Heather Johnson Yu's Reviews
RimWorld Console Edition is a fantastic addition to anyone’s game library, regardless of whether or not they’ve played the PC version. When the only criticism of the game is that it doesn’t go on sale very often, you know you have an absolute winner on your hands. I wish I could have seen all the text better without having to scoot so close to my TV, but the fact that it’s my only complaint in an otherwise addicting and enjoyable experience speaks volumes. If you’re looking for a game that breaks expectations in terms of depth and discovery, RimWorld Console Edition will sate that storytelling hunger.
Godlike Burger is not for everyone. If you love roguelikes, have a controller handy, and possess a morbid sense of curiosity, Godlike Burger could easily entertain for hours on end. If you want a clear sense of continued progression and are loyal to the ol’ mouse and keyboard, I can’t recommend Godlike Burger to you. Like a Portobello mushroom burger, this one’s a bit of an acquired taste, so your first bite is only going to be enjoyable if you know what you’re getting into. Godlike Burger may be every health inspector’s worst nightmare, but for the roguelike fan seeking a fresh batch of novelty, a nibble of the forbidden meat may be too tantalizing to resist.
Best Month Ever! is truly unique in its premise and setting. Stepping into the shoes of a terminally ill single mother was gut-wrenching, and navigating 1969 through the eyes of her biracial son gave me anxiety. Although I do wish my choices had a bigger impact and that more focus was given to preparing Mitch for the future instead of hanging on by my fingernails to what felt like Louise’s wild last ride, Best Month Ever! was different enough to keep me going. If you love narrative-driven games and have plenty of patience, Best Month Ever! is worth the road trip.
Trolley Problem, Inc. is a cleverly crafted thought experiment that takes familiar moral quandaries and weaves them together into one increasingly over the top storyline. Clocking in at around 2 hours, Trolley Problem, Inc. may be on the shorter side, but the material presented makes for an intellectual deep dive that will amuse, then exhaust players agonizing over each impossible situation. Although the overarching message may get a bit lost in the weeds, Trolley Problem, Inc. is a brilliant title eloquently executed, a must-play for content creators, novelty-seekers, and those wanting more food for thought alike.
The 80 hours I spent with PowerWash Simulator were gloriously relaxing; I powered through my favorite podcasts on one screen as I powerwashed the days away on another. It’s an easy way to just unplug from life’s stresses and… you know, powerwash those worries away (along with all that muck and grime, of course). Any perceived issues are extremely minor considering how much bang you get for your buck, and that goes doubly so if you’re an achievement hunter. Make no mistake — PowerWash Simulator deserves the Overwhelmingly Positive rating it’s received on Steam, and if you’re looking for the best way to chill after a long day of work, Muckingham is a dirty stone’s throw away.
Frozenheim is probably the most serene war-mongering games I’ve ever played with a lot of fun details that truly flesh out the entire experience. Not quite a city-builder but not entirely a full-on RTS, Frozenheim toes a themed line between the two genres in a fascinating, relaxing way. It has the potential to be a much more in-depth challenge, but for now, it’s a somewhat casual romp through Scandinavian lands (until a neighboring nord horde burns your village down, of course). If you’re ready to plunder and pillage, then build up your village, Frozenheim awaits those with a lust for blood (and an eye for Viking carpentry).
Green Hell VR is the kind of game that will remind you why you bought a VR headset in the first place. It has so much to offer players who enjoy survival games, and the PCVR version is the closer of the existing two VR ports to the PC original for those who care about that sort of thing. If you’re looking to delve into an Amazonian rain forest and see if you can come out of it alive — or just want to stand in awe of the beauty virtual nature has to offer, transfixed by the gentle lighting and distinctive atmosphere — Green Hell VR will put your survival skills to the ultimate test.
Hero’s Hour may look like a simple game, and truthfully it can be if that’s what you want, but dig a little deeper and you’ll discover some surprising details. And while it definitely deserves the comparisons it receives to Heroes of Might and Magic, Hero’s Hour unfolds into something all on its own if you let it speak for itself. Whether you want a casual or complex experience, Hero’s Hour provides both — wrapped up in a glorious pixel art turn-based strategy RPG.
I wanted Kapital: Sparks of Revolution to continue running with the city-survival genre that Frostpunk put into place, and while it is definitely the relaxing, low-stress city-builder of my dreams, it is not the difficult experience it markets itself as. You may struggle for the first hour or two before really settling into a utopian paradise, but you will get to that point of smooth sailing sooner or later. For a game about revolution, the only thing revolutionary here is how chill it is; Kapital: Sparks of Revolution is fun and addicting, but it’s hardly the stressful city-survival simulator it tries to be. I’m more than okay with that, but are you?
Card Shark is absolutely the most thrilling card game out there, made even more impressive by the fact that you don’t actually do much by way of playing cards. This scintillating sleight of hand title has inadvertently taught me a lot about card tricks, all set to gorgeous Baroque music and stunningly illustrated scenes. The mechanics may feel a little difficult at times due to an onslaught of varied controls, but once you master them, you’ll feel like a card comte(ss) yourself. If you want something enthralling with high production value and even higher stakes, Card Shark can deal you in.
Words fail me when it comes to Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery. A stunning tribute to a love borne of all the things that should have been said but were kept within, Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery made me full on sob after witnessing its incredible beauty. Fans of Miyazaki films will come for the art style but stay for the tear-jerking story that will paint their hearts with the colors of every raw and real emotion portrayed. If you’re ready to cry — and then, after that, cry some more — Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery awaits your brush.
Cowards who love horror games, rejoice! For in TAPE: Unveil The Memories we have a psychological thriller title that offers plenty of eerie ambiance without a total barrage of cheap jumpscares. Oh sure, there’s definitely a haunting tale to be had here, but one that will only raise the blood pressure a little bit. If you’re looking for a standard horror game experience, you’ll have to look elsewhere, but if you’re after a thriller game that offers an interesting puzzle mechanic and scintillating story full of secrets to uncover, TAPE: Unveil The Memories is just waiting for you to press play.
If you’ve ever wondered “what’s the absolute bare minimum exercise I can do in a video game” Burnit Quest might be the answer you’re looking for. This is probably the best video game for people who have all the excuses in the world not to workout but should really just get up and move for a few minutes throughout the day (AKA, me). Although I do wish the controls were less clunky when it comes to punching and jumping, I feel like I got what I came for, which is some decent cardio in-between my real-life work meetings. If you’re looking for an exercise video game to jumpstart your fitness in a seriously undemanding way, Burnit Quest will help you pick up the pace.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is absolutely one of the better murder mystery FMVs out there, bringing together acting portions with interesting mechanics and a stellar story with a surprising twist. Although the mechanics did feel a bit at odds with each other at times, it doesn’t stop The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story from being a truly fascinating experience that was hard to put down. If you love a good murder mystery that plays like a movie but makes you feel like you’re reading an Agatha Christie novel (albeit in Japan), The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story has waited a century for you to try it out.
The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark’s new levels mean it’s absolutely time to play this spooky pixel art gem. With nine spooky cases to solve as Detective McQueen with Officer Dooley by your side, the occult simply doesn’t stand a chance. Don’t let this pixel art point and click haunt your backlog any longer — pick up The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark and crack the original six scenarios plus the three new bonus cases before they drag you to the Dark Side.
RiffTrax: The Game is a must have for fans of RiffTrax and Mystery Science Theater 3000, but it also belongs in the library of anyone who loves laugh out loud party games like What the Dub and Quiplash. Even if those titles don’t immediately tickle your funny bone upon reading them, it’s hard to argue with the price, considering how many people can play for hours on end. If you can’t help but watch a good bad movie with your mouth, RiffTrax: The Game is absolutely for you.
Damien Crawford’s Golf Experience 2022 may seem like a silly title to the uninitiated, but for those who know Damien Crawford — you know, the dev who graced us with I Have Low Stats But My Class Is “Leader”, So I Recruited Everyone I Know To Fight The Dark Lord — that’s about as descriptive as a game can get. It’s a golf experience, certainly, but a purposely painful one to really drive home that feeling of fumbling around on a range for the very first time, complete with Cannibal Interactive’s patented brand of humor. Damien Crawford’s Golf Experience 2022 is a game none of us will ever master, and that’s the point — cheers to eternal mediocrity. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a golf game to get back to — I think I can get this next hole done in less than 300 strokes if I really concentrate…
Insurmountable’s 2.0 update brings all the missing content that the original release desperately needed; while the new stuff is anything but cozy, it is challenging, which is the exact kind of thing players who love survival games are looking for. Insurmountable revitalizes the tired roguelike genre with its new setting and careful, slow-going mechanics, but it can feel a bit stale after a summit or two so it’s best to play this one in short bursts. If you’re always searching for that something over the next mountaintop, Insurmountable is cooler than cool — it’s ice cold.
Kraken Academy!! surprised me with its zany humor and delightful time-looping mechanics. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent on campus, making friends with classmates by bringing a goat to a horse race, going in QTE dates, and summoning poop demons (don’t ask). If you enjoy seriously creative — and seriously crazy — games that take outlandish writing to the next level, Kraken Academy!! is now accepting students.
Having previously gobbled up the great Ghost of Tsushima, I was eager to find another love letter to Kurosawa in Trek to Yomi. On an aesthetic level, my expectations were completely blown out of the water — the famed filmmaker has been honored like never before. When it comes to gameplay, I’m completely satisfied, my desire for another Way of the Samurai fulfilled, but I can see someone who skipped this era of gaming less enthused. If samurai games of yesteryear were your thing, Trek to Yomi is absolutely worth side-scroll slicing your way through the belly of the underworld for.