LadiesGamers.com's Reviews
I’m having a blast playing this game while I know nothing about other Touhou Projects, or Gensokyo for that matter. For fans of the games who love a bit of time management simulation, Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya is a must-play. It’s not just about cooking dishes quickly and sufficiently; the simulation aspect is fleshed out nicely as well. Chatting with characters during the day and serving them the best dishes at night ensures their friendship level rises. Which in turn leads to hearing their unique stories and their help in getting recipes, ingredients and so on. Add a great soundtrack and good graphics to all that, and you’ll understand why I love this game.
Another Crab’s Treasure has some bugs and some issues, it has some platforming challenges I prefer to never do again if I can help it, but overall, it’s a wonderful game. There is a lot of humor, a lot of beauty, and a wonderful story and music in this title (oh man, this review is already over 2,000 words, and I didn’t even talk about how good the story and music were! I have so much more I could say about this game). It’s a triumph of a Souls-like that is welcoming, accessible, and funny. I love this game more than I can say, and I think it’s art. But sadly, I can’t give it a very good rating based on the version I played. I can say that I recommend this game to everyone who has ever wanted to play a Souls-like but couldn’t get through it. I recommend this to everyone who ever loved absurdist SpongeBob SquarePants humor. I recommend this to anyone who loves Little Mermaid. If you want to laugh, cry, and have a really good time, pick up Another Crab’s Treasure. But if you have a choice, don’t pick it up on the Nintendo Switch.
I don’t love The Lullaby of Life, but I do like it, and I did get quite attached to Bombo while playing the game. I enjoyed the music and how the game looks. But at times, it certainly was not as relaxing as the blurb on the Steam page would lead you to believe. However, if you have high dexterity and are quick off the mark when pressing the right buttons to send out the soundwaves, then The Lullaby of Life might be for you.
Echoes of the Plum Grove is a charming addition to the well-populated farming/survival sim games genre. While none of the gameplay mechanics are particularly novel, the game’s unique look is sure to attract quite a few fans. At the same time, the game offers more than enough content to make you stay in-game for several seasons.
RoboSync is a short, sweet puzzle game that is cheap and offers a unique little gaming experience. It’s fun, challenging, and simple to learn. If you enjoy these kinds of puzzles that hyperfocus on one type of puzzle, you will most likely get a kick out of RoboSync.
Cats Balance is a delightful little puzzle game created entirely in a cozy color palette and pixel graphics. The music is pleasant enough, but it can be played with music off while doing something else, as I did.
In all honesty, I was pretty disappointed with Doctor Cat. I like the idea, and the artwork is spectacular, but the execution is not amazing. If you are looking for a jigsaw puzzle-type game and you are willing to shell out $6 USD for 12-24 puzzles, I can recommend this game. The puzzles are pretty fun. However, the rest of the game, from the music to the text, kind of let me down. I’m not sure how I feel about Doctor Cat. I am certainly not in love with it, and I know I am disappointed at what was missing, but I did have some fun with the actual puzzles. However, I’m not sure I can recommend this game.
Poorzzle – Puzzle Alive is one of those puzzle games that is particularly frustrating. It’s clean, the action is great, and the sound design is okay, but the overall product is not as much fun as it could easily be. I was very disappointed with how this turned out, considering how good the basic idea, look, and feel of the game was. Free or not, I think this developer needs a few more playtesters and translation help.
Sagres feels right at home on the Nintendo Switch, especially in handheld mode. It is an addictive adventure that can be picked up in long and short bursts that will particularly appeal to players who like numbers and stats. The difficulty can spike a bit unfairly in places, and missions can sometimes feel repetitive. But with an addictive gameplay loop and impressive detail to history and geography, Sagres is currently looking like one of the best hidden gems this year. If you’re looking for something different to become immersed in, then I highly recommend sailing the seas of the eShop to find this.
If you like Sokoban-inspired puzzles, then Sokobalien is a great buy. For the price asked, you can have the game on your handheld device and take it with you. A great pick-up and play puzzler!
Lunar Lander Beyond was a mixed experience for me. On the one hand, I liked how the game maintained the control scheme from the original, requiring patience and careful control to succeed in missions. The different ships, upgrades and pilot perks also add some satisfying variety to keep you interested till the end of the game. The reasonably short mission structure would also appeal to busy gamers who can only fit a few short sessions in here and there. Features I wasn’t so fond of was the stress meter which felt more like a nuisance than a rewarding challenge to overcome. Also, the missions, while showing some variety, felt a bit repetitive at times. Do I recommend the game? Yes. Lunar Lander Beyond is different from a lot of games on the market, and so long as you go in with a patient mindset, I think you’ll have fun with it.
Ready, Steady, Ship! is another example of a game that turns a real-world occupation into something silly but ultimately fun. That is provided you’re playing in co-op. Single-player is not awful, but it highlights some of the game’s niggles, such as floaty controls, wonky physics and the experience feeling more mundane. But throw a controller at another player, and much of this is overlooked since you can just sit back and have fun with the silliness on screen. Add to the star system not being tied to a time limit, and you also have an experience that’s welcoming to those who have found other co-op games a tad stressful. Need another game night for two? Then consider Ready, Steady, Ship! for your next purchase.
It won’t take long to fall in love with Nowa and his initial teammates on the Watch, and the bittersweet story beats come achingly fast in the first act of the game. Those who played the prologue game, Eiyuden Chronicles Rising, won’t have to wait long to meet some familiar faces and learn the answers to some of the questions left hanging there. From there, the journey is a comfortably familiar but emotional one, where power-hungry villains separate friends and family under the banner of a war that threatens to grow out of control. It’s a beefy game, too, with backers who already got their copy claiming that they’re clocking 60 hours on a fast-paced playthrough, and I’m suggesting that around 80 is going to be a fair hour count for most players. Chock full of stuff to do, things to explore, and characters to meet and collect; for some of us, this is the game we wanted when we were teens and still enjoying our last free summers. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a fantastic JRPG, wearing its old-school quirks like a badge of pride, with even its deliberate annoyances feeling like a wool flannel shirt. I can safely say it’s a terrific game and one its backers will welcome home with delight.
Paragon Pioneers 2 is an idle simulation ideal for patient players who enjoy making small changes and returning later to see the larger effects. However, I’m not a particularly patient person, and while I took delight upon returning to Paragon Pioneers 2, seeing that my little pioneers had been busy at work during the time I was absent, I’m not into idle gameplay. I much prefer to play a game and see the effects there and then. But for those players who enjoy idle gameplay, Paragon Pioneers 2 is definitely a game to try either on PC or mobile.
Harold Halibut is a long-awaited game that more than pays off the wait. It’s a classic adventure game with a lot of soul that shouldn’t be missed.
RestorArt: Fairwood Hills Collector’s Edition is a great game. While some of the people are a little uncanny valley, the artwork you’re “restoring” is nice to look at overall. The music and sound effects are great. You can turn the tutorial off at any time. There is a lot to like about these sorts of games. If you enjoy puzzle mash-up games like Maze Of Realities and Twistingo, you’ll really like this game as well.
Since discovering productivity apps, I’ve spent quite a while testing some of them. My daily app is Virtual Cottage, but now, with Spirit City: Lofi Sessions, a worthy opponent has arrived. Between its cozy esthetics, the potential for more customizations, and the integration of other YouTube playlists, I can spend time with Spirit City: Lofi Sessions.
The Planet Crafter provides a free new injection of green life to the survival genre. As opposed to starting in a forest and chopping trees down. You are instead creating that forest from nothing. The game employs familiar crafting and survival elements that have been seen in many other games. I think the only deterrent to some players is there is a lot of busy work in this game that may not click with people not taken with the genre in previous attempts. However, if you are new to the genre, Planet Crafter is a great starting point. And if you are a fan of the genre, it brings plenty of that addictive crafting gameplay and exploration, which will keep you hooked for some time. Add onto that the ability to play with friends, and you may just have your next online game, a night game. As for me, I can see myself jumping on this on Steam Deck for some time in the coming year and possibly beyond.
Cirrus Business has the framework to be a cute, wholesome game, with growing plants, restoring the energy for the biomes and lovely graphics. I feel the balance of Cirrus Business Economy, as the game calls it, isn’t right. But, if you are more nimble-fingered than I am, you might have no trouble beating the Slobsters and gathering all the Windsprinkles you need.
All in all, Sophia the Traveler is a solid entry in the hidden object genre. It has all the hallmarks of an excellent game. For me, the hint recharge time was a bit long. This, coupled with the vast scenes with more minor elements to find, such as bone or a backpack, made for an exhausting rather relaxing experience. But this game is for you if you like detailed hidden object scenes.