Recent reviews by *blink*blink*

Okay, hands-down, one of the best games I've played all year has been RiME. The world is breathtaking and immersive, and the game has a very minimalistic aproch to guidance and story (lack of dialogue, etc.), which only seems to immerse you more, as you get invested in the curiosities of this world. The puzzles are great, with lots of use of the 3D world and terrain. ... I really wish there were more games like this.

Not bad for $1
Just picked up Islands: Non-Places during the Steam Autumn Sale. It's quite pretty, surealist, and very short. More of an experience rather than a game, despite interactive elements. But a nice little dreamscape nonetheless. :) — with Islands: Non-Places.

Non-indie game recommendation here. ... Recently I played the sh!t outta Prey -- like over 50 hours of gameplay; you certainly get your money's worth. That game was hella fun, and it's got a bit of everything: exploration and breathtaking settings, a intriguing and well-paced unfolding storyline, action and combat that feels right/satisfying, and spaaaaaaaaaace. And, of course, the graphics are gorgeous, which add splendidly to the imersion. I definitely recommend this game; worth every penny. — with Prey.

Next recommendation: Little Nightmares. Just got finished playing this dark gem last night. It's a puzzle-platformer, in which you are trying to escape this hell-hole of an orphanage/sweat-factory that you've been trapped in. And it is *super* dark. (And I don't mean just visually, as you are this tiny yellow brightness in a dark and dingy world.) Not only do you traverse off-putting Sweeny-Todd-like settings, including the Kitchen, the Creepy Nursery, the Meat Freezer, and a room that's just a pit of discarded shoes (all of which are enhanced by the game's visual perspective: you are a miniature figure in a giant world around you), but you also encounter terrifying people-monsters, portrayed in this warped, distorted/exaggerated style like you see in Japanese animation fantasy. That theme continues, complete with creepy Kabuki masks and evil angry spirits, as you work your way to the surface. Aesthetically beautiful, this game kept distracting me with it's mesmerizing use of light and shadow and dynamic depth-of-field focus, giving it this immersive yet ethereal quality to the game.

Played ICARUS.1 this weekend. It's your basic abandoned-space-station-what-happened-to-the-crew? game. ... But, even though we've seen this premise before, this game still gets a recommendation from me. Mostly, it's the atmosphere and setting that does it -- it's beautiful. A really cool place to explore as you fine clues as to what happen the crew and how to get off this ship.

Not a new game by any means, but I played Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons (by Starbreeze Studios) yesterday. Beautiful little game; I was especially struck by the dynamic use of light and shadow as you move around the different environments. It's a puzzle-adventure game, which is essentially a single-person co-op game. It's got a unique gameplay mechanic in which you control the 2 brothers separately with the 2 joysticks on the controller. (I also really appreciated the seamless transitions between cinematic bits and gameplay.) Eventhough it's not new, it still holds up well. Definitely worth picking up.

Just finished Samorost3 -- a point-and-click puzzle game by Amanita Design (the guys who made Machinarium and Botanicula). ... I still really love the character and design of these little games. They make me smile. Full of beautiful--slightly sureal--fantastic settings, with an endearingly quirky main character, who travels across space to unique planetoids, solving problems and putting bits right again.
Enjoy.

MOAR PUZZLES. ... Just got done with The Room 2 (sequel to Fireproof Games's The Room (2012 video game)), which just came out on PC/Steam.
Yep. Solid. Worth playing. I really like these games--lot of puzzles, spacial manipulation, some search-and-find, codes and symbols, and plenty of gears.

Damn this game was good.

Aaah! I loved the concept of this game. I just wish it was much longer. That last puzzle/area is so cool!