NemiruTami
Hands down my favorite fire emblem game to date.
You get supports that focus a lot on character growth, helping each other overcome difficulties, rebuilding ones image and home, as well as acknowledging weaknesses and showing a drive to chase improvement. It warmed my heart to see all the characters of different ethnicities and upbringings come together like a found family and (not necessarily only fight for a common cause but to) enjoy, celebrate, and help each other experience different aspects of each other's culture.
Mika Pikazo's designs are flawless in their storytelling. From the little discolored blemish on Diamant's hair (to reflect that of an imperfection in a diamond) implies that he isn't as "perfect" as everyone praises him to be. To the stitches and bandages on Panette's wrists and dress to signify she was neglected similarly to how a child outgrows a toy and forgets it after time- leaving it to decay. Finally, Alear's different colored hair having an important story element is also another reason I adore these designs and the amount of storytelling done through silence.
One thing that I always disliked the most about fire emblem games was the combat, and I never found myself willing to grind every support. Although, I happily loved grinding supports this time around. The rings, abilities, how you unlock them (and the unbreakable weapons thank GOD) really gave you a lot of room to do whatever you want with the characters.
Overall, if you want a consistently good experience with a lot of neat foreshadowing, subtle storytelling, and a lovely found-family cast- this is the perfect fire emblem game for you! If you prefer characters fight and argue about ideals... go play FE9 or FE10! This is a gorgeous and lovingly crafted game where I feel the character designer (Mika) was a perfect fit for the story that was conveyed.
Every character has supports with every emblem you get (even DLC) so you are 100% guaranteed dialogue between your favorite characters. There's bonus dialogue for the DLC fights if you fight each DLC emblem with their in-game counterpart (ie: ike with soren, corrin with camilla, lyn with hector etc). There's just so much attention to detail here that's truly amazing and fun and will give you interactions you never really knew you needed.
An amazing love letter to the whole fire emblem franchise.
Please, give it a chance and ENGAGE!
You get supports that focus a lot on character growth, helping each other overcome difficulties, rebuilding ones image and home, as well as acknowledging weaknesses and showing a drive to chase improvement. It warmed my heart to see all the characters of different ethnicities and upbringings come together like a found family and (not necessarily only fight for a common cause but to) enjoy, celebrate, and help each other experience different aspects of each other's culture.
Mika Pikazo's designs are flawless in their storytelling. From the little discolored blemish on Diamant's hair (to reflect that of an imperfection in a diamond) implies that he isn't as "perfect" as everyone praises him to be. To the stitches and bandages on Panette's wrists and dress to signify she was neglected similarly to how a child outgrows a toy and forgets it after time- leaving it to decay. Finally, Alear's different colored hair having an important story element is also another reason I adore these designs and the amount of storytelling done through silence.
One thing that I always disliked the most about fire emblem games was the combat, and I never found myself willing to grind every support. Although, I happily loved grinding supports this time around. The rings, abilities, how you unlock them (and the unbreakable weapons thank GOD) really gave you a lot of room to do whatever you want with the characters.
Overall, if you want a consistently good experience with a lot of neat foreshadowing, subtle storytelling, and a lovely found-family cast- this is the perfect fire emblem game for you! If you prefer characters fight and argue about ideals... go play FE9 or FE10! This is a gorgeous and lovingly crafted game where I feel the character designer (Mika) was a perfect fit for the story that was conveyed.
Every character has supports with every emblem you get (even DLC) so you are 100% guaranteed dialogue between your favorite characters. There's bonus dialogue for the DLC fights if you fight each DLC emblem with their in-game counterpart (ie: ike with soren, corrin with camilla, lyn with hector etc). There's just so much attention to detail here that's truly amazing and fun and will give you interactions you never really knew you needed.
An amazing love letter to the whole fire emblem franchise.
Please, give it a chance and ENGAGE!
2022
I genuinely could not have been more excited for this game. I felt so nostalgic seeing the titles switch back to colors, both legendaries looked equally as stunning, and the new features seemed genuinely useful and fun even in competitive. Coupled with some lovely characters (Arven, and a number of teachers) why am I rating it only half a star? I'd honestly rate it 0 if I could.
I'll tell you what I love about it. I love the fact that when you hover over the pokemon in the wild to scan them with your pokedex, you can tell which pokemon are actually dittos or zoruas in disguise. I love the fact you can bathe, talk, walk, and explore with your pokemon and even quick battle with them. I love the ability to explore the mountains, the sea, and the sky just like we did in Pokemon Arceus. There is so much I actually love about this game, and I wish I could keep saying nice things about it-
if I was able to play it.
I bought it on launch, and I finished it maybe... a week after I got it. It was one of the worst gaming experiences I've ever had, and it's for reasons that should not have left this huge a gash in my review, but it did.
0/5 My game crashed almost every 5 minutes. I turned the auto-save feature off because I enjoy saving manually when shinyhunting and training, so that made the game a lot more frustrating.
0/5 I was unable to actually enjoy the final fight in the pokemon league because the theme LOOPED the first few seconds and was only patched after I already completed the game. My friend commented "im so glad I played the league after they patched the music" and I remember replying "wow, must be nice".
0/5 It's all "Haha, funny glitches" online until you happen to get stuck in one area and freeze until the game crashes. At times, I'd glitch into walls and objects (like the floor) with Miriadon, and he'd just float for 5-10 seconds until the game blackscreened and sent me back a distance away from where I glitched. All good, right? That would be fine if it happened a handful of times, and if all instances were as simple as a blackscreen, but most of the time, the game would crash.
0/5 Unless you speak with Arven, you will not unlock any of the things needed for Miriadon to explore the world effectively, such as rock-climbing, swimming, and flying. Arven was the last route I did. I finished the pokemon league, penny, and only then realized Arven gives me power-ups for my dragon. Which brings me to the next point-
0/5 For a game that felt proud to say "make your own journey" I've never felt like I've played a game wrong until Pokemon SV. It feels like I was punished by "choosing my own journey" aka- I played by what I loved doing the most, collecting pokemon, shinyhunting, and exploring. I faught the gym leaders based on who I was most excited to see, so I started with Rhyme and Grusha. I did the same with penny, which means I started with Ortega and Eri. As you can tell, I played the game mostly "backwards" but because the map doesn't work like it does in classical pokemon games, your road isn't linear, which means I genuinely had no idea what gym or boss I was supposed to fight first. But as I was told in the trailer- that shouldn't matter, because you can pick to do whatever you want!... No, you really can't.
By doing things out of order, you trigger scenes that normally shouldn't/would not trigger as early as they want you to. By the time I finished fighting Ortega, I already knew everything about team Star because they explain everything after his fight, which makes it even more offputting when the last person I fought was Mela. I didn't seek to play this game backwards or in a messed up order. I was going by who I liked the most and what/who I found most interesting, and I LOVED Nemona! Unfortunately, the only main side character student with any substance to their name is Arven, who actually got a plotline with character growth.
3/5 This is the least of my concern, but still a big one. I've never once complained about lag (and I've played old school Destiny with a very shitty router at the time that disconnected very frequently during PVP, and I STILL never complained about lag or how slow my game was running) so, when I say "the lag was bad" I mean- the game was absolutely unplayable. I mean, the lag was so bad that the music would slow down with the game, and my pokemon would fall very, very, very slowly if I jumped off cliffs. Soon after, the game would crash. There were times where I just put the game down in frustration and considered not finishing it at all because it became unplayable.
For reasons I'd rather not mention, Pokemon is a comfort franchise. I'm incredibly easy to please, and while I don't praise all the pokemon games as masterpieces or perfect (by far, there only is one perfect pokemon game and it's PMD EOS) I at the very least ENJOY the journey in every last one of them. I have fun. I escape from what makes me sad and I play pokemon like I'm 10 years old again. It's one of the few joys that I always have. If I want to have a good time? Mindless little fun? Play a pokemon game, any pokemon game. They're cute, they're fun, they're relaxing, they're usually full of many cool things you can do. If you don't like doing 1 thing, you can do another 5 that you do actually love.
But it just wasn't possible with this game.
I couldn't fight the gym leaders because the game would freeze and it would crash. I couldn't catch pokemon because when I escape from battle in a crowded area, 6 other pokemon swarm me and make it impossible to get out until the game crashes. I can't surf or fly because the lag makes it hard to see, and eventually, the game crashes. I can't move from point A to point B fast enough, and if I do happen to go a little under 50fps by some miracle, rest assure, the game will crash again.
I'm a shiny hunter. Finding shinies was not fun.
I thought i'd enjoy the new shinyhunting method.
I couldn't.
Because by the time I got the shinycharm, I'd already encountered all the shinies I wanted by random in the wild. Sometimes, multiples of the same shiny. At one point, I swore to my friend, "if I can throw all these shinies away just to have the game run normally without crashing for 1 day so I can actually complete it, i'd do it without hesitating".
"Ok, we get it, the game sucks, whatever."
No, that's not what this is. The game DOESN'T suck. The characters are charming. The plot was interesting. The ideas were worth exploring and developing on.
The issue here is that there was no possible way for me to actually enjoy it. Not because I didn't try, but because the gaming experience was just so frustrating and awful.
Pokemon games have made me cry before (happy tears, sad tears) but this time, I actually cried out of frustration. This game really broke something in me. I didn't expect much. I just wanted to have a good time. I didn't expect perfect story, perfect characters, and you know what really sucks? I would have adored this game had I been able to play it as intended. I love the idea of a professor so obsessed with their work they become the final boss. I love tech and past and time travel. I love seeing characters grow closer with pokemon like Arven. This. THIS should have been my FAVORITE pokemon game.
And yet, it's the worst thing I've ever played.
I'm a completionist to a fault. I got the pokedex, got the useless shinycharm I never got to use, and never went back in to re-challenge the gym-leaders because the lag was not worth it and there was nothing the game could offer me to make it worth 15 crashes in 30 minutes.
Not angry. Just sad.
Just sad and disappointed.
I'll tell you what I love about it. I love the fact that when you hover over the pokemon in the wild to scan them with your pokedex, you can tell which pokemon are actually dittos or zoruas in disguise. I love the fact you can bathe, talk, walk, and explore with your pokemon and even quick battle with them. I love the ability to explore the mountains, the sea, and the sky just like we did in Pokemon Arceus. There is so much I actually love about this game, and I wish I could keep saying nice things about it-
if I was able to play it.
I bought it on launch, and I finished it maybe... a week after I got it. It was one of the worst gaming experiences I've ever had, and it's for reasons that should not have left this huge a gash in my review, but it did.
0/5 My game crashed almost every 5 minutes. I turned the auto-save feature off because I enjoy saving manually when shinyhunting and training, so that made the game a lot more frustrating.
0/5 I was unable to actually enjoy the final fight in the pokemon league because the theme LOOPED the first few seconds and was only patched after I already completed the game. My friend commented "im so glad I played the league after they patched the music" and I remember replying "wow, must be nice".
0/5 It's all "Haha, funny glitches" online until you happen to get stuck in one area and freeze until the game crashes. At times, I'd glitch into walls and objects (like the floor) with Miriadon, and he'd just float for 5-10 seconds until the game blackscreened and sent me back a distance away from where I glitched. All good, right? That would be fine if it happened a handful of times, and if all instances were as simple as a blackscreen, but most of the time, the game would crash.
0/5 Unless you speak with Arven, you will not unlock any of the things needed for Miriadon to explore the world effectively, such as rock-climbing, swimming, and flying. Arven was the last route I did. I finished the pokemon league, penny, and only then realized Arven gives me power-ups for my dragon. Which brings me to the next point-
0/5 For a game that felt proud to say "make your own journey" I've never felt like I've played a game wrong until Pokemon SV. It feels like I was punished by "choosing my own journey" aka- I played by what I loved doing the most, collecting pokemon, shinyhunting, and exploring. I faught the gym leaders based on who I was most excited to see, so I started with Rhyme and Grusha. I did the same with penny, which means I started with Ortega and Eri. As you can tell, I played the game mostly "backwards" but because the map doesn't work like it does in classical pokemon games, your road isn't linear, which means I genuinely had no idea what gym or boss I was supposed to fight first. But as I was told in the trailer- that shouldn't matter, because you can pick to do whatever you want!... No, you really can't.
By doing things out of order, you trigger scenes that normally shouldn't/would not trigger as early as they want you to. By the time I finished fighting Ortega, I already knew everything about team Star because they explain everything after his fight, which makes it even more offputting when the last person I fought was Mela. I didn't seek to play this game backwards or in a messed up order. I was going by who I liked the most and what/who I found most interesting, and I LOVED Nemona! Unfortunately, the only main side character student with any substance to their name is Arven, who actually got a plotline with character growth.
3/5 This is the least of my concern, but still a big one. I've never once complained about lag (and I've played old school Destiny with a very shitty router at the time that disconnected very frequently during PVP, and I STILL never complained about lag or how slow my game was running) so, when I say "the lag was bad" I mean- the game was absolutely unplayable. I mean, the lag was so bad that the music would slow down with the game, and my pokemon would fall very, very, very slowly if I jumped off cliffs. Soon after, the game would crash. There were times where I just put the game down in frustration and considered not finishing it at all because it became unplayable.
For reasons I'd rather not mention, Pokemon is a comfort franchise. I'm incredibly easy to please, and while I don't praise all the pokemon games as masterpieces or perfect (by far, there only is one perfect pokemon game and it's PMD EOS) I at the very least ENJOY the journey in every last one of them. I have fun. I escape from what makes me sad and I play pokemon like I'm 10 years old again. It's one of the few joys that I always have. If I want to have a good time? Mindless little fun? Play a pokemon game, any pokemon game. They're cute, they're fun, they're relaxing, they're usually full of many cool things you can do. If you don't like doing 1 thing, you can do another 5 that you do actually love.
But it just wasn't possible with this game.
I couldn't fight the gym leaders because the game would freeze and it would crash. I couldn't catch pokemon because when I escape from battle in a crowded area, 6 other pokemon swarm me and make it impossible to get out until the game crashes. I can't surf or fly because the lag makes it hard to see, and eventually, the game crashes. I can't move from point A to point B fast enough, and if I do happen to go a little under 50fps by some miracle, rest assure, the game will crash again.
I'm a shiny hunter. Finding shinies was not fun.
I thought i'd enjoy the new shinyhunting method.
I couldn't.
Because by the time I got the shinycharm, I'd already encountered all the shinies I wanted by random in the wild. Sometimes, multiples of the same shiny. At one point, I swore to my friend, "if I can throw all these shinies away just to have the game run normally without crashing for 1 day so I can actually complete it, i'd do it without hesitating".
"Ok, we get it, the game sucks, whatever."
No, that's not what this is. The game DOESN'T suck. The characters are charming. The plot was interesting. The ideas were worth exploring and developing on.
The issue here is that there was no possible way for me to actually enjoy it. Not because I didn't try, but because the gaming experience was just so frustrating and awful.
Pokemon games have made me cry before (happy tears, sad tears) but this time, I actually cried out of frustration. This game really broke something in me. I didn't expect much. I just wanted to have a good time. I didn't expect perfect story, perfect characters, and you know what really sucks? I would have adored this game had I been able to play it as intended. I love the idea of a professor so obsessed with their work they become the final boss. I love tech and past and time travel. I love seeing characters grow closer with pokemon like Arven. This. THIS should have been my FAVORITE pokemon game.
And yet, it's the worst thing I've ever played.
I'm a completionist to a fault. I got the pokedex, got the useless shinycharm I never got to use, and never went back in to re-challenge the gym-leaders because the lag was not worth it and there was nothing the game could offer me to make it worth 15 crashes in 30 minutes.
Not angry. Just sad.
Just sad and disappointed.
2020
Went through this game with my friend and I would give it 5/5 stars if I wasn't an utter chickenshit when it comes to jump scares.
If you enjoy a game with heart-warming characters, plot twists, psychological horror, and the joys and sorrows of growing up, sharing secrets, hiding secrets, and growing out of friendships- this game is perfect for you. Just thinking about the cast makes me want to cry.
Out of all the indie games I've played and experienced, this one by far takes the cake for one of the best wrapped up bittersweet endings.
Like I said, if I wasn't utter chickenshit, it'd be a 5/5, but since I am, indeed, fried chickenshit, I can only rate it 4.5/5 as I had my eyes closed or filled with tears the other 0.5% of the time.
If you enjoy a game with heart-warming characters, plot twists, psychological horror, and the joys and sorrows of growing up, sharing secrets, hiding secrets, and growing out of friendships- this game is perfect for you. Just thinking about the cast makes me want to cry.
Out of all the indie games I've played and experienced, this one by far takes the cake for one of the best wrapped up bittersweet endings.
Like I said, if I wasn't utter chickenshit, it'd be a 5/5, but since I am, indeed, fried chickenshit, I can only rate it 4.5/5 as I had my eyes closed or filled with tears the other 0.5% of the time.
I don't care what anyone says, Aqua is the best.
A heartwarming and short puzzle adventure game (roughly 3 hours depending on how fast you are at solving the clues) with a lovely soundtrack. It features a story revolving around music and expression, and shows a journey of two people who were unfortunately separated by an ill fate.
A game with no dialogue, but lovingly crafted storytelling through music and animation. I reccomend this game to anyone who enjoys violins, beautiful art, and a story told trough calming music rather than traditional dialogue. The benefit of games like this that they can be universally understood no matter what part of the world you live in, and I think that's amazing.
A game with no dialogue, but lovingly crafted storytelling through music and animation. I reccomend this game to anyone who enjoys violins, beautiful art, and a story told trough calming music rather than traditional dialogue. The benefit of games like this that they can be universally understood no matter what part of the world you live in, and I think that's amazing.
2022
Incredibly satisfying calm game that brings you lovely music and allows you to explore the ocean's wild life without having to go outside. I love a game that doesn't force me to go outside!
2020
This otome has a lovely plot that gets expanded on with each route you choose. Every character has a different piece of the puzzle you need to solve in order to get the "true" or "final" ending in Cupid's chapter. Additionally, the characters themselves will call Cupid by her canon name "Lynette Mirror" if you choose to keep her name in your routes.
The selling point for this game is not to date the men, but to enjoy a hilariously written narrative that never truly takes itself too seriously (I say this in the best way possible!) and I can tell you that even if you don't generally enjoy Otomes, this one may spark your interest in playing more of them.
Lynette is not a silent protagonist (though she is not voiced) and her chemistry with every character is natural yet different.
Gill: He learns what it means to be independent and not compromise his own beliefs to fit the one he loves because of Lynette. And Lynette in turn realizes she actually enjoys being dotted and waited on at times when those benefits are stripped away.
Shelby: The most equal dynamic in the sense that they are both workaholics with a common goal. They agree to keep their relationship professional (something they both prefer) until they realize it's not what they want anymore. This is the slowest damn burning route I have ever played in my entire existence. I hate this man.
Raul: Though Cupid is the God of Love, she has never really had any intimate relationships that are physical. Raul challenges her to separate pleasure from love, and she in turn teaches him about what it means to fall in love. If you think Shelby's route was slow burn, then I'm happy to announce this will be the equivalent of dowsing yourself in gasoline and setting yourself on fire within the first 2 events.
Ryuki: The youngest and yet, boldest of the group. Unlike Shelby, Gill, or even Allan, he does not flip-flop when it comes to what he feels or believes, and proudly takes what he wants. Lynette shows him a kindness he never sees from others because of his personality, and his worldview shifts dramatically the moment he realizes he's in love. A touching and brave relationship.
Allan: The easiest person to dislike and skip in terms of a route, but an essential part to understanding both him, Lynette, and the Gods in Celestia. Though he seems dismissive of love at first, it is because he has a greater goal in mind that allows no mistakes, and falling in love would no doubt be a mistake for him. Easily the most heart-wrenching and touching route with the most beautiful CG in the whole game, along with some lovely lore that adds a whole new layer of depth to his character when compared to the other routes. In my opinion, it is best to save his route for last to get the full scope of how much he goes through just for Lynette.
Overall, the Parasite 5 (or 6, if you unlock the final chapter) are all both frustrating, annoying, and lovely in their own ways. Not all routes were for me, and I can genuinely say that I had my preferences, but I can also confirm every route has something wholly enjoyable to look forward to. The dynamic of the men when they speak together feels so natural and smooth that it's hard not to enjoy it even if you end up disliking some of them at first glance. By the end of the game, I was fond of every character to some degree and happy with how most of their routes concluded.
I can't say there was a part I disliked, was left unanswered or didn't get expanded on in a satisfying way. I never thought I'd give an Otome 5/5, but the way each character is written shows that the writers considered each of them with love and care to appeal to more than just a niche. What really seals the deal on this Otome is how consistent everyone's characters are even in each-other's routes, and how beautifully the story comes together and wraps up in the "final" chapter. When I realized this is one of those games I'd love to play "blind" again, I couldn't help but keep it up there as one of my favorites.
The selling point for this game is not to date the men, but to enjoy a hilariously written narrative that never truly takes itself too seriously (I say this in the best way possible!) and I can tell you that even if you don't generally enjoy Otomes, this one may spark your interest in playing more of them.
Lynette is not a silent protagonist (though she is not voiced) and her chemistry with every character is natural yet different.
Gill: He learns what it means to be independent and not compromise his own beliefs to fit the one he loves because of Lynette. And Lynette in turn realizes she actually enjoys being dotted and waited on at times when those benefits are stripped away.
Shelby: The most equal dynamic in the sense that they are both workaholics with a common goal. They agree to keep their relationship professional (something they both prefer) until they realize it's not what they want anymore. This is the slowest damn burning route I have ever played in my entire existence. I hate this man.
Raul: Though Cupid is the God of Love, she has never really had any intimate relationships that are physical. Raul challenges her to separate pleasure from love, and she in turn teaches him about what it means to fall in love. If you think Shelby's route was slow burn, then I'm happy to announce this will be the equivalent of dowsing yourself in gasoline and setting yourself on fire within the first 2 events.
Ryuki: The youngest and yet, boldest of the group. Unlike Shelby, Gill, or even Allan, he does not flip-flop when it comes to what he feels or believes, and proudly takes what he wants. Lynette shows him a kindness he never sees from others because of his personality, and his worldview shifts dramatically the moment he realizes he's in love. A touching and brave relationship.
Allan: The easiest person to dislike and skip in terms of a route, but an essential part to understanding both him, Lynette, and the Gods in Celestia. Though he seems dismissive of love at first, it is because he has a greater goal in mind that allows no mistakes, and falling in love would no doubt be a mistake for him. Easily the most heart-wrenching and touching route with the most beautiful CG in the whole game, along with some lovely lore that adds a whole new layer of depth to his character when compared to the other routes. In my opinion, it is best to save his route for last to get the full scope of how much he goes through just for Lynette.
Overall, the Parasite 5 (or 6, if you unlock the final chapter) are all both frustrating, annoying, and lovely in their own ways. Not all routes were for me, and I can genuinely say that I had my preferences, but I can also confirm every route has something wholly enjoyable to look forward to. The dynamic of the men when they speak together feels so natural and smooth that it's hard not to enjoy it even if you end up disliking some of them at first glance. By the end of the game, I was fond of every character to some degree and happy with how most of their routes concluded.
I can't say there was a part I disliked, was left unanswered or didn't get expanded on in a satisfying way. I never thought I'd give an Otome 5/5, but the way each character is written shows that the writers considered each of them with love and care to appeal to more than just a niche. What really seals the deal on this Otome is how consistent everyone's characters are even in each-other's routes, and how beautifully the story comes together and wraps up in the "final" chapter. When I realized this is one of those games I'd love to play "blind" again, I couldn't help but keep it up there as one of my favorites.
I did not expect this game to take the twists and turns as it did.
I was under the impression I was going to play a fun, cozy game that would make me laugh. Its cute exterior and funny characters all beautifully hide how absolutely bonkers every last one of them is.
I feel the ending was both a bit of a letdown as well as very poetically written in the sense that Circle may have found his "missing piece" even if said piece did not fit perfectly or complete him in any way he first imagined. It was a letdown in the way that I expected something more, but I do still enjoy the ambiguous ending for what it is, and I don't know what could have substituted for a better end.
You came here for a cute game about a circle? Prepare to be traumatized.
I really do not want to spoil anything about this game, since a lot of it relies on figuring out what's going on as the story moves along and speaking with different characters, etc. All I can say is that it left me feeling both fulfilled and frustrated in every good way. The Moss levels were annoying and perhaps the most difficult (which was most likely done intentionally) while Perfect's route is easily the route you can miss stuff on. You might say the protagonist's arc comes... full circle. I do still kind of wish I'd see the owl again. No reason. Just an owl person.
NOTE: I was convinced that, by the artwork alone, the sun in the background would rise up like a giant pizza slice and slot itself into Circle. Now that's amore.
I was under the impression I was going to play a fun, cozy game that would make me laugh. Its cute exterior and funny characters all beautifully hide how absolutely bonkers every last one of them is.
I feel the ending was both a bit of a letdown as well as very poetically written in the sense that Circle may have found his "missing piece" even if said piece did not fit perfectly or complete him in any way he first imagined. It was a letdown in the way that I expected something more, but I do still enjoy the ambiguous ending for what it is, and I don't know what could have substituted for a better end.
You came here for a cute game about a circle? Prepare to be traumatized.
I really do not want to spoil anything about this game, since a lot of it relies on figuring out what's going on as the story moves along and speaking with different characters, etc. All I can say is that it left me feeling both fulfilled and frustrated in every good way. The Moss levels were annoying and perhaps the most difficult (which was most likely done intentionally) while Perfect's route is easily the route you can miss stuff on. You might say the protagonist's arc comes... full circle. I do still kind of wish I'd see the owl again. No reason. Just an owl person.
NOTE: I was convinced that, by the artwork alone, the sun in the background would rise up like a giant pizza slice and slot itself into Circle. Now that's amore.
2018
A lovely 2 hour game with a fun mechanic that lets you switch between the world of matter and the world of spirits with one button to cross platforms. You play as a cat (and you can change its skin! I just thought that was a really neat detail since i love games with customization) on a journey to rescue its spirit bunnies from disaster.
Keep in mind this is a small game made by a small team, so the art and music is limited, though extremely ambient and beautiful. The story may have hit some snags in translation, but you get the gist of what is going on without text (in my opinion). Everyone who worked on this is insanely talented for making the difficulty curve so smooth and almost unnoticeable until the very last level (which still was not as frustrating as it was fun).
Overall, if you enjoy timed challenges and to challenge others to complete levels before you, this is a game I think you'd enjoy replaying. If you just want a soft and stress-free game (up until the last level) I'd say you'd enjoy this casual 2 hour game for both its music and its artwork.
There is also a spot early in the game where you can rest and take in the scenery to enjoy a lovely track from the game. I almost didn't want to leave- the OST may just be the highlight of the game.
Keep in mind this is a small game made by a small team, so the art and music is limited, though extremely ambient and beautiful. The story may have hit some snags in translation, but you get the gist of what is going on without text (in my opinion). Everyone who worked on this is insanely talented for making the difficulty curve so smooth and almost unnoticeable until the very last level (which still was not as frustrating as it was fun).
Overall, if you enjoy timed challenges and to challenge others to complete levels before you, this is a game I think you'd enjoy replaying. If you just want a soft and stress-free game (up until the last level) I'd say you'd enjoy this casual 2 hour game for both its music and its artwork.
There is also a spot early in the game where you can rest and take in the scenery to enjoy a lovely track from the game. I almost didn't want to leave- the OST may just be the highlight of the game.
2021
Fun platformer with cute graphics and mechanics, although a lot of the stages usually jump you with enemies and force you to restart and memorize which path is safe. The music is soothing, and the setting to add classic horizontal lines to the pixel art (like I used to have on my old tv) is a really nice touch I appreciate and gives a modern game a more vintage feel!
The game is difficult, and a lot of things are hit and miss, but I couldn't find myself upset even with my failures. I think the sound effects for deaths were comically perfect because there's no way to be frustrated when all you hear is "oof" before a fatal "gaah".
The game is difficult, and a lot of things are hit and miss, but I couldn't find myself upset even with my failures. I think the sound effects for deaths were comically perfect because there's no way to be frustrated when all you hear is "oof" before a fatal "gaah".
2020
Incredibly well made game that doesn't ever allow you to get too comfortable with your resources or your circumstances. Every time I thought I figured something out, I'd get a new set of challenges to face. In the end, it made the end result more rewarding. What I found interesting is how realistic it is in its depiction of circumstances. Things don't turn out the way they should, and not everything will go according to plan even if you prepare beforehand. If you expected to fight 30 men, there's a chance there will be 60 instead as a nasty surprise. People tell lies at times. Sometimes, some people will try to swindle the king or try to drug him. Politicians and other lords will try to manipulate you into making rash or unfortunate choices. It's definitely a game where you should take everything everyone says with a huge grain of salt.
I only have minor gripes with the game, mainly how I can't tell what week I'm on in my saveslots, and that if I hit a brick wall (i lose either too much morale or gold at the end of a week) it gets difficult to rewind back far enough when the slots aren't timestamped with which week I was currently in. When gathering evidence, they said someone from the "north" would know or be able to identify an item. When selecting allies, I couldn't see if they belonged north, south, west or east. Considering this was the only time it was relevant in the plot, it makes sense why it wasn't a bigger deal. But it was the main reason I was lacking one piece of evidence. The map was also a minor issue- showing me a huge number of places to visit or go to in the end. I wish certain areas would vanish once you've finished exploring them or spoken to the people there and received a reply. These are minor things that only posed as slight inconveniences, and nothing more. It was still a very fun experience to be able to manage resources and try to decide what was best for the country as a whole as King, rather than just a father.
Overall, a really lovely and fresh experience that never allows you to get too comfortable. If you enjoy difficulty, this game is absolutely for you!
I only have minor gripes with the game, mainly how I can't tell what week I'm on in my saveslots, and that if I hit a brick wall (i lose either too much morale or gold at the end of a week) it gets difficult to rewind back far enough when the slots aren't timestamped with which week I was currently in. When gathering evidence, they said someone from the "north" would know or be able to identify an item. When selecting allies, I couldn't see if they belonged north, south, west or east. Considering this was the only time it was relevant in the plot, it makes sense why it wasn't a bigger deal. But it was the main reason I was lacking one piece of evidence. The map was also a minor issue- showing me a huge number of places to visit or go to in the end. I wish certain areas would vanish once you've finished exploring them or spoken to the people there and received a reply. These are minor things that only posed as slight inconveniences, and nothing more. It was still a very fun experience to be able to manage resources and try to decide what was best for the country as a whole as King, rather than just a father.
Overall, a really lovely and fresh experience that never allows you to get too comfortable. If you enjoy difficulty, this game is absolutely for you!
2016
Fun, easy and straightforward gameplay. You can easily deduce how to get through areas without the need of tutorials or hints. A nice detail is that two colors that overlap will create the corresponding color when you blend them irl (ie: red and blue overlapping creates purple).
I enjoy puzzle games, but the only gripe I have with the gameplay is the spikes. I was stuck in one area a bit too long because I accidentally ended up hitting the ceiling spikes several times over- enough for it to be frustrating and put the game down. Otherwise, the difficulty curve is very balanced. Another issue I had was the narrator. I believe the game would have been much better entirely silent with ambient music (which is pretty good and sets a nice tone with the sound effects!)- since the narrator often over-expressed themselves to the point it came across as a bit pompous and fake. The way the narrator text was written came across as somewhat childish. The idea is already presented as a bit outlandish and ridiculous, and the narrator did not sell me on its importance or how great of an impact it made on the fabric of space and time.
This isn't really an issue with the game, but I noticed the start screen art does not match the game's actual style. It is just a bit strange to see an art style that does not match the art I'm looking at majority of the time- it throws me off every time. I think the game's default style is rather charming and wouldve made a great start screen on its own instead of default to a different one. But that's nitpicking on my part. For the most part, it was an enjoyable experience (save for the spikes. Not even megaman prepared me for those spikes.).
I enjoy puzzle games, but the only gripe I have with the gameplay is the spikes. I was stuck in one area a bit too long because I accidentally ended up hitting the ceiling spikes several times over- enough for it to be frustrating and put the game down. Otherwise, the difficulty curve is very balanced. Another issue I had was the narrator. I believe the game would have been much better entirely silent with ambient music (which is pretty good and sets a nice tone with the sound effects!)- since the narrator often over-expressed themselves to the point it came across as a bit pompous and fake. The way the narrator text was written came across as somewhat childish. The idea is already presented as a bit outlandish and ridiculous, and the narrator did not sell me on its importance or how great of an impact it made on the fabric of space and time.
This isn't really an issue with the game, but I noticed the start screen art does not match the game's actual style. It is just a bit strange to see an art style that does not match the art I'm looking at majority of the time- it throws me off every time. I think the game's default style is rather charming and wouldve made a great start screen on its own instead of default to a different one. But that's nitpicking on my part. For the most part, it was an enjoyable experience (save for the spikes. Not even megaman prepared me for those spikes.).
A masterfully written game that was crafted in memorial of the singer for the classic butterfly dream song. Easily the best digimon game in the entire franchise, with an amazing soundtrack, additional Kowloon stages, more variety when it comes to sidestories and quests, as well as more character development and lore that was absent from the first game.
Far superior to the original cybersleuth, and in my opinion, a standalone that makes the previous game obsolete. The first installment of cybersleuth was erroneous and set up a premise that would not allow you to fail since your powers in cyberspace relied on being an anomaly (a glitch that could easily access anything and everything, making the tension very slim). I personally think you can always make up bullshit to get your characters into trouble, but you should never make up bullshit to get them out of trouble. Cybersleuth (the original) set up a world where the main character simply could not be defeated, which ruined any stakes and allowed us to only experience the plot because the main character became a glitch (gathering information otherwise inaccessible, meaning it would be impossible to reach the ending unless you became a glitch).
This time around, we are playing a regular every-day character with a lively and expressive personality. Instead of being the only source of power and acting alone, you join a team and work together with characters that eventually become your family.
The interesting thing is that every character in this circle cares deeply for one another, but each and every one of them is keeping secrets in hopes of protecting the other. This is where our protagonist (Keisuke) becomes a pivotal part to the story, bridging gaps between characters and allowing us insight into how some characters view each other and what their dynamics are. By Keisuke's help, each character is allowed to flourish and blossom, or crash and suffer- depending on how he acts (and both cases are true- giving the scenario more weight by showing that you can not always succeed even with the best of intentions).
I think what this game excelled in the most is communication. It allowed us to see when communication failed, was avoided, or misunderstood or kept secret, and how it impacted the plot and characters. There are numerous instances where a simple glance or quiet dialogue spoken in mere expressions can mean so much when you replay the game. The very first scene with Yuu and Keisuke in the cafe shows us a silent conversation that consists of nothing but nods and expressions. Upon first playthrough, it seemed just like any normal conversation. After having finished the game and replayed it, I now know what Yuu was feeling when he was trying to convey his feelings to Keisuke about how "he should be enough".
Having 100% completed cybersleuth, and knowing the ending, I can safely say I was aware what would happen, but was not prepared for just how the game tore my heart out and ruined me. Thinking about it now makes me feel all types of emotions.
The appeal of this game is not just in the battle system (although it's addicting and fun) nor in the areas, the music, or even the lore in the end- it's about a journey to complete a puzzle that no one knew was missing a piece. The group was one as a whole at the start of the game, united, but distant because of their traumas and hardships. Keisuke becomes the piece that no one knew was missing, allowing the puzzle to finally be completed.
I love this game. It's the only game I replayed immediately as I was done going through the end credits. My tears had not even dried before I was back at the start of the game, eager to go through the story yet again just to catch all the hints and foreshadowing added to the story.
If you want a meaningful game that will capture your heart and make you understand what it means to mend a friendship no one knew was broken and grow closer because of it, this game is 100% going to satisfy you.
And if you just care about a guy being obsessed with the protagonist so much he wants to kiss him on the mouth, don't worry, this game is also 100% for you.
Basically, if you breathe, this game is for you.
Far superior to the original cybersleuth, and in my opinion, a standalone that makes the previous game obsolete. The first installment of cybersleuth was erroneous and set up a premise that would not allow you to fail since your powers in cyberspace relied on being an anomaly (a glitch that could easily access anything and everything, making the tension very slim). I personally think you can always make up bullshit to get your characters into trouble, but you should never make up bullshit to get them out of trouble. Cybersleuth (the original) set up a world where the main character simply could not be defeated, which ruined any stakes and allowed us to only experience the plot because the main character became a glitch (gathering information otherwise inaccessible, meaning it would be impossible to reach the ending unless you became a glitch).
This time around, we are playing a regular every-day character with a lively and expressive personality. Instead of being the only source of power and acting alone, you join a team and work together with characters that eventually become your family.
The interesting thing is that every character in this circle cares deeply for one another, but each and every one of them is keeping secrets in hopes of protecting the other. This is where our protagonist (Keisuke) becomes a pivotal part to the story, bridging gaps between characters and allowing us insight into how some characters view each other and what their dynamics are. By Keisuke's help, each character is allowed to flourish and blossom, or crash and suffer- depending on how he acts (and both cases are true- giving the scenario more weight by showing that you can not always succeed even with the best of intentions).
I think what this game excelled in the most is communication. It allowed us to see when communication failed, was avoided, or misunderstood or kept secret, and how it impacted the plot and characters. There are numerous instances where a simple glance or quiet dialogue spoken in mere expressions can mean so much when you replay the game. The very first scene with Yuu and Keisuke in the cafe shows us a silent conversation that consists of nothing but nods and expressions. Upon first playthrough, it seemed just like any normal conversation. After having finished the game and replayed it, I now know what Yuu was feeling when he was trying to convey his feelings to Keisuke about how "he should be enough".
Having 100% completed cybersleuth, and knowing the ending, I can safely say I was aware what would happen, but was not prepared for just how the game tore my heart out and ruined me. Thinking about it now makes me feel all types of emotions.
The appeal of this game is not just in the battle system (although it's addicting and fun) nor in the areas, the music, or even the lore in the end- it's about a journey to complete a puzzle that no one knew was missing a piece. The group was one as a whole at the start of the game, united, but distant because of their traumas and hardships. Keisuke becomes the piece that no one knew was missing, allowing the puzzle to finally be completed.
I love this game. It's the only game I replayed immediately as I was done going through the end credits. My tears had not even dried before I was back at the start of the game, eager to go through the story yet again just to catch all the hints and foreshadowing added to the story.
If you want a meaningful game that will capture your heart and make you understand what it means to mend a friendship no one knew was broken and grow closer because of it, this game is 100% going to satisfy you.
And if you just care about a guy being obsessed with the protagonist so much he wants to kiss him on the mouth, don't worry, this game is also 100% for you.
Basically, if you breathe, this game is for you.
2021
Good difficulty curve and helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses when identifying colors by having a visible timer. It also helps you understand how colors look depending on surrounding hues and how they can change intensity depending on what colors they're next to. You can consider it a puzzle game that helps you train your color perception.
There's 400 different puzzles to solve so you'll be here for a while!
There's 400 different puzzles to solve so you'll be here for a while!
Unique, clever, heartwarming, and touching. A very well executed idea that does not overstay its welcome, with stories that interweave and change the trajectory of multiple lovely characters.
It's interesting to see just how far some characters can go for their ideals, and how willpower is ultimately the defining factor in everyone's fate.
You play as a God that answers letters from people in need. By re-arranging their sentences, you change their meaning and by proxy, their fate. You can choose to unlock every end, or leave a character in a bad ending. The choice is yours and leads you to whatever end your actions take you. Through the game, you will have to question just how true the events in the letters are, or if what they are writing is plausible.
Some of the stories are definitely hit or miss. But in my opinion, after I got attached to 2 timelines (4 characters total) it far outweighed the stories I was not really invested in. Even the stories I lost focus on managed to keep me engaged and interested in the characters, but that interest was dropped when my favorites got new letters to rearrange.
A logical game that challenges how you think and throws some curveballs at you that you may not know right off the bat.
This game offers you two difficulties, one where you are given hints to help you along and one where you are blocked from seeing hints. I played this game with hints off, similarly to how I've adjusted to play Fire Emblem games on classic mode now that I know that's how the games were intended to be played. You can always turn the hints on in the menu, and I personally did not find anything too difficult that warranted hints.
If you have a chance to pick this game up on sale, I highly recommend trying to unlock everything! The game is well worth the full price in my opinion, but I still encourage taking advantage of a sale in case you are not too fond of text-based games or novels.
This is not a game you can play in the background while you listen to other things or watch shows. It requires your attention unless you are randomly guessing your way through the game. If you have a quiet moment to think, sit down in a nice cozy room, get some tea, warn your neighbours in case you start screaming, and have a pack of tissues ready for when you begin to cry. It truly is a wonderful world.
It's interesting to see just how far some characters can go for their ideals, and how willpower is ultimately the defining factor in everyone's fate.
You play as a God that answers letters from people in need. By re-arranging their sentences, you change their meaning and by proxy, their fate. You can choose to unlock every end, or leave a character in a bad ending. The choice is yours and leads you to whatever end your actions take you. Through the game, you will have to question just how true the events in the letters are, or if what they are writing is plausible.
Some of the stories are definitely hit or miss. But in my opinion, after I got attached to 2 timelines (4 characters total) it far outweighed the stories I was not really invested in. Even the stories I lost focus on managed to keep me engaged and interested in the characters, but that interest was dropped when my favorites got new letters to rearrange.
A logical game that challenges how you think and throws some curveballs at you that you may not know right off the bat.
This game offers you two difficulties, one where you are given hints to help you along and one where you are blocked from seeing hints. I played this game with hints off, similarly to how I've adjusted to play Fire Emblem games on classic mode now that I know that's how the games were intended to be played. You can always turn the hints on in the menu, and I personally did not find anything too difficult that warranted hints.
If you have a chance to pick this game up on sale, I highly recommend trying to unlock everything! The game is well worth the full price in my opinion, but I still encourage taking advantage of a sale in case you are not too fond of text-based games or novels.
This is not a game you can play in the background while you listen to other things or watch shows. It requires your attention unless you are randomly guessing your way through the game. If you have a quiet moment to think, sit down in a nice cozy room, get some tea, warn your neighbours in case you start screaming, and have a pack of tissues ready for when you begin to cry. It truly is a wonderful world.