2023
Beautifully designed puzzle game. The perfect mix of simple intuitive player input and complex layered solutions that gave me that satisfying mini-celebration after completing every single puzzle.
I can't imagine the amount of fine tuning that must have gone into the design to never feel that tedium that some puzzle games get in endlessly trying different solutions to the current puzzle. Especially since the game is one long sequence rather than being split into separate levels. You never have that feeling of "shit, I forgot an orb way back there, better go back and get it" because the game seamlessly removes all those pain points for you. Eliminated back tracking and constantly dropping you into the next puzzle.
I think it was a good choice to go for a simplistic art style and UI, especially since the game has essentially two controls, move and interact. It also has no need for story, yet somehow ends up telling one anyway if you take time to consider the ending.
My only complaint with the game is that I didn't care for the boss fights. There aren't many of them but I found that they took too long, weren't interesting and the moments when I got hit by the boss were usually because my attention was drifting in the long slow movements of the boss rather than it being a good battle. I would prefer if they were either way shorter, such as being a one puzzle solution or removed entirely. They are used sparingly at least, so it only detracts from a perfect score slightly.
I can't recommend this game enough to anyone looking for a novel puzzle game. This has instantly jumped near the top of my list for game of the year contenders and will no doubt go down as one of my favourite puzzles games of all time.
I can't imagine the amount of fine tuning that must have gone into the design to never feel that tedium that some puzzle games get in endlessly trying different solutions to the current puzzle. Especially since the game is one long sequence rather than being split into separate levels. You never have that feeling of "shit, I forgot an orb way back there, better go back and get it" because the game seamlessly removes all those pain points for you. Eliminated back tracking and constantly dropping you into the next puzzle.
I think it was a good choice to go for a simplistic art style and UI, especially since the game has essentially two controls, move and interact. It also has no need for story, yet somehow ends up telling one anyway if you take time to consider the ending.
My only complaint with the game is that I didn't care for the boss fights. There aren't many of them but I found that they took too long, weren't interesting and the moments when I got hit by the boss were usually because my attention was drifting in the long slow movements of the boss rather than it being a good battle. I would prefer if they were either way shorter, such as being a one puzzle solution or removed entirely. They are used sparingly at least, so it only detracts from a perfect score slightly.
I can't recommend this game enough to anyone looking for a novel puzzle game. This has instantly jumped near the top of my list for game of the year contenders and will no doubt go down as one of my favourite puzzles games of all time.
2023
I had a great time playing through Amnesia: The Bunker. It is a solid horror game with a well established setting but the most compelling element is that this game plays like an immersive sim.
For most problems, there are a handful of solutions, which will be solved differently player to player and circumstantially based on the gear you've stockpiled. This alongside weighing the amount of noise and destruction you will create to solve these problems feed back brilliantly into the horror element. Busting through a door loudly will no doubt bring the beast out of its hiding place to hunt you down.
The Bunker has a perfect run time for a horror game, between 4-6 hours. A fair amount of variety for its length. Beyond the immersive sim elements, I found the at-first awkward controls, once mastered to be greatly immersive. There is a precision and freedom to every action in the game.
The system of connecting lights provides a great sense of progression and the resource gathering elements I found to be tuned perfectly. Fueling up the generator, and having the thought constantly in the back of your head that every step forward puts you further away from the generator and safety is a great push and pull.
As I've only dabbled slightly in the series before, this game sold me to go back and check out the previous entries. Great pick up on Game Pass but definitely worth the asking price as well.
For most problems, there are a handful of solutions, which will be solved differently player to player and circumstantially based on the gear you've stockpiled. This alongside weighing the amount of noise and destruction you will create to solve these problems feed back brilliantly into the horror element. Busting through a door loudly will no doubt bring the beast out of its hiding place to hunt you down.
The Bunker has a perfect run time for a horror game, between 4-6 hours. A fair amount of variety for its length. Beyond the immersive sim elements, I found the at-first awkward controls, once mastered to be greatly immersive. There is a precision and freedom to every action in the game.
The system of connecting lights provides a great sense of progression and the resource gathering elements I found to be tuned perfectly. Fueling up the generator, and having the thought constantly in the back of your head that every step forward puts you further away from the generator and safety is a great push and pull.
As I've only dabbled slightly in the series before, this game sold me to go back and check out the previous entries. Great pick up on Game Pass but definitely worth the asking price as well.
2024
This game is very cute and fun. I love a good city builder but these days it is hard to find the time to learn and play them. So to take those ideas and boil them down into a simple, short and sweet game is exactly what I needed. After completing the 5 levels, I went back to get the rest of the achievements just because I didn't want to put it down.
Brilliant little game, can't wait to see what this team does next!
Brilliant little game, can't wait to see what this team does next!
2022
This is a VIDEO GAME
2019
The only thing more annoying that the Goose (or Geese since I played co-op) is the finicky controls. Otherwise a fun romp given the short runtime.
2024
Open Roads is a fairly mid-tier experience within the Walking Sim genre. Although, given the size of the genre and that its one I'm a fan of, that means I still had a fun ride with Open Roads.
The 2D character art alongside the highly detailed 3D environments was a welcome change from its peers. The characters being given few frames that are exaggerated is a cool style, thought I found the lack of frames during speech a bit jarring. The voice performances on the other hand are great and helped patch that hole. Kaitlyn Dever in particular is phenomenal and brings so much life and youthfulness to Tess.
The primary mystery of the story is... okay. It functioned better as the carrot on the stick rather than being a mind shattering plot twist with the final reveals. Instead the story bits I found more engaging were the little details and sub-conversations. Themes of divorce, loss of loved ones, growing up with only one parent, cycles within families. There is surprisingly a lot packed into the short run time, thinking back on the experience once its done.
Overall I can't call this a must play relative to the other Walking Sims but while this can be a tropey genre in its themes, settings and even specific plot details, I think Open Roads takes the road less travelled and explores some new ideas.
From what I've seen, this game experienced a rocky development, but I am left excited to see what this team does next. Hopefully its a smoother ride where the potential for an even greater game is just a ways down the road.
The 2D character art alongside the highly detailed 3D environments was a welcome change from its peers. The characters being given few frames that are exaggerated is a cool style, thought I found the lack of frames during speech a bit jarring. The voice performances on the other hand are great and helped patch that hole. Kaitlyn Dever in particular is phenomenal and brings so much life and youthfulness to Tess.
The primary mystery of the story is... okay. It functioned better as the carrot on the stick rather than being a mind shattering plot twist with the final reveals. Instead the story bits I found more engaging were the little details and sub-conversations. Themes of divorce, loss of loved ones, growing up with only one parent, cycles within families. There is surprisingly a lot packed into the short run time, thinking back on the experience once its done.
Overall I can't call this a must play relative to the other Walking Sims but while this can be a tropey genre in its themes, settings and even specific plot details, I think Open Roads takes the road less travelled and explores some new ideas.
From what I've seen, this game experienced a rocky development, but I am left excited to see what this team does next. Hopefully its a smoother ride where the potential for an even greater game is just a ways down the road.