1999
Si los personajes de Silent Hill hablasen
Harry: oh me está comiendo, oh oh me está comiendo
El pterodactilo: toma estooo toma esto hombre malo toma estooo
La enfermera: hoy es un dia mas feliiiz
Harry: oh me está comiendo, oh oh me está comiendo
El pterodactilo: toma estooo toma esto hombre malo toma estooo
La enfermera: hoy es un dia mas feliiiz
I really liked Mommy Long Legs especially her voice actress it really captures the feeling of what a mother with long legs would sound like
2020
Backrooms? Liminal spaces? tf you on dude this is a minigolf game
2022
This one's theme is "entertainment" which I like because it's focused enough while still leaving plenty room for various interpretations. The main drawback here is that almost all devs are newcomers, which makes the game lack a big selling point since they're all unknown, but it's cool to see some different stuff.
Unlike most people apparently, I enjoyed the hub. Lacks meaningful puzzles like 2 or some well-paced dialogue like 3 and The Hunt, but the setting is pretty cool. I also really liked the monster, creepy design, very disgusting and while it becomes predictable, it's first appearances came off as a surprise for me. While The Hunt ended with a showdown against the monster, it was right at the climax and it wasn't particularly well animated or a difficult chase either. In most hubs there is no real threat, and I thought that was the same case here when the monster first appeared at the stage. But after that you see the damn thing chasing you and it becomes a different story. Gave me a couple of good scares. Honestly quite enjoyed the setting and atmosphere, story was fine too.
12. Interim
Idk what that was, kind of embarrassing lol. I think it was going for a Videodrome kind of thing but it's just all over the place and janky af, couldn't enjoy it or take it seriously.
11. Spirit Guardian
Kind of the same, I like the visuals but the nanny herself is really dumb and the way you fend her off is so stupid it loses all tension in the first couple of minuts. Puzzles are really silly too, idk, seemed more like a meme game.
10. Ludomalica
This one's a shame because the concept and ideas are really cool but it doesn't delve too far into any of them. The "you must be alone" thing gets old faster than it should and the game can't come up with anything else aside from running you around turning off the lights. The monster isn't scary at all either. Would've liked to see it build up more tension, but flopped hard quite quickly.
9. Rotten Stigma
Idk what this one was going for, it doesn't even fit the theme I think? I mean you could argue the sports center serves as entertainment but idk. Played like a mini-silent hill thing and it was actually fun but there was little aside from that, the scares were pretty silly. I had fun with it but that's about it.
8. Hunsvotti
This one was too silly but it was also fun, I wasn't expecting it to end like that lol. It's a really short game but it sets up the story nicely. Fun stuff.
7. Vestige
This one was silly too but I respect the commitment to the concept. This one gave me the most scares and the game within a game is really fun, really stupid too but it's genuinely well polished lol, I liked how it combined 2 completely different types of games. Had a good time
6. Beyond the Curtain
I've seen people shit in this one and I don't get it! There's nothing besides walking and the scenery isn't that interesting but it's quite short and keeps you on edge once the knife buddy appears. Nothing particularly amazing imo but it's well designed. Ending is fucked up.
5. The Book of Blood
Really liked the concept here but some stuff completely trivializes how it works, like the evade mechanic when the clown tries to stab you. There's also the thing with keeping your stand secure by locking the doors and looking through the windows, would've liked to see more of that, or that the game forced you more to explore the place in which it takes place. It's good tho, never drops the ball and is very focused despite the flaws, the scary factor quickly became meaningless tho.
4. Resver
The style's amazing and that's about the point I think, I can understand the general aspects of the story but it's left very vague. Still enjoyed it a lot, the visuals keep it going for a while.
3. We Never Left
This one would have surprised me more if I hadn't played Stories Untold before, although the concept is definitely explored better here, made me nervous more than I'd like to admit. One of the more polished ones for sure.
2. Gallerie
Holy shit this thing's long, I thought Squirrel Stapler was the longest Dread X stuff but this can go on for like 2 hours or so lol. I liked a lot of ideas here, didn't fully buy the asmr at first but I enjoyed how the rest played out. The "horror by stress" thing, the "trying to decipher a language" thing, the setting itself, idk, really enjoyed it. It definitely felt like too much sometimes, but the final thing feels very consistent, might be the most ambitious release in any collection.
1. Karao
I WOKE UP EARLY THIS MORNING. This one takes the cake tho, everything's just on point, looks cool, plays cool, story ends up being cool, I was expecting it to the predictable way but it absolutely delivered.
Overall, this one's all over the place. They didn't have a strict time limit like previous collections apparently so that's why you end up with lengthy and/or polished stuff like Gallerie, Karao or We Never Left and then some really short and/or limited stuff like Hunsvotti and Ludomalica. I absolutely wouldn't put it below other collections though, there's more to like than to hate here, and I think it has more to do with all devs being newcomers this time. The highlights here are really different to what you're used to in these collections by this point so the reaction is sort of understandable, but in many was I consider it superior to the previous ones. Apparently Dread XP is more focused on publishing now and this one might be the last one, at least for a good while, but I personally don't mind it. The hub story feels disconnected from previous ones but I like what it went for.
Glad I played these honestly, I enjoy little horror games but I don't usually go on hunting for them on itch or stuff, so having them delivered like this was quite the treat. It also introduced me to a lot of cool devs and made me appreciate some I knew before even know, so I'm thankful for that.
2 > 3 > 5 > 4 >> 1
Unlike most people apparently, I enjoyed the hub. Lacks meaningful puzzles like 2 or some well-paced dialogue like 3 and The Hunt, but the setting is pretty cool. I also really liked the monster, creepy design, very disgusting and while it becomes predictable, it's first appearances came off as a surprise for me. While The Hunt ended with a showdown against the monster, it was right at the climax and it wasn't particularly well animated or a difficult chase either. In most hubs there is no real threat, and I thought that was the same case here when the monster first appeared at the stage. But after that you see the damn thing chasing you and it becomes a different story. Gave me a couple of good scares. Honestly quite enjoyed the setting and atmosphere, story was fine too.
12. Interim
Idk what that was, kind of embarrassing lol. I think it was going for a Videodrome kind of thing but it's just all over the place and janky af, couldn't enjoy it or take it seriously.
11. Spirit Guardian
Kind of the same, I like the visuals but the nanny herself is really dumb and the way you fend her off is so stupid it loses all tension in the first couple of minuts. Puzzles are really silly too, idk, seemed more like a meme game.
10. Ludomalica
This one's a shame because the concept and ideas are really cool but it doesn't delve too far into any of them. The "you must be alone" thing gets old faster than it should and the game can't come up with anything else aside from running you around turning off the lights. The monster isn't scary at all either. Would've liked to see it build up more tension, but flopped hard quite quickly.
9. Rotten Stigma
Idk what this one was going for, it doesn't even fit the theme I think? I mean you could argue the sports center serves as entertainment but idk. Played like a mini-silent hill thing and it was actually fun but there was little aside from that, the scares were pretty silly. I had fun with it but that's about it.
8. Hunsvotti
This one was too silly but it was also fun, I wasn't expecting it to end like that lol. It's a really short game but it sets up the story nicely. Fun stuff.
7. Vestige
This one was silly too but I respect the commitment to the concept. This one gave me the most scares and the game within a game is really fun, really stupid too but it's genuinely well polished lol, I liked how it combined 2 completely different types of games. Had a good time
6. Beyond the Curtain
I've seen people shit in this one and I don't get it! There's nothing besides walking and the scenery isn't that interesting but it's quite short and keeps you on edge once the knife buddy appears. Nothing particularly amazing imo but it's well designed. Ending is fucked up.
5. The Book of Blood
Really liked the concept here but some stuff completely trivializes how it works, like the evade mechanic when the clown tries to stab you. There's also the thing with keeping your stand secure by locking the doors and looking through the windows, would've liked to see more of that, or that the game forced you more to explore the place in which it takes place. It's good tho, never drops the ball and is very focused despite the flaws, the scary factor quickly became meaningless tho.
4. Resver
The style's amazing and that's about the point I think, I can understand the general aspects of the story but it's left very vague. Still enjoyed it a lot, the visuals keep it going for a while.
3. We Never Left
This one would have surprised me more if I hadn't played Stories Untold before, although the concept is definitely explored better here, made me nervous more than I'd like to admit. One of the more polished ones for sure.
2. Gallerie
Holy shit this thing's long, I thought Squirrel Stapler was the longest Dread X stuff but this can go on for like 2 hours or so lol. I liked a lot of ideas here, didn't fully buy the asmr at first but I enjoyed how the rest played out. The "horror by stress" thing, the "trying to decipher a language" thing, the setting itself, idk, really enjoyed it. It definitely felt like too much sometimes, but the final thing feels very consistent, might be the most ambitious release in any collection.
1. Karao
I WOKE UP EARLY THIS MORNING. This one takes the cake tho, everything's just on point, looks cool, plays cool, story ends up being cool, I was expecting it to the predictable way but it absolutely delivered.
Overall, this one's all over the place. They didn't have a strict time limit like previous collections apparently so that's why you end up with lengthy and/or polished stuff like Gallerie, Karao or We Never Left and then some really short and/or limited stuff like Hunsvotti and Ludomalica. I absolutely wouldn't put it below other collections though, there's more to like than to hate here, and I think it has more to do with all devs being newcomers this time. The highlights here are really different to what you're used to in these collections by this point so the reaction is sort of understandable, but in many was I consider it superior to the previous ones. Apparently Dread XP is more focused on publishing now and this one might be the last one, at least for a good while, but I personally don't mind it. The hub story feels disconnected from previous ones but I like what it went for.
Glad I played these honestly, I enjoy little horror games but I don't usually go on hunting for them on itch or stuff, so having them delivered like this was quite the treat. It also introduced me to a lot of cool devs and made me appreciate some I knew before even know, so I'm thankful for that.
2 > 3 > 5 > 4 >> 1
The theme here is "shooters" and was produced along with David Szymanski, which gives it a different aura. It's hard for me to get bored with a shooter, shooting stuff is always fun, so I was expecting to really like this one.
The launcher's cool, setting never gets old. It's too story driven in comparison to the previous ones, not only because of the dialogue but also because of how many chores and setups it puts you through. It doesn't feel too dense tho, since this collection contains half as many games as the previous ones. I also like the build up to the monster, previous launchers were really detailed but felt more like an intermission between each game. Here you actually get a climax, get yourself in danger and receive an ending and I think that's pretty cool.
7. Seraphixial
It sucks I'm sorry, Vidas just can't seem to find a balance with the asset flip move because everything looks out of place wherever you look at. Enemies suck, shooting sucks and this guy seems to think being loud = being scary, gets annoying. It's not boring tho, I'll give him that.
6. The House of Unrest
Cool-looking, but the rest is just fine. It's piss-easy and the "puzzles" feel more like chores, it's enjoyable because of the visuals but the mechanics feel more forced-in to make you feel like you're doing something more than walking. Final boss rocks tho absolute badass
5. Axis Mundi
This one's nice, I like how it plays out, no pretensions about it, it's exactly what you see and the scope is really small. Almost relaxing in a way.
4. Uktena 64
Similar to Squirrel Stapler in concept and presentation but a lot more action packed. It's sort of generic when compared to the rest of the pack, but the protagonist and the overall tone of the game just makes it really charming and enjoyable. It's just fun!!!
3. The Fruit
This one's just really polished, like, could've been a demo for an actual game. Combat feels nice, the sigils mechanic and the way it develops and relates to the story is really cool, and the plot itself, while simple, stays relevant during the whole thing and never feels like an excuse.
2. Rose of Meat
Didn't actually enjoy this one as much as Uktena or The Fruit gameplay-wise, but I respect when you do weird shit like this. Everyone had a different vision in this collection, but this is the only game that decided to go waaaay out there in both aesthetics and gameplay and I enjoyed it a lot in that regard, figuring out the mechanics and how to take advantage of them. Great stuff, would love to see more meaty games.
1. Black Relic
Torple Dook always understands the assignment. Clearly inspired by RE4 but it's really polished, movement feels great and shooting more. The visuals and plot are cool, but it's the ending what ends up selling it for me.
Overall, cool stuff. In terms of quality, I'd say it's the most consistent out of every collection, but it's also the one that surprised me the least. Not even Black Relic, which I liked a lot, comes close to the highlights from previous games, so that sort of brings it a bit down for me. Still enjoyed it.
The launcher's cool, setting never gets old. It's too story driven in comparison to the previous ones, not only because of the dialogue but also because of how many chores and setups it puts you through. It doesn't feel too dense tho, since this collection contains half as many games as the previous ones. I also like the build up to the monster, previous launchers were really detailed but felt more like an intermission between each game. Here you actually get a climax, get yourself in danger and receive an ending and I think that's pretty cool.
7. Seraphixial
It sucks I'm sorry, Vidas just can't seem to find a balance with the asset flip move because everything looks out of place wherever you look at. Enemies suck, shooting sucks and this guy seems to think being loud = being scary, gets annoying. It's not boring tho, I'll give him that.
6. The House of Unrest
Cool-looking, but the rest is just fine. It's piss-easy and the "puzzles" feel more like chores, it's enjoyable because of the visuals but the mechanics feel more forced-in to make you feel like you're doing something more than walking. Final boss rocks tho absolute badass
5. Axis Mundi
This one's nice, I like how it plays out, no pretensions about it, it's exactly what you see and the scope is really small. Almost relaxing in a way.
4. Uktena 64
Similar to Squirrel Stapler in concept and presentation but a lot more action packed. It's sort of generic when compared to the rest of the pack, but the protagonist and the overall tone of the game just makes it really charming and enjoyable. It's just fun!!!
3. The Fruit
This one's just really polished, like, could've been a demo for an actual game. Combat feels nice, the sigils mechanic and the way it develops and relates to the story is really cool, and the plot itself, while simple, stays relevant during the whole thing and never feels like an excuse.
2. Rose of Meat
Didn't actually enjoy this one as much as Uktena or The Fruit gameplay-wise, but I respect when you do weird shit like this. Everyone had a different vision in this collection, but this is the only game that decided to go waaaay out there in both aesthetics and gameplay and I enjoyed it a lot in that regard, figuring out the mechanics and how to take advantage of them. Great stuff, would love to see more meaty games.
1. Black Relic
Torple Dook always understands the assignment. Clearly inspired by RE4 but it's really polished, movement feels great and shooting more. The visuals and plot are cool, but it's the ending what ends up selling it for me.
Overall, cool stuff. In terms of quality, I'd say it's the most consistent out of every collection, but it's also the one that surprised me the least. Not even Black Relic, which I liked a lot, comes close to the highlights from previous games, so that sort of brings it a bit down for me. Still enjoyed it.
2020
The main theme here is "spoopy", which is cute + spooky. At first I thought I wouldn't like this one, I'm really tired of wholesome games that are actually really devious and cursed, it's hard to pull them off and most times they feel cheap and annoying and I expected it to appear here. Granted, it does, but it's also the worst game and the rest do some cool stuff.
The launcher is a bit worse than the first one. I like that they tried a completely different design for it, but the constant chatting felt a bit annoying in the way of progress. Doesn't help that the easy but engaging puzzles from before are replaced by some simple exploring and opening paths here. It's serviceable and the aesthetics are on point, but it's definitely less engaging (still good).
12. Bubbo: Adventure on Gerald's Island
Might as well be the worst game in any collection. Tired of this cutesy game but it's actually really disturbing!! Most homages to N64 platformers forget that those games actually played well for the most part and had amazing movement, this is a pain to play and not interesting in the slightest.
11. Nice Screams at the Funfair
This one's just really stupid and jankt af. Opening cinematic is more polished than the actual game. The last cutscene has some cool visuals though.
10. Matter Over Mind
Feels like they couldn't meet the deadline and could only deliver what you see. There's 60 collectibles that do nothing and you even lose them if you die. Controlling humans only works to solve puzzles, no actual enjoyment out of it, it's just... There ig, don't care about it.
9. Soul Waste
Looks fine and plays fine, but it's vague and just not impressive at all. Can't say I disliked it but I also wouldn't say I enjoyed it, it's just there, the definition of meh.
8. Submission
This one gave me a good chuckle at the beginning, I wasn't expecting that. The code mechanic is cool but gets tedious. I like how bait-and-switch it is.
7. REACTOR
Visuals here are dope (dude would go on to make Kingdom of the Dead if you even care) but I wish it delved a little more in the setting before everything went to shit. I like the AI she's cute :>
6. Sato Wonderland
VN part of this is really interesting, would love a full game about it. Interrogating murderous robots has never been this fun!!! Ends on a bit of a silly note but it wraps around nicely. Surprised me a lot.
5. EDEN: Garden of the Faultless
ANOTHER one I'd like to see as a full release, has little features but it's really engaging. I've only had my faultless ones for 5 minutes but if something happened to them I'd kill everyone in this house and then myself (I sacrificed like 5 of them whatever)
4. Chip's Tips
This one's insanely stupid but I can't help but respect it. It's not everyday that you see visuals like this and it's engaging in how it plays out. Torple Dook does it again. It's also quite funny I can't lie.
3. Spookware
As a Warioware enjoyer this one just put a smile on my face. It's so polished in every single way I couldn't help but laugh with every little detal (the skeletons being named by their position in the sofa, how they jumped in surprise each time you finish a minigame, how losing = the movie being scary enough for one of them, how they lose their popcorn in order from most coward to least coward, the music and sound effects, etc). Idk I just loved it.
2. Bete Grise
This one absolutely surprised me, visuals are stunning and gameplays cool, but the moment you reach the penthouse and onwards is where my jaw dropped, really cool presentation, loved it.
1. Disparity of the Dead
Visuals are immaculate, I like how relaxed it is despite the topics at hand. It's an open world but it's small and connected enough to make it easy and not-tedious to navigate. The designs rock. The ending is absolutely amazing. I genuinely loved this and it went as far as to make me appreciate Fatum Betula a lot more
I ended up really enjoying it overall, quality is around the same as the previous one but the highlights are some of my favorite in the series. I also like how the launcher's story ends. Definitely on par with the previous one.
The launcher is a bit worse than the first one. I like that they tried a completely different design for it, but the constant chatting felt a bit annoying in the way of progress. Doesn't help that the easy but engaging puzzles from before are replaced by some simple exploring and opening paths here. It's serviceable and the aesthetics are on point, but it's definitely less engaging (still good).
12. Bubbo: Adventure on Gerald's Island
Might as well be the worst game in any collection. Tired of this cutesy game but it's actually really disturbing!! Most homages to N64 platformers forget that those games actually played well for the most part and had amazing movement, this is a pain to play and not interesting in the slightest.
11. Nice Screams at the Funfair
This one's just really stupid and jankt af. Opening cinematic is more polished than the actual game. The last cutscene has some cool visuals though.
10. Matter Over Mind
Feels like they couldn't meet the deadline and could only deliver what you see. There's 60 collectibles that do nothing and you even lose them if you die. Controlling humans only works to solve puzzles, no actual enjoyment out of it, it's just... There ig, don't care about it.
9. Soul Waste
Looks fine and plays fine, but it's vague and just not impressive at all. Can't say I disliked it but I also wouldn't say I enjoyed it, it's just there, the definition of meh.
8. Submission
This one gave me a good chuckle at the beginning, I wasn't expecting that. The code mechanic is cool but gets tedious. I like how bait-and-switch it is.
7. REACTOR
Visuals here are dope (dude would go on to make Kingdom of the Dead if you even care) but I wish it delved a little more in the setting before everything went to shit. I like the AI she's cute :>
6. Sato Wonderland
VN part of this is really interesting, would love a full game about it. Interrogating murderous robots has never been this fun!!! Ends on a bit of a silly note but it wraps around nicely. Surprised me a lot.
5. EDEN: Garden of the Faultless
ANOTHER one I'd like to see as a full release, has little features but it's really engaging. I've only had my faultless ones for 5 minutes but if something happened to them I'd kill everyone in this house and then myself (I sacrificed like 5 of them whatever)
4. Chip's Tips
This one's insanely stupid but I can't help but respect it. It's not everyday that you see visuals like this and it's engaging in how it plays out. Torple Dook does it again. It's also quite funny I can't lie.
3. Spookware
As a Warioware enjoyer this one just put a smile on my face. It's so polished in every single way I couldn't help but laugh with every little detal (the skeletons being named by their position in the sofa, how they jumped in surprise each time you finish a minigame, how losing = the movie being scary enough for one of them, how they lose their popcorn in order from most coward to least coward, the music and sound effects, etc). Idk I just loved it.
2. Bete Grise
This one absolutely surprised me, visuals are stunning and gameplays cool, but the moment you reach the penthouse and onwards is where my jaw dropped, really cool presentation, loved it.
1. Disparity of the Dead
Visuals are immaculate, I like how relaxed it is despite the topics at hand. It's an open world but it's small and connected enough to make it easy and not-tedious to navigate. The designs rock. The ending is absolutely amazing. I genuinely loved this and it went as far as to make me appreciate Fatum Betula a lot more
I ended up really enjoying it overall, quality is around the same as the previous one but the highlights are some of my favorite in the series. I also like how the launcher's story ends. Definitely on par with the previous one.
2020
So the theme here is "lovecraftian". I was expecting a lot of these to focus on the actual mythos, but they ended up going through more interesting paths, and even the ones that sticked to Lovecraft's stuff managed to be really interesting. This one also starts the tradition of the launcher itself being a game, and I personally loved it.
This was made by Shatter's devs from the previous collection and you can tell because the visuals are top notch. I really liked it, puzzles are fun but not particularly tedious so you never get stuck, the house is fun to explore and the story is a good companion to it all, I didn't particularly care about it in the previous collection but the way it's framed here really gives it some weight.
12. Another Late Night
Yeaaah I don't get where this one is going, not interesting at all and the mystery doesn't even get any cool closure or something, it just sort of happens. Could've done more with that interface.
11. The Toy Shop
This one's sort of all over the place, it never gets particularly boring and the shooting part is actually nice, but only Cosmo-D can pull off that particular asset flip aesthetic in a cool way in my book. The story just sort of happens, idk, nothing memorable about it.
10. Arcadletra
This one's like, really weird (why does it happen in an arcade???), the girl's whimpering made me uncomfortable and I got jumpscared a couple of times but that's about it, not particularly cool or anything. I feel like it takes itself a bit too seriously despite how goofy it ends up being.
9. The Thing in the Lake
I respect this one but I just didn't enjoy it, the format and the progression felt more frustrating than anything and the payoff wasn't worth it. Visuals are cool tho. I probably won't enjoy World of Horror that much I see lol
8. To the End of Days
This one is just badass and has cool gunplay, I also like how they tied it to Carthanc. Nothing special but it's just really enjoyable. It notably has the same ending as Halo Reach.
7. Touched by an Outer God
Same as the previous one, just a really enjoyable shooter, but I like how the upgrade system and mechanics tie-in with the narrative. My jaw dropped a couple of times, I wasn't expecting it to develop like this.
6. The Diving Bell
This one's just nice, everything that happens in the ocean is more or less appealing to me and I like how the story plays out. Didn't scare me or make me uncomfortable, but I really like how it progressed.
5. Undiscovered
The concept is crazy cool, a found footage but it's a film from the 40s and you play it in 2nd person. The visuals are cool, Torple Dook just knows how to do it. It does look sort of silly however, and the skeletons talking in RE4 voice lines surely doesn't help, but it's enjoyable till the end.
4. Sucker for Love
Not really my kind of stuff but it's just so well made, the art is stunning, not only talking about the designs but also the interface, and the mechanics for you to make the rituals are pretty engaging. Didn't make me go crazy (heh) but it's p cool
3. Squirrel Stapler
It's just cozy, gameplay loop is a little addicting even if it gets hard in later days and it's silly fun. Not my favorite Szymanski game by any means and I would've preferred Pony Factory as a full release, but it's concept of "lovecraftian" is a nice break from everything you see up till then.
2. Solipsis
I've hated on Daniel Mullins before, I thought he was a hack that could only make the same game over and over again, tired creepypasta ARG bullshit. Even Inscryption, which I enjoyed quite a bunch, falls victim to this after the 1st third. But this one showed me that he can actually make some really cool stuff. Looks and plays ok but it's the "rationalize" mechanic that really ties-in the game nicely, it's a concept transported to mechanics in an absolute perfect way and gives one of the most memorable moments in the series (GO MAD). This is one of the few favs from these collections that I wouldn't like as a full game, I think the way the mechanics work just lends itself for a short experience like this.
1. Charlotte's Exile
Really damn engaging. The concept on itself is cool, it's despicted in the most basic and barebones way ever with the alien language being a 1:1 to english but with different symbols, but even then it's just so fun to look for each equivalent in different pages and play detective for a bit. Would love a full-release, a fully realized puzzle-logic game about figuring out an alien language. Loved it, amazing stuff.
Definitely better than the previous one overall, the main theme being more defined allowed for more connection in-between the games, the quality of each of them is also improved with only a couple of them that I consider truly bad and the playable launcher is the cherry on top. Sets the standard for future entries, which may be a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it.
This was made by Shatter's devs from the previous collection and you can tell because the visuals are top notch. I really liked it, puzzles are fun but not particularly tedious so you never get stuck, the house is fun to explore and the story is a good companion to it all, I didn't particularly care about it in the previous collection but the way it's framed here really gives it some weight.
12. Another Late Night
Yeaaah I don't get where this one is going, not interesting at all and the mystery doesn't even get any cool closure or something, it just sort of happens. Could've done more with that interface.
11. The Toy Shop
This one's sort of all over the place, it never gets particularly boring and the shooting part is actually nice, but only Cosmo-D can pull off that particular asset flip aesthetic in a cool way in my book. The story just sort of happens, idk, nothing memorable about it.
10. Arcadletra
This one's like, really weird (why does it happen in an arcade???), the girl's whimpering made me uncomfortable and I got jumpscared a couple of times but that's about it, not particularly cool or anything. I feel like it takes itself a bit too seriously despite how goofy it ends up being.
9. The Thing in the Lake
I respect this one but I just didn't enjoy it, the format and the progression felt more frustrating than anything and the payoff wasn't worth it. Visuals are cool tho. I probably won't enjoy World of Horror that much I see lol
8. To the End of Days
This one is just badass and has cool gunplay, I also like how they tied it to Carthanc. Nothing special but it's just really enjoyable. It notably has the same ending as Halo Reach.
7. Touched by an Outer God
Same as the previous one, just a really enjoyable shooter, but I like how the upgrade system and mechanics tie-in with the narrative. My jaw dropped a couple of times, I wasn't expecting it to develop like this.
6. The Diving Bell
This one's just nice, everything that happens in the ocean is more or less appealing to me and I like how the story plays out. Didn't scare me or make me uncomfortable, but I really like how it progressed.
5. Undiscovered
The concept is crazy cool, a found footage but it's a film from the 40s and you play it in 2nd person. The visuals are cool, Torple Dook just knows how to do it. It does look sort of silly however, and the skeletons talking in RE4 voice lines surely doesn't help, but it's enjoyable till the end.
4. Sucker for Love
Not really my kind of stuff but it's just so well made, the art is stunning, not only talking about the designs but also the interface, and the mechanics for you to make the rituals are pretty engaging. Didn't make me go crazy (heh) but it's p cool
3. Squirrel Stapler
It's just cozy, gameplay loop is a little addicting even if it gets hard in later days and it's silly fun. Not my favorite Szymanski game by any means and I would've preferred Pony Factory as a full release, but it's concept of "lovecraftian" is a nice break from everything you see up till then.
2. Solipsis
I've hated on Daniel Mullins before, I thought he was a hack that could only make the same game over and over again, tired creepypasta ARG bullshit. Even Inscryption, which I enjoyed quite a bunch, falls victim to this after the 1st third. But this one showed me that he can actually make some really cool stuff. Looks and plays ok but it's the "rationalize" mechanic that really ties-in the game nicely, it's a concept transported to mechanics in an absolute perfect way and gives one of the most memorable moments in the series (GO MAD). This is one of the few favs from these collections that I wouldn't like as a full game, I think the way the mechanics work just lends itself for a short experience like this.
1. Charlotte's Exile
Really damn engaging. The concept on itself is cool, it's despicted in the most basic and barebones way ever with the alien language being a 1:1 to english but with different symbols, but even then it's just so fun to look for each equivalent in different pages and play detective for a bit. Would love a full-release, a fully realized puzzle-logic game about figuring out an alien language. Loved it, amazing stuff.
Definitely better than the previous one overall, the main theme being more defined allowed for more connection in-between the games, the quality of each of them is also improved with only a couple of them that I consider truly bad and the playable launcher is the cherry on top. Sets the standard for future entries, which may be a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it.
2020
I got these games for dirt cheap back in July but I decided to leave them for October since they are spooky stuff apparently. I've beaten all of them by the time I'm writing this review so I have knowledge about how future collections play out and that sort of changed my opinion a bit on this one.
The theme here, "Playable Teaser", gives too much freedom of design and you end up with a collection of games that feel really disconected from each other in every way. There's a couple gems here, but I'd say it's 50/50 in quality. The launcher itself is serviceable enough, but it isn't a game on itself like future entries would be.
10. Rotgut
I was torn between this and Carthanc for which one gets last place and I think this one is worse. I enjoy games about just vibing with the enviroment and atmosphere, but this one has absolutely nothing on for it. The moment you get into the tunnel and when you find "Rotgut" are sort of iconic, but what you see afterwards just isn't. Didn't feel tense or oppressed by the dark sewers, just confused by what the game wanted me to do. I just closed it and later turned out you had to die in the tunnel somehow?? Idk, messy stuff.
9. Carthanc
The premise alone should make it the coolest thing ever to me, but it kind of falls flat. Visuals are cool but gameplay is a pain the ass, not even hard, just way too caothic and unenjoyable, doesn't let you appreciate the level design and finishes abruptly. I like how unnerving the enemies are but their speed and screeching get annoying after a while and don't even get me started on that last room full of traps. Cool concept, would've liked to see it taken more slowly.
8. The Pay is Nice
The generic assets make it a lot more unserious to me than it should and I just couldn't find much enjoyment overall, kinda just phased through it. Don't have much to say about it, it just happens, starts and ends quickly. Can't even call it bad, just don't care about it.
7. Don't Go Out
The devs' note for this one made me appreciate it a lot more, but actually playing it is a completely different story. There's only 1 viable strategy and that sort of defeats the purpose of... everything I think. There's many ways to make you feel vulnerable, especially with the mechanics they chose, idk why they decided to design it like this.
6. Outsiders
This is where things get a bit better. The ending for this one is cool and the overall progression is well thought but it's also way too annoying to play, way too cryptic and I didn't have the energy to invest so much on it without a guide lol. I really like the concept tho so no wonder they expanded it into a full game.
5. Mr. Bucket Told Me To
Devs' note adds a gloomy shadow over the whole game. It gets annoying sometimes but the way it plays out is borderline sad rather than scary. It's funny too, first one I'd say I actually enjoyed.
4. Summer Night
This one plays out like the average creepypasta, but I feel like reading the dev's note is essential to get where it's going. I was just enjoying my time with it but then the ending hit and took a good scare out of me. Cool stuff.
3. Shatter
Setting and visuals are top notch, would love a full game out of this one (studio ended up making Dread Delusion which looks similar wnough but the setting here is just too cool). There's some badass concepts in the story and the funky visuals add to how the plot develops, but moving that to the side it's just a really enjoyable short game.
2. Hand of Doom
This one's just cool alright. The main mechanics, the visuals, everything works out really well for what it is, no wonder it got a full release.
1. The Pony Factory
This might be my favorite Szymanski game lmao. The enemy designs, backstory and placement are enough to keep you uncomfortable all the way through, the use of black and white and how shadows are placed is amazing, and the fact that you have to choose between seeing your enemies and attacking them keeps you on edge during the whole first half. Second half is less scary, but there's a sense of urgency by knowing that there are more dangerous enemies than before, and the splashes of color keep things fresh on the visual side. Absolutely amazing, indisputable favorite here.
Overall it's a mixed bag, my opinion was more positive before playing the next collections and seeing how they played out. Here, the difference in quality is just way too noticeable and that kind of detracts from it. Still a nice collection, don't regret buying it.
The theme here, "Playable Teaser", gives too much freedom of design and you end up with a collection of games that feel really disconected from each other in every way. There's a couple gems here, but I'd say it's 50/50 in quality. The launcher itself is serviceable enough, but it isn't a game on itself like future entries would be.
10. Rotgut
I was torn between this and Carthanc for which one gets last place and I think this one is worse. I enjoy games about just vibing with the enviroment and atmosphere, but this one has absolutely nothing on for it. The moment you get into the tunnel and when you find "Rotgut" are sort of iconic, but what you see afterwards just isn't. Didn't feel tense or oppressed by the dark sewers, just confused by what the game wanted me to do. I just closed it and later turned out you had to die in the tunnel somehow?? Idk, messy stuff.
9. Carthanc
The premise alone should make it the coolest thing ever to me, but it kind of falls flat. Visuals are cool but gameplay is a pain the ass, not even hard, just way too caothic and unenjoyable, doesn't let you appreciate the level design and finishes abruptly. I like how unnerving the enemies are but their speed and screeching get annoying after a while and don't even get me started on that last room full of traps. Cool concept, would've liked to see it taken more slowly.
8. The Pay is Nice
The generic assets make it a lot more unserious to me than it should and I just couldn't find much enjoyment overall, kinda just phased through it. Don't have much to say about it, it just happens, starts and ends quickly. Can't even call it bad, just don't care about it.
7. Don't Go Out
The devs' note for this one made me appreciate it a lot more, but actually playing it is a completely different story. There's only 1 viable strategy and that sort of defeats the purpose of... everything I think. There's many ways to make you feel vulnerable, especially with the mechanics they chose, idk why they decided to design it like this.
6. Outsiders
This is where things get a bit better. The ending for this one is cool and the overall progression is well thought but it's also way too annoying to play, way too cryptic and I didn't have the energy to invest so much on it without a guide lol. I really like the concept tho so no wonder they expanded it into a full game.
5. Mr. Bucket Told Me To
Devs' note adds a gloomy shadow over the whole game. It gets annoying sometimes but the way it plays out is borderline sad rather than scary. It's funny too, first one I'd say I actually enjoyed.
4. Summer Night
This one plays out like the average creepypasta, but I feel like reading the dev's note is essential to get where it's going. I was just enjoying my time with it but then the ending hit and took a good scare out of me. Cool stuff.
3. Shatter
Setting and visuals are top notch, would love a full game out of this one (studio ended up making Dread Delusion which looks similar wnough but the setting here is just too cool). There's some badass concepts in the story and the funky visuals add to how the plot develops, but moving that to the side it's just a really enjoyable short game.
2. Hand of Doom
This one's just cool alright. The main mechanics, the visuals, everything works out really well for what it is, no wonder it got a full release.
1. The Pony Factory
This might be my favorite Szymanski game lmao. The enemy designs, backstory and placement are enough to keep you uncomfortable all the way through, the use of black and white and how shadows are placed is amazing, and the fact that you have to choose between seeing your enemies and attacking them keeps you on edge during the whole first half. Second half is less scary, but there's a sense of urgency by knowing that there are more dangerous enemies than before, and the splashes of color keep things fresh on the visual side. Absolutely amazing, indisputable favorite here.
Overall it's a mixed bag, my opinion was more positive before playing the next collections and seeing how they played out. Here, the difference in quality is just way too noticeable and that kind of detracts from it. Still a nice collection, don't regret buying it.
2023
Sheriff Toadster could feed the whole kingdom with that much cake 🥶🥶🥵🥵
2022
This review contains spoilers
I really don't know how to begin on how wrecked this thing is. There's a lot to unpack here:
- Gameplay itself is fine, there's many ways to expand it, but weapons suck. They feel absolutely underpowered from the beginning and you need to unlock stuff to make them at least usable.
- The sword is absolutely busted, and with the way enemies get in the end game, is the only viable option I've found to consistently finish the game. The other weapons can be fun, but they just can't keep up with the hp, swarms and speed of the enemies on the last levels.
- The way the level map works just sucks. It's fun to plan your route from the beginning, but not having enough scout points to know what is where is a pain in the ass. Also by the later half of the game, when you have everything unlocked, aether and insighr points are useless as rewards, so they're just taking up slots. Sometimes you'll run onto a map full of aether rewards and then you might as well just restart your run.
- Coins and shops are, for the most part trivial. They feel like filler rewards most of the time. Coins are only useful if you go for a coin-based build, but focusing on that deviates your attention from power and strength, which is a must if you want to finish a run, so it's basically pointless. Shops are so scarce and hard to find due to the way mapping works that you might as well not even bother. This also makes most shop related upgrades a waste.
- Bosses suck, plain as that. They're not dynamic, not engaging their movesets are limited as hell. The giant worm and Ridley got tiring really fast, and don't even get me started on what a joke Occulus is. Some mini bosses are more engaging than the main ones, and it's a shame all of them are trapped behind RNG.
- Most transmutations and upgrades are useless, due to how spongy and swarmy later enemies get, you only end up focusing on a handful of them, and only specific selected builds end up working.
It's enjoyable enough though, I 100%'d it, but it's just so confused on how it wants its game systems to work. Some balancing would do the trick, but I overall didn't enjoy this that much
- Gameplay itself is fine, there's many ways to expand it, but weapons suck. They feel absolutely underpowered from the beginning and you need to unlock stuff to make them at least usable.
- The sword is absolutely busted, and with the way enemies get in the end game, is the only viable option I've found to consistently finish the game. The other weapons can be fun, but they just can't keep up with the hp, swarms and speed of the enemies on the last levels.
- The way the level map works just sucks. It's fun to plan your route from the beginning, but not having enough scout points to know what is where is a pain in the ass. Also by the later half of the game, when you have everything unlocked, aether and insighr points are useless as rewards, so they're just taking up slots. Sometimes you'll run onto a map full of aether rewards and then you might as well just restart your run.
- Coins and shops are, for the most part trivial. They feel like filler rewards most of the time. Coins are only useful if you go for a coin-based build, but focusing on that deviates your attention from power and strength, which is a must if you want to finish a run, so it's basically pointless. Shops are so scarce and hard to find due to the way mapping works that you might as well not even bother. This also makes most shop related upgrades a waste.
- Bosses suck, plain as that. They're not dynamic, not engaging their movesets are limited as hell. The giant worm and Ridley got tiring really fast, and don't even get me started on what a joke Occulus is. Some mini bosses are more engaging than the main ones, and it's a shame all of them are trapped behind RNG.
- Most transmutations and upgrades are useless, due to how spongy and swarmy later enemies get, you only end up focusing on a handful of them, and only specific selected builds end up working.
It's enjoyable enough though, I 100%'d it, but it's just so confused on how it wants its game systems to work. Some balancing would do the trick, but I overall didn't enjoy this that much
She thinks everything's a fucking game 💔
Honestly just watch The Lighthouse (2019) for a better take on the concept. Tries too hard to be a blend between horror and routine gameplay but fails at both, since its idea of a repetitive activities is to make you enter and exit the same two rooms during a whole section, and any attempt at horror is lost when you're hunting down the monster with a shotgun. It surprises how well liked this game is, feels like a mishmash of random ideas put together and not a single one of them works
2023
Might be the antithesis to Rebirth, a really small and low-scope narrative with a high emphasis on atmosphere and gameplay. I feel like Frictional tries to push the scope way too much with Amnesia with the intent to reach that "Lovecraftian" status, but it never quite gets there. Penumbra's humble, low-budget story, despite how butchered it ended up, reaches those heights better than Rebirth's attempts with alternate dimensions, weird aliens, strangely geometrical artifacts and whatever the fuck not. SOMA reaches the existential dread far easier than any monster or spoken dialogue in an Amnesia game. That's why I like that The Bunker keeps it simple, and the fact that the story events happen due to a mix of bad luck and the effects of a realm and beings far detached from our reality which the characters couldn't have known or affected in any way makes it really cool for me.
Gameplay's... fine. Exploration and resource management is really addictive once you get the hang of it, but the game itself likes to push this "immersive sim" narrative which just isn't true. There's a lot of systems interacting in gameplay: the generator, your weapons, the lighting system and puzzles, but the truth is that bypassing obstacles isn't as much of a free choice as it wants you to think. Most obstacles are doors, and you got two ways to open doors: with the proper key (a key or a code) or just brute force. There's many types of brute force, your revolver, a rock, a grenade, the Beast's attacks, but in the end it's just plain old brute force, and it has the same effect no matter the tool: you gotta fight or flight. And that brings me to the next point: you don't have many options fighting the monster either. You either damage it and it flees (once again, you can choose your tool, but the outcome will be the same) or run and hide for your life, which is the most logical and convenient option. I'm fine with all this, it's a small, short game, and it gives you enough time to explore your limited amount of tools, but there's definitely not as much freedom of choice as it wants you to think.
That said, it's a great game. SOMA has a great narrative and atmosphere, but the gameplay ruins it a bit for me (still like it a lot), so I'd call this the opposite: a great gameplay system with a great atmosphere, attached to a somewhat serviceable story. They took some lessons from the first Penumbra (one of their greatest games imo) and refined them to a higher degree. After how dense Rebirth was in its attempts to prove its worth as a horror and character-driven game (which I think failed at both), its nice to have a more humble, little story in the middle. I hope they learn a lot of what works here and what doesn't for their next stuff.
Gameplay's... fine. Exploration and resource management is really addictive once you get the hang of it, but the game itself likes to push this "immersive sim" narrative which just isn't true. There's a lot of systems interacting in gameplay: the generator, your weapons, the lighting system and puzzles, but the truth is that bypassing obstacles isn't as much of a free choice as it wants you to think. Most obstacles are doors, and you got two ways to open doors: with the proper key (a key or a code) or just brute force. There's many types of brute force, your revolver, a rock, a grenade, the Beast's attacks, but in the end it's just plain old brute force, and it has the same effect no matter the tool: you gotta fight or flight. And that brings me to the next point: you don't have many options fighting the monster either. You either damage it and it flees (once again, you can choose your tool, but the outcome will be the same) or run and hide for your life, which is the most logical and convenient option. I'm fine with all this, it's a small, short game, and it gives you enough time to explore your limited amount of tools, but there's definitely not as much freedom of choice as it wants you to think.
That said, it's a great game. SOMA has a great narrative and atmosphere, but the gameplay ruins it a bit for me (still like it a lot), so I'd call this the opposite: a great gameplay system with a great atmosphere, attached to a somewhat serviceable story. They took some lessons from the first Penumbra (one of their greatest games imo) and refined them to a higher degree. After how dense Rebirth was in its attempts to prove its worth as a horror and character-driven game (which I think failed at both), its nice to have a more humble, little story in the middle. I hope they learn a lot of what works here and what doesn't for their next stuff.
Que jogasso puta que pariu