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Bio
My general philosophy on rating games is as follows:
A 1 star game is a game I absolutely didn't enjoy (not necessarily a bad game) and will invoke active discouragement to avoid this experience. I will haunt your dreams explaining how terrible my experience was.
A 2 star game is a game that I had a few issues with but will only invoke passive discouragement if a fellow gamer happens to casually mention it in passing. Feel free to waste your time.
3 stars is a game that I am ambivalent about - this game is ultimately forgettable and does not invoke any forceful positive or negative emotion.
4 stars is a game that is enjoyable and will invoke passive encouragement to play. If you mention the game, I will highlight what may make it enjoyable for you.
5 stars is a must play title that I am ready and willing to bore everyone in the vicinity with unrequested details about this experience. Pick up the controller now!
My general philosophy on rating games is as follows:
A 1 star game is a game I absolutely didn't enjoy (not necessarily a bad game) and will invoke active discouragement to avoid this experience. I will haunt your dreams explaining how terrible my experience was.
A 2 star game is a game that I had a few issues with but will only invoke passive discouragement if a fellow gamer happens to casually mention it in passing. Feel free to waste your time.
3 stars is a game that I am ambivalent about - this game is ultimately forgettable and does not invoke any forceful positive or negative emotion.
4 stars is a game that is enjoyable and will invoke passive encouragement to play. If you mention the game, I will highlight what may make it enjoyable for you.
5 stars is a must play title that I am ready and willing to bore everyone in the vicinity with unrequested details about this experience. Pick up the controller now!
Favorite Games
043
Total Games Played
002
Played in 2024
046
Games Backloggd
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In Cocoon, your character is some sort of insect that is doing something for some reason...I guess? The story is really inscrutable, but you're here for the puzzles and the vaguely familiar, yet disturbing, bio-mechanical atmosphere.
The puzzles are typically situated around the orbs you find. Each orb is a different biome and you can nest the orbs inside each other to solve environmental puzzles. The puzzles are challenging enough to keep you engaged without stymying your progress too much. Most impressively, the challenge and solution of the puzzles are communicated without words or objective markers or any kind.
The atmosphere is creepy and vaguely humanoid with enough strangeness to feel alien. The atmosphere feels very similar to the the description of the world in the Xenogenesis saga by Octavia Butler.
A relatively quick game, Cocoon is a great puzzle game to get lost in for a while.
The puzzles are typically situated around the orbs you find. Each orb is a different biome and you can nest the orbs inside each other to solve environmental puzzles. The puzzles are challenging enough to keep you engaged without stymying your progress too much. Most impressively, the challenge and solution of the puzzles are communicated without words or objective markers or any kind.
The atmosphere is creepy and vaguely humanoid with enough strangeness to feel alien. The atmosphere feels very similar to the the description of the world in the Xenogenesis saga by Octavia Butler.
A relatively quick game, Cocoon is a great puzzle game to get lost in for a while.
What an absolute delight! Venba is a beautifully told story about a family that immigrates from India to Canada and their struggles during the process. The story unfolds through vignettes told over the course of several decades. Although it is a very quick game, it made a lasting impression on me and I cried several times during the experience. The music and art direction are absolute stunners. If you enjoyed the Pixar short "Bao" this game evoked very similar feelings for me. Please make it a point to experience this amazing game.
This review contains spoilers
Maybe Im in the minority, but I don't get the hype. To be fair, Firewatch is a good game. It's just not a great game like the discourse around it would have you believe.
The game centers around Henry, a married man seeking solace and escape after his wife is diagnosed with early onset dementia. The opening sequence of the game details the relationship (and the subsequent diagnosis) you have have with Julia, your wife. Soon, Henry find himself in the remote wilderness as a fire spotter with only his colleague Delialah to keep him company. Over the course of 79 days (only a handful of days are playable - the rest occur via time jumps) you and D slowly start to forge a strong relationship.
The voice acting is phenomenal and by far the best part of the game. The game falters, however, by trying to establish a mystery with seemingly high stakes and resolving the mystery with an unsatisfying conclusion. The mystery drags down the story and ruins the pacing of a pretty short game.
The game is worth experiencing, just be sure to temper your expectations.
The game centers around Henry, a married man seeking solace and escape after his wife is diagnosed with early onset dementia. The opening sequence of the game details the relationship (and the subsequent diagnosis) you have have with Julia, your wife. Soon, Henry find himself in the remote wilderness as a fire spotter with only his colleague Delialah to keep him company. Over the course of 79 days (only a handful of days are playable - the rest occur via time jumps) you and D slowly start to forge a strong relationship.
The voice acting is phenomenal and by far the best part of the game. The game falters, however, by trying to establish a mystery with seemingly high stakes and resolving the mystery with an unsatisfying conclusion. The mystery drags down the story and ruins the pacing of a pretty short game.
The game is worth experiencing, just be sure to temper your expectations.