2019
Hypnospace Outlaw is one of those games where you can feel every ounce of love and passion being put into it. What an unbelievable game this is, like seriously. I am not a 90s child, but for whatever reason playing this game made me feel so incredibly nostalgic for times long gone. This reality of "sleepytime computing" feels insanely futuristic, and yet still maintains its nostalgic and rootsy sensibilities. The aesthetic here is easily among the best I've ever seen in a game, period. It's mindboggling the amount of detail put into crafting a true alternate portal into another time, all while having some of the best and most immersive writing/worldbuilding out there. Every webpage has something interesting or fascinating to look at/learn from. The characters especially all have so much personality that I truly felt connected with them, it's genius.
However, at times it can be slightly too cryptic (considering much of the game relies on callbacks, clues, and hidden messages) leading to me getting lost or confused at times. But tbh, the guides on Steam are well made, so don't be afraid to check those if you need further guidance.
I truly mean it when I say that everything about this game means a ton to me. Creativity holds no boundaries in any medium, so it's nice to experience something so creative, and so unique to the genre of games as a whole.
Edit: I went through and archived every single page across the game's three different periods, and I couldn't recommend it more. There's SO much content here, some of which is extremely hidden....and extremely weird, so go check it out for yourself! It is a bit of a task though, and tbh it cant be done without a guide, so check the 100% archival guide on Steam, It is a godsend. ALSO (this is even crazier) the Hypnospace team was kind enough to include a full-on page editor/builder, so you can become a direct part of Hypnospace with all the quirks that make you, you. Coolest. Shit. Ever.
However, at times it can be slightly too cryptic (considering much of the game relies on callbacks, clues, and hidden messages) leading to me getting lost or confused at times. But tbh, the guides on Steam are well made, so don't be afraid to check those if you need further guidance.
I truly mean it when I say that everything about this game means a ton to me. Creativity holds no boundaries in any medium, so it's nice to experience something so creative, and so unique to the genre of games as a whole.
Edit: I went through and archived every single page across the game's three different periods, and I couldn't recommend it more. There's SO much content here, some of which is extremely hidden....and extremely weird, so go check it out for yourself! It is a bit of a task though, and tbh it cant be done without a guide, so check the 100% archival guide on Steam, It is a godsend. ALSO (this is even crazier) the Hypnospace team was kind enough to include a full-on page editor/builder, so you can become a direct part of Hypnospace with all the quirks that make you, you. Coolest. Shit. Ever.
2022
I am so, so sad that I hit the end of early access because I had such an insane amount of fun with this game. I'm not typically someone who is that good at stealth games, but MAN something about this one hooked me right from the beginning. Everything about the level and environmental design is polished to sheer perfection. The environment being one of the most helpful tools to stealthy move your way around is so brilliant, it makes every level feel like a big playground of possibilities. These limitless possibilities are some of the most fun parts, as it's always engaging to try things in multiple ways. I seriously can't get enough of the feeling and atmosphere in this game, it's intoxicating. The feeling of lurking around in the shadows with the pointiest sword ready to strike, a full arsenal of weapons to cleverly get you out of a pinch, or the use of the environment as a tool, it's all here and done masterfully. My only real gripe is that it's not currently finished, otherwise, I'd give this 5 stars easily. Can't wait for future updates, as they'll just keep getting better and better.
1999
The experimental and unique nature of Silent Hill is what really makes it stand out for me. For the time, I'm sure the ambition to push the boundaries of horror felt so completely new and unique compared to other games in the genre. Now, 24 years later, playing this game (through an emulator) still feels just as fresh and new. Even with its outdated and challenging controls, everything about Silent Hill is fantastically captivating. The atmosphere is so thick and dizzying that it really emphasizes the immersion and connection to the decaying town. I really love games that make the setting a character, and this game is one of the best examples of defining it exceptionally well. Also, the music is so, so insane in this game. Rather than it being more direct tracks, the harsh and frightening industrial tones make the game scarier and scarier, it's simply brilliant. Storywise, the humor and craziness never seem to cease, while underlying it with a deeply tragic twist. Personally, I'd say play this one after 2, you'll appreciate it more :)
2018
This review contains spoilers
This was a really great way to start off the spoooky month of October. The atmosphere in this game...man is it suffocating and immensely terrifying. I was honestly mad scared throughout this entire game by the EXCELLENT sound design, creative and disgusting creature designs that absolutely rule, and a general sense of fear around every. single. corner. Technically speaking this game is a total homerun in terms of mastering the ideals of horror, but ultimately I think it's lacking in some departments. For one, the story is almost completely non-existent, and for what story there is it feels tonally unrelated to what's happening in the world. The concept of saving your brave lil pup after watching it get sucked away by the sewer seemed good enough a story for me, but all the extra notes and stuff scattered about were more puzzling than anything. The creature lore is super sick though, wish it was built into the story more tbh.
Also, idk if it's just me, but I find it hard to classify this as "Survival Horror." Sure you have limited ammo and...and that's about it really. There is no health to manage, the map is basically useless (I used it probably twice), and the inventory is also just as recognizable and useful as the map honestly. I will say that I love the way this game breaks the fourth wall to screw with the player. Many instances of curated fuckery really caught me by surprise, I loved it. The jumpscares at certain moments were a bit annoying though lol. Overall, great game with some aspects that I wasn't personally into. I also want to mention that I think the endings could've used some more flash or something, they all felt more or less the same with slight variations. The vibe and general feel of the whole experience is super terrifying though, give it a shot if these kinds of games are up your alley.
Last thing, fuckkkkkkkk that siren mf, scariest thing ever.
Also, idk if it's just me, but I find it hard to classify this as "Survival Horror." Sure you have limited ammo and...and that's about it really. There is no health to manage, the map is basically useless (I used it probably twice), and the inventory is also just as recognizable and useful as the map honestly. I will say that I love the way this game breaks the fourth wall to screw with the player. Many instances of curated fuckery really caught me by surprise, I loved it. The jumpscares at certain moments were a bit annoying though lol. Overall, great game with some aspects that I wasn't personally into. I also want to mention that I think the endings could've used some more flash or something, they all felt more or less the same with slight variations. The vibe and general feel of the whole experience is super terrifying though, give it a shot if these kinds of games are up your alley.
Last thing, fuckkkkkkkk that siren mf, scariest thing ever.
2010
My love for this game, at this point in time, is honestly above almost anything else. Being 2 achievements away from 100%, I wanted to reflect a bit on my journey through the Mohave, which has continued onward and concluded since my time with it on the 360. Fallout: New Vegas, at least to me, is the best open-world RPG by a long shot. Nothing really compares to its widely dynamic and open-ended nature, ultimately giving the player complete freedom to enhance and grow with the world around you.
Choices are consistently meaningful and impactful, with many questlines having winding interconnected pathways for completion. It's insanely impressive to me how realized and detailed the different questlines feel. It really helps immerse me into this world better than almost any other game honestly. Not to mention that the huge weapon variety, interesting quests, fleshed-out characters, beautiful music, lore, and atmosphere all add to the sheer brilliance of the Vegas loop. However, I will say that at times the game can be completely broken and terribly buggy. Everything regarding the bugs and glitches really is an annoying mess (while also adding to the fun at times). Mess and all, I still think it's a defining attribute of the ambition that was put into this world.
I really, really love and cherish this game with everything in me. To be honest, I'll always be thinking about the memories I've made, the discussions I've had, and how much fun it has provided me throughout the years. It really helped to define my love for passionate, well-written RPGs, a genre that I continue to revel in. 5 years from now I'm sure I'll be thinking about songs from Mohave music radio, dreaming of the harsh beauty of the desert, all while sipping a cool bottle of Sunset Sarsaparilla through windingly dangerous and beautiful vistas. Cudos New Vegas, thanks for everything.
P.S. - The ultimate edition of this game goes on sale for like 4 bucks, which is essentially 4 bucks of infinite, dynamic replayability. Do yourself a favor and try it out :) Also, I'm sorry for the wall of text, I've been playing only this for 2 weeks, so I had a lot built up haha.
Choices are consistently meaningful and impactful, with many questlines having winding interconnected pathways for completion. It's insanely impressive to me how realized and detailed the different questlines feel. It really helps immerse me into this world better than almost any other game honestly. Not to mention that the huge weapon variety, interesting quests, fleshed-out characters, beautiful music, lore, and atmosphere all add to the sheer brilliance of the Vegas loop. However, I will say that at times the game can be completely broken and terribly buggy. Everything regarding the bugs and glitches really is an annoying mess (while also adding to the fun at times). Mess and all, I still think it's a defining attribute of the ambition that was put into this world.
I really, really love and cherish this game with everything in me. To be honest, I'll always be thinking about the memories I've made, the discussions I've had, and how much fun it has provided me throughout the years. It really helped to define my love for passionate, well-written RPGs, a genre that I continue to revel in. 5 years from now I'm sure I'll be thinking about songs from Mohave music radio, dreaming of the harsh beauty of the desert, all while sipping a cool bottle of Sunset Sarsaparilla through windingly dangerous and beautiful vistas. Cudos New Vegas, thanks for everything.
P.S. - The ultimate edition of this game goes on sale for like 4 bucks, which is essentially 4 bucks of infinite, dynamic replayability. Do yourself a favor and try it out :) Also, I'm sorry for the wall of text, I've been playing only this for 2 weeks, so I had a lot built up haha.
2021
this is another one of those games that truly, truly impresses me all around. even if it's overwhelmingly sad (especially since a lot of the topics covered here have been pretty relatable for me recently) it's beauty always finds ways to shine through. there's nothing quite like this game, and I appreciate it so much because of that.
This review contains spoilers
This whole game really made me reflect on the stories I was told growing up through various family members. These stories have certainly helped shape me into the person I want to be today through a general sense of wonder and magic of the past. thankfully I still have the power to make these stories live on for those I care about, so it's interesting to play a game with this same concept in mind. Slowly uncovering the winding history of the Finch family through a series of tragic and mystical ghost stories really, really affected me honestly. It helps that the interactive segments of these stories are all breathtakingly beautiful and surreal that I couldn't help but feel every emotion all at once haha. I also want to mention briefly, the way the text is used throughout the game really makes the weight of the story felt. It's so effective in a totally different way than most games, which really impressed me. please, pleaseeee play this one. it evokes that certain human feeling we all have, but struggle to comprehend.
oh and if i had to choose a few favorite stories, they'd probably be: lewis's, gregory's, and barbra's. all of them are amazing anyway so lol, what are y'all's favorites?
oh and if i had to choose a few favorite stories, they'd probably be: lewis's, gregory's, and barbra's. all of them are amazing anyway so lol, what are y'all's favorites?
This review contains spoilers
It's incredibly admirable to play a game that succeeds at telling a non-linear story...while detailing all of the individual parts backward. It really is mindblowing how each memory is effective in telling a tale with characters that are barely fleshed out, and with a world that's shrouded in the unknown. Yet everything feels so purposeful and complete in immersing the player into this grand mystery. Obra Dinn is certainly one of the most impressive stories I've played through recently because of this, as its central mode of storytelling finds ways to innovate and experiment through a variety of means. These means found throughout focus centrally on the brutal and tragic trajectory of the ship, while painting amazingly grotesque and Lovecraftian creatures into the mix. I also love how intuitive the main puzzle mechanics are, as each "fate" requires some degree of logical clues and recognition of key elements. I will say however that it can resort to guessing in most scenarios, as the game does have cryptic undertones that can become somewhat annoying. It really is the perfect blend of things I love about games though, and I truly think that Lucas Pope is one of the most consistent and talented developers working today. Cudos, what a game
Due to only needing a single item/achievement until dead god, I wanted to finally share some of my thoughts on my favorite game of all time.
I find it very hard to sum up Isaac, as it's packed to the brim with content and things to talk about, so I'm going to keep it simple. To me, this game serves an incredibly important purpose in my life, as I've been playing it on and off since 2015 (ikr lol). But at the start of this year due to my roommate guiding me along the new additions into repentance, I was legit addicted up until the very end. Never has a game captivated and enthralled me throughout my 675 hours of playtime like this one has. It's crafted with insane amounts of love, passion, detail and especially fun. For me, it's a gaming experience that I'll remember and treasure for the rest of my life. I think the design philosophy of not seeing the full game until the very end is absolutely genius and made for a great reason to push forward and conquer even the most insanely difficulty challenges. Sure, I don't even think its a perfect game tbh, as some characters are incredibly frustrating and some items/enemies are horrible, but those are still aspects that I appreciate when looking at the full experience. Almost everything in this game is fine-tuned to perfection, and I'm so glad I got to experience it all. I love this game so much, and all the emotions/memories it provided me along the way, thanks edmund <3
also, the community is great, with lots of love being shown through mods and extra content which can add even MORE hours of playtime to an already massive game. Mods in general really help to personalize the whole game to your liking, giving you almost endless ways to play and experiment. I highly recommend this game if you enjoy difficult but rewarding challenges, as there's so, so much cool stuff to see.
I find it very hard to sum up Isaac, as it's packed to the brim with content and things to talk about, so I'm going to keep it simple. To me, this game serves an incredibly important purpose in my life, as I've been playing it on and off since 2015 (ikr lol). But at the start of this year due to my roommate guiding me along the new additions into repentance, I was legit addicted up until the very end. Never has a game captivated and enthralled me throughout my 675 hours of playtime like this one has. It's crafted with insane amounts of love, passion, detail and especially fun. For me, it's a gaming experience that I'll remember and treasure for the rest of my life. I think the design philosophy of not seeing the full game until the very end is absolutely genius and made for a great reason to push forward and conquer even the most insanely difficulty challenges. Sure, I don't even think its a perfect game tbh, as some characters are incredibly frustrating and some items/enemies are horrible, but those are still aspects that I appreciate when looking at the full experience. Almost everything in this game is fine-tuned to perfection, and I'm so glad I got to experience it all. I love this game so much, and all the emotions/memories it provided me along the way, thanks edmund <3
also, the community is great, with lots of love being shown through mods and extra content which can add even MORE hours of playtime to an already massive game. Mods in general really help to personalize the whole game to your liking, giving you almost endless ways to play and experiment. I highly recommend this game if you enjoy difficult but rewarding challenges, as there's so, so much cool stuff to see.
2020
Being about 50 hours in, I've been having so much fun with this game. the level of content is absolutely INSANE, I truly can't believe how massive in scope this game is. I'm not going to go too in-depth, however, considering there's so much to recognize, but I will say that my experience has been far from perfect. there are still quite a few bugs and performance issues as you progress through the game (which isn't a hugeee deal mind you) which seem to become more prevalent as the areas become more detailed and complex. One other thing, I don't know if it's just me but I find much of this game to be very overwhelming, as there are a million different things in the world, the UI, the characters, and the combat that ultimately leaves me somewhat anxious. still an amazing dynamic game though that I'll slowly be finishing to the end.
I ran through this definitive edition in about a third of the time compared to my first playthrough, which has readily prepared me for my third (and maybe final) pain mode playthrough. The new additional content is mostly just there to add more to the characters and world, which I appreciated. The quality of life improvements is also very welcome, with the amazing psychedelic backgrounds of battles paired with the fine-tuning of the visuals in general. The original and this version aren't honestly too different, so id recommends playing both of them as they're both masterpieces in every way.
2014
in a terrible disgusting world full of toxic masculinity, overwhelming violence, and drug-induced mutation, somehow LISA manages to achieve a perfect tonal balance through and through. you'll be saying wtf a LOT, feeling incredibly terrible and heartbroken about what you can and cannot do with those you care about, while also finding moments of humor and fun throughout the entire experience. the second this game started it sucked me deep into its atmosphere, and little did I know I would never be sucked out. this game is certainly painful (as it explicitly states) but in a way that really helped draw me into every single second, not many games can do that tbh.
oh and turns out that with the new release of the definitive edition, there are a few different versions you can play (I personally recommend starting with the original version before the definitive edition.) I played about 20 minutes of the definitive version, and it already puzzled me a bit with changes in the sound design amongst other things. One of the things I love about this game is all the super crunchy and intense sounds in battles, but that seems to be lessened in the new version :/ I'm still going to play it soon, but as it stands the OG is a game you absolutely should not miss.
oh and turns out that with the new release of the definitive edition, there are a few different versions you can play (I personally recommend starting with the original version before the definitive edition.) I played about 20 minutes of the definitive version, and it already puzzled me a bit with changes in the sound design amongst other things. One of the things I love about this game is all the super crunchy and intense sounds in battles, but that seems to be lessened in the new version :/ I'm still going to play it soon, but as it stands the OG is a game you absolutely should not miss.
2016
even if it's pretty buggy and even broken at times, this game is so, SO much fun with friends. the massive amount of content interwoven with the plaza/hub is honestly insane, while options for customization are incredibly personalized. some mini-games aren't necessarily as fun as others, but overall I've been having fun seeing what this game has up its sleeve :)
2020
This review contains spoilers
please excuse the wall of text here, for whatever reason I have a lot of thoughts on this game after beating the alternate path and stretching for 100% completion (which I STILL haven't gotten, smh).
to be honest, I didn't see myself going back and playing the hikikomori route in this game for a long while due to having to experience much of the same game again, but I seriously couldn't stop thinking about it. ultimately I think the experience outlined some different perspectives for me, and why I'm pretty much right down the middle on this one. for one, I think the hikikomori route is certainly more surreal, dark, and sad than the sunny route, which I personally found to be much more effective with all the real-world context I gained in my first playthrough. there's TONS of extra content that I didn't even know existed, which consistently impressed and surprised me. however, when comparing it to the true route, a lot of the conflict and growth of the characters is essentially lost in favor of HINTS towards something more sinister. the story is this route seems almost superfluous upon completion but in general I think it's meant to be experienced this way. the optional bosses and areas are legit the best (and most challenging) parts of the game, which I'm so glad I got to experience. Not only that but delving as far into black space/black space 2 as possible really made everything feel much more...grim. I do think this route is essential to the experience, as there are a good 10ish hours of amazing content behind 15 hours of the same game you've already played.
The biggest issue I have with this game though, which became much more apparent on this route, is the weirdly specific and annoying achievements, which seemingly pad out the run time of an already long and stretched-out game. with some kind of quality-of-life improvements to make going through the game easier, I feel like completing it wouldn't be so bad. However, with the incredibly long cutscenes, headspace sequences that seemingly mean nothing upon replay, and the endless grinding, I got a little frustrated. I know it defeats the point, but a chapter selection would seriously help to make this game much less of a headache.
All and all, I really love Omori. I think for its genre it finds ways to reinvent and experiment, while still falling into tropes and annoyances along the way. as an entire experience though I don't regret my time with it, and will still be finishing the rest of the achievements. no fucking way I'm playing through the whole game again though, so hate me or not ill be using save states to finish the real-world segments and move on with my life lol.
to be honest, I didn't see myself going back and playing the hikikomori route in this game for a long while due to having to experience much of the same game again, but I seriously couldn't stop thinking about it. ultimately I think the experience outlined some different perspectives for me, and why I'm pretty much right down the middle on this one. for one, I think the hikikomori route is certainly more surreal, dark, and sad than the sunny route, which I personally found to be much more effective with all the real-world context I gained in my first playthrough. there's TONS of extra content that I didn't even know existed, which consistently impressed and surprised me. however, when comparing it to the true route, a lot of the conflict and growth of the characters is essentially lost in favor of HINTS towards something more sinister. the story is this route seems almost superfluous upon completion but in general I think it's meant to be experienced this way. the optional bosses and areas are legit the best (and most challenging) parts of the game, which I'm so glad I got to experience. Not only that but delving as far into black space/black space 2 as possible really made everything feel much more...grim. I do think this route is essential to the experience, as there are a good 10ish hours of amazing content behind 15 hours of the same game you've already played.
The biggest issue I have with this game though, which became much more apparent on this route, is the weirdly specific and annoying achievements, which seemingly pad out the run time of an already long and stretched-out game. with some kind of quality-of-life improvements to make going through the game easier, I feel like completing it wouldn't be so bad. However, with the incredibly long cutscenes, headspace sequences that seemingly mean nothing upon replay, and the endless grinding, I got a little frustrated. I know it defeats the point, but a chapter selection would seriously help to make this game much less of a headache.
All and all, I really love Omori. I think for its genre it finds ways to reinvent and experiment, while still falling into tropes and annoyances along the way. as an entire experience though I don't regret my time with it, and will still be finishing the rest of the achievements. no fucking way I'm playing through the whole game again though, so hate me or not ill be using save states to finish the real-world segments and move on with my life lol.
2019
I had SO much fun playing through this with my partner, as there's nothing more entertaining than wreaking havoc and becoming the best HONK ...wait what HONK HONK thieving geese in town. even if its short, its charming, hilarious, and an all-around good time <3