summit
2020
- You know what this game is so I’m just going to speak to my build. I went with a melee build with a focus on Cold Blood to chain quick takedowns. Extremely fun and made 1v1 encounters fairly trivial. Sucked against groups of enemies though, especially if I couldn’t close the gap.
- The main storyline is excellent and a lot of the romance sidequests are pretty good too I romanced Judy in this playthough, but also did Pan Am and River’s questlines. The score of this game is so good and fit so well with whatever was happening on screen. Graphics will vary based on your computer obviously but the city is gorgeous, especially at night.
- When Cyberpunk is good, it’s really good. And when it’s not, it’s extremely frustrating to encounter the lack of polish. It’s a game of high variance and I would have loved to have seen the care put into the main storyline also put into the rest of the world.
- With the 2.0 update coming out that will overhaul a lot of the systems in less than a week, I can’t recommend rushing it right now. But afterwards? Probably. They seem to finally be delivering on the game that was promised on launch. I will probably wait another 2 years and then do another playthrough with a completely differently build.
- The main storyline is excellent and a lot of the romance sidequests are pretty good too I romanced Judy in this playthough, but also did Pan Am and River’s questlines. The score of this game is so good and fit so well with whatever was happening on screen. Graphics will vary based on your computer obviously but the city is gorgeous, especially at night.
- When Cyberpunk is good, it’s really good. And when it’s not, it’s extremely frustrating to encounter the lack of polish. It’s a game of high variance and I would have loved to have seen the care put into the main storyline also put into the rest of the world.
- With the 2.0 update coming out that will overhaul a lot of the systems in less than a week, I can’t recommend rushing it right now. But afterwards? Probably. They seem to finally be delivering on the game that was promised on launch. I will probably wait another 2 years and then do another playthrough with a completely differently build.
- Cute, charming game where you try and rebuild your family’s trade empire in a steampunk world where floating islands are navigated with airships. Cozy pixel art with some catchy tunes. You can make friends with a singing carrot wearing a top hat 🙂
- Navigate to a new island. Trade with the locals there. Deliver letters, take on tourists who want to see specific landmarks, trade for resources and deliver them to specific islands. There’s some base building going on as well that I started to explore where workers can generate resources for you. There’s a lot of breadth and things to do.
- With so much to do, I found myself just not really invested in doing any of it. The game is very serviceable but didn’t hook with me anything in particular. With just enough friction in navigating the menus and screens, I found myself not wanting to deal with it to continue playing after an hour.
- If you’re looking for a cozy game around trade, navigation, and base building, this will scratch that itch. And it’s probably better playing with with a mouse and keyboard. I don’t have anything really bad to say about it, but it just didn’t resonate with me.
- Navigate to a new island. Trade with the locals there. Deliver letters, take on tourists who want to see specific landmarks, trade for resources and deliver them to specific islands. There’s some base building going on as well that I started to explore where workers can generate resources for you. There’s a lot of breadth and things to do.
- With so much to do, I found myself just not really invested in doing any of it. The game is very serviceable but didn’t hook with me anything in particular. With just enough friction in navigating the menus and screens, I found myself not wanting to deal with it to continue playing after an hour.
- If you’re looking for a cozy game around trade, navigation, and base building, this will scratch that itch. And it’s probably better playing with with a mouse and keyboard. I don’t have anything really bad to say about it, but it just didn’t resonate with me.
2009
- Great art, very reminiscent of Monument Valley. Some neat sound effects. No real story to speak of.
- This is a quick, cozy puzzle game. You move a car through a series of interactive scenes as you try to uncover a cube to open the next door. Simple and effective.
- Wish there was more! It’s only about ~30 min. Probably better as a kid but still very pleasant as an adult.
- If you like Monument Valley / cozy puzzlers and for some reason have this in your Steam library, give it a go. I don’t think I would recommend anyone buy it though.
- This is a quick, cozy puzzle game. You move a car through a series of interactive scenes as you try to uncover a cube to open the next door. Simple and effective.
- Wish there was more! It’s only about ~30 min. Probably better as a kid but still very pleasant as an adult.
- If you like Monument Valley / cozy puzzlers and for some reason have this in your Steam library, give it a go. I don’t think I would recommend anyone buy it though.
- Simple, clean graphics. There’s a CRT mode that makes everything look like it’s on a fuzzy old school TV so that’s neat. There’s only 1 song that plays, but it’s ominous, chilling, and entirely fitting. There’s a simple story of you playing as The Black King who is fighting to reclaim his throne after all of his subjects left because you’re a terrible despot.
- The gameplay was deceptively simple but had a good amount of depth. You play as a chess king, but instead of moving you can also use your shotgun. If you beat the round, you get to choose between 2 sets of a randomly generated perk for yourself and your enemies for the next round. Try and beat 12 rounds making yourself and your enemies increasingly stronger.
- My only gripe is that I wish there was more. The game is extremely short once you find your footing. After my first win I had already unlocked 65% of the perks.
- A great premise that seems like a joke at first but has a lot to offer. Although I only beat it once at the time of this review, I’m going to keep playing it because there are other modes and guns to unlock for different playstyles. Such a breath of fresh air to play a tight, polished game that was easy to pick up and much harder to put down.
- The gameplay was deceptively simple but had a good amount of depth. You play as a chess king, but instead of moving you can also use your shotgun. If you beat the round, you get to choose between 2 sets of a randomly generated perk for yourself and your enemies for the next round. Try and beat 12 rounds making yourself and your enemies increasingly stronger.
- My only gripe is that I wish there was more. The game is extremely short once you find your footing. After my first win I had already unlocked 65% of the perks.
- A great premise that seems like a joke at first but has a lot to offer. Although I only beat it once at the time of this review, I’m going to keep playing it because there are other modes and guns to unlock for different playstyles. Such a breath of fresh air to play a tight, polished game that was easy to pick up and much harder to put down.
- Graphics, music, and story were all just… fine. Nothing amazing, nothing terrible. Good theming, if not a little overdone. I enjoyed the art direction.
- Gameplay was ok, but of course I found myself comparing it to Hades constantly. This game has parry and a limited number of dodges though, so the combat feels very different. Not to my liking but I see the appeal. It also had a cool light system but felt clunky at times. Maybe I just needed more time with it.
- I think I’m just a bit spoiled with how much direction Hades let you shape your runs with. This game is very much a traditional roguelite where you are at the mercy of RNG and can’t seem to do much to influence it. Again, not for me but I see the appeal.
- I can’t recommend this in 2023. I think when it came out, it was probably a stellar game. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it just felt a little flat for me since other games have (read: Hades) have come out and did better. I gave it a solid 3 hours or so on a plane and well… just go play Hades.
- Gameplay was ok, but of course I found myself comparing it to Hades constantly. This game has parry and a limited number of dodges though, so the combat feels very different. Not to my liking but I see the appeal. It also had a cool light system but felt clunky at times. Maybe I just needed more time with it.
- I think I’m just a bit spoiled with how much direction Hades let you shape your runs with. This game is very much a traditional roguelite where you are at the mercy of RNG and can’t seem to do much to influence it. Again, not for me but I see the appeal.
- I can’t recommend this in 2023. I think when it came out, it was probably a stellar game. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it just felt a little flat for me since other games have (read: Hades) have come out and did better. I gave it a solid 3 hours or so on a plane and well… just go play Hades.
2016
- Simple, cel shaded graphics but they worked well for the game and quite beautiful. Music was top notch, will definitely be listening to the OST. Some of my favorite moments are when you’re just hiking through the woods and the music kicks in. Big vibes.
- Story was extremely gripping and did a great job of leaving me with wanting more. The voice acting was especially good with Delilah’s VO absolutely killing it.
- The gameplay was pretty simple, very much a walking simulator for a large majority of the game. You pick up some tools along the way that uncover more areas and let you interact with old ones. Nothing too complex but for a narrative heavy game I think it was the right decision to keep things simple so the story could shine.
- The tiniest nitpick I have is that sometimes the animations would bug out and put your character into some weird positions. These weren’t gamebreaking and resolved themselves in a matter of seconds, but took you out of the immersion and were just annoying to deal with when everything else about the game is so polished.
- Highly, highly recommend if you’re looking for a tight, story driven vibes game that evolves into something greater (it took me ~5 hrs). I could not have predicted how this game was going to end and I’m so glad I played it. I just wish I had gotten to it sooner.
- Story was extremely gripping and did a great job of leaving me with wanting more. The voice acting was especially good with Delilah’s VO absolutely killing it.
- The gameplay was pretty simple, very much a walking simulator for a large majority of the game. You pick up some tools along the way that uncover more areas and let you interact with old ones. Nothing too complex but for a narrative heavy game I think it was the right decision to keep things simple so the story could shine.
- The tiniest nitpick I have is that sometimes the animations would bug out and put your character into some weird positions. These weren’t gamebreaking and resolved themselves in a matter of seconds, but took you out of the immersion and were just annoying to deal with when everything else about the game is so polished.
- Highly, highly recommend if you’re looking for a tight, story driven vibes game that evolves into something greater (it took me ~5 hrs). I could not have predicted how this game was going to end and I’m so glad I played it. I just wish I had gotten to it sooner.
2023
- Graphics and music are top notch as always. 80s themes so some really nice synthwave. The game finally has a story for the first time!
- Gameplay was a mixed bag. Some really interesting mechanics introduced that provided some fresh gameplay. On the other hand, there were a lot of simplified mechanics as well that I think detracted from the depth found in previous entries.
- No major gripes, just a little short. I hope they add more content over time because there’s a solid base here they can build on.
- I’d recommend if you’re wanting to get into the series or want more Kingdom! Still a very chill base builder with gorgeous visuals and great music.
- Gameplay was a mixed bag. Some really interesting mechanics introduced that provided some fresh gameplay. On the other hand, there were a lot of simplified mechanics as well that I think detracted from the depth found in previous entries.
- No major gripes, just a little short. I hope they add more content over time because there’s a solid base here they can build on.
- I’d recommend if you’re wanting to get into the series or want more Kingdom! Still a very chill base builder with gorgeous visuals and great music.
2022
- The graphics, music / sound design, and story are fine. Nothing amazing and nothing terrible, just maybe kind of… boring? You’re the chosen one, transported from your planet with your friend (who you are trying to save) and you end up becoming a demigod in the process from two gods, Sun and Moon. Overall just feels pretty generic.
- The combat and “decisions matter” are what interested in in trying this game out. Regarding combat, there’s stance switching from melee to ranged mode, with extra abilities you unlock over time. Unfortunately, most of the combat is fairly easy if you’ve played ARPGs before, but I did like what they were going for and is probably the most polished part of the game. There were a few interesting puzzles to solve along the way as well.
Your decisions mattering are probably the biggest letdown in the game. There are a few key moments where you can make decisions and affect the story, but outside of that the game is pretty linear. I guess I had expectations that I would be making more decisions that influenced outcomes more. Interesting idea but not executed well.
- My biggest gripe is the writing. Extremely juvenile and I guess that makes sense once I looked up that this is a PEGI 12 game. The game constantly switches tone from serious to lighthearted in a clunky way that’s offputting to me. The voice actors did a great job though.
- Ultimately I can’t recommend unless you’re actually 12. Outside of a few interesting mechanics and game design decisions, most everything you’ll find here can be found elsewhere equally as good.
- The combat and “decisions matter” are what interested in in trying this game out. Regarding combat, there’s stance switching from melee to ranged mode, with extra abilities you unlock over time. Unfortunately, most of the combat is fairly easy if you’ve played ARPGs before, but I did like what they were going for and is probably the most polished part of the game. There were a few interesting puzzles to solve along the way as well.
Your decisions mattering are probably the biggest letdown in the game. There are a few key moments where you can make decisions and affect the story, but outside of that the game is pretty linear. I guess I had expectations that I would be making more decisions that influenced outcomes more. Interesting idea but not executed well.
- My biggest gripe is the writing. Extremely juvenile and I guess that makes sense once I looked up that this is a PEGI 12 game. The game constantly switches tone from serious to lighthearted in a clunky way that’s offputting to me. The voice actors did a great job though.
- Ultimately I can’t recommend unless you’re actually 12. Outside of a few interesting mechanics and game design decisions, most everything you’ll find here can be found elsewhere equally as good.
2013
- Steamworld Dig - 2.5/5 - Unfinished
- Crisp interface / graphics with a charming style that works. Music was great (I love a good western tune). Story was sort of interesting, you’re seeking out your dead uncle’s lost treasure’s after his untimely death or something. I didn’t follow it too closely but the game had good humor.
- Gameplay was fine. You dig, find loot, and do some light platforming. I wasn’t expecting the interesting puzzle challenges that arose from how you chose to dig, so that kept things fresh and asked you to make some smart decisions about your path downward. You get some power ups later that help with all of these tasks, like digging faster or jumping higher.
- No major gripes. Game ran smooth with no bugs!
- Hard to say if I would personally recommend it. I just found myself… bored? I think if you enjoy the first hour, you’ll enjoy the rest of the game because it builds on the core gameplay loop. It’s a very pleasant experience but ultimately didn’t click for me and I dropped it after 2 hours, even though it’s only a ~6 hour game on average for most people.
- Crisp interface / graphics with a charming style that works. Music was great (I love a good western tune). Story was sort of interesting, you’re seeking out your dead uncle’s lost treasure’s after his untimely death or something. I didn’t follow it too closely but the game had good humor.
- Gameplay was fine. You dig, find loot, and do some light platforming. I wasn’t expecting the interesting puzzle challenges that arose from how you chose to dig, so that kept things fresh and asked you to make some smart decisions about your path downward. You get some power ups later that help with all of these tasks, like digging faster or jumping higher.
- No major gripes. Game ran smooth with no bugs!
- Hard to say if I would personally recommend it. I just found myself… bored? I think if you enjoy the first hour, you’ll enjoy the rest of the game because it builds on the core gameplay loop. It’s a very pleasant experience but ultimately didn’t click for me and I dropped it after 2 hours, even though it’s only a ~6 hour game on average for most people.
2019
- Love the pixel graphics and the music was solid. Story was somewhat interesting but kinda generic fantasy.
- Enjoyed all of the different characters / classes, lots of different playstyles. You’re incentivized to play with all of them to unlock cross character bonuses too. Some cool skill tree stuff to unlock as well.
- My biggest gripe is the mismatch of dialogue between the narrator and the subtitles. And he also had inconsistent pronunciation for the same words at times! Add to this a few minor bugs here and there (nothing gamebreaking), and it just felt like this game lacks polish. And this might be a Steamdeck specific thing, but the game would occasionally drop frames for a few seconds which was annoying.
- There’s also a “Trials” mode that I played for a bit after finishing the story. All characters unlocked, randomized maps / goals / enemies, every level you pick 1 of 3 persistent upgrades for the rest of the run. This mode was cool and bumped the game up from a 3.5 to a 4 for me, even though I couldn’t even beat a full 13 map run.
- I’d recommend only if you’re looking to play a roguelite with someone else cause it supports co-op. It’s not a bad game per say, but there’s probably other roguelites out there that are better for a single player experience.
- Enjoyed all of the different characters / classes, lots of different playstyles. You’re incentivized to play with all of them to unlock cross character bonuses too. Some cool skill tree stuff to unlock as well.
- My biggest gripe is the mismatch of dialogue between the narrator and the subtitles. And he also had inconsistent pronunciation for the same words at times! Add to this a few minor bugs here and there (nothing gamebreaking), and it just felt like this game lacks polish. And this might be a Steamdeck specific thing, but the game would occasionally drop frames for a few seconds which was annoying.
- There’s also a “Trials” mode that I played for a bit after finishing the story. All characters unlocked, randomized maps / goals / enemies, every level you pick 1 of 3 persistent upgrades for the rest of the run. This mode was cool and bumped the game up from a 3.5 to a 4 for me, even though I couldn’t even beat a full 13 map run.
- I’d recommend only if you’re looking to play a roguelite with someone else cause it supports co-op. It’s not a bad game per say, but there’s probably other roguelites out there that are better for a single player experience.