I enjoy the creativity of this visual novel so much. It's definitely full of disturbing content (which it thankfully warns about several times before you start) but the direction the story takes and how it blends a dating sim with horror and another of my favorite genres in a really intriguing way is extremely interesting. I'm so glad that I got to experience it without being spoiled! Reading up on how this version differs from the original, though, and I am confident it would be soooooo much more effective on Steam for a couple of reasons in particular that I can't mention. It's still a solid port that translates the experience as best it can, though, and there is some additional side content there for those who want to dive in further. Now that I've finished the game and understand its twists and turns, I'm not sure that I care about anything more myself, but always cool for it to exist.

I love discovering unique gameplay mechanics in indie games and Chicory succeeded by delivering some nifty painting gameplay that I can't recall seeing since the Epic Mickey series. The game is adorable and charming as can be. The beautiful colors and simplicity of the story with cure characters make it an experience that many will no doubt find relaxing. I spent much more time watching my two teenagers play than I did controlling the game myself, though, and I'm completely okay with that. I don't have the creative mind or desire to play around with colors in the way that they do. I just wanted to get from point a to point b, so while I can recognize how wonderful it is and how much people like them will adore the game, for me it wasn't a special experience or even one that stands out as particular memorable in fact.

Yuffie is an absolute blast to play. Her fast-paced mix of up close and ranged combat that features physical and magic attacks serves as a perfect new addition to the style of the main game. The visuals, as well, are somehow even more of a step up again. This is a stunning game to look at while you play.

I really enjoyed how Yuffie's story is happening concurrently with the early events of FF VII Remake. It was a neat way to integrate her with the world and set her up for future participation in sequels. Seeing beloved characters from the first game again was wonderful. Her quest in and of itself is interesting but ends up being pretty linear. It does end up packing a punch, though, and just made me excited for more.

The enemies are nothing new outside of boss fights and as enjoyable as the combat was I would have loved a more open approach that really took advantage of the cool traversal stuff that Yuffie can do instead of very structured paths in which to use those abilities. The game adds a few simulator battles to challenge if that's your thing and there are a handful of people to play Fort Condor against. I lost a lot of time ensuring I beat each and every one of them because that game is an absolute blast!

Overall a really solid expansion piece. Hopefully all of the work from here on out is going into getting us part two of the Remake as soon as possible, though.

Disclaimer that this review is after two fulls runs of the game and having experienced one ending (Saya). If I do end up completing all routes, and I want to, then I will update as necessary.

This is my first true visual novel and it hooked me into the genre. I really appreciated the storytelling methods here and for someone who struggles to read anymore, this felt like I was able to scratch that old itch while having just enough "gameplay" to make it feel active. The characters are anime trope central but I loved them and getting to experience their different backstories as my relationship with them slowly evolved was nice.

What I don't like is this game's complete lack of direction. After finishing a lengthy multi-hour prologue where you do practically nothing, only to have the game give you its worst ending before setting you free to play for real, I ended up spending my next handful of hours wandering through the game's summer section only to have it result in the same worst ending. That was crushing, let me tell you, and if not for the encouragement of a friend telling me the stories were worth it, I would have quit right there. I do not like having my time wasted and that is precisely what happened. Sure, you can guess where characters may be more frequently but you have to hit certain thresholds to trigger events which ultimately allow an ending to happen - and none of this is something the game allows you to keep track of. It's an egregious system error, in my opinion. I was forced to use a spoiler-free choice guide to ensure that I would get an ending at all and that really bothered me. So, despite it being a visually pleasing novel with great relationships and a weirdly out of place feeling supernatural mystery that pops in and out here and there, my experience was very mixed because of the confusion I have in trying to figure out whether I'm progressing along a path that I want to be or not.

Platinum #15 - Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

My most anticipated game of the year. A new entry in one of my favorite series of all-time. The technical showcase so far for the PlayStation 5. And it did... not... disappoint. 5 stars. 10/10. S Rank.

Whatever rating system you wanna use, this gets the highest score. I am blown away by the refinement and improvement in every single area from gunplay to traversal to story. Easily my GOTY so far. It's going to be very hard to unseat it.

Discovered this game after getting a free year of Google Play Pass and am thrilled to have it on my phone. I'm addicted to the deck-builder roguelike genre and this one hits the perfect spot for a mobile experience. For one thing, it's vertical, so it can be played easily with one hand. It also saves your progress without any action by the player. Close the game and it'll be good to go when you come back. The gameplay has all of the fun choices you normally find in the genre and plenty of different classes to explore and find interesting synergies with. It's a bit less complex than some other games, but that's part of what makes it so wonderful for playing on the go or while watching sports on TV (or, let's be honest, in the bathroom 😆). It also has a cute story that is easy to recognize with its fairy tale references. Couldn't really ask for anything more from this because it fits a perfect niche. I'm gonna play this A LOT!

After almost 80 hours of Mass Effect in the past couple of weeks, I needed a break and palette cleanser before starting Mass Effect 3. I chose to finally play The Last Campfire (Platinum #14) which had been high in my backlog. It's a beautiful little indie about empathy and finding hope out of despair. The puzzles are not too difficult, which I appreciated, and it's charm while exploring the world helps offset the heavy thematic core. Kind of wild that this came from Sean Murray and the team at Hello Games since it's nothing at all like No Man's Sky. I'm glad they flexed a different set of their talent muscles, though. Highly recommend.

Yes, Mako driving in the mountains is horrendous (otherwise it's quite enjoyable). Yes, the combat is pretty basic and sometimes clunky. Yes, the level design is fairly uninspired throughout the majority of missions and planets don't feel particularly unique despite having a ton of them to explore.

But... the story, the characters, the relationships, the music, the cinematic moments, the lore, the choices... it all more than makes up for those nitpicks I have. Playing through this for the first time (to be fair without any experience of how it has been improved upon later) was an incredible and special experience for me. I love, love, loved this introduction to a new universe that is instantly among my favorite sci-fi properties ever. So thankful that I patiently waited, unspoiled, for this to get the remaster treatment it deserved.

I adore the presentation of this game, its wonderful 2D art style and entrancing score, and I find the mechanics of how the story is told to be incredibly engaging. It's such a unique way to approach the narrative adventure genre and it really has a way of making you connected to the relationships between characters in a very meaningful way. The story itself is pretty good. I do like the spooky vibe, but it gets a little too weird and inexplicable for my taste. Unfortunately that pulled me out of my immersion into the relationships at times. I would absolutely love if Oxenfree 2 took a more logical story direction. Still, this is a must play for anyone who is a fan of great narrative choice games.

Have played through twice now and the brilliance of this game cannot be overstated. While its actual gameplay is minimal, it's plenty to deliver a phenomenal story experience that takes the player on an emotional journey they will not soon forget. The one section that requires you to do anything not story related (it involves dodging traps and firing objects) is the game's weakest and frustrates me, but that is the only knock I have on what is otherwise one of the best indie games I've ever played.

Incredible game. Loved the freedom. Just enough to do without being overwhelming while still providing plenty of opportunity for that feeling of discovery. Loved the puzzles, even if they are a bit repetitive, and the traversal system is an absolute joy to utilize. It's also a gorgeous game to take in and has the best score of the year by one of gaming's best composers, Austin Wintory. Oh, and it doesn't overstay it's welcome either. Entirely Platinumable in around 15 hours which is a huge bonus. Truly a fantastic gaming experience from start to finish. And I'm hopeful more games will be made that don't let you die.

Peter Parker or Miles Morales...

Why not both?

Hell of an experience yet again!