for something to latch onto.

The game does have some other good points:
- Wheels mini-game (Do not like the RNG but others may like it.)
- Fishing
- Limited inventory and cooking
- Animated cutscenes (Like it but a bit excessive.)

Again, this is still a good game but I cannot personally recommend this unless on a sale.