Recent reviews by Maratz

First there was only blackness. Then, Someone (presumably Eru) spoke and from Their mouth came an echo, a sound. Music was born and within, a peculiar rhythm to guide your steps. It goes like this: one-two-three-four, and jump. And roll. And move to the right. And dance. Embracing the music means embracing the world, this world as small as a tweet, as precious too. Count in your head, let it flow. 140 is all about being one with the shapes. Circle, and you move. Square, and you stand still. Triangle, and you just jumped. It's all you need to live.


...a platformer with true rigorous rhythm. Forget BIT.TRIP RUNNER. Here, you listen or you die. Cherish your ears, pay attention.
...blessed with colourful visuals and flashy rotations. If you are sensible to epilepsy and such, do not play 140.
...certainly too short, a mere excuse to replay it again and again. Perhaps you could join our speedrunning community? We don't bite.


...full of modes and bonuses and achievements and lenghty fillers. It goes straight to the point.
...a game about modern art, although it uses very few assets.
...a game about Twitter.

It begins just like a fable, but a dark one, with snow, supernatural beings and blood. In the middle of a Sweden forest, a man tries to catch a glimpse of his own future by year walking. What is it? The methods are unorthodox; the consequences are grim. In the end, nobody will survive this hubris. Fables are no more, they say. Video games killed them. Year Walk disagrees. It's an embodiment of things past that shall never be forgotten. The moral lesson will survive: some things are better left unknown. Year Walk is a reminder not to play God.


...a game with a strong atmosphere and a gloomy mood. Jumpscares may occur, so be warned.
...forcing you to play at least twice to begin understanding the whole thing.
...relatively easy on the puzzle, and does not require a PhD in Braid-o-phily.


...a fast-paced game with guns and explosions. Everything is slow, even the walking.
...long enough. In fact, it is very short. Know what you are getting into before buying it.
...for those who hate reading and connecting the dots by themselves.

Naija swims and claws her way out of this vivid, subaquatic world. Hear me roar! Hear me squeal! Hear me cry! Sometimes weak, sometimes strong, she explores the tunnels, uncovers ancient civilizations and takes us on a journey beyond the sea. The world is full of creatures, and yet she is so alone: when the time comes, who will watch over her sleep? Surely no gods, for they have fallen into the abyss, far far down in the depths below. A mother maybe? A lover? What joy will you find in those mysterious waters? Be strong. Take courage. Become Naija.


...a labyrinthine world full of secret passages, hidden caves and dozens of tunnels to get lost into.
...a journey without hints or indicators, not for the easily disorientated minds.
...slightly easier to control than Ecco, its spiritual inspiration, but rigid nonetheless. Be patient with the controls.


...a fast-paced action game. The emphasis is on the exploration.
...very satisfying with a controller. Prefer the keyboard.
...putting you in the shoes of a 30-something white male. Naija is a female, sometimes hideous, sometimes beautiful.

It's a magic trick seen twice. The first time you're a child, you see the rabbit coming out of the hat, it's jaw-dropping. Encore, you say. Years later, you're the magician assistant. He's doing the same performance than before, but this time you can see it. The rabbit has never been in the hat to begin with. It's disheartening. Magic tastes bad on your fingers. Too much cubes, too much puzzles pinned on the walls. You search for a meaning, and you can see them everywhere, but it's just not the same anymore. Stay a child, enjoy the first half.


...a mind-bending experience that may cause nausea and self-questioning.
...a relaxing, non-violent game with no enemy.
...a puzzle-driven adventure for those who normally don't like puzzle-driven adventure.


...blessed with closure. The end will leave you unsatisfied and thirsty for answers.
...recommended for those who hate minimalism and the color white.
...forcing you to finish it in order to enjoy it.

It's a tile-matching game. It's a lonely dungeon crawler, never-ending looter. The skill is irrelevant since it is infinite. The more you play...well, the more you play, period. Eventually you'll get out, almost surely. It's just a matter of when, not how and if. Pixels are all over the place, and they are extremely big. You have upgrades, upgrades, and even more upgrades. It's a game you play for five minutes until you realize there are dozens of titles that lie dormant in your library, waiting to be discovered while you waste your time running after ten million points.


...very appropriate if you don't know what to do at work.
...ugly, extremely ugly, even by retro-pixel-indie standards
...mixing two genres, for better or for worse.


...challenging. It's quite the opposite.
...leaving your mind for some time, thanks to the music that keeps on repeating forever.
...a game about numbers, big numbers and scores.