Potion Permit has grown a lot since LadiesGamers previewed it nearly two years ago! While the final game sometimes lacks depth in its numerous systems, it compensates with breadth and charm. It manages to be meditative without feeling melancholic. The days flutter away, but there are no seasonal changes. Suspicious townsfolk will gradually warm to your presence as you repair your clinic and heal various ailments. It’s more a game about revitalization than it is about the passage of time, yet I could spend many more hours in Moonbury completing quests and concocting potions.
As Peter steps into the Antarctic snowstorm, he is suddenly an active participant in his own survival. South of the Circle triumphs by interweaving hopefulness and impending doom without feeling emotionally manipulative. It suggests that life is a culmination of sad and spectacular moments, promises, people, and conversations, all inevitably misremembered. It’s the kind of game that could have made me cry, but instead, it led me to a place of sombre tranquillity. Through Peter, we are advised not to judge stories by their destination, but by their precious in-betweens: a sugar cube plopped into a cup of tea, a train ride, a shared summer sunset, and a cumulonimbus cloud stupendously blooming.
Wobbledogs is odd. Dogs sprout extra limbs, burst from cocoons, and return as ghosts, but none of these aspects feels macabre. Instead, they are marvellously whimsical. There’s always something new happening. Dogs develop personalities, learn tricks, build dens, and play with toys. The breeding mechanics are also surprisingly deep, and while the gameplay loop can get repetitive during long sessions, it’s still solidly entertaining. This world feels alive and customizable, with a perfect balance between randomness and control. Now that Wobbledogs is finally out of early access, I can wholeheartedly recommend it for fans of the sandboxes, pet sims, and all things wobbly.
I’ve played many games with animal protagonists in my life. Most use minimalist UI and environmental storytelling to better capture the animal experience. Deer Journey follows in those footsteps, though it stumbles sometimes. It isn’t as dynamic as WolfQuest, nor does it reach the same emotional heights as Shelter 1 & 2. Instead, it wanders aimlessly (but serenely) through a rolling landscape, weaving among woodlands and sloshing across rivers. At just under an hour in length, it is a brief but pleasant experience for those hoping to escape from the cacophony of human life.
So is Sixty Words worth your time? It’s a relaxing low-stakes game that you can play after a long day. With specially crafted levels, it lacks replayability but it also doesn’t overstay its welcome. While it could have done more to stand out in an oversaturated market, it does have an undeniable human touch, courtesy of its charming themes and arrangements. Perhaps it’s a tad pricey when you can find similar games for free, but if you’re searching for a word search on Switch, then you might as well pick this one up.
Fishing Paradiso offers serenity for those looking to relax; however, I’m not sure it accomplishes as much as its contemporaries. Games like Luna’s Fishing Garden and Spiritfarer occupy a similar space, boasting more engaging worlds, mechanics, and characters. Because of this, I hesitate to recommend Fishing Paradiso to anyone but the most avid fishing fans. If you have an insatiable wish to fish, then consider picking it up.
I feel conflicted after roughly five hours with Vesper: Zero Light Edition. I won’t soon forget its gorgeous backdrops and searing colors, but I also wasn’t hooked by its gameplay loop. This could be exactly what you are looking for, for those who enjoy stealth games. As for me, I will remember it less for its mechanics and more as if it were a painting.
I can happily say that I have enjoyed my time with Parkasaurus. It’s less about beholding the majesty of the dinosaurs, and more about silly fun. Park management elements feel much tighter and snappier than I expected. I watched new exhibits populate the map. Arranged flowerpots, donation boxes, and benches. I witnessed my losses slowly turn to profits. And most importantly: I put hats on my dinosaurs! Sure, there are some drawbacks with the Switch version, including occasional stutters, small text, and inexact controls, but none of those detracts from the irresistible charm of Parkasaurus.
Lila’s Sky Ark has many qualities of a masterpiece; the music is beautiful; the visuals are delightful, but it fumbles with its writing. If Lila’s Sky Ark is a poem, then it’s not a cohesive one. I still don’t know how I feel about Lila or her story; however, I had fun while playing it, and I know I will be listening to the soundtrack for many months. This game is undoubtedly a labor of love. If you want to get lost in a colorful pixel dreamscape, then you’ll feel right at home with Lila on the Rainbow Ark.