Steam Community :: The Dog

The Dog

Stefan

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

MSI Vector HX AI A2XWJG with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU (12GB GDDR7), 16" QHD+ (2560x1600) 240Hz IPS-Level display, 1TB NVMe SSD,32 GB memory.

PlayStation 5

Nintendo Switch

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Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

MSI Vector HX AI A2XWJG with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU (12GB GDDR7), 16" QHD+ (2560x1600) 240Hz IPS-Level display, 1TB NVMe SSD,32 GB memory.

PlayStation 5

Nintendo Switch

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Artwork Showcase

The Dog

16 3

+ 79

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The Dogfather

24 6

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Dirty Barking

27 5

Featured Artwork Showcase

Indiana Bones and the Raiders of the Lost Gift

104

40 9

Item Showcase

Game Collector

Featured Games

Games cleared by year and listed from most enjoyed to the least enjoyed

2026 games played and listed from favourite to least favourite

01.

Cronos: The New Dawn [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
02.

Blasphemous 2 [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
03.

MIO: Memories in Orbit [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
04. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
05. Pragmata [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
06. Blasphemous [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
07. Luna Abyss [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
08. Crisol: Theatre of Idols [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
09. Lords of the Fallen (2023) [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (co-op)
10. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (co-op)
11. Epic Mickey: Rebrushed [PS5] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
12. Metaphor: ReFantazio [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
13. Tales of Kenzera: Zau [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
14. Until Dawn 2024 Remake [PS5] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
15. Aphelion [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
16. James Bond: Blood Stone [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
17. Gylt [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
18. Mixtape [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
19. Smelter [PC] ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

New Entry

Replayed and completed games for 2026

01. Dark Souls Remastered [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★ (solo)
02. Dark Souls III [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★ (co-op and solo)
03. Diablo 2: Resurrected [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (co-op)

2025 games played and listed from favourite to least favourite

01.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
02.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown [PS5] ★★★★★★★★★☆
03.

Sword of the Sea [PS5] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
04. The Rouge: Prince of Persia [PS5] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
05. The Invincible [PS5] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
06. Keeper [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
07. Trials of Mana [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
08. Indika [PS5] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
09. Tunic [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
10. Fort Solis [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
11. The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me [PS5] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
12. Recore: Definitive Edition [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
13. Heavy Rain [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
14. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage [PS5] ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆
15. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Mutants Unleashed [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Replayed and completed games for 2025

01. Elden Ring + Shadow of the Erdtree [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
02. Silent Hill 2 (2024) [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
03. Hogwarts Legacy [PS5] ★★★★★★★★★☆
04. The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
05. The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope [PS5] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
06. The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan [PS5] ★★★★★★☆☆☆

2024 games played and listed from favourite to least favourite

01.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
02.

Silent Hill 2 (2024) [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
03.

Lies of P [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
04. Shadow of the Erdtree [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
05. Still Wakes the Deep [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
06. Alice: Madness Returns [XBOX One X] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
07. Remnant II [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
08. Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
09. Ryse: Son of Rome [XBOX One X] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
10. The Chant [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
11. Dragon Age: The Veilguard [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ :
12. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
13. Little Orpheus [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
14. What have you done, Father? [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
15. Asterigos: Curse of the Stars [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
16. Lords Of The Fallen (2014) [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
17. Bravada [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
18. Boid [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
19. Borealis [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
20. Boo Bunny Plague [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Replayed and completed games for 2024

01. Elden Ring [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
02. Prince of Persia (2008) [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆

2023 games played and listed from favourite to least favourite

01.

Persona 5 Royal [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
02.

Hogwarts Legacy [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
03.

Dead Space (2023) [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
04. Hi-Fi RUSH [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
05. Bramble: The Mountain King [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
06. Jenny LeClue: Dectectivu [Nintendo Switch] ★★★★★★★★★☆
07. Planet of Lana [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
08. Return to Monkey Island [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
09. Atomic Heart [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
10. Ghostwire: Tokyo [PC]★★★★★★★☆☆☆
11. The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
12. Layers of Fear (2023) [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
13. Ravenlok [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
14. Nine Witches: Family Disruption [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
15. Chronos: Before the Ashes [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
16. Amnesia: The Bunker [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
17. Diablo IV [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
18. Persona 3 Portable [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
19. Crime Boss: Rockay City [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Game Collector

Featured Games

Games cleared by year and listed from most enjoyed to the least enjoyed

2022 games played and listed from favourite to least favourite

01.

Elden Ring [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
02.

Demon's Souls [PS5] ★★★★★★★★★★
03.

Stray [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
04. Norco [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
05. Life is Strange: True Colors [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
06. God of War [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
07. Beacon Pines [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
08. The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
09. The Quarry [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
10. The Gunk [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
11. Five Dates [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
12. DC League of Super-Pets: The Adventures of Krypto and Ace [PC]
13. Buddy Simulator 1984 [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
14. Storm Boy [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
15. Tunic [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
16. Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
17. Murder by Numbers [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
18. DRAGON QUEST® XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age™ - Definitive Edition [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
19. Boyfriend Dungeon [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
20. 12 Minutes [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
21. Borderlands 3 [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
22. Legendary [PC] ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆
23. Biology Battle [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
24. Beware Planet Earth [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
25. Bloodbath Kavkaz [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
26. Blast Em! [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
27. Bernie Needs Love [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

2021 games played and listed from favourite to least favourite

01.

The Last of Us Part II [PS4 Pro] ★★★★★★★★★
02.

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
03.

Immortals Fenyx Rising [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆
04. Alien: Isolation [XBOX One X] ★★★★★★★★★☆
05. The Medium [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
06. Watch_Dogs: Legion [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
07. Resident Evil: Village [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
08. Little Nightmares [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
09. The Last of Us: Remastered [PS4 Pro] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
10. NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
11. OMNO [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
12. If on a Winter's Night, Four Travellers [PC] ★★★★★★★★☆☆
13. Cyberpunk 2077 [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
14. It Takes Two [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
15. Narita Boy [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
16. The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
17. Operation Tango [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
18. Call of the Sea [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
19. Blood Spear [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
20. Perky Little Things [PC] ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
21. Diablo II: Resurrected [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
22 The Division 2 [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
23. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout [PC] ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
24. Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
25. New World [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
26. Halo: Reach [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
27. Full Mojo Rampage [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
28. Genshin Impact [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
29. Tiny Brains [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
30. Phasmophobia [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
31. Dagon [PC] ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
32. Beast Quest [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
33. A-Men 2 [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
34. Bad Hotel [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
35. Always Remember Me [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆3
36. Nyan Cat: Lost In Space [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
37. Drizzlepath Genie [PC] ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
38. Homefront [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
39. Edge of Twilight: Return to Glory [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
40. Horror of the Deep [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
41. The Book of Legends [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
42. Bad Rats [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
43. Amerzone [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
44. Chrome: Specforce [PC] ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
45. Bermuda [PC] ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
46. Antisquad PC] ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
47. Humanity Asset [PC] ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
48. Arcane Worlds [PC] ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
49. The Archetype [PC] ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
50. Apartment 666 [PC] ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Replayed and completed games for 2021

01. Dark Souls: Remastered [PC] ★★★★★★★★★★
02. Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin [PC] ★★★★★★★★★☆

2020 games played and listed from favourite to least favourite

01.

Horizon Zero Dawn [PC]
02.

Remnant: From the Ashes [PC]
03.

Mafia III Definitive Edition [PC]
04. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice: Co-op Playthrough [PC]
05. Moss [PSVR]
06. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening [Nintendo Switch]
07. Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin Co-op Playthrough [PC]
08. Bioshock Remastered [PS4-Pro]
09. Deus Ex: Human Revolution [PC]
10. The Outer Worlds [PC]
11. Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales [PC]
12. Mafia: Definitive Edition [PC]
13. Amnesia: Rebirth [PC]
14. New Super Lucky's Tale [PC]
15. 20XX [PC]
16. Pumpkin Jack [PC]
17. Remothered: Tormented Fathers [PC]
18. Life is Strange 2 [XBOX One X]
19. Donut County [PC]
20. Tell Me Why [PC]
21. A Short Hike [PC]
22. Control [PC]
23. Darksiders Genesis [PC]
24. Mafia II Definitive Edition [PC]
25. Operencia: The Stolen Sun [XBOX One X]
26. Neversong [PC]
27. Mask of Mists [PC]
28. Karen: An Outrage Simulator [PC]
29. Raji: An Ancient Epic [PC]
30. Hell is Other Demons [Nintendo Switch]
31. Creature in the Well [XBOX One X]
32. Battleborn [PC]
33. Dying Light: The Following [PC]
34. Lust from Beyond: Prologue [PC]
35. The Supper [PC]
36. The Adventure Pals [PC]
37. Riverbond [XBOX One X]
38. Afterparty [XBOX One X]
39. Splasher [Nintendo Switch]
40. Unbound: Worlds Apart [PC]
41. The Librarian [PC]
42. Florence [PC]
43. The Swine [PC]
44. Dying Light [PC]
45. Saint's Row The Third: Remastered [PC]
46. Lust from Beyond: Scarlett [PC]
47. Delores: A Thimbleweed Park Mini-Adventure [PC]
48. Advent Rising [PC]
49. Indifferent Wonder of an Edible Place [PC]
50. Blush Blush [PC]
51. Evergreen Blues [PC]
52. Legend of Persia [PC]
53. Age of Enigma: The Secret of the Sixth Ghost [PC]
54. Alien Zombie Megadeath [PC]
55. Celestial [PC]
56. Alexia Crow [PC]
57. Alpha Runner [PC]
58. Alter World [PC]
59. Acceleration of SUGURI 2 [PC]
60. Acceleration of SUGURI X-Edition HD [PC]
61. 1Quest [PC]
62. Jerry Rice & Nitus' Dog Football [PC]
63. The Albino Hunter [PC]
64. Depths of Fear::Knossos [PC]
65. The Fallen [PC]
66. Babel Rising [PC]
67. Death and the Fly [PC]
68. Akihabara - Feel the Rhythm [PC]
69. Rush Delta Z [PC]
70. Airline Tycoon 2 [PC]
71. Tennis World Tour [PC]

Replayed and completed games for 2020

01. Bloodborne: Co-op Playthrough for Second Ending [PS4 Pro]
01. Bloodborne: NG+ Single Player Playthrough for Third Final Ending [PS4 Pro]
02. Dark Souls: Remastered Single Player Playthrough [PS4 Pro]
03. Dark Souls III Co-op Playthrough [PC]
03. Dark Souls III Single Player Playthrough [PS4-Pro]
04. Sayonara Wild Hearts [PC]
05. Mega Man III [PS4-Pro]
06. Torchlight 2 Co-op Playthrough [PC]

Favorite Game

Blasphemous 2

Hours played

Achievements

Achievement Progress 28 of 60

+23

Videos 15 Screenshots 18 Review 1

Favorite Game

Cronos: The New Dawn

Hours played

Achievements

Achievement Progress 42 of 47

+37

Videos 18 Screenshots 51 Review 1

Review Showcase

Blasphemous 2

85 Hours played

Blasphemous II

No rest for the penitent

Blasphemous II continues the strange and tortured pilgrimage of The Penitent One, that silent warrior whose existence remains forever entangled with The Miracle, the supernatural force responsible for the grotesque suffering and religious mutation that defines the world of Cvstodia. Following the events of the first game, the Miracle has returned once again, preparing the birth of a new divine child, and naturally it falls upon our pointed-helmeted martyr to interrupt what appears destined to become another endless cycle of suffering, devotion, and cosmic cruelty.

The modern Metroidvania genre has become increasingly crowded over the last decade. Ever since the astonishing success of Hollow Knight, developers have raced toward building worlds of interconnected pathways, ability-gated progression, and intricate combat systems. The danger, inevitably, is sameness. So many games understand the structure of the genre without understanding its underlying magic. Blasphemous II doesn't fall into this trap because it understands that exploration is not merely mechanical. Discovery must feel magical.

With Blasphemous II, The Game Kitchen have created a world so aesthetically complete, so thematically coherent, that every jump, every combat encounter, every secret chamber discovered reinforces the central mood of tragic divinity. The first Blasphemous was already a fascinating work of artistic conviction, but it often felt burdened by systems that occasionally worked against player enjoyment. Its platforming could frustrate. Its movement sometimes felt heavy in ways that undermined precision. The sequel corrects nearly all of this.

Combat feels sharper, faster, more expressive this time round too. Early on, players are given access to three distinct weapons, each serving radically different functions. One favors speed and aggression. Another emphasizes weight and deliberate strikes. A third weapon introduces mobility options that directly affect traversal itself. What is remarkable is how naturally these combat systems integrate into exploration design. Progression never feels arbitrary. This time around the game introduces new abilities that allow you traverse world which makes it feel more like a traditional Metrodvania. These new abilities genuinely alter one’s relationship with the world and how you traverse it.

Platforming sections achieve a satisfying balance between challenge and flow. Progression systems encourage experimentation rather than forcing commitment too early. Boss battles, grotesque manifestations of suffering and divine punishment, remain spectacular throughout. Sequels often improve through addition, more content, more mechanics, larger worlds. Blasphemous II improves through refinement. It understands exactly what worked previously and demonstrates admirable restraint in improving weaknesses without compromising identity. This is a far more elegantly designed game than its predecessor.

As a gamer I always like my reviews to pose the question of whether the game is worth the price of admission, and more importantly, the demand on your time? Blasphemous II offers tremendous value. It is substantial without becoming bloated. It respects the player’s intelligence. It offers challenge without cruelty, complexity without confusion, artistry without pretension. More importantly, it achieves that rarest accomplishment in interactive entertainment, it leaves an impression.

Blasphemous II does not reinvent the Metroidvania genre. It does something perhaps more difficult. It perfects its own identity. In an era increasingly dominated by games assembled through committee design and algorithmic trend-chasing, there is something profoundly refreshing about experiencing a work this singular, this uncompromising, and this beautifully strange.

One word or phrase to sum up the experience

A hauntingly beautiful pilgrimage through a world of sacred horror.

Performance/Bug related incidents

None the game ran flawlessly.

Similar to games

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, The Last Faith, Blasphemous

Rating
★★★★★★★★★☆
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=869453048

View all 2 comments

Review Showcase

Tales of Kenzera™: ZAU

17.6 Hours played

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU

ZAU Long, Farewel

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, the debut title from Surgent Studios, arrives carrying an emotional weight larger than itself, a game born not from market trends or genre opportunism, but from grief. The game nails that sincerity almost immediately. You can feel it's a deeply personal story to the creator. And yet sincerity, admirable as it often is, has never been enough to guarantee greatness.

The story follows Zau, a young shaman mourning the death of his father, who strikes a bargain with Kalunga, the God of Death to recover the spirits of three powerful beings, and perhaps then his father may be returned to him. It is a tale rooted in Bantu mythology, unusual and refreshing within a medium that too often cannibalizes the same fantasy tropes. Death, loss, acceptance , these are the themes, handled with an earnestness.

So here I find myself back in the world of the Metroidvania, a neighborhood populated by towering modern landmarks like Hollow Knight, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and more recently Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (which kickstarted my dive back into the genre) and recently with my play of the brilliant Blasphemous II. This is unfortunate for Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, because comparison reveals how much of its design vocabulary has been borrowed without fully understanding why those predecessors worked so well.

What Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is attempting is admirable, to fuse a more deeply personal storytelling with fast-paced action-platforming, using the structure of a Metroidvania to mirror the emotional process of grief itself. In theory, it is an elegant idea. In practice, the metaphor is stronger than the mechanics supporting it.

Movement is smooth and energetic. Zau switches between Sun and Moon masks, each dictating combat style and traversal abilities. The system creates a rhythm that initially feels clever, forcing players to adapt between ranged and melee combat while navigating environmental hazards. But as the game unfolds, repetition sets in. Enemy encounters begin to feel algorithmic, challenge rooms become predictable, and the act of switching masks gradually transforms from strategic decision-making into simple routine.

The greatest disappointment lies in the world design itself. A Metroidvania lives and dies by discovery. The joy is meant to come from curiosity rewarded, the inaccessible ledge you remember, the secret passage newly opened after acquiring a long-awaited ability, the feeling that the map itself is conspiring with you. Here, exploration often feels startlingly linear. Corridors lead where they are expected to lead. Secrets feel sparse. Backtracking, traditionally the heartbeat of the genre, rarely generates excitement. You are not uncovering mysteries so much as completing obligations.

And yet it is difficult to dismiss the craftsmanship outright. Visually, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is often stunning. Its use of color is vibrant but I did find that sometimes when things get chaotic, I would lose sight of my character not helped by the fact that when wearing the sun mask your Zau exudes a yellow aura that blends him in with the enemies making it difficult to pick him out of the pack. The environments evoke a rich Afrofuturist identity rarely seen in big-budget or independent games alike and I found that quite pleasing to the eye. The performance generally stable, and the presentation definitely has confidence. Voice acting, too, deserves praise. There is conviction behind every line, and the emotional sincerity of the writing often transcends the limitations of the game surrounding it.

As a gamer I always like my reviews to pose the question of whether the game is worth the price of admission, and more importantly, the demand on your time? Yes, but with caveats. At roughly eight to ten hours, priced around twenty dollars, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU occupies an awkward middle ground. It is not expensive enough to feel exploitative, but neither is it substantial enough to feel essential. The game asks for a modest financial investment, yes, but more importantly it asks for your time, and time remains the more precious currency. The problem is not that the game is bad. It isn’t. It is competent, occasionally beautiful, intermittently moving. But competence is a dangerous thing in a genre currently overflowing with excellence.

I kept thinking while playing that Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is like listening to a gifted storyteller reading from a remarkable book while standing on an unstable stage. The words resonate. The emotion lands. But the structure beneath them wobbles just enough to keep pulling your attention away. I don't regret experiencing it though. It is, however, a game I suspect I will remember more for what it wanted to say than for how it played. And sometimes, unfortunately, good intentions are only half the journey.

One word or phrase to sum up the experience

A gorgeous near miss

Performance/Bug related incidents

None the game ran flawlessly.

Similar to games

Blasphemous II, Hollow Knight, Ori and the Blind Forest

Rating
★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
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