caitlins
2020
i could write essays about this game, but i'll spare everyone and just say i've played dnd for years and despite so many fantastic releases in 2023, this is easily the game of the year, no question. i think that's about the best endorsement i could ever give for anything.
i have so many positive things to say about this game. chloe and nadine became my two favourite characters in the franchise after this. giving more depth to two female characters who were initially seen as 'the hot love interest' and 'the cold villain' in a successful male-led franchise is something they didn't have to do, tbh! turning this from a dlc into a full game isn't something they had to do! and yet, now chloe and nadine are gay. funny how life works.
i absolutely love a pocket-sized game that's worth every cent. this is one of the most beautiful and captivating story games i've ever had the pleasure of playing. it's been three years since i played this and it's still firmly planted in my mind. the way you explore each character's story is so creative. a fantastic example of why video games don't just have to be action-packed open world adventures. this story could only be told with this medium and i'm so glad it was.
2018
this iteration of peter parker is better than every single film one. loses half a star because it was unnecessarily annoying to get to platinum.
a triumphant return to the roots of life is strange. the original is one of my favourite games of all time, and this brings back every aspect i loved so dearly. there are a couple of nitpicky things: recurring background characters not having names, less dialogue options and conversations, only really having one setting all takes away from the immersion a little, but not enough to drop my rating. the location and soundtrack are gorgeous, the story feels like home, and the alex/steph romance is one of the best in the franchise. life is strange works best when it focuses on queer women with powers, i guess!
this could've been complete and utter garbage and i still would've had a good time tbh. the main draw for me was always laura in the lead role singing and honestly the rest is just icing on the cake. the music itself wasn't groundbreaking and the romances were touted pretty heavily despite not being all that prominent (at least in the one playthrough i've done so far) but given that baldur's gate also just came out, the fact that any other game grabbed my attention at all is astounding. the art style is gorgeous and it's australian which will always get bonus points for me. overall it makes me super excited about the future of australian games tbh.
2016
beautiful graphics, fantastic voice acting, a compelling story, a little mystery - all of these things make this a masterpiece. it's just a little snippet, only several hours long, but i always think of it when someone asks what my favourite games are. the ending is a little unsatisfying, and i know that's the point, but i do wish they solidified what henry would do next. other than that, i can't fault this whatsoever.
i finished this game and just sat and cried as the credits rolled. this is storytelling at its finest + ashley johnson and laura bailey carrying the whole entire industry on their shoulders. one of the greatest games of all time, babeeeey.
2015
it's definitely not five stars when it comes to writing or gameplay but jeez, the story, emotion and atmosphere blow me away every time. this game gets a lot of shit but it revolutionized the inclusion of queer women in video games. having three queer women lead a game (+ its prequel) is unheard of and that's important to me, so!
2021
such a lovely little game! environmental storytelling is one of the coolest things a game can do if it gets it right, and this relies on it. not only that, but it's australian made, so i get to be a little proud of that as well!
i have issues with the way the choices made in this game can completely invalidate the canon timeline in the original game, but in the end, i am a rachel amber enthusiast first, human second.
i'm someone who doesn't really enjoy the original format of assassin's creed games, so this is definitely more my speed. a ridiculously huge open world combined with the fun of greek mythology makes this fantastic. kassandra is easily the better choice of protagonist and makes interactions much more vibrant. i've always wanted to master it but the achievements are quite tedious and it is VERY long.
2022
there will never be anything better than an annapurna published story game. deeply profound storytelling in such a small package. beautiful, emotional, and exactly what gaming should be.
2023
what an absolutely stunning game. so much heart and soul clearly went into this, and the soundtrack and visuals are unbelievably gorgeous. the gameplay and protagonist are also a lot of fun, and the whole thing just has a charm that is not easy to replicate. such an unexpected delight tbh.
banned in australia but still sold on steam and then unbanned in australia but everyone had bought it already because it was never taken off steam. 10/10.