Recent reviews by Smythe

It's Fallout in Space, which I enjoy but I wouldn't recommend it. The scenery looks good but the characters look dated and lifeless. The game is big, but I don't feel invested in the story and I don't care about the characters. There are a lot of loading screens too, which adds to this lack of involvement. It's easy to overlook these things when you are accustomed to Bethesda games and you enjoy them because the game feels comfortable and familiar, like an old pair of slippers.
This is easier to see when comparing it with another recent gamr. Despite the problems Cyberpunk had on launch, it is a much more complete and polished game than I imagine Starfield can be with patches. I think of this as a Fallout mod or a good old game that I somehow missed when it was released 6-7 years ago but it is not a good game by today's standards in terms of story, graphics, or gameplay. I would not search out these old slippers, get excited about them or spend a lot of money on them.

Simple pixel graphics, but lots of content in this game. Each ending prompts a small change in the environment and can open up new options, helping the game stay fresh. At first the endings will come thick and fast, but later on it becomes a struggle to find them. If you need help, try hints first and only resort to guides once you are really, really stuck! Even with guides, it's not a pushover. Highly recommended. Nice game to dip into every now and then.

This game is a bit rough around the edges, but I found it very engaging. Although the story is very different, there's an aspect of the gameplay that reminds me of Stardew Valley. The need to complete daily tasks, the decision of what to spend your time doing, and the events that trigger at certain points during the game.

Don't judge the game solely on this comparison though, there are differences. The topic is very different, it's shorter, and the small development team and unpolished feel may mean there may be some elements that make you a little frustrated. There is a definite end to the story and it has a general darker feel.

You're a Japanese high school student. Each day, you can choose what you spend your time doing - studying, reading, attending classes, learning one of a few styles out fighting, exercising, working, or beating up students from other schools.

There's not enough time to do all of these and your decision affects what will happen in the game to some extent. I believe there is only one ending to the game, but there are events and friendships that you can miss depending on what you choose to spend your time doing.

There's no real tutorial and you're largely left to discover things yourself - the location of things in the town, how to do actions like fight, study, read etc. You can get some hints online, but it's best not to look too deeply and discover the game yourself. This is particularly true of the main story and the ending. If you plan on discovering all areas of the game or trying to get the achievements it's best to only search online after your first playthrough to ensure you don't spoil the story.

For me, the game feels like it's inspired by movies at some points and at others gave me a kind of nostalgia. There are some very Japanese elements to the story, but there's also more general teenage angst.

Linked to Yuplay, which is broken. Can play single player missions by launching from game folder, but achievements don't trigger. Beaten the single player game but not recognised on Steam.

Easy to pick up, difficult to put down!