ennui_enthusiast
2022
I really like this game in concept. Loved the act of deducing plants from vague descriptions and slowly discovering the world through maps and trinkets. The music fit the whole ambience quite nicely. The charming and tactile UI is reminiscent of Papers Please.
Some of it did get quite tedious with the sheer number of plants to manage with little more than a couple shelves to attempt some form of organization. Some of the riddles and puzzles could be awkward, but I really didn't like the inclusion of the map cooldown meter that really stopped any momentum you had to figure out clues. It felt like unnecessary friction.
Overall Strange Horticulture is a mostly delightful way to explore botany and cult/folklore world building, while shifting the events of your country with your curated selection of herbal wonders.
Some of it did get quite tedious with the sheer number of plants to manage with little more than a couple shelves to attempt some form of organization. Some of the riddles and puzzles could be awkward, but I really didn't like the inclusion of the map cooldown meter that really stopped any momentum you had to figure out clues. It felt like unnecessary friction.
Overall Strange Horticulture is a mostly delightful way to explore botany and cult/folklore world building, while shifting the events of your country with your curated selection of herbal wonders.
2020
This is a great introduction to VR. The gravity hands is a must have for a streamlined fetch quest experience. Some truly jaw dropping vistas by the end of this game. mostly just glad my hardware was able to run this well enough.
2020
The quintessential scifi disaster photography game. You thought you were solving fundamental visual puzzles, but you were actually investigating the failures of your society. One of the few dystopian stories to encourage you to savor the present in the form of whole game level snapshots.
Shoutouts to the soundtrack to being one of my most played music for the past year and getting me in the mood for DJ Tariq.
Shoutouts to the soundtrack to being one of my most played music for the past year and getting me in the mood for DJ Tariq.
2022
arthouse cyber-horror. immaculate psx vibes. uncomfortable forms of flesh. tiny inventories.
the modern resident evil 1 style game i didnt know i wanted.
achtung
achtung
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the modern resident evil 1 style game i didnt know i wanted.
achtung
achtung
achtung
With gameplay and progression this shallow, I've found myself doing multiple playthroughs because the map is so fun to wander around in. The one true procrastination rpg that you don't know why you're playing.
2010
still the best first person Fallout game. Plenty of absurd quests and tolerable companions. surprisingly blooming for a desert world. dlcs can get a little heavy handed, but its a fun time all around.
2022
Norco feels like a game tailored for me. Geography of Robots made a smart choice by extracting the 90's adventure game pixel art design while leaving the tedious and unintuitive puzzle design.
This game is all about the narrative. Between the dystopian cyberpunk politics and southern gothic tendencies, there's a lot of world building and characters to chew on.
The combat is nothing special, but it was never supposed to be the focus. I do wonder about a version of this game that has no combat whatsoever, but it doesn't affect the overall impression. Can't wait to see what else this studio makes next.
This game is all about the narrative. Between the dystopian cyberpunk politics and southern gothic tendencies, there's a lot of world building and characters to chew on.
The combat is nothing special, but it was never supposed to be the focus. I do wonder about a version of this game that has no combat whatsoever, but it doesn't affect the overall impression. Can't wait to see what else this studio makes next.
Stunning portrayal of the horrific plight of the undying lifestyle. Combat is rudimentary enough that I didn't find the dnd ruleset too suffocating. Some of most intriguing companion dialogue I've experienced. The back third of the game suffers from inconsistent pacing, but they stick the landing depending on what ending you get. One of the definitive amnesiac experiences.
A whimsical and touching game that fosters a sense of free-form creativity to the player. The canvas world is comfortably full of earnest characters and thoughtful puzzles. Can't wait to see what this developer does next!
2002
Arx Fatalis is not a perfect game. At its worst, its a frustration simulator with its unwieldy UI, extremely limited combat, and unorthodox magic system.
At its best, this game feels like a RPG missing link between the 90's and the 2000's. While it retains some of the adventure/puzzle solving lineage from games like Ultima and Baldur's Gate, its magic system and world design feels ahead of its time compared to some of Arx's contemporaries like Morrowind or Fallout. It really has more in common with Deus Ex and Thief than anything else.
While the magic gesture system takes a long to get used to, magic's utility has so much potential within a 3D space in a 1st person view. This wouldn't be that fun on its own, but Arx provides a fascinating answer with its giant dungeon world.
Arkane asks themselves: What would a whole world fit into the Mines of Moria be like? You get the giant and singular puzzle box that is Arx Fatalis.
At its best, this game feels like a RPG missing link between the 90's and the 2000's. While it retains some of the adventure/puzzle solving lineage from games like Ultima and Baldur's Gate, its magic system and world design feels ahead of its time compared to some of Arx's contemporaries like Morrowind or Fallout. It really has more in common with Deus Ex and Thief than anything else.
While the magic gesture system takes a long to get used to, magic's utility has so much potential within a 3D space in a 1st person view. This wouldn't be that fun on its own, but Arx provides a fascinating answer with its giant dungeon world.
Arkane asks themselves: What would a whole world fit into the Mines of Moria be like? You get the giant and singular puzzle box that is Arx Fatalis.
2009
They're all my favorite club members in this timeline at least. Some of the steps to access the true ending is absurdly obscure. Glad I consulted a guide. Took me a couple tries to immerse myself in this world.
2015
What a refreshing aesthetic for Fromsoft to explore. Love the gothic architecture and enemies. Would love to have a little bit more weapon variety, but thats my only complaint. I'd also think about replaying this if a pc port was ever announced. Just even for more stable frame rates.
2018
Beckett is an agonizingly abrasive and abstract visual novel with a unique collage/multimedia aesthetic. Much of the writing and character work leaves the reader up to their interpretation. I can respect the commitment to the harsh design and deliberate melancholy, but I wish the Beckett didn't cough at his every line.
2016
Way more understated compared to the big Suda51 games that followed. Chilling tone and world. The bleakness is often balanced with odd social interactions that leaves you paranoid throughout. Odd port, but it gets the job done.
2019
One of the most shonen games I've played in a while. While this game has some of the most 80's action I've ever seen, it almost doesn't make up for its completely bland writing. I could not care less about the plot. I also was always fighting the camera? What a persistent enemy.