Even though I wasn’t blown away by Her Story or Telling Lies, Immortality has proven itself to be Sam Barlow’s best work to date, by a landslide. On paper, this game might sound pretentious, but it is truly a piece of art. Immortality has captivated me in a way that few games in recent memory have. Even though I unlocked the “True Ending”, I still keep finding myself going back for more, and with each revisit, I do indeed find more secrets. Immortality won’t be to everyone’s liking, but for those of us who love a good mystery and narrative adventure, this game will get under your skin and have you thinking about it for a long time.
Yes, it’s completely filled with silliness, often times taking clear inspiration from games like Return to Monkey Island, but there’s a lot more to it than just zany humor. At times it has real heart, especially when it comes to the relationship between Lil and her father. Not every sinister looking monster is truly a villain, some are just poor, misunderstood creatures looking for some compassion. Lil’ Guardsman is absolutely delightful to play, and you should allow it entry into your life.
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.
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.
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.
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.
As a huge fan of both puzzle games and Harry Potter, I’m definitely a part of their target audience. What I wasn’t prepared for was just how creative and clever the puzzles would be.
As with many small independent games, The Almost Gone walks the line between gaming entertainment and art. The subject matter is far darker than you would think from just looking at the art style, but the message is bound to evoke some deeper emotions for certain players.
I’m thrilled that THQ Nordic decided to revisit the best SpongeBob game out there. Not only does it make it more accessible to a whole new generation, but it gives us long time fans an excuse to explore Bikini Bottom once more. Yes, it does still have its fair share of issues, but SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is so fun that you really won’t even care.
This game does an incredible job of blending point-and-click gameplay with adventure, mystery, levity, and puzzles, all within one cohesive package. My only suggestion would be to perhaps wait a bit for some patches to come out to fix the numerous bugs. Other than those, this game has the makings of becoming another cult classic.
Its striking art style, logical puzzles, and unique atmosphere prove that Amanita Design can make more than just point-and-click adventures.
The bizarre combination of genres and gameplay elements was enough to pique my interest, but it delivered far more than I expected. Most of the puzzles are a lot of fun and highly diversified. The wonderfully interwoven storylines kept me captivated through to the end.
The song list might not be the most varied in terms of genres and styles to choose from, but you can subscribe to their Unlimited service to open much more options. I may have looked like a squid having a seizure while playing it, but I’ve never had more fun doing so.
Despite not having all of the same humor as the original, it still has the same storylines and puzzles as before. Returning fans to the game should have no problem jumping right into the action. Plus, people unfamiliar with the game will be delightfully entertained by its wackiness and hare-brained schemes (see what I did there?).
It’s an ambitious game, but one that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Without a doubt, this is one path worth traveling.
Call of the Sea wasn’t quite what I expected, but that’s not a bad thing. It surprised me in a lot of ways. While the ending was easy to guess early on, the writing for the rest of the story was so strong that I still found it compelling.
I have to say that Gnosia really impressed me. I completely underestimated it by assuming it was just going to be some monotonous visual novel mystery game. I’ve never been happier to be proven wrong. The steady introduction of new elements, complex characters, and intriguing gameplay make Gnosia delightfully addicting.
I had an unexpectedly good time with Mutazione. I thought it was going to be more of a quirky point-and-click adventure, but it turned out to be something very different. Not that that’s a bad thing! Quite the contrary, in fact. Mutazione proved to be an unbelievably zen experience that I haven’t enjoyed since I last played Spiritfarer, which, considering how much I loved that game, is pretty high praise.
The De Vespe Conspiracy turned out to be an expansion I didn’t know I wanted until I had it. It’s a true-to-form addition to a game I already loved. Any excuse to revisit Teer Fradee is a welcome journey, even if it’s quite short, only taking about three to four hours to complete. Still, it gave me more insight into a few characters I thought I knew fairly well.
I really enjoyed my time with Omno. I didn’t realize at first that it was a purely combat-free adventure when I started it, but the mild disappointment I felt from that revelation quickly disappeared as I got lost within its world’s secrets. It’s a mellow time, full of discovery and wonder.