hedera
2001
Loved it. Much easier than Riven because it's less interconnected - you won't be needing any hints this time around - but the puzzles are fun, the ages and their solution animations are all charming, and Brad Dourif plays the antagonist with such gusto that it elevates the whole experience.
So well-designed, organic-feeling, and atmospheric. The puzzles are satisfying to figure out, with the stones puzzle being the standout. For me though, through a combination of my own impatience, a few gripes with the game itself, and some very unfortunate RNG, the whole thing was a more frustrating experience than it could have been. And I always got stuck on the silliest parts.
Cosy adventure with charming voice acting. Lots of familiar elements if you have any kind of interest in folk horror. Puzzle-wise I never had to think long about what to do next. Narratively they made the strange decision to introduce a massive element of dramatic irony in the third act which, while the choices the MC makes do fit with her character development, makes that last part quite frustrating for the player.
2019
Outstanding art (apart from one cringe out-of-place bit of character design) and neat lore. Starts out appropriately difficult but eases up a lot as you progress. I'm glad I stumbled onto the true ending on my first playthrough because I have zero desire to tediously trek around the map again. Shan't be bothering with the Stir of Dawn dlc.
Also glad I didn't buy it myself, originally because the devs hold some views I find distasteful, but my controller stopped working a few hours in and when I searched online for solutions it turned out people have been having the exact same issue for years and the devs just never fixed it.
Also glad I didn't buy it myself, originally because the devs hold some views I find distasteful, but my controller stopped working a few hours in and when I searched online for solutions it turned out people have been having the exact same issue for years and the devs just never fixed it.
Cool blend of rpg and rhythm game. Sure it looks like something off Kongregate but it's so incredibly fun. I'm not a rhythm game person and I managed almost everything on hard so casuals like me needn't fear.
2020
Beautiful walking-sim-adjacent game with a good variety of enchanting environments. Story's pretty good, but none of the puzzles pose a challenge.
2024
I cannot get over the fact that each database entry takes three seconds to load every time (because it's set in the nineties) in a game where all you do is click through all the entries to find the correct one. The creatures and calls are nothing special either. Tedious all around.
Cute animations and writing. You can easily finish it in one sitting (took me 1h45). Has the same neat investigation mechanics as Tangle Tower but that one is much better overall.
2023
Great premise and atmosphere, with a surprisingly addictive gameplay loop. The nights feel properly menacing starting out, and there's a few good little scares as well as dread-inducing moments.
I found it a bit disappointing though, the gameplay doesn't change at all from the very first area, you're just fishing for money and dredging for resources and quest items for the entire game, playing the same minigames over and over. The game is so easy you don't need all the equipment upgrades and you'll probably have all the ship upgrades by the halfway point. Sure, in the first few hours you're so ill-equipped and slow the threats pose a real problem, but once I left the second area (out of five) I never got in trouble again. There's a few puzzles but again they're so easy you can hardly call them that.
Charming little game but too dumbed-down.
I found it a bit disappointing though, the gameplay doesn't change at all from the very first area, you're just fishing for money and dredging for resources and quest items for the entire game, playing the same minigames over and over. The game is so easy you don't need all the equipment upgrades and you'll probably have all the ship upgrades by the halfway point. Sure, in the first few hours you're so ill-equipped and slow the threats pose a real problem, but once I left the second area (out of five) I never got in trouble again. There's a few puzzles but again they're so easy you can hardly call them that.
Charming little game but too dumbed-down.
2021
Luckily for me this was more akin to a horror themed walking sim than a full-on horror game. Piecing together the mystery was fun, it looks beautiful and atmospheric, and it's kind of cozy in the way that Alan Wake is. On the other hand it was just too easy; 'puzzle' solutions are instantly revealed, there's only ever one path to take. Same issue with the split screen gimmick - it was cool but felt like they could have done more with it.
2022
I think they could have been way more creative with the aesthetic theme. At first it's just generic giger tubes and by the end there's walls lined with statues of sex positions, like yeah ok. I like the lack of guidance, but most of the puzzles are very easy, expect for one type that I never quite figured out but could quickly brute force both times. No idea why they decided to add combat to a slow clunky puzzle game, it's incredibly annoying.
2023
I was expecting wayyy more (and more challenging) puzzles. Unfortunately for a game so dialogue-driven, some of the supporting characters were grating, and the writing and pacing weren't good enough to hold my interest throughout.
2013
Short and simple. Loved that the puzzles make sense, but I found the main character pretty annoying.
It's great running around ancient Egypt, but most of the quests and locations feel like busywork. Exploration is hamstrung by the awful loot system.
2020
Due to its babyishly simple puzzles, cringe humor, and stereotypical characters I had to alt+f4 half an hour in.