i don't quite get the message of the game or even understand what i just played but i think that is the point. its crazy silly fun and one of a kind and it really embraces this, i'm honestly surprised it took me this long to actually give this game a shot!

they have given me an acquired taste of a strange flavour of gaming that was executed as perfect as you can get for a first attempt. im not sure how they did it this well, especially on the PS2 of all things, but colour me impressed (they even let you skip dialogue and cutscenes, innovation!).

can't forget the delightful, colourful, quirky soundtrack, the adorable, goofy visuals and silly gags and jokes planted throughout the levels just for you to notice them for a second to roll them up to send to space, everything just gives this game so much charm. the way it builds up from you rolling up little stationery inside a japanese household, to rolling up entire islands and continents is so fkn satisfying.

quirky physics puzzle game that makes you feel more frustrated than satisfied when completing a puzzle.
the core idea is being given a puzzle/condition to solve and you're meant to create objects with your cursor to solve the puzzle, essentially a sandbox puzzle game.
you have to be a little imaginative and have to have a good understanding on the physics engine in order to complete puzzles, which can make or break whether or not you will enjoy this game.
this game expects a lot of experimentation and trial and error to figure out puzzles. a lot of the time it just feels like you're throwing shit at a wall until it sticks.

i think my main issue with the game is the insane difficulty spikes. one level will be like "move this ball into the red area" and then next next puzzle will be "kill god". maybe it wants me to come back to it later but cmon.. shouldn't you be teaching me how to use the tools in the game, instead of expecting me to come back later once i've learned more? not a big fan of this design choice, i think it's just poor player experience.
do i like this game? not as much as i'd like to, as someone who loves puzzle games, but i think it's a cool concept that proves to be fun sometimes. i think in given time i'll come accustomed to the physics engine and puzzle design and eventually enjoy the game

wow.. what a fantastic game with a really cool concept! plays on the idea that life passes you by like a blink of an eye and literally presents that idea in a game form. wont spoil too much, but you explore memories and blink (literally) your way through your past life.

regarding the whole blinking mechanic, this was the main reason i was interested in this game to begin with. i think they pulled it off perfectly. it just feels organic and perfect for a game like this, blink and it's all gone just like that, rewarding you with more story/context if you are able to keep your eyes open for long enough. i think i had way too much fun with it. when you have to focus on not blinking it makes you want to blink even more, and you really start to notice the urge to blink. if you decide to keep your eyes open for one part you're using all your mental strength and for the next part you're risking not being able to keep your eyes open for as long and if you're not engaged enough you'll feel the urge to blink, for me i found it hard to keep my eyes open when i had to think about it and i think i enjoyed that aspect way too much.
in general tho, i just love the way you pass through your life at the blink of an eye and i thought was really fun and clever, makes the game feel way more personal.

it's a heart wrenching story that was serviceable enough that you're more than likely to at least shed a tear. haven't had a good cry in a while, this definitely let it all out. this game left me feeling broken and teaches a very important lesson about living life and parenting.

one of the most fascinating and touching games in a while, do yourselves a favour and spend a nice evening on this game, it only takes like an hour or so. you wont regret it <3


man, this game brings back a lot of memories.. for a game designed to ride the mobile apps train, it did a lot more than it's competitors and really played to it's medium. i can appreciate not being too much of a cash grab, considering most games in that era normally tried to farm micro transactions (maybe not to the extent of current games), but a simple one time purchase would be enough for this bad boy and even had a decent free trial version to boot. you lead water to the shower by removing dirt to create a passage way, while avoiding obstacles along the way; every chapter having a new fun gimmick to play around. what made it fun is the physics of the water and it's interactions with everything else, it was like a little sandbox puzzle game where you can find your own jerry rigged solutions, not necessarily having to follow the main path all the time. visuals and audio do not age well, but it's still an simple yet engaging puzzle game that acts as a time capsule of it's time.

ggs shake my hand.

fun little sokoban-esque game where you control each character's hand individually to handshake. it also acts as a teaser for their upcoming game. it's nothing too crazy but it's got interesting puzzles with a few challenges sprinkled about. can't go wrong with it, it's literally free!

one of a kind! the quintessential puzzle game that everyone should try if you're any bit interested in problem solving. this game is layers upon layers of puzzles, every detail in the world building leading to a greater mystery, all taught by exploration and observation. an incredible amount of work was needed to make this possible; to make a effortless feeling, expansive world filled with engaging puzzles throughout, making puzzles that throw out any logic you have learned thus far, AFTER EVERY SINGLE PUZZLE. it feels like i'm traversing the mind of a mad man, it's fascinating to say the least!

short and sweet (and free!). jokes are hit or miss but it's all in good, tongue in cheek fun with actually decent puzzles and a brilliant ending. can be treated as a demo for the witness, albeit in a mocking way, but this actually made me buy the witness lol. been putting the game off for years, but this gave me a taste that left me wanting more, which i guess is a good testament to how well the parody understands it's origin.

all i could think about is how this is the perfect way to game-ify a detective in an interview (indirectly). there is a technical aspect to a "sift through clips" simulator, that i was intrigued going in how they could pull off something like this; to make it playable, engaging and fun. surprisingly i think it does exactly what it needs to do just right, despite some shortcomings.

the direction from one clip to another feels solid early into the game, it was like one mystery leading to another such an organic way. it really makes you feel like a detective (heh) in some way, where you aren't sure if some things she says are red herrings or simply just dead ends in the mystery. however after your first hour once you've gotten all the low hanging fruit, it feels like there was not much direction and you'd end up guessing or imagining insane stories that are way too farfetched and silly (sure enough they were), but is kinda what i enjoyed about the game, as if you're a young impressionable kid trying to think up crazy, wacky and insane ways the story could go and to see how right you were. needless to say i was grinning and enticed the more the mystery starts to unravel itself, but only up until you reach the point of "i literally can't think of anything else, time to use google". but by that point i had already had my suspicions and just wanted closure.
it's really a whole package, i didn't expect a lot from this game but it has an engaging and intriguing mystery, brilliant atmosphere and just overall insane attention to detail.

i think this game is a great prototype that movies can be turned into games (if done right!).

finally.. fighting game chess!

lets you skip the execution barrier of fighting games, which seems to be the barrier of entry for most people.
the game is still difficult to get into even as a fighting game enjoyer, you can imagine it'll be worse if you're newer as there's a lot to study/understand before you can even start playing the "yomi" side of things. because of this my only gripe is to maybe add descriptions or properties of each move, it took me a while to figure out that ninja's jump kick is projectile immune! that kind of information is really important to understand why you would use specific moves and to have more intentionality when throwing out something. but i guess it depends on your stance, some may find it fun to experiment and learn as you go, which is heavily encouraged with the trial and error visual predicitons.

regardless, game is fantastic so far considering it's still early access. this game is pure mind games and knowing you've checkmated someone feels so rewarding. just seeing the final outcome of the match in normal speed is orgasmic, even better if you are the winner.
super excited to see the future of this game!

i played 2 growing up and i teared up seeing this being announced, remembering a more simple time. i loved the colourful cheerful world, the charming aesthetics and the beautiful nostalgic music. if i saw anything bright and colourful i would gravitate towards it.
however it's been so long since, does it still hold up?

yes gameplay wise but i would just go back and play the originals since they seem to invoke a more creative, passionate vibe.
they don't change much besides aesthetics and being more accessible and convenient. of the things they did change, they don't seem to be that important or impactful, and to be honest the aesthetics to me are a lot worse here, theres just a soul-less vibe as if a team of interns made this but that just might be me nitpicking. it's not as bad as i make it out to be but my expectations were already pretty high.
basing score off the remake itself, the original games are decent and i'll review them seperately

2022

it's a whimsical, dystopian heroes' journey that also acts as a cute cat simulator.
the way they advertised the game it seemed something inspirsed by "goat simulator"-esque games targetting reddit users who find these games entertaining, "BatChest this is just like my cat! meow :3". but upon playing it goes beyond what i expected.
there are some beautiful moments in this game that felt almost like journey. gameplay through observation and little to zero dialogue is something i love and very particular of that i couldn't help but be impressed, but this is however short lived and suddenly you're given the ability to talk, and felt so betrayed :( .
the cyberpunk world is facinating to say the least. gameplay and puzzle solving is organic and encourages exploration, with a hint system if you ever get lost. the game design is polished finely and feels invisible at times that puzzles felt rewarding to solve. i just wish maybe the visual communication was more concise, instead of having to rely on hud pop ups to solve puzzles (i tried playing without a hud and the game became impossible, it just becomes "what piece am i missing").
along with the mystery filled story, meticulous attention to the small details, engaging and fun side content and collectables, immersive and subtle chimes and the clean yet busy feeling artstyle all work together to create a solid, intriguing experience.
it's a cute little game that i had plenty of fun with. +1 for meow button during in-game cutscenes

this game was designed for someone like me; aimless, lost and unsure about their future. it acts as a precious little diorama filled with intricate details and an overabundance of love that you can visit whenever and the game treats it like that. for such a short and simple game to make me feel all kinds of emotions it does an amazing job. the nostalgic, blissful music traveling between each corner of the island, to the soft colours and overall warm and cozy feeling of the world and it's characters, it feels like a warm hug from someone you love.
a wholesome, exploration focused, fun little trip up the mountain acts as a short heroes journey that ends when you want it to end. this game made me tear up and led to a realisation that i should be doing more with my life before the good moments slip away.

i feel like a lot of silly goofy games fail to keep the attention past first looks, but this game really feels like a complete package that goes beyond the witty jokes and goofy aesthetics. it's even a decent and unique rhythm game to top it off. game is good

its everything i love about maplestory (big numbers and turn off brain combat) without the need to grind weeks of my life! tonnes of replay-ability and non-stop serotonin in short easy bursts.

a relaxing game for an event-less afternoon, couldn't ask for more.

i went in blind with incredibly high expectations, unsurprisingly it delivered and this has to be one of the best gaming experiences in a long time and i loved every minute.

just booting up the game you feel like this game is going to be something special; the homey, nostalgic feel of the title screen with a warm, cozy camp fire contrasting with the vast emptiness of space captures this game's feeling so so perfectly.
i've been waiting for a game like this for a long time, a game that respects the player and how they want to play the game. it's a game about observation, problem solving and will power, there is no hand holding or linear path to take, and it rewards exploration and experimentation. and given that it's in space it really emphasises these ideas and suits the game perfectly.
what they pulled off is something worthy of praise. i will refrain from talking about anything in this game since it will ruin expectations but man.. it's really one of a kind and i haven't felt so emotional about a game in a while. you will feel it all in this game; excitement from exploring the incredibly dense worlds, the intrigue in the mystery that unfolds that feeds into your imagination, the fascination in the incredibly diverse sets of sights and technology of a world undiscovered, the insignificance you feel exploring the emptiness of space but the comfort of knowing you are not alone, the intense fear of the dangers you may encounter throughout your journey, the euphoria from the perfect climax leaving you teary eyed and helpless and perfectly wrapping up the game, the nostalgia for an experience only a few hours old, honestly the list goes on. this game knows how it wants it's players to feel and it really shows. the world building, aesthetics, mechanics, music and the mystery are all brought together in an incredible and beautiful way. props to the devs.

you really don't need to know much about this game other than give it some time and be patient and it will be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences. i believe this to be art and a timeless masterpiece.