Recent reviews by InSomnisVeritas

Very charming and fun short adventure about the tribulations of a newly hired game developer in a big corporation. It is... actually uncannily accurate about "some" of the things that happen.

Oh, and the receptionist is the best. You'll know what I mean.

This is a difficult game to recommend for everyone, but it certainly has its audience, so let me start by saying:

Ravensword: Shadowlands is a game for you if you:

• Are in the mood for a light, simplified RPG with limited customization and options
  
• Are not scared by less than stellar graphics
  
• Can tolerate a bit of grinding

On the other hand, if you are purist of the genre or have very high expectations, I would not recommend this game to you. You'll only get frustrated, or bored. And life is too short to be either.

Ravensword: Shadowlands is a simple game, with simple aspirations. The world is built with thick, not too careful brush strokes, and the story follows the same pattern. Still, it works, and that's as much as you can ask of it. The gameplay is kind of barebones for an RPG, with a small skill tree where most branches aren't really needed. Also, you'll find places where difficulty spikes are big, seemingly to encourage longer playtimes.

However, there are interesting ideas in the package. And the game is pretty optimized for a casual audience. The quests aren't overly long and can be easily followed, inventory management is reduced to a minimal expression (only weight can give you some problems from time to time) and the world is attractive enough to keep you engaged for the relatively modest amount of hours you need to dedicate to the game.

I am recommending the game based on the premise at the beginning, and also because, for me, it filled a very simple place in my library: a simple distraction from more complicated games. Sometimes, that's exactly what's needed.

As an adaptation of the somewhat popular comic series, The Interactive Adventures of Dog Mendonça & Pizzaboy works exceedingly well. It has all the atmosphere and all the humor and all the gorgeous art. It is a humorous take on the "underground paranormal detective" trope done with a lot of love for the point and click adventures of old.

As a game, it has some shortcomings: the environments could be more interactive, the descriptions more detailed, the puzzles less straightforward and the length of the adventure... well, longer. But even with this shorcomings, the game is a nice one, fun and interesting, with some innovative takes on action (sort of QTE sequences for fighting and interrogation loops to go through).

All in all, it feels like that game is a good one, that can be recommended, but that could have been more. Maybe a sequel, maybe other cases in the form of DLC? Future will tell.

This is a fairly short B-list sci-fi shooter without many pretentions. It was released in 2007, so you should be expecting dated graphics. If you are able to look past these defects (and some bad voice over and questionable choice of weaponry too), you can find here the type of game that it's fun to romp in about for a while and that does not overstay its welcome.

It is worth a playthrough, as long as you keep your expectations in check.

Very interesting little game. It got a considerable amount of press when it was just launched, and deservedly so, as being an oddity in the market. An RPG Maker title without real RPG elements, without a usable inventory, without quests, without fighting mechanics (no, THAT part does definitely not count), and completely story-driven... no wonder many have erroneously tried to argue that "it's not a game".

Well, it is and it isn't, I guess, if you use a restrictive and limited definition of what a game is. You certainly won't have a good time if the only thing you care about is graphic resolution or gameplay innovation. But it is certainly an experience that's worth having if you care about storytelling, infancy dreams, the mistakes we make as we grow and how our past and present are inextricably linked.