I was pleasantly surprised by this experience. While I wouldn't label myself as a die-hard Star Trek enthusiast, I do harbor nostalgic sentiments from my childhood, where I would watch the Next Generation faithfully with my dad each week. As the plot unfolded, I found myself recalling a specific episode that was cleverly referenced. Whether you're a fan of the Star Trek universe or have fond memories of it, I believe you'll find enjoyment in this title.

One of the highlights for me in the game was immersing myself in the narrative and feeling a sense of control over the characters through the dialogue choices. The performances of all the characters were fantastic, each convincingly playing their respective roles.

However, my sole gripe with the game lies in the scattered gameplay elements within the story that felt a bit cumbersome and outdated, such as certain stealth sequences. While these moments didn't linger too long to significantly detract from the overall experience, they might be a potential barrier for those less inclined towards gaming—like my non-gaming dad. Additionally, there were a few Quick Time Events (QTEs) that I engaged with, and I found these to be effective in maintaining my connection with the game.

In summary, I approached this game with skepticism, but it turned out to be the kind of experience I couldn't tear myself away from, providing a refreshing break from my time with Baldur's Gate 3.

I gave it my 5 hours. Both from a JRPG and farming standpoint, this game failed to grab me. I wanted to like it, I heard a lot of great things, but the pacing is incredibly slow. I can forgive poor pacing if other aspects of the game can capture my interest, but sadly nothing does.

The combat is passable at best. It simply feels like a button masher, as avoiding enemy damage seems like a task. You don’t get a good sense as to where the hit boxes are or where you need to be to avoid damage.

The characters intrigued me slightly, but after 5 hours I would expect to have have built some kind of connection with them.

Anyways, if I was starved for games, I would give it a couple of more hours, but with a growing backlog of amazing games, I need to move on.

I don’t know if I was in the wrong mindset, but personally this game left a “meh” impression on me.

I finished it, but it did feel like there were times I booted it up just to get some levels done so that I could eventually beat the game.

Don’t get me wrong, there were wondrous moments, and I loved the numerous whimsical elements, such as the trippy Wonder Flower stages, the fun enemies, and the talking flowers. However, it felt like I was having a lot of ideas thrown at me but it wasn’t necessarily put together in a cohesive way nor did any of the mechanics build upon each other. It was as if every level was built in isolation with the only rule being, keep the thematic design in check to match the world you are in. There were several moments where I enjoyed a particular level’s gimmick, only to discover that was the only level you were going to see it in.

Design wise, it’s beautiful and I applause the animators on this one. All the details of the characters movements were smile inducing to say the least and I love it when a game pays attention to the small details.

The music was good… but I don’t think it has staying power like the classic Mario games I grew up with and to this day still catch myself humming while I’m focusing on an unrelated task.

I know it seems like I’m harsh on the game. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the experience but overall it felt average to me. Perhaps coming back to it in the future when the hype has died off, I will re-evaluate how I feel about it.

Beautiful game that shed some perspective on the challenges immigrants possibly face while raising a child who straddles two different cultures.

It is heartfelt, poignant and tells its story through short vignettes mixed with culinary mini games.

I know nothing about South Indian cuisine but after playing this, I was into Google maps looking for restaurants where I could try some of these customary dishes.

My Rune Factory journey goes like this: I fell in love with Rune Factory 4 on the 3DS, but when the Switch version dropped, I caved and bought it. Sadly, I lost my groove in the game and never finished it. Then came Rune Factory 5, and I was excited for a fresh experience. But it fell flat. The transition to 3D killed the charm, and the world felt boring to explore. Fast travel was a Band-Aid on a poorly designed game world.


Rune Factory 3 has unexpectedly claimed the title of my favorite in the series, even though it lacks the bells and whistles of its newer counterparts. The timeless appeal of its visual style, the endearing characters with their charming dialogue and unique personalities, and the captivating environment graced with a delightful color palette make it an absolute gem. Despite its age, I found the experience of exploration in Rune Factory 3 to be truly enchanting, and it has cemented its special place in my heart.

Despite the game being extremely simple compared to modern Atelier games, I enjoyed my time with this one.

You have the option to play with a time limit, which means the game will end on a certain date, and your ending is determined by what you accomplished within this time. Alternatively, you can play without the time limit and enjoy your time completing requests and unlocking story sequences at your leisure.

I chose to play with the time limit on. Initially, I felt stressed out, questioning each move I made. Did I want to battle this wolf and allow a day to pass? Did I NEED to make one more red neutralizer? However, it wasn't long before I stopped thinking about the passage of time and was simply enjoying setting myself mini task-based goals and checking them off.

"One of the game's features is that, at a certain point, you meet a group of fairies in a nearby forest. You can hire them to perform helpful tasks, such as gathering common ingredients used in other recipes. I would hire one fairy to gather raw components, while another tasked with synthesizing the base materials needed for more complex recipes.

I have read mixed reviews about this game, with criticism aimed at its repetition and simplicity. I can sympathize with those sentiments because I won't deny that the game has been stripped down to its very basics. After all, it was the first game in the series. For me, what maintained my engagement was the habit of checking my journal and finding hints on how to unlock new scenes with each character. The story is as simple as it gets, but I found the little vignettes with each character endearing."

I had an absolute blast with Atelier Marie Remake. From its charming art design to its lovable characters and delightful music, the game kept a constant grin glued to my face throughout the entire journey. It perfectly encapsulated the core elements that I cherish in my Atelier games, and it's fascinating to witness how the game has gracefully evolved into the masterpiece it is today.

Last Day of June is a story of grief and loss. Personally, I have been fortunate to not have to struggle with the tragic and sudden loss of someone close to me. I can only imagine the pain and desperate feelings someone might find themselves in to rewind the seemingly harmless events that may have lead to their ultimate demise. This is where the premise of Last Day of June lies; if you can rewind time to change events, could you alter fate?

It was an interesting premise that hooked me. The characters with minimal facial features who spoke a type of cute gibberish evoked deep feelings that were easily felt. The art style drew me in with its beautiful impressionistic tone, painting a setting of a small hamlet where the neighbours knew each other well.

The story was thoughtful with potential to push me to self-reflect on life and death. However, the game design and pacing continually snapped me out of its world. It felt like a game that couldn't find the balance between presenting a strong narrative experience with gaming elements. In the end, I wanted to know if I could challenge fate but was bogged down with following a guide to move the story along. The conclusion was interesting and could be taken at face value, but I do believe it is open to interpretation for deeper meaning.

The story kept me going, but there were moments where I asked myself if I should continue on as the gameplay felt like a chore. Knowing that the game was a short experience, I trudged on and happy that I was able to conclude the developers vision.

I am delighted that I had the opportunity to play and finish Super Mario Land 2 at the age of 42. I recently picked up an Analogue Pocket and wanted to play this game since I’ve heard great things.

I think this game is still fun despite it being an old game. The thing that stood out to me was how creative the worlds were. This is not your same old biome’s that most platformers, including the bulk of Mario games, puts on repeat. Instead you’ll be travelling inside a whale, visiting Halloween land, floating in space, and traversing a world of giant household items.

The game reminds me of what I love best about Nintendo. When they throw away the book and take a chance with their IP’s, they often strike on something special. This game is no exception, and it reminds me of Super Mario Odyssey in that way. Both games ooze with love and passion. I imagine the developers being locked away with the only rule being, “make the Mario game you’ve always wanted.”

I have mixed feelings.

It is unarguably a beautiful game that continued to astound me to the very end. The act of riding around on horseback to discover a beautiful serene scene propelled me to plod along through countless repetitive encounters.

The combat was fun to engage with and that is a good thing, because every story beat, every side quest, every marker on your map was there to solely move you from one encounter to another.

The story is a tiring western perspective on samurai honour (yawn). The characters felt flat and predictable because they are the same cliches that are told over and over again. The character arcs failed to be effective because I quickly realized that there wasn't going to be an interesting outcome and that I was simply going to do another "liberate the settlement mission". This was frustrating, because for such a beautiful game, they could have equally made a beautiful and engaging story.

Despite complaints, I still enjoyed it enough to finish the game. For me, it was popcorn that happened to be nice to look at. It didn't require anything from me emotionally or cognitively and that might be what I needed during a time where the real world demands those things from me on a daily basis.