nitebeing
2020
ah, this one has me conflicted~ it has a beautiful art style, good music (if not a bit repetitive) & okay writing. it rly feels like the devs were putting a lot of love into this & wanting to create something great, and I think they came close in sum respects. however it is definitely not without its flaws.
the biggest thing is the romantic relationship elements. tho u can tell this was written by a guy, it thankfully isn't rly outwardly fetishistic or anything, it just never seemed believable to me; even though they are lesbians it felt more heterosexual/romantic than genuine queer content unfortunately, which is a shame because cyberpunk is such a perfect genre to explore queerness. granted, the setting of the game is a very heteronormative society so some of that could have been intentional, it's kinda hard to tell.
also there were sum elements that felt problematic in a way that I can't tell if the devs were aware of or not, which is a bit of a yellow flag for me. for one, Cila never acknowledges the power imbalance (literal ownership) she has over Mara, & tho it's not as black & white as it seems it still felt weird for it to not ever come to her awareness. Cila's almost parental "protector" approach makes it feel a lil weird too, especially considering how young Mara appears & behaves. also, the "love over all" approach the two take attempts to erase & excuse all of the problematic behaviours each of them engaged in. mind you I am perfectly okay for characters in fiction to be problematic, it's a very human thing, I just question when things aren't addressed in the fiction itself. if there was even a little bit of questioning, even just in Cila's thoughts I think I would have trusted the writer & enjoyed this visual novel a lot more.
also, the UI is a lil clunky- for sum reason the Y button advances text instead of A, which selects from the menu, which is usually defaulted on Autoplay, which caused me to accidentally skip sum scenes a cpl times. also instead of highlighting the buttons you're cursor is on it de-hoghlights them, which feels really confusing and led me to click the wrong thing a cpl times. not huge issues, but ones that would have been very simple to make more intuitive.
the exposition dump towards the end didn't bother me as much as it seems to have bothered others, tho I do agree it did take the tension away that had been building to that point. i liked both endings, but the epilogue seemed a lil superfluous, as it didn't rly contribute anything new to the story.
overall, I'm not entirely sure what to think...
the biggest thing is the romantic relationship elements. tho u can tell this was written by a guy, it thankfully isn't rly outwardly fetishistic or anything, it just never seemed believable to me; even though they are lesbians it felt more heterosexual/romantic than genuine queer content unfortunately, which is a shame because cyberpunk is such a perfect genre to explore queerness. granted, the setting of the game is a very heteronormative society so some of that could have been intentional, it's kinda hard to tell.
also there were sum elements that felt problematic in a way that I can't tell if the devs were aware of or not, which is a bit of a yellow flag for me. for one, Cila never acknowledges the power imbalance (literal ownership) she has over Mara, & tho it's not as black & white as it seems it still felt weird for it to not ever come to her awareness. Cila's almost parental "protector" approach makes it feel a lil weird too, especially considering how young Mara appears & behaves. also, the "love over all" approach the two take attempts to erase & excuse all of the problematic behaviours each of them engaged in. mind you I am perfectly okay for characters in fiction to be problematic, it's a very human thing, I just question when things aren't addressed in the fiction itself. if there was even a little bit of questioning, even just in Cila's thoughts I think I would have trusted the writer & enjoyed this visual novel a lot more.
also, the UI is a lil clunky- for sum reason the Y button advances text instead of A, which selects from the menu, which is usually defaulted on Autoplay, which caused me to accidentally skip sum scenes a cpl times. also instead of highlighting the buttons you're cursor is on it de-hoghlights them, which feels really confusing and led me to click the wrong thing a cpl times. not huge issues, but ones that would have been very simple to make more intuitive.
the exposition dump towards the end didn't bother me as much as it seems to have bothered others, tho I do agree it did take the tension away that had been building to that point. i liked both endings, but the epilogue seemed a lil superfluous, as it didn't rly contribute anything new to the story.
overall, I'm not entirely sure what to think...
no spoilers as always
I initially was a lil turned off by the art style, but had to try for the queer rep & cause so many folks seem to love this game, & I'm so glad I did! I actually warmed up to the art style quite quickly~ the environment BGs in particular are so pretty!
I thoroughly enjoyed the extensive options for pronouns & other social terms/titles, & how such a wide variety of different kinds of queerness were woven into the characters & their relationships so naturally (whether gender, sexuality, romance, relationship style, family structures etc). I really loved the characters, they all felt real & had interesting arcs, which u really need to do multiple playthroughs to experience, it's designed really well for replayability! I really appreciated that following the kids from age 10-20 was well handled, with everything feeling v age-appropriate.
while it maintains a fairly light & sweet not-too-deep vibe, it definitely doesn't shy away from darker things like death, grief, illness, mental health, trauma, tragedy...
I loved the way relationships between the characters & ur player work!! all the characters maintain their agency & stay true to their desires & needs, even when they change- it doesn't stoop to that gamified/coercive/transactional entitlement zone that games too often do. i do have a few critiques, like how even though there are some open relationship & polyamory options (which is wonderful!), they are still based in a hierarchical relationship escalator ideal (ie: open relationship is less serious/commited than an exclusive "romantic" relationship) & most options are actually quite mononormative, but overall I was quite impressed!
the gameplay is very straightforward & simple, & I found the whole combo of everything to be quite engaging and enjoyable! I may utilize the dice rolls in place of the card game on further playthroughs (which I for sure will do!), a cool option if u wanna focus on story.
that being said, the story is alright? it's nothing groundbreaking that's for sure, it's definitely more focused on the characters, but I felt like it didn't really need to be anything more than it was.
it does touch a bit on the complications of what it means to colonize a planet, & I was sort-of satisfied by the level of critique in my playthrough, though I think it could have easily been focused on more, & I wonder how different playthroughs will affect what I think. I did appreciate that it wasn't heavy-handed & focused more on giving space for u to think on things. however, keep in mind that there is a wiiild amount of different possibilities & variations on how each playthrough might unfold, so I'll see how further playthroughs inform my perspective~
overall, a breezy & cozy game with a simple & enjoyable gameplay loop, adorable characters & a satisfyingly huge amount of choice & variation in how the story could unfold!
I initially was a lil turned off by the art style, but had to try for the queer rep & cause so many folks seem to love this game, & I'm so glad I did! I actually warmed up to the art style quite quickly~ the environment BGs in particular are so pretty!
I thoroughly enjoyed the extensive options for pronouns & other social terms/titles, & how such a wide variety of different kinds of queerness were woven into the characters & their relationships so naturally (whether gender, sexuality, romance, relationship style, family structures etc). I really loved the characters, they all felt real & had interesting arcs, which u really need to do multiple playthroughs to experience, it's designed really well for replayability! I really appreciated that following the kids from age 10-20 was well handled, with everything feeling v age-appropriate.
while it maintains a fairly light & sweet not-too-deep vibe, it definitely doesn't shy away from darker things like death, grief, illness, mental health, trauma, tragedy...
I loved the way relationships between the characters & ur player work!! all the characters maintain their agency & stay true to their desires & needs, even when they change- it doesn't stoop to that gamified/coercive/transactional entitlement zone that games too often do. i do have a few critiques, like how even though there are some open relationship & polyamory options (which is wonderful!), they are still based in a hierarchical relationship escalator ideal (ie: open relationship is less serious/commited than an exclusive "romantic" relationship) & most options are actually quite mononormative, but overall I was quite impressed!
the gameplay is very straightforward & simple, & I found the whole combo of everything to be quite engaging and enjoyable! I may utilize the dice rolls in place of the card game on further playthroughs (which I for sure will do!), a cool option if u wanna focus on story.
that being said, the story is alright? it's nothing groundbreaking that's for sure, it's definitely more focused on the characters, but I felt like it didn't really need to be anything more than it was.
it does touch a bit on the complications of what it means to colonize a planet, & I was sort-of satisfied by the level of critique in my playthrough, though I think it could have easily been focused on more, & I wonder how different playthroughs will affect what I think. I did appreciate that it wasn't heavy-handed & focused more on giving space for u to think on things. however, keep in mind that there is a wiiild amount of different possibilities & variations on how each playthrough might unfold, so I'll see how further playthroughs inform my perspective~
overall, a breezy & cozy game with a simple & enjoyable gameplay loop, adorable characters & a satisfyingly huge amount of choice & variation in how the story could unfold!
2022
just... so gay and so adorable <3 lots of love poured into this, with really pretty art! a simple & short (& free/pay what you can) story of furry transmasc cowboys, what else does one need, rly~
i loved it! short, surreal & melodramatic stories along a dreamy & slightly unsettling exploration of the v unique Finch house. the transitions are so smooth between scenes and the simple gameplay becomes immediately obvious with each dramatic shift. the level of creativity & care in this project brought me a lot of joy, would love to see more games that are as adventurous as this team was here. it didn't rly have any emotional impact for me, I feel that would have taken it up a notch. also the footstep sound effects for going up & down stairs do not match the animation? which felt v weird especially considering the brilliant sound design otherwise. highly recommended if u want to embark on a trippy dream for a cpl hours~ definitely one I will revisit & show to others
oh & it looks & plays great on the switch lite in handheld! only one or two brief frame stutters in the beginning of scenes
oh & it looks & plays great on the switch lite in handheld! only one or two brief frame stutters in the beginning of scenes
2023
spoiler free as always
I loved it~ it has its issues, but they didn't stop me from having a great time! definitely recommend it
- u can tell there is a loooot of love poured into it
- so much freedom & closest to a true roleplay experience I've experienced in a video game yet
- character creation is rly fun! lots of customizability, but not so much so that it can veer out of the games art direction. we've still got a long way to go in terms of representation, but this is the best I've come across yet
- great characters that rly want to make u get to know them & care for them
- rly fun combat (played on balanced), & there's just so much there~ was still experimenting with playstyles & learning fun new things after 170 hrs, impressive feat, also just a wonderful capture of d&d
- great music, at times a bit generic yet great, & sum truly great tracks that stand out when they need to
- awesome sound design, v creative & varied
- love the cinematic aspects, the motion cap, the many great voices. the fact they have voice lines for when ppl are alive, a whole different set for Speak with the Dead, & for all animals with Speak with Animals, and for countless different scenarios based on different decision u make or what class or being u are... mind-boggling
- beautiful visuals, a world that actually feels alive & not just big to be big
- story is fun & though overall it's not super ground-breakkng or emotional, the wild & tricky dilemmas they put u through rly makes sum parts of it impactful, especially as u get to kno the main characters better. I cried several times at the ending, so that's a good game to me!
- the more intimate relationship scenes were surprisingly well done, u can tell they had an intimacy coach in the crew! bravo
- while the bar is very low in video games unfortunately, the levels of communication & consent in character relationships was much better then I anticipated, best I've seen yet! long way to go, but it's slowly happeningggg
- I just love how much Larian has managed to show up & flip the gaming industry on its head, a good solid step towards a future where all game designers can access health, wellness & creative satisfaction, gamers can enjoy games with real love poured into them, & where the creators & gamers can truly have a relationship instead of just unsustainably printing rushed products that are then consumed with no thought to the humans at it's origin
critiques:
- I do agree that the pacing of act 3 is a lil sloggy, esp after the epic build in act 2, but I quite enjoyed it regardless
- the character creator rly needs a cpl more body shape options/adjustable height & weight, and sum options like prosthetic/missing limbs or rune-powered chairs, wud help soo many more folks feel like they are appreciated, invited and can relate to their character, and just enrich the experience overall to be that much more human.
- while they attempted to allow avenues for a more open approach to relationships (which I rly appreciated as a relationship anarchist), it is still obvious that the creators were operating from a very mono-normative perspective, with almost all situations not allowing u to roleplay outside of that mindset (or even a cpl times, not allowing u to engage in proper communication or consent practices unfortunately). yes we have a long way to go, but tbh after experiencing this i have faith that this team could rly do that in the future~ it's definitely the closest I've seen an rpg get to portraying & encouraging healthy relationship dynamics
- i understand that this is a game based on a game that is based around combat and violence, but it would've been nice to have non-violent options available for more situations, i didn't like how many times i just had to fight no matter what, even when it didn't really make sense that there wouldn't be a non-violent approach.
- some of the issues I have are actually with the more problematic aspects of d&d~ like it's racist+ origins & it's continued influence, calling these different beings races at all in the first place & largely putting specific beings into distinctly good/evil categories- also why is looting & hoarding still such a prominent & encouraged aspect? makes me v curious to see what Larian does going forwards with projects that don't have Wizards of the coast & their baggage involved (will definitely play divinity 2 to get a better window into that too, I'm curious)
I loved it~ it has its issues, but they didn't stop me from having a great time! definitely recommend it
- u can tell there is a loooot of love poured into it
- so much freedom & closest to a true roleplay experience I've experienced in a video game yet
- character creation is rly fun! lots of customizability, but not so much so that it can veer out of the games art direction. we've still got a long way to go in terms of representation, but this is the best I've come across yet
- great characters that rly want to make u get to know them & care for them
- rly fun combat (played on balanced), & there's just so much there~ was still experimenting with playstyles & learning fun new things after 170 hrs, impressive feat, also just a wonderful capture of d&d
- great music, at times a bit generic yet great, & sum truly great tracks that stand out when they need to
- awesome sound design, v creative & varied
- love the cinematic aspects, the motion cap, the many great voices. the fact they have voice lines for when ppl are alive, a whole different set for Speak with the Dead, & for all animals with Speak with Animals, and for countless different scenarios based on different decision u make or what class or being u are... mind-boggling
- beautiful visuals, a world that actually feels alive & not just big to be big
- story is fun & though overall it's not super ground-breakkng or emotional, the wild & tricky dilemmas they put u through rly makes sum parts of it impactful, especially as u get to kno the main characters better. I cried several times at the ending, so that's a good game to me!
- the more intimate relationship scenes were surprisingly well done, u can tell they had an intimacy coach in the crew! bravo
- while the bar is very low in video games unfortunately, the levels of communication & consent in character relationships was much better then I anticipated, best I've seen yet! long way to go, but it's slowly happeningggg
- I just love how much Larian has managed to show up & flip the gaming industry on its head, a good solid step towards a future where all game designers can access health, wellness & creative satisfaction, gamers can enjoy games with real love poured into them, & where the creators & gamers can truly have a relationship instead of just unsustainably printing rushed products that are then consumed with no thought to the humans at it's origin
critiques:
- I do agree that the pacing of act 3 is a lil sloggy, esp after the epic build in act 2, but I quite enjoyed it regardless
- the character creator rly needs a cpl more body shape options/adjustable height & weight, and sum options like prosthetic/missing limbs or rune-powered chairs, wud help soo many more folks feel like they are appreciated, invited and can relate to their character, and just enrich the experience overall to be that much more human.
- while they attempted to allow avenues for a more open approach to relationships (which I rly appreciated as a relationship anarchist), it is still obvious that the creators were operating from a very mono-normative perspective, with almost all situations not allowing u to roleplay outside of that mindset (or even a cpl times, not allowing u to engage in proper communication or consent practices unfortunately). yes we have a long way to go, but tbh after experiencing this i have faith that this team could rly do that in the future~ it's definitely the closest I've seen an rpg get to portraying & encouraging healthy relationship dynamics
- i understand that this is a game based on a game that is based around combat and violence, but it would've been nice to have non-violent options available for more situations, i didn't like how many times i just had to fight no matter what, even when it didn't really make sense that there wouldn't be a non-violent approach.
- some of the issues I have are actually with the more problematic aspects of d&d~ like it's racist+ origins & it's continued influence, calling these different beings races at all in the first place & largely putting specific beings into distinctly good/evil categories- also why is looting & hoarding still such a prominent & encouraged aspect? makes me v curious to see what Larian does going forwards with projects that don't have Wizards of the coast & their baggage involved (will definitely play divinity 2 to get a better window into that too, I'm curious)
2022
this is after 1 playthrough of the demo, available on itch or steam, full version to be released this winter
this is so cute! beautiful art, a light-hearted and heart-warming vibe, calming music and a good balance of many choices with light rpg/dice mechanics. it's also delightfully & casually queer. i like how the choices you make don't just effect the story, but also things like which mushroom girl ends up growing, or what colour your game screen is. i also liked how choices you made often gave you characteristics/qualities.
the writing is fairly straight-forward, and the story and characters are as well, but i enjoyed its simplicity. my playthrough had no combat, but apparently that is something that can be a thing? seems like a pretty wild variety of experiences in this adorable little package (apparently there are over 30 possible endings??). There are also notebooks that track all the different mushroom daughters you've grown, different colours, achievements etc through your playthroughs.
Overall, there's a lot of love poured into this! will definitely do a few more playthroughs of the demo, and excited for the full game! (they let you know at the end of a demo playthrough what their plans are for the full version)
this is so cute! beautiful art, a light-hearted and heart-warming vibe, calming music and a good balance of many choices with light rpg/dice mechanics. it's also delightfully & casually queer. i like how the choices you make don't just effect the story, but also things like which mushroom girl ends up growing, or what colour your game screen is. i also liked how choices you made often gave you characteristics/qualities.
the writing is fairly straight-forward, and the story and characters are as well, but i enjoyed its simplicity. my playthrough had no combat, but apparently that is something that can be a thing? seems like a pretty wild variety of experiences in this adorable little package (apparently there are over 30 possible endings??). There are also notebooks that track all the different mushroom daughters you've grown, different colours, achievements etc through your playthroughs.
Overall, there's a lot of love poured into this! will definitely do a few more playthroughs of the demo, and excited for the full game! (they let you know at the end of a demo playthrough what their plans are for the full version)
2022
I really love the vibes here (jsyk it's actually Hitme 1 & 2 togethr)~ heavy stuff (suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, violence) with a really loving heart (& sum sexuality jsyk), and ofc as a relationship anarchist it is just so so nice the rare time I see non-monogamous rep! great vibes, colours, music, grungy art style. I love these sweet gay boys <3
no spoilers
I luv this game!! it's not perfect, but it's so unique & I rly grew to luv the wunderful quirky (tho not suuper deep tbh) characters~ so much so that I cried a few times, esp during the credit scenes at the end. the art is absolutely stunning (the lighting & warm colour palette!!), the sound design & music are incredible, the animations smooth & pleasing~ the non-linear character story hopping is expertly crafted, and tho things do get a lil heady & labrynthine at times (which turns down the emotional factor a bit), I enjoyed every second of it; it made me formulate so many theories & kept me guessing till the end. the writing is great & the Japanese voice-over is top-notch.
I thought the strategic combat parts were really fun! I looked forward to each battle & I think they managed to capture the epic scale pretty well~ it's a pretty simple system but honestly i'm glad they didn't get too complicated with it, made it easy to just jump into a battle & have a lot of fun. played on normal & it was somewhat easy, will definitely check out the intense mode.
overall a very smooth and effortlessly cool anime-ass game- if u luv sci-fi, character-driven storytelling, visual novels, point&clicks & RTS/tactical RPGs than this is truly a must-play imo!
+ performance on switch was perfect, only sum slight lag at the very end of the final battle due to the sheer ridiculous numbers of kaiju, & even then didn't effect my experience
cons: definitely sum misogyny issues, plus sum partial teen nudity, tho I didn't rly find it particularly sexualized (except with one character but she is an adult) or obnoxious, so it didn't bother me- & I'm sumone who is ace-spec & hates anime fan-service, so ya jsyk.
also there is sum queer rep:
light character spoilers
also! there is sum great (& pleasantly casual & non-tokenising) queer representation (one character in particular) in this game which made me so happy to see~ I luved his nonchalant & ambivalent relationship with gender & sexuality, very cool mix of non-binary/trans/genderqueer/crossdresser vibes. I saw sum ppl online (aside frum the usual boring homo/transphobic nonsense, cuz yawn) complaining that they shudve used they/them pronouns, but to those ppl I hope they can realize that anyone of any identity can use any pronouns! it rly doesn't matter. oh, & the other queer character's struggles figuring out his own queerness felt real & was honestly pretty cute~ that all being said, the rest of the game is very cis-hetero-mononormative jsyk
I luv this game!! it's not perfect, but it's so unique & I rly grew to luv the wunderful quirky (tho not suuper deep tbh) characters~ so much so that I cried a few times, esp during the credit scenes at the end. the art is absolutely stunning (the lighting & warm colour palette!!), the sound design & music are incredible, the animations smooth & pleasing~ the non-linear character story hopping is expertly crafted, and tho things do get a lil heady & labrynthine at times (which turns down the emotional factor a bit), I enjoyed every second of it; it made me formulate so many theories & kept me guessing till the end. the writing is great & the Japanese voice-over is top-notch.
I thought the strategic combat parts were really fun! I looked forward to each battle & I think they managed to capture the epic scale pretty well~ it's a pretty simple system but honestly i'm glad they didn't get too complicated with it, made it easy to just jump into a battle & have a lot of fun. played on normal & it was somewhat easy, will definitely check out the intense mode.
overall a very smooth and effortlessly cool anime-ass game- if u luv sci-fi, character-driven storytelling, visual novels, point&clicks & RTS/tactical RPGs than this is truly a must-play imo!
+ performance on switch was perfect, only sum slight lag at the very end of the final battle due to the sheer ridiculous numbers of kaiju, & even then didn't effect my experience
cons: definitely sum misogyny issues, plus sum partial teen nudity, tho I didn't rly find it particularly sexualized (except with one character but she is an adult) or obnoxious, so it didn't bother me- & I'm sumone who is ace-spec & hates anime fan-service, so ya jsyk.
also there is sum queer rep:
light character spoilers
also! there is sum great (& pleasantly casual & non-tokenising) queer representation (one character in particular) in this game which made me so happy to see~ I luved his nonchalant & ambivalent relationship with gender & sexuality, very cool mix of non-binary/trans/genderqueer/crossdresser vibes. I saw sum ppl online (aside frum the usual boring homo/transphobic nonsense, cuz yawn) complaining that they shudve used they/them pronouns, but to those ppl I hope they can realize that anyone of any identity can use any pronouns! it rly doesn't matter. oh, & the other queer character's struggles figuring out his own queerness felt real & was honestly pretty cute~ that all being said, the rest of the game is very cis-hetero-mononormative jsyk
2018
this game is absolutely gorgeous~ the colours & visuals, sound & music, animation, character & environmental design are all just stunning & full of love & feeling. the gameplay is smooth & the puzzles range from pleasing & simple to a lil brow-furrowing with satisfying solutions. the variety of experiments that are successfully explored here is impressive, especially considering the shorter runtime. the story is abstract & emotional; it is obvious the creators of this gem really understand grief. they managed to make a beautiful, surreal, melancholic, dynamic and playfully hopeful story that reflects the experience of grief's waves, all with no text or speech whatsoever~ I played this over two sessions, & wow did I ever cry my eyes out when I reached the end~ all the while I had in my mind & heart memories of a dear friend who took their own life a cpl years ago~ they would have loved this game~
please play this!
please play this!
a deeply personal & heavy account of the creator's negative experiences with sex work, shame, transphobia and misogyny, and it's lasting effects on their self-perception and relationships with others and the world around them. essentially a story of how criminalization & capitalism, combined with the transphobia, whorephobia, misogyny/trans misogyny and lack of consent education that we inherit from our society really fucks things up for people who just need access to basic resources... like food, or healthcare.
I really appreciated how they pointed out that their negative experience shouldn't be used to be shitty about sex work, and still told their story. I feel it takes a deep self-trust and level of healing to following through with sharing your trauma to the world like this.
much love to the creator, and to all the sex workers out there <3
I really appreciated how they pointed out that their negative experience shouldn't be used to be shitty about sex work, and still told their story. I feel it takes a deep self-trust and level of healing to following through with sharing your trauma to the world like this.
much love to the creator, and to all the sex workers out there <3
2022
this game is incredible; in fact it has completely changed my relationship to video games as a medium & it is now my favourite of all the games I've played so far- & I knew it would be early on. immaculate vibes, soothing & catchy music, wonderful sound design, beautiful character art, slick gameplay & deeply emotional writing. like full crying emotional release depths; it's just so human & such a perfect non-binary mix of heart-warming & heart-breaking. so much came up for me during my first playthrough~ just rolled credits twice before I got my first final ending, and I'm so excited to play it again and again so I can uncover & weave every possibility together & experience each unique Sleeper life that unfolds. very excited for the third update & to whatever happens next with this game and whatever Gareth does next (I'll also be playing In Other Waters). the game just vibrates with all the love they poured into this game~ I'm feeling every bit of it & will be recommending this to anyone and everyone!
also, as a non-binary person I deeply appreciated all the magnificent & subtle non-binary representation (& just the diversity of representation in general!)- finally, we are entering an era where ungendered pronouns are just used casually!
what an absolute gem of a game <3
also, as a non-binary person I deeply appreciated all the magnificent & subtle non-binary representation (& just the diversity of representation in general!)- finally, we are entering an era where ungendered pronouns are just used casually!
what an absolute gem of a game <3
curiousity pulled me to this game, & tbh I was initially very intimidated. I hadn't played a game this action-heavy for a good 15 years, so I dove in expecting a challenge. I felt pretty sure I'd like it based on the surface, but I had no idea just how much i'd fall in love with this game. it's simply incredible. it's doing something only a game can do, to an extent I have never experienced. it is an excersize in empathy, an experience of suffering, it's badass & it's stunning. its horrifyingly beautiful & hopefully bleak. it isn't a perfect game, but it is a tremendous, dark & hopeful journey that is going to stick with me for a long, long time. the music alone has permanently woven itself into my brain. please play this if u haven't yet! my favourite game so far besides citizen sleeper~
oh, & the switch version is absolutely fantastic.
oh, & the switch version is absolutely fantastic.
a simple, sweet & free 30min walking sim/adventure prologue with beautiful pixel art and lots of heart~ I loved the surreal elements, and there is a melancholic vibe underlying it all which i love. although the overall vibe is light and gentle, they aren't afraid to tackle some darker themes, and all in all it gets me excited to play the full game! So lovely to see something out of & based in Indonesia, brought up fond memories of the few months i was there many years back~
there's just... something about this that i really connected with. The janky art, lo-fi video & images, the abstractions and poetics of it all... and omg i absolutely loved the music. highly recommend~ it's free, but it is also in the 2024 Queer Game Bundle on itch.io, $10-60 sliding scale for 489 queer indie games
very cute, I would love to see something like this expanded, as an audio nerd i really enjoyed the concept. its a very simple & very short game, like a little fresh breath of sea air between other titles. art is really pretty too. its not trying to do much and it doesn't have to. also, its free, so why not?