I have to admit that despite its flaws, Infliction really impressed me. It has a deep and tragic story with well fleshed-out, complex characters. Not everything in here is wholly original, but a lot of it is. This game shows that Clinton McCleary has a lot of creativity and genuinely unique ideas. If he could make a game this intriguing by himself with hardly any money, I can only imagine what a talent like his could do with a larger budget.
It’s a shame because there are some really good elements in here and hints of a much stronger tale to be told. Maybe if it had been developed longer or had better funding, more of the story surrounding the village and its citizens would have been better fleshed out. The game itself is only about three hours long, so it could have definitely benefited from some extra chapters. As it stands, Draugen is a beautiful borefest that is better left abandoned.
3000th Duel is a thrilling game that does a fair job of blending 2D metroidvania-esque action and platforming with Souls-like bosses and leveling up structure. It’s a beautiful game, even if not all of the environments are the most dynamic, and it runs incredibly smooth. The stark contrast in difficulty for bosses and normal foes can be a bit shocking at first, but you’ll quickly be able to enjoy to the carnage of the hack ‘n slash sections as well as the strategic intricacies of the boss battles.
60 Seconds! is a game that feels underdeveloped. There are some good ideas in here, but the game controls during the sixty second supply blitz are incredibly frustrating. Things get better once you get into the bomb shelter, but since everything is presented to you through a journal, you won’t feel as invested after a while.
Monster Viator is a delightful throwback to JRPGs from the early 90’s. It has all of the charm of games from that era with its colorful 16 bit art style, adorable sprites, and awesome tunes. However, it also adds some modern day improvements like the ability to save at any time, increase the battle speed, and an auto-battle option.
Neon City Riders is an absolute blast to play, especially if you’re a fan of retro-gaming and 80’s pop culture. Much like games from that time, it can be difficult with its fast pace and precise timing, but it’s punishingly fun. For gamers from that era, like myself, it’s one giant nostalgia bomb.
Ara Fell: Enhanced Edition is everything fans of retro RPGs are looking for. It has well written characters, beautiful environments, decent combat and class systems, a fantastic musical score, and a story that gets deeper and more compelling the farther you delve into it.
Inops is a game that has a lot of really great ideas, but doesn’t manage to pull them off as well as they would have liked. The main concept is wonderful, but the controls hinder it from turning into a new classic.
All in all, I really did enjoy my time with Obduction, even if there were a few issues that hampered the experience. It’s beautiful, fascinating, and creative. Although, the second half definitely slows down a lot due to huge backtracking sections and long loading times.
A Fold Apart is an enjoyable time, but I feel like it’s promoted in a slightly deceiving way. It’s not a cutesie upbeat game about two people missing each other. In fact, it’s a serious look into the hardships of being in a long distance relationship and how quickly things can go wrong when you can’t express yourself properly.
FFVII Remake impressed me in every possible way. The level of detail to the world building and character development is some of the best I’ve ever seen in a video game. There are several trophies that you can only acquire after a few playthroughs with making different choices, so there is a huge replayability factor. Square Enix took a big chance by taking one of the most influential video games of all time and completely revamping it.
The Shattering is a game that unfortunately suffers from a lot of the same problems as a lot of other walking sims and psychological horror games. It has a good premise and gorgeous details in the explorable areas, but it has too many pointless things to interact with, no payoff for thorough exploration, nothing hidden beneath the surface, terrible pacing, and tedious level designs.
At the end of the day, Telling Lies is good concept that stumbles a bit in its execution. It would have worked better if there was an actual mystery to solve like in Her Story. Instead of piecing together an elaborate puzzle, we’re left sifting through the drama of a few people.
There are some problems with the pacing, especially when you get lost in the forest or stuck on a puzzle, but the story is so compelling you’ll have to see it through to the end. It’s one of those games that sticks with you long after it’s over. The way the story unfolds and is presented to you is brilliant.
All in all, I do have to say that Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee was a nice nostalgic experience, but its quirkiness isn’t quite enough to make up for its frustrating controls and terrible early 3D platforming camera problems. It’s a shame that the recent ports have only given it a facelift and not some desperately needed quality of life improvements.
If you’ve ever wondered what made Myst one of the best-selling PC games of all time, or just want to travel back to the mysterious island and relive the magic, there’s no better time than now. Pick up realMyst: Masterpiece Edition and experience the complex and curious adventure for yourself.
On the whole, I was disappointed by Boreal Tales. There might have been some potential for an interesting game in here, but that’s all buried beneath strange design choices, frustrating controls, an overly convoluted story, and a myriad of bugs. I can’t imagine it would be worth your time, even if the bugs were fixed.
Anyone who is a fan of Monty Python, or sarcastic British humor in general, needs to play it. This game had me cracking up all the way through. It’s a breath of fresh air in an otherwise quagmire of mediocrity that is the current point-and-click scene.
I wanted to like it, I really did, especially since the true premise of the game is pretty original. It could lend itself very well to other games in the future. Unfortunately, its fleeting moments of brilliance are lost within the dregs of tired horror tropes, inconsistency with its rules, uninspired gameplay mechanics, and an unfulfilling ending.
I appreciate the bravery of DREAMFEEL for releasing such a personal game about a topic that not a lot of people understand. I only wish it were delivered in a more captivating way. The symbolism is great, but without any other facets of gameplay or ways in which to deliver the narrative, it loses its potency before too long.