First game of 2024 under my belt.
Mia works as bar staff where during the course of her shift she meets a mysterious woman who brings a great deal of danger into her world.
A short fmv game that relies on the player going back to try for different paths to fill in some gaps in the story.
It feels a little like they’re going for big trouble in little China meets the Goonies in terms of vibes. However with a clearly small budget they have to cut a lot of corners and perhaps they should have ditched the treasure hunting/fantastical aspect and had a more straightforward action narrative as the fight sequences are the highlight of this fmv game.
It’s quite camp and has some funny one liners but it’s hard to recommend this unless you’re a dedicated fmv fan and even then I’d say look for it in a sale as there’s not much on offer for your money.
It’s a fun night in but I doubt it’ll last long in the memory after.

Another inoffensive gamepass offering. You play a young woman who has gone back to a place from a childhood summer in order to take care of a familial estate that has been left behind.
This plays as a point and click game where you solve puzzles whilst moving about the estate to advance the narrative and dust off the cobwebs from the memories left behind.
The watercolour artwork that makes up the game is the real standout as the puzzles aren’t anything that are taxing in any real way. The story is the main driver of this game and it honestly feels a bit derivative like I’ve played narratives like this before (young woman goes to place she’s hasn’t been in a while to figure out life). Maybe I’ve become jaded with these kind of indie games. The story at least doesn’t outstay its welcome. Bah humbug!

Please play Lost in Play instead on steam.