Disco Elysium is a reminder. A painful one at that.

No, not a reminder of what we knew. It always comes in bouts, that stumbling around attempting to find meaning in the world that is painted in garish colors of conflict and ideologies that tear us apart, that harsh critique of what we are capable of as people. The ways our lives are completely connected in ways that drive us to the brink of despair, building towards a pale that rips at the edges of the world before the whole book cracks at the seams and turns the paper to shreds. No, that's nothing new.

That's something any cynical mindset could create really, even if they had the prose as excellent as this game did, or the character writing this painstakingly real. That's doable. What it really reminds me of, is our emotions, yknow that feeling thing. That helps us really understand each other at our core, is how we as people can live. Living with the loss, the many many many casualties not just personal but also in our own heads. Or as Disco Elysium really well puts it by the end after a long long conversation, "dealing with all this shit." At the end of the day, we're capable of understanding each other, and you don't need to drink yourself to the point of amnesia just so you can find the steps to get there.

That definitely sounds more verbose than a game which painfully relies too much on the odds of sentences landing with a roll of the dice may deserve, but this work was fucking profound to me. Compared to my earlier impressions, of which I really did look like the bumbling cop nihilistically walking away thinking all of it was worthless, I find myself hoping that everyone I know gets around to playing this.

Delightful building management sim with shortcomings

Bear & Breakfast immediately caught my attention from the artstyle and wholesome tone. Day one purchase.

The first 3-4 hours are bliss. Takes a minute to get started but then you're managing multiple buildings, trying to design the best rooms based around multiple factors (decoration, comfort, hygeine) and finding materials to craft superior furniture and utilities. Days fly by and you have plenty to do.
The writing is clever and the NPCs can be pretty fun, especially at first introduction. Unlocking tools like the clock and map are super satisfying, although that may be because some of them feel like they should be included from the start.

My biggest hurdle that I never got quite over was introduced in the 3rd building... Cooking. Although I did get the hang of it, I just never found it enjoyable. The ingredients and recipes and "cooking" score just become too much to keep track of. There were also a couple times were I didn't know how to progress and it turns out I had to talk to a specific unmarked NPC. I also wish the NPCs had more to do. Unless you're in a quest with one, NPC just give you a generic 1 or 2 line response. Dialogue options would've made them feel much more dynamic.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Bear & Breakfast. And I'm sure some of the rough elements will be smoothed out with updates.