Recent reviews by sweetcuppincakes

I beat this game months ago and still think about it. It is one of the more bizarre worlds I've gotten to experience in a game. It's haunting, violent, mysterious, and heavy in atmosphere. There is no dialogue and nothing is spelled out for you. I didn't have an issue with that at all. I devised an explanation that makes sense to me. Whether it is what the developers intended or not, I don't know, but I feel like that is what was intended. Scorn is not an action game. The combat can be frustrating and at times feels tacked on. This is a strange and contemplative puzzle/walking simulator inspired by H R Giger. Seems some people didn't understand that going in, but I got exactly what I wanted from the game.

An obvious homage to Shadow of the Colossus, which isn't a bad thing at all. I didn't like the survival elements or having limited inventory slots. Those and the snow storms made it a hassle to explore, which was a pleasant part of SotC. Also unfortunate because it seemed like they put some thought into creating some interesting puzzles. I did like having the parachute and hookshot. Otherwise, it plays mostly like SotC, just maybe not as good all around. Still, it is worth playing to get to experience climbing and taking down giants again.

I bought DRG during the Summer sale 2021 and it has already become one of my most-played games. With randoms, with friends, or solo, there is a lot of fun and challenge to be had. It has the best and friendliest community. There are now officially supported mods for all sorts of QoL and fun changes. And a completely free battle pass. This is a dev that really gets it. Rock and Stone!

You get to kill your dad over and over again. It's great!

For a game that's all about repetition, they did a good job of advancing the story piece by piece and keeping your attention. It also has a variety of weapon styles and challenges that keep things fresh. There are some interesting ways of incorporating grinding into the gameplay loop that don't make it feel so grindy. Also it's just fun to play.

This is one of those games that sticks with you. I finished it months before writing this review and I still think about it. I still listen to the OST. Unfortunately, because it sticks with you, you can't go back and experience it again. It's one of those kinds of games though. The ones where you say "I wish I could forget everything and play this game for the first time again." The less you know about the story of this game, the better. As great as I think this game is, I recognize that it's not for everyone. Here are some reasons why:

Piloting a lander
One of the things you do a lot in this game is pilot a small lander from planet to planet. You do this with thrusters for the main cardinal directions, and can rotate 360 for more precise movement. If you can't make a gentle landing or match the trajectory of another moving object, this game will probably frustrate you. You get better at piloting the more you play, but it takes some getting used to.

There's no direction
Everything in this game is for you to discover on your own. You get something like two explicit objectives in the entire game. The rest is for you to figure out. You have a computer that tracks your discoveries and gaps in your knowledge. Through that you can figure out your next steps. So you aren't entirely rudderless, but you don't get way-points on your map or objectives to check off. You also don't have to use the computer at all if you don't want to.

There are time gates and skill gates
This game will test your mastery of its skills at times. You will need to be able to do things within a certain amount of time, like reach a room before it fills up with sand. You will need to be able to navigate obstacles where one wrong move means failure. Along with the above point about there being no clear objectives, this game also involves some trial and error. You will need to figure out the solution to a puzzle by trying and failing.

If one or more of those things sounds like a deal-breaker, maybe you wouldn't be able to look past them to experience what is so great about Outer Wilds. There is something special here though. I really loved this game, even when I got stuck or lost. It's challenging, but there is a zen-like quality to it as well. I still marvel at the one-of-a-kind experiences and incredible story I got to witness. Play this game.

There are 8 different mechs you can transform into that each has a unique ability that allow you to access new parts of the map. There is a good variety in the mechs, enemies, and bosses. Nothing frustrating about the way it plays. Overall, I enjoyed this game. It took me 3.5 hours to 100% it with very little grinding or backtracking.

This is a fun little game that doesn't overstay its welcome. The puzzles are interesting and there are a good number of secrets to find.

There was enough to this game in version 1.0 for an definite recommendation. The 1.4 update just came out and it is crazy to think of all that has been added in the past few years. This is a game with broad appeal as you can play however you would like. Focus on your farm, focus on the quests, focus on the relationships, or try to do it all.

Refunded. Seemed fun, but the game would freeze every few minutes and I had to force quit each time.

I really enjoyed most of this game. The atmosphere, the audio, the voice acting, and the concept are fantastic. The actual game play is less so, but I feel that in light of the experience I was having, that can be forgiven. I was engrossed in who Senua was as a character and I felt for her through her struggles. Some of the things said in this game gave me chills and made me uncomfortable enough at times that I had to take a break from playing. On the other hand, however, the combat is rather dull. The puzzle sections sometimes overstay their welcome. Towards the end it started to feel like a grind. I wish the game had gripped me as tightly at the end as it did in the beginning.

My biggest complaint is that the discoverable audio, which features stories about the Viking gods or encounters with Senua's mother, can be missed. Not a problem in itself, but there is no chapter select (even when the game is over). If you miss any of these encounters, you would have to replay the entire game again. There is important context in these sections. For a game which focuses so heavily on story, why would you want your audience to possibly miss out on what you've created?

Overall, this game offers a unique experience and I am glad I played it. It has some of the best voice acting I've ever heard in a game. I might revisit it again in a few years. I do think people should be aware of what they are getting: an amazing and heart wrenching story, superb audio (acting and atmospheric), and average game play.