Recent reviews by divlyfein

"I'm an unemployed housewife. Stuck in a hellhole with nothing... but sun and ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ wheat."

"Loretta is a psychological thriller that makes the player an accessory to the heroine’s crimes, leading her through a self-crafted nightmare."

Steeped in 1940's noir, Loretta oozes darkness, despair, and deceit. Loretta is a housewife that finds herself in the rural south after living the high life in New York City. Falling on hard times with intense hatred, Loretta descends into a nightmarish hell as her world crumbles around her.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3098119234
Loretta is a narrative adventure game filled with dialogue and cryptic puzzles. The players actions and dialogue choices are important as they direct the flow of the game, amounting to five different endings. Loretta plays much like visual novels; familiars to the genre will feel right at home. There is an emphasis on puzzles and mysteries to solve as well. Loretta is a deeply psychological game where the player is questioned on how far they are willing to descend into the nightmare. I need to mention that this games runs perfectly on Steam Deck and I highly recommend playing it this way if you have one.

Inspired by the works of Andrew Wyeth and Edward Hopper (of Nighthawks fame), the art style of Loretta is absolutely beautiful. Think 1940's Americana with a flair of dystopian and loneliness. My favorite addition to Loretta is the ability to play in two different modes: Color mode and Noir mode. You get the best of both worlds, along with Noir mode acting as a hard mode with harder puzzles and vacant visual hints.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3098119341
The original soundtrack was composed by Efim Mylnikov and it is quite beautiful. The Soundtrack is full of piano and swelling strings, invoking that sinister dark alley noir aesthetic. The full soundtrack is readily available from the artist themselves via YouTube. I would also like to point out the deeply unsettling foley throughout Loretta like creaking doors and spinning weather vanes. The sound effects fill voids in the music that really set an unsettling tone.

https://youtu.be/v5HCiPuXYCQ?
As previously mentioned, Loretta has a Color and Noir mode with five different endings. There is a quite a bit or replay value although it is a short game to begin with. Loretta also features a digital art book as a separate purchase if you so desire. For any achievement hunters it took me around 11 hours to get every achievement at a casual pace.

Loretta is an underrated game that I wanted to show some love towards for the 2023 Steam Awards. I nominated Loretta for the Best Game on Steam Deck and Outstanding Story-Rich Game awards. If you are a fan of film noir, seedy underbellies, and webs of deceit then you will feel right at home. Loretta is a game with little to no happiness, pure hatred, despair... perfect for doomers. With a beautiful art style and a story that sticks with you long after the fact, it is hard not to recommend.

"Just don’t act like you don’t want me. That’s disrespectful."

"Marissa Marcel was a film star. She made three movies. But none of the movies were ever released. And Marissa Marcel disappeared."

IMMORTALITY is an interactive film, deeply reminiscent of full-motion video games from the 1990s. IMMORTALITY is directed by Sam Barlow, whose previous works include Silent Hill: Origins, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Her Story, and Telling Lies. IMMORTALITY is composed of three distinctive films, from three different time periods, that tell the story of actress Marissa Marcel. None of the three films were ever released and it is up to the player to uncover the mystery surrounding Marissa Marcel’s disappearance.

It is worth noting the mature content description. This game has it all so be forewarned.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2892160711
IMMORTALITY is played through the viewing and playback of fragmented scenes from the three Marissa Marcel films. Scenes, much like any video, can be paused, fast-forwarded, and rewound. Utilizing the match cut feature, interacting with an object on screen will uncover a new scene symbolically linked to the previous scene. The game begins with a singular scene and it is up to the player's exploration where they end up next. There are hundreds of scenes and it is not improbable to believe that no two experiences play out exactly the same. The three films are from 1968, 1970, and 1999; each film is stylistically reminiscent of the era they were made. Jumping from era to era is jarring but feels cohesive and flows seamlessly. Scenes cover a wide gamut ranging from actual film clips, behind the scene's footage, and candid taping of the character’s lives.

There is not much to say about IMMORTALITY’S graphics in the traditional video game sense. As far as the film quality goes, it is stunning and extremely well done. Each film is appropriate to the era they represent. The set design is meticulous, including massive painted backdrops that are breathtaking. Every frame feels engaging.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2892160724
The original soundtrack was composed by Nainita Desai who also did Barlow’s previous game, Telling Lies. The soundtrack is available on the usual streaming services. I'm hoping a physical edition is in the works. The music serves as an eerie backdrop while perusing the menus and various scenes, encouraging a mysterious atmosphere.

Without spoiling, IMMORTALITY’S music shines by way of a cover song of a famous artist in a monumental scene. Jacob Geller’s video essay on this scene conveys the absolute emotional supernova of this moment better than I ever could, hailing it as the best moment in gaming this year. Geller’s essay is rife with spoilers, so do not watch it before completing the game.

https://youtu.be/DKiHSRYawIM
There are no bonus features in IMMORTALITY. In this case, none feel necessary. Perhaps some behind the scene's footage would have been interesting but it would also spoil the intrigue and authenticity of the films apart from the game. For any achievement hunters it took me around 17 hours to get every achievement at a casual pace.

Truthfully, IMMORTALITY will be an extremely divisive game, there is no way around it. I’m inclined to believe one will either vehemently despise this game or hail it as a masterpiece. If you enjoy avant-garde and surrealist cinema, such as works by Krzysztof Kieślowski (a heavy inspiration), then you can get into IMMORTALITY even if it is outside of your usual comfort zone. IMMORTALITY is unapologetically experimental, deeply disturbing at times, and absolutely heart wrenching in others. Scenes run a range of emotions from playful innocence to truly terrifying. There are a lot of absolutely incredible games released in 2022, but IMMORTALITY has rigorously stuck with me out of the ones I have played. IMMORTALITY is my nomination for the Game of the Year award as part of the 2022 Steam Awards. If you are open to experimental video games, avant-garde cinema, or a connoisseur of 90s FMV games, then I believe you will highly enjoy IMMORTALITY.

"This game contains scenes of explicit violence and gore."

On a seemingly innocuous day, Caroline Walker receives a strange letter containing a photograph of twin girls and is suddenly hit with a sensation of pain. Caroline feels compelled to seek them out although she is unsure why. Caroline discovers the twin girls have been missing and seeks to investigate a mansion-turned-hospital in Winterlake.

Tormented Souls is a certified classic survival horror game that unapologetically borrows elements from Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Alone in the Dark. I want to preface this review by stating that this is truly a dream game of mine. For years I have been longing for a classic survival horror experience that resembles the styling of games from the 1990s and early 2000s. It readily apparent how much love and passion the developers put into every facet of this game.

Tormented Souls has it all concerning old-school survival horror: fixed camera angels, beautiful environments, enclosed rooms, scarce resources, limited saving, puzzles and backtracking. Tormented Souls left out some elements like limited inventory and item boxes, but I found that I did not miss that all too much. The player must always be mindful of ammo count; every miss and every reload could prove disastrous. Tormented Souls utilizes “tank controls” as it were in old-school survival horror. Fans of that era will feel right at home. I played Tormented Souls on Keyboard and Mouse and it felt completely fluid and intuitive.

Tormented Souls ran near flawlessly at 4K 60FPS. It is worth mentioning that, in my experience, the game never crashed once in all my playtime. I had supreme confidence in beating the game multiple times without saving; crashing was not even a concern. Given the limited saving the developers needed to nail stability and they succeeded.

I must mention the absolute mind-bending puzzles. The puzzles in games such as Resident Evil 1, in general, were quite easy even at a young age. Tormented Souls ramps the puzzle difficulty to such a degree that I found myself lost for forty minutes at a time trying to solve something that I am not quite sure even exists. Tormented Souls demands critical thinking and for the player to question beyond simple item pickups and placements. I absolutely adored Tormented Souls for the puzzle difficulty; It is a challenge I always longed for in the classic games.

The lore is absolutely engaging and dripping with malevolence; I found myself reading each page with absolute care. Every lore entry ties into the moment and what is happening. I wanted to find every entry and piece the story together as much as possible. By the end, I was completely satisfied with the knowledge I learned while Tormented Souls still leaves unanswered questions to savor some mystery.

I must also mention… Tormented Souls is legitimately terrifying. A prominent game mechanic is the concept that darkness will kill you. “Don’t let the shadows consume you” as the game warns. You must always be present in a light source else all actions will be locked. I found this mechanic brilliant, and rooms of utter darkness became that much scarier.

The graphics are insanely beautiful, supremely reminiscent of the pre-rendered backgrounds in classic survival horror. I spent much of my time walking around and taking in the atmosphere of each room. It is evident from the first room that the amount of care put into every detail is staggering. Tormented Souls, at times, subverts expectations and preys upon focal points. The lighting is gorgeous and works in tandem with the darkness mechanic.

The fixed camera angels are perhaps one of the most important elements of classic survival horror and Tormented Souls nails it. I reference Resident Evil Remake as a gold standard and Tormented Souls is at the same level of creativity. Angles such as outside peering through a window gives the player a sense that something is watching them. The fear of knowing an enemy is around but the camera angle only gives away so much information. Extensive long corridor shots that build so much tension as Caroline walks further and further away. I have been longing for a new experience with fixed camera angles in survival horror so badly. It is an element of horror that simply cannot be recreated by the new standard.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2732573696

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2731037418

The original score was composed by NyxTheShield and Begoña A. Carrasco. The soundtrack is available standalone or as a bundle with Tormented Souls via Steam. The formats included are MP3 and lossless Wave. I highly appreciate offering Wave as it is my audio file format of choice. The soundtrack is beautiful and, once again, completely captures that essence of older survival horror. I felt completely at home upon hearing the main hall and save room themes.

Audio design is extremely important in fixed-camera angle games when, often, the enemy is off screen. I had no issue with learning enemy audio and understanding when they were down or eliminated. Upon entering a room for the first time, the player will get an idea, through audio cues, what could be coming. Entering a save room always felt so relieving while a room only illuminated by your lighter with the track Delusional playing was such a visceral experience.

The English voice acting is classic, flaws and all. I believe the developers even went as far as to enlist Canadian talent à la many older survival horror games. Some may find it off-putting and that is totally understandable. I do not think Tormented Souls is near the level that Resident Evil 1 achieved. In Tormented Souls, it felt endearing to me and I quite enjoyed it.

Aside from the soundtrack on Steam, there are basically no bonus features. One suggestion I have to the developers is to include end game rewards and a new game plus system like Resident Evil where you would unlock a rocket launcher if you achieved the relevant requirements. Tormented Souls has a fleshed-out results screen, following the credits, that shows a bunch of interesting statistics from your playthrough. I felt compelled to really challenge myself and go for a no save and no damage run to see the results screen. For any achievement hunters it took me around 30 hours to get every achievement at a casual pace and finding everything without any guides.

If you are a fan of old-school survival horror and indie games, then Tormented Souls is absolutely mandatory. Tormented Souls checks all the boxes. I also recommend this game, along with Resident Evil Remake, if the Resident Evil 4 style survival horror was your first and you want to experience the roots. I have been waiting for a game like this for years and it came from such a seemingly unlikely source. I knew in the moment that I wanted to take it all in, that the magic of the first playthrough is fleeting, and I am so grateful that this game exists.

"We keep the sun, but you remove the shadow."

As Lara Croft races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, she must become the Tomb Raider she is destined to be.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider (SOTR) is the conclusion to Lara Croft’s origin trilogy that started with Tomb Raider followed by Rise of the Tomb Raider. SOTR takes place shortly after Rise of the Tomb Raider and continues the narrative following the paramilitary organization Trinity. The setting has Lara venturing through tropical regions of the Americas with a strong narrative focus on Aztec, Incan, and Mayan mythologies. Each game in the trilogy has a distinct feel with the setting and SOTR continues that trend. I really enjoyed SOTR’s story; it is a dark and gritty portrayal of Lara and her mission.

The gameplay in SOTR is phenomenal. SOTR is a notable departure from emphasizing combat encounters (they are still here) and instead strongly focuses on puzzles and exploration. It could be argued that SOTR “feels” much the same as the previous two installments but sometimes change isn’t the answer. The gunplay just still feels so satisfying. I feel that SOTR is the vision of the origin trilogy fully realized. The first two games admittedly featured very little actual “tomb raiding”, but SOTR’s tombs are perhaps it’s strongest feature. There are a ton of tombs, especially combined with the DLC, and each one feels distinct and intriguing. First runs on some of the tombs can legitimately take hours. SOTR has a number of villages that serve as central hubs to the various areas. I found myself so immersed in the exploration of it all. In addition, there are a variety of side quests that can be completed. The jungle setting, amidst all the history, is a fresh departure from the previous games. There are many artifacts and documents to uncover along Lara’s journey that give satisfying information to what is going on. Resources can be quite limited, and Lara will continually have to hunt and scavenge to replenish stock. Lara also has a ton of outfits that are earned and crafted that provide various benefits.

I enjoy a good challenge and attempting Deadly Obsession difficulty on a fresh game offered that. Deadly Obsession removes nearly all checkpoints which really adds tension, fear, and thought into every one of your actions. The difficulty is extremely adjustable; everyone will find the experience they are looking for.

The graphics are simply breathtaking. I found myself having to stop and take screen shots so often with the built-in photo mode. Similar to previous installments, SOTR is incredibly optimized. My build had no issue getting 60 frames per second locked at 4K resolution with only a few settings turned down. The Nvidia optimization guide shows that most settings have very minimal frame impact from lowest to highest. I want to add the weapon and outfit design are incredible. Lara’s hair, a work in progress since Tomb Raider, has really achieved an impressive level of detail at this point.

The original score was composed by Brian D'Oliveira. Such a great soundtrack. The soundtrack can be found through SOTR’s launcher with purchase of the definitive edition. There are 17 tracks and are encoded in lossy MP3. D'Oliveira has experience with South American instruments and worked with native musicians to capture the right sound for the various locations. I want to add that SOTR features an immersive language audio setting which has NPCs speaking in their native language. I adored this setting. There are some inconsistencies with some main characters speaking English but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that some learned the language. All-in-all, I appreciate the effort that went into something like this and hope to see it more often.

The definitive edition contains the complete experience: 7 challenge tombs with narrative side missions, 7 weapons, 7 outfits, 7 skills, original soundtrack, 3 outfit and weapon packs, and a fitness outfit. The challenge tombs are seamlessly woven into the game. The narrative and rewards truly make them worth playing. Every tomb in SOTR can be played in a separate score attack and time attack mode with some of them being co-op. I did them mostly for achievements but found they were really enjoyable. I could see some players really striving for high scores and low times. Completing the hardest content truly feels rewarding and the items you get are awesome. There is also a new game plus mode to carry over everything into a new game. For each new game plus you can choose mastery among the three skill trees and acquire new skills, outfits, and weapons. It is pretty awesome that SOTR incentives continued clears like that. For any achievement hunters it took me around 80 hours to get every achievement. It can take way less time if you start on a lower difficulty, getting 100% completion, then begin Deadly Obsession on new game plus while purely focusing on story.

If you are a fan of action-adventure games with open worlds, puzzles, and combat then I fully recommend SOTR. SOTR is a much darker game than the previous installments and is a thrilling conclusion to the origin trilogy. I do recommend playing Tomb Raider and Rise of the Tomb Raider first but don’t think it would hinder your experience if you are just looking to hop in. Honestly, I am left with a feeling of desperation, truly hoping that they continue this series beyond Lara’s origins.

"I wish I could stay in this moment forever... but then it wouldn't be a moment."

Follow the story of Max Caulfield, a photography senior who discovers she can rewind time while saving her best friend Chloe Price. The pair soon find themselves investigating the mysterious disappearance of fellow student Rachel Amber, uncovering a dark side to life in Arcadia Bay. Meanwhile, Max must quickly learn that changing the past can sometimes lead to a devastating future.

The plot is the focal point of Life is Strange. I was seriously so invested in the story within moments of the game starting. Upon finishing, I am wrecked with nostalgia and thoughts. It is not a slow build but hits the ground running more than one could even initially imagine. The decision making is perhaps the most impressive aspect of Life is Strange to me. Every decision, large and small, felt truly impactful. I found myself sighing with relief when decisions ended up playing out my way despite initial hesitance. I believe Life is Strange is truly a uniquely personal experience; it is likely rare that any two playthroughs are exactly the same. I adore each and every character; what begins as stereotypical impressions develops into deeply meaningful relationships. Some situations and moments were absolutely shocking. The episodic format works well in this case, as the separations give room to breath from all the emotional intensity. I initially played episode one five years ago but had to put the game down because I just couldn’t handle it at the time.

Normally, an adventure game like Life is Strange wouldn’t inherent the most exciting gameplay mechanics but the rewind feature is, without doubt, brilliant. In a typical game, decision making can involve saving and loading to determine desired outcomes. Constant saving and loading is not inherently bad (I could blame myself for my aspirational pursuit of idyllic playthroughs) but can become a cumbersome gameplay loop. I found the Life is Strange approach through rewinding time so refreshing. Life is Strange actively encourages playing out situations multiple times to come to a decision on what you want to do. It is important to note that the rewind feature is only so powerful, and decisions eventually become final. Besides the rewind feature, there are quite a few segments that spice up actual gameplay aside from just walking around everywhere. Exploration and attention to detail is greatly rewarded; knowledge is powerful. Even the smallest bits of information can be important.

The graphics have a gorgeous art style and ran flawlessly on my system with all settings maxed at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. There are a multitude of graphics options to accommodate what you want to accomplish. The directors in the commentary stated that every texture was hand painted to give an impressionistic feeling. Since the graphics rely on this painted look, they won’t age in the same way other games of this nature would.

The original score was composed by Jonathan Morali. I absolutely adore the soundtrack. At just eight tracks, the soundtrack serves as a beautiful backdrop of ambiance throughout the game. The true highlight of Life is Strange is the absolutely wonderful collection of fourteen licensed tracks. Scene impact is truly emphasized with the inclusion of these songs. I am a huge fan of Mogwai; I first played this game in 2016 purely upon finding out “Kids will be Skeletons” from Happy Songs for Happy People was featured. Other artists include alt-J, Bright Eyes, José González, and Syd Matters (fronted by composer Morali). The music is incredibly essential to the experience. I swear, the opening scene set to “To All of You” by Syd Matters will be permanently burned into my psyche. Unfortunately, the official soundtrack is rare, especially the vinyl editions. The official soundtrack was primarily offered as a pack-in with the limited editions of Life is Strange. Luckily the soundtrack is easily found on YouTube.

Life is Strange offers directors’ commentary as a separate download and can be streamed through Steam or viewed in-game. It is certainly spoiler heavy and should only be watched after completion. It is only about an hour and brings nice closure to the experience. I appreciate the heart and care everyone poured into creating Life is Strange. I recommend it. For any achievement hunters out there, it took me the length of my playthrough, roughly 25 hours, to unlock every achievement. Nothing is missable and is easily obtainable via collectible mode. Just enjoy the story and your decisions. In fact, I praise this game for its achievements as it doesn’t force you into any certain lane.

If you are a fan of art and story-driven experiences, then it is extremely likely you will enjoy Life is Strange. Doubly so if your life revolves around nostalgic reveries. What can I add that hundreds of thousands of reviewers, with a 96% positive rating, haven’t stated already? Despite finishing the game recently, I can tell Life is Strange is one of those games that I will always remember.

"Once, There Was an Explosion."


Sam Bridges must brave a world utterly transformed by the Death Stranding. Carrying the disconnected remnants of our future in his hands, he embarks on a journey to reconnect the shattered world one step at a time.

It needs to be said that this is directed by Hideo Kojima, who is best known for the Metal Gear franchise. There is a massive emphasis on Death Stranding's overall story; complete with established actor and director collaborations.


Death Stranding's gameplay tasks you with keeping track of every minute detail while delivering cargo. The player must consider various aspects when delivering including balance, terrain, weather, stamina, weight, route, etc. It's not unrealistic to compare it to a mail delivery simulator of sorts. A big standout in Death Stranding is the ability to work with other players in building structures to aid in travel. Structures represent the gameplay progression. Areas that previously took an hour to trudge through can be tackled in seconds provided the correct structures and player participation. I found it a lot of fun figuring out how to optimally travel around the entire world with the help of others. Other players can be interacted with through likes and Death Stranding actively incentives encouragement. Other aspects to gameplay include gun play and stealth; I found them immensely gratifying. The gun play, especially, felt amazing on mouse and keyboard. There are a variety of difficulty options to accommodate what you are looking to get out of this game.


The graphics are gorgeous and ran flawlessly on my system at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. There are a multitude of graphics options to accommodate what you want to accomplish. I found myself utilizing the photo mode quite often with all the beautiful landscapes. The cut scenes are insanely well done and stuck with me long after viewing them. Some achieve full blown cinematic experiences.


The music was composed by Ludvig Forssell. Preordering the game provided the complete original soundtrack along with ten bonus tracks. I am not sure if it is still purchasable via Steam or if it still comes with the game. For audiophiles, this version's tracks are MP3s at 320 kbps with 80% compression on the files. The format is fairly standard but not the best for me; still sounds amazing. Along with the soundtrack there are a multitude of artists that provided music for the game which is readily playable in your room and various structures. Great soundtrack; I have listened to it many times!


The PC version of Death Stranding is the de facto definitive version. There are a ton of graphic options, comprehensive photo mode, and exclusive items. The exclusive items are incredible, especially if you are a fan of Valve and Half-life. The items are not merely cosmetic and many of them add quite a bit to the overall gameplay. I appreciated that it involved a full quest line and were not just given out; they were fully integrated into the game. Additionally, your purchase includes selections from The Art of Death Stranding and cosmetic colors on items. For any achievement hunters out there, it took me possibly 100 hours to unlock every achievement. I was truly taking the experience in and did not rush anything; it can be done much faster. Much of my time came from full completion including all the optional deliveries and optimized map traversal. Expect hundreds of hours of gameplay if you intend to play that way.


If you are a fan of art, atmosphere, story-driven experiences, and "outside the box" gaming then Death Stranding is for you. Death Stranding truly left an impression on me long after completion. Death Stranding's PC release is my nomination for the Game of the Year award as part of the 2020 Steam Awards. If you are a fan of Hideo Kojima's previous works, without question play this game.

"The game follows a girl named Gris, who wakes up in the palm of a crumbling statue of a woman. She attempts to sing out, but quickly becomes choked up. The statue's hands crumble, dropping her to the colorless earth below."


GRIS plays like a platformer with simple movement controls. The store page states it best, "GRIS is a serene and evocative experience, free of danger, frustration or death." GRIS is about the experience and what it will all mean to you by the end. Think games developed by Playdead (Inside and Limbo), but without death or frustration.


The music, composed by Berlinist, is absolutely fantastic. The music complements the evocative imagery beautifully. The soundtrack is available on Steam, but I recommend Bandcamp for the additional formats and usability.


The bonus features in GRIS are littered throughout the actual game. The achievements are the guide and I recommend solving them all on your own. It is nothing too obscure and will enrich your experience. For any achievement hunters out there, it took me roughly 11 hours to unlock every achievement.


If you are a fan of art, story-driven experiences, and atmosphere then GRIS is for you. Although GRIS took me 11 hours to fully complete, it has stuck with me all this time; merely seeing Gris on the cover art brings back all the memories. The art style standouts, in a way reminiscent of Cuphead, which makes it a joy to play and watch. GRIS is my nomination for the "Outstanding Visual Style" award as part of the 2019 Steam Awards. I highly recommend GRIS.

"Zangetsu, a demon slayer bearing a deep grudge, who must travel through perilous lands to defeat a powerful demon lurking in a dark castle."


Bloodstained is deeply reminiscent of the original Castlevania games on NES. The graphics, sound, and gameplay are all love letters to fans of the series. Bloodstained is a classic action platformer with additional mechanics involving character switching and ability usage. Mastery and experimentation of these mechanics is a rewarding experience.


The music, composed by Ippo Yamada, is drenched in the video game sounds of yore. The music does an amazing job with cultivating a great atmosphere throughout the game. Hopefully, the soundtrack will be made easily available someday.


Bloodstained, although short, has unlockables and multiple endings to encourage replayability. The level design contains forking paths which are only accessible via certain abilities. It was fun to explore the various areas and witness all the stages had to offer. For any achievement hunters out there, it took me roughly 15 hours to unlock every achievement.


If you are a fan of old-school Castlevania, retro gaming, and horror then this game is for you. The story, art, gameplay, and music are great. Bloodstained is a great game to fully enjoy without too much commitment.

Madeline drives to Celeste Mountain with the intention of climbing it. Along the way she meets many characters who both help and hinder her journey. Dealing with her own personal demons, Madeline must persevere to even have a hope of reaching the summit.


Celeste has become my favorite platformer. The way the game introduces mechanics is perfection. As a player, you never feel like you are just thrown into situations the game has not already equipped you to deal with. As a note, I have seen people play perfectly fine with either controller or keyboard; the player is free to use their preference without hindrance. There is little to no RNG (random occurrences) making screens and enemies learnable through repetition.


The music was composed by Lena Raine and I highly recommend purchasing the albums. I listened to the soundtrack on Bandcamp before I ever played the game and it inspired me to pick it up. The music encompasses a variety of styles and is an intrinsic part of the experience. I especially appreciate the Vangelis vibes I hear throughout, especially in the track "In the Mirror". It really surprised me the amount of care that went into the music.


Celeste features several collectibles, extra stages, and in-game timers to encourage replay value. Madeline's journey inspired me to set goals for myself even beyond completing the game. I never typically speed run, but I wanted to beat the game in under one hour. It was so gratifying to accomplish my goal. In 2019, an entirely new chapter was added to the game along with new achievements. The new chapter is long and difficult, adding more time to be experienced with this game. For any achievement hunters out there, it took me roughly 80 hours to unlock every achievement.


I fully recommend this game to anyone. The story, art, gameplay, and music are incredible. Celeste is so rewarding and has plenty of bonus features to keep going even beyond completion.

One cannot review Night Trap, especially the 25th Anniversary Edition, without discussing the history first. Night Trap was developed by Digital Pictures, a pioneer in the full motion video game genre, and released by Sega for the Sega CD in 1992. Directed by James Riley and starring the late actress Dana Plato, Night Trap is essentially an interactive film. It was at the epicenter of controversy due to its mature content and was one of the games responsible for the rating system we have today. By today's standards the game seems pretty tame, but at the time it was a big deal. Night Trap has since garnered a cult following because of it's "out there" game play and B movie styling.


To keep it simple, you play a S.C.A.T. operative tasked with controlling traps and cameras for the Martin winery estate. Teenagers have been going missing at the estate so it is up to S.C.A.T. to solve the case and protect teenagers who are visiting.


Although I owned a Sega CD at launch, I was completely new to this game. It was on my list for awhile, but never got around to purchasing it. This new release felt like a perfect opportunity to dive in. The actual game play is okay, but requires multiple playthroughs and memorization to become rewarding. I personally put the settings on 1992 layout with retro icons to play the game as it was intended on initial release. New players like me will likely become slightly frustrated. You will really want to watch the sequences, but will need to constantly switch between every camera or else you will fail very quickly. With memorization, the game begins to feel less urgent and you can enjoy all the video footage. The game features a total of 6 endings and a new survival mode allowing for some replay-ability.


The video footage is presented in beautiful uncompressed glory. Compare it with the original Sega CD version and it is quite laughable how good it is presented here. The interface is very intuitive and appropriate.


The music was composed by Sunny BlueSkyes and Martin Lund. Night Trap has a few memorable tracks. A lot of the audio is ambiance for the scenes and game play. It works to the games advantage in that way; creating mood and atmosphere. The theme song, performed in the party scene, is rather iconic at this point and delightfully reeks of the early 90's. The Auger theme is also memorable.


This edition is packed full of bonus features. You can choose from every layout of the game over its many ports and revisions. These layouts are from 1992, 1993, 1994, and 2017. There is also a choice between revamped and retro icons. You get the best of both worlds. The genuine retro experience and the new reimagining. The game also features four deleted scenes, production images/stills, theater mode, and a couple of interesting documentaries. Theater mode is wonderful because it allows the player to unlock every scene from the game and watch them fully uninterrupted. A highlight for me was the inclusion of the "beta" of Night Trap titled Scene of the Crime. It is very short, but a delight to see the experimentation of what would eventually become Night Trap at the time. It is worth noting, if you are an achievement hunter, it will probably take around 10 hours to get full completion.


I fully recommend this game to anyone who is a fan of retro gaming and history. This specific edition is packed full of content and makes for a great play, especially in October.