Recent reviews by m

I am so, *so* impressed by Dave the Diver! I wasn't sure that the combination of a restaurant manager and a world-exploring diving game would work, but I'm pleasantly surprised that it does. In comparison to other games in this genre (like Moonlighter), this game does a stellar job of striking the balance between both "sides" of the game. Neither diving nor restaurant managing really feels like a chore, and while they are disjoint elements of the game, it's clear that they operate as a cohesive unit.

There's a lot more to love. The world building - from a visual, auditory, and plot perspective - is stellar. The diversity of the ocean life - and the resulting fish you can make - is really impressive! The majority of the side quests don't feel distracting, and the minigames make for a fun break from the core gameplay loop (which is especially important given how cyclical things are). There's a dynamism in the level design too - the game constantly throws new things at you! And while there are some intense button mashing elements, I'm glad that they aren't pivotal to the game - and that there are settings for users who may struggle with those "bullet time"-style events, which is always great for accessibility.

I'm also grateful that the game doesn't take itself too seriously, which leads to some fun dialogue and some hilarious cutscenes: impressing VIPs and leveling up dishes are easily some of the funniest moments in the game. It somehow doesn't underscore the overall theme of the game - a love and respect for nature, wildlife, and food.

Don't get me wrong, there are a few rough edges - though all relatively minor. There are a handful of fetch quests (and other events) that feel a bit tedious, especially once you're later in the game. I wish that earlier fish had some use after you progress later into the game (though that seems like a balancing challenge, so I'm not too sad). And, there are some game elements that lack clarity - like if you miss a particular dialogue element and a general vagueness on how some stats in the game influence each other. I think I've now reached a point where the game feels a tad repetitive, though that's to be expected!

But, all in all, this is a stellar game. Cannot recommend enough - it's easily my favourite game that's come out this year!

Inscryption is a masterclass in playing card roguelikes, a gripping metafictional story, and truly innovative game mechanics. Don't spoil yourself before giving this a shot! Going in blind is the best way to enjoy it :)

Dinosaur Polo Club does it again! Just like its sister game Mini Metro, Mini Motorways is a low-stress, minimalist, but challenging transit simulator that toes the line between being stressful and relaxing. Compared to Mini Metro, Mini Motorways adds a couple of new challenging game features: terrain that blocks your roads (and can be resolved by tunnels), traffic management with things like traffic lights and roundabouts, and a new take on bottlenecks (cars on roads with traffic, rather than not having enough subway cars). Beyond that, the soundtrack is stellar! This is easily a game that I could sink hours into, but also paced into bite-sized chunks (compared to something like Civ V, where a game *has to* take a certain amount of time).

I would recommend Mini Motorways to anybody who likes minimalist sims, especially Mini Metro! That being said, I don't think the gameplay loop is *that* different from Mini Metro, and if you're deciding between the both, the cheaper option is probably the best bet.

Slime Rancher is one of my favourite games of the year, and I love it for the same reasons I loved Stardew Valley. Slime Rancher is a cute, fun, and relaxing game: in a world of ultra-competitive online games and high-stakes singleplayer RPGs, it's nice to have a game that you can just relax with and just enjoy playing the game.

In Slime Rancher, you're an ambitious rancher who takes care of many cute slimes, by providing them with food, shelter, and unconditional love. You'll encouter beautiful environments, widly different (but all equally cute) types of slimes, and pimp out your farm in the process. Throughout your slime adventures, you'll learn more about where you are, and about your (and a previous rancher's) life.

From a gameplay perspective, Slime Rancher is very simple but addictively fun. Mechanics are really simple, and the game emphasizes player happiness over all else in its design. In fact, there's even a game mode where some of the barriers in gameplay (such as Tarr slimes, the only non-cute slime) are removed - it's really easy to have a great time.

I think Slime Rancher is a great game, and I encourage you to give it a shot. While it isn't an inherently complex or competitive game, it's one of the most relaxing and fun experiences I've had from a video game in a long time. Everybody needs at least a little bit of Slime Rancher in their life!

This game is the bastion of a well-designed RPG, and game (heh). Now that we've got that one pun out of the way, I truly do think that Bastion is one of the best RPG games out there, especially because it focuses on untraditional aspects of a game, and focuses on making a game a piece of art.

Obviously, Bastion does the RPG-part of an RPG well. The plot is pretty well-crafted (no big holes), and I truly do buy into the story of the game. The characters are well-made, and while they lack a bit of depth (the game is a bit short compared to, let's say, Skyrim), they're still pretty cool. The in-game mechanics also are pretty good, and fit into the RPG-ish genre: you run around on an isometric platform, using your weapons to defeat the many nefarious enemies you'll encounter. You upgrade (and sidegrade) your character, weapon choice, and even game difficulty as the game goes on. All things normal for an RPG, and all things done well.

I think where the game excels is the concept of art, and art in the game. First of all, the game is very visually appealing. According to the creators, Supergiant Games, the entire game is hand-painted; I've got to give kudos to their painting. The landscape is breathtaking, enemies really do look and feel like enemies, and each part of the map has its own special graphical feel (e.g. forests, swamps, cities). From an audio standpoint, there's also this narrator that accompanies you around the game, and he's one of the best serious narrators I've encountered. In addition, the soundtrack is absoutely amazing. Whoever they hired to do their sound really puts you into the game: common RPG tropes like "boss-fight music" are done very well, and the atmosphere is set during troughs of playtime. I've even added some of the songs on Spotify, and that's something I rarely see from video games.

The game is also replayable (there's a new game + mode), and has a mechanism called "shrines" that can make the game harder, for better rewards. Plus, as you level up and gain access to more weapons, different playstyles are available.

Overall, Bastion is one of the best RPGs I've played in a long time, and I definitely think it's worth its selling price. It functions well as an RPG game, but also has the added bonus of being a well-developed piece of art. If you're someone who likes games that are both fun to play and fun to just watch and listen, Bastion's definitely the game for you.

At its core, Firewatch is a glorified walking simulator. Sure, it doesn't have great mechanics, or Bethesda-worthy plot, but that's alright; that's not why I play walking simulators. Firewatch is exactly what I wanted from it: a beautiful game, with a beautiful setting, soundtrack, and story. I'd caution you from buying this game if you're looking for a Skyrim; but if you're someone who wants to take a 2 or 3 hour break from life and just watch the beauty of nature, this is your game.

In Firewatch, you play as Henry, a new fire lookout in Shoshone National Forest (in Wyoming). You spend your days doing fire lookout stuff, including looking at just how ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ beautiful this game is. It kinda makes me want to take a trip to Yellowstone just to take a look with my own eyes. Anyways, along with this, there's a plot (that I won't spoil). It's mediocre, but there are definitely some sad parts, and some happy parts. But, along the way, you'll look at the beauty of the entire map, and listen to great atmospheric soundtracks, and generally have a good time as you explore the forest and everything it has to offer. In addition, character development is pretty nice: I love the personalities in this game, and you really feel like you're Henry and going through the ups and downs of life. Plus, this game isn't mechanically intensive; it's supposed to be a relaxing game, which is great if you're looking to take a break from fast-paced anything.

I have very little criticisms of this game: unlike some other players, I don't really feel duped or anything. I will say that it's a short game (2-3 hours), doesn't have much mechanical or plot depth (counterbalanced by amazing visuals and audio), and the ending is a bit... wonky. Regardless, if you're looking for an awesome experience, I'd definitely recommend Firewatch to you.

Oh man, where do I begin.

Game Dev Tycoon is one of the best simulation games I've ever played. It gives you a general feel of how the game industry has evolved throughout the years, parodying famous events, and has really immersive gameplay combined with that "one more turn" feel from titles like Civilization V. I'd recommend it to anybody who likes, well, having fun.

Game Dev Tycoon sets you off in your own measly garage, making a 2D game. But as you make more and more games, you witness the world around you change: gaming becomes more popular, companies arise, and it becomes the next trend. The game portrays this transformation amazingly: you get to experience firsthand how the gaming industry morphed small developers into the giants of gaming today. Along this path, you manage your own gaming company, churning out titles that decide your company's fate, and, the gaming world's fate.

The gameplay in Game Dev is deceptively simple. You create games, with certain genres, and you allocate how much time each specific part needs (such as Level Design, or Engine). Over time, you learn what combinations create your AAA games, and what can give you the most money. Along the way, you add more features: Character Progression, Loading Screens, etc. Eventually, you'll be able to make giant projects, and more! Throughout this entire time, you also manage your staff, control marketing, and PR. It gives a very immersive experience in the simulation genre.

Furthermore, the game provides lots of replayability. Every new game start provides different scenarios, and you can tell the game to veer off course of what happened in reality. The Steam Workshop community provides even more: hundreds of mods for the game can change your experience, whether it be the addition of "Next-Gen Consoles", or the pcmasterrace. The game goes way beyond the initial purchase, giving you endless opportunities.

Game Dev Tycoon may not be a AAA title, but it's definitely worth its price, and more. It features very immersive gameplay and storytelling, a fabulous community, and an overall well-designed game. Kudos to Greenheart Games for making one of my favourite simulation games of all time!

EDIT: Since I wrote this review, Mini Metro added a lot of settings (including audio!!!), a "Daily Challenge Mode", and a lot of other neat things! My recommendation still stands, just beware that some of the information is a bit dated.

When I first got Mini Metro, I assumed it'd be similar to games like Train Simulator, or SimCity. And it is, to a certain extent. But it also isn't. Mini Metro is packed with a very minimal design, a beautiful colour scheme, and a very intuitive interface. It just looks... smooth. It opts for a very clean, non-distractive interface, which is welcoming for a casual game to play.

The gameplay is stellar. While it doesn't reach levels of complexity that Train Simulator will have, it emulates a very tough, decision making game, while still keeping its casual feel. You plan out the metro system for a variety of cities, with each city having its own characteristics (for example, Osaka features the Shinkansen, or the Bullet Train). You struggle to make sure none of your stations overflow, and at the same time make sure that everybody gets where they want to. You are restricted in the amount of trains, lines, and tunnels you have, creating a level of depth most casual games don't hold.

My only critique of the game is the lack of information and music/audio, but it's Early Access! For what it is, especially its price, Mini Metro is one of the best Early Access games I've come across. I've bought the game to support the developer, and watch the game evolve, and boy, sure it has. Updates are pushed regularily, and bugs are fixed.

Mini Metro is one of those games that looks simple on the surface, but has layers of complexity, while keeping its casual style. I would recommend it to anybody who wants a game to sink 20 minutes in, and have fun while using their brain!

To be completely honest, I didn't expect much from Evoland. I got it during the Winter Sale, and thought it was going to be a straightforward RPG.

To a certain extent, I was wrong.

Evoland takes you through the history of the RPG genre: through Zelda, Pokemon, Diablo, and many more classics. While the gameplay itself isn't stellar, the parodying of RPG classics, along with a beatiful representation of the RPG timeline, definitely makes this game a worthwhile buy.

It is rather short, and doesn't have much replayability. Furthermore, the game does get a bit "grindy" at times, a la Diablo. Nevertheless, it's worth it, as you explore a beautifully animated world, and changing the medium that you look at the world.

I'm not trying to say this game provides Skyrim-depth plot, replayability, or graphics: but for 9.99, it's a great steal for several hours of fun! Definitely would recommend for a casual game.

P.S. It says I only have 0.1 hours because of a Steam Offline Play glitch, I have about 6 or 7.

Antichamber. It looks and sounds so simplistic. But it isn't.

Antichamber is a puzzle game that challenges your mind. What seems simple isn't so, and what seems complicated is easy. Return to places different than you remember. All of what Antichamber is as a game, is to screw you mentally. That's why I love it.

You are in a pseudo-sensory-deprivation chamber. You navigate your way through a simple world.

W for forward.

A for left.

But wait. It gets way more complicated. Some pathways are straightforward and simple. Some require meticulous observation. Some require you to take a step back, look in a certain area, move in a certain way. As the game moves forward, the complexity increases.

Pick up and move blocks.

Solve puzzles.

Turn around.

Shift blocks forward.

Destroy them.

Multiply them.

Fly.

Soon, your ability augments even more: you learn more new tricks, but continue to use the old.

Swap perspectives.

Expand.

Solve.

Extract.

And finally, presented with the final problem. you need to outsmart it. You need to use everything you know, from the basic WASD and jump, to the complex techniques that you have learned from the Manipulator. To destroy the final dark force. To escape.

10/10 - IGN.

While I wouldn't say it has too much replayability, it certainly is possible. It's fun! You can stretch your brain to its limits, and spend hours upon hous figuring out one piece to the worldly puzzle. It has a pretty short campaign, though the speed all depends on how fast it takes you to figure out each puzzle. There are hidden secrets in-game, hidden perspectives, and hidden meanings. Pick up this game now, and understand everything!

Explore. Play. Observe. Destroy. Antichamber.