Far more incisive than I remembered it being back upon release in 2016. Like most at the time I found myself disappointed in the game's narrative development leaning more towards genre trappings and red herrings as it went along rather than the central relationship between Henry and Delilah. This time around I found a lot more poignance in the game's eventual veering from the prickly and morally gray dynamic between them and into more eerie, unsettling waters that it ends up in with its conspiracies and figures in the dark. Both sides of this game deliberately reflect one another thematically but the latter half manifests this trickling of tortured interiors into a seedy reality and throws it back onto our protagonists for them to parse and exercise collective paranoia (footsteps, rustling leaves, and a distant but encroaching forest fire only add to this effect for the player). There's something to say about the consistent voyeuristic gaze the player adopts as we peer and engage with the insularly designed tedium of Henry's guilt and subsequent grief transposed into the vast forest in which we explore. We never see Julia, his wife who struggles with early onset Alzheimer's, nor even Delilah, who he shares a long distance friendship that increasingly skirts the line between clever banter and explicit flirtation. As the player controlling Henry, we are as plunged into the unknown as he is; left to fill in the dotted lines with whatever fantasy we can conjure and how little is actually in our control by the end. The game's treatment of this is accessible and charming for a while but anyone willing to break down the story's elements will find the forced proximity between Henry and Delilah to be just as sadly vacuous as the unnerving 'mystery' that ends up overtaking the game's second half; in itself a concealed study of how grief exacerbates our avoidant tendencies. So much of this game's haunting effect is not about what's seen in front of us- but what is heard, what is implied, and in some ways what is imagined. Occasionally cringy quips and snarky self-congratulatory dialogue aside there is a confounding quality to this that's stuck with me all these years and I expect it to for a couple more.

A decent puzzle game with a unique mechanic of deciphering different languages from symbols. I initially quite enjoyed the process of working out the different words and completing journal pages but honestly it got a little stale by game's end, and I often ended up just guessing until I got the right word to match the picture.

Graphics and music are nice but fairly basic, level design is just ok, nothing too memorable, and sometimes the backtracking through levels became tedious, as there is no map to refer to. Story is kinda vague and half baked; you travel upwards through this giant tower deciphering languages until you get to the top, and then you find out there some big evil computer which you have to shut down and that's the whole game basically. Its a short and sweet 10 or so hours to complete and get the Plat. Other games might have stuffed a bunch of collectables to pad out the game length, so I appreciate they didn't do that. Zero replay value too, its def a one and done experience.

Eh, its pretty good, and worth playing. But seems a little overrated judging by other's reviews on here.

If this game were just 8 hours of figuring out made-up languages and using those languages to solve dope language-based puzzled this would be a 5/5. But alas, it is not just that. It also has some meh puzzles, weird stealth sequences, and constant running around and back-tracking.

Aside from some of those negative quirks, this really is one of the most unique puzzle games I've ever played. The process of mastering these fictitious languages is so immensely satisfying. It scratches a similar itch for me that games like Obra Dinn and The Witness scratch. Such a rad concept for a game with a really lovely story and beautiful visual design.

+ Unique, extremely cool, and incredibly satisfying mechanic for a puzzle game
+ Scratched a good mental itch that not many puzzle games do
+ Cool story
+ Beautiful world design

- Some iffy puzzles that distract from the cool language learning
- Way way way too much running around and back-tracking
- Really needs some sort of map

A beautiful puzzle adventure about linguistics, culture, and the benefits of understanding one another, inspired by The Tower of Babel.

Chants of Sennaar does a fantastic job with its ludonarrative; The goal is to decipher the languages of different civilizations, achieved by analysing environments and conversations. All the while, we learn about their ways of life and what led them to the current day and the lives they live. This dual purpose really resonated with me, and I personally think it struck an absolutely perfect balance between gameplay depth and narrative substance.

I adored the use of different linguistic mechanics that make you turn your head a little when it comes to certain puzzles (as well as the different script styles inspired by existing languages). It may not be as intricate as it could have been, but it’s enough to make you go “ahhh! cool!” when you notice certain things for the first time.
Thinking about it from the opposite perspective, it was clear that a lot of care was taken into simplifying certain aspects to make sure the puzzle solving felt smooth, accessible and rewarding. An example of how this is done is the removal of many “less interesting” words in the glyphs given to you, such as “the”, and “a”. We only have to focus on the parts that are meaningful to the purpose of the game and its world. The translation experience is finely crafted for that of a game player, and not that of a PhD student, which is what keeps it fun!

Many reviews complain about the stealth sections breaking up the pacing, I disagree with this, possibly due to me being a huge sucker for the narrative. I just found that these sections blended in with the journey so well, added in a unique feeling throughout the exploration that otherwise wouldn't have been felt, and did way more good than any harm they may have done by taking you away from puzzles. They don’t take up that much of the game anyway, and some of them had dialogue to analyse throughout! Keeps the brain thinking in both ways.

Great presentation, with an especially amazing soundtrack. Even though a fair bit of the game had me slowly backtracking, it was just too striking of a world to get very upset about it.

This is definitely up there as one of my favourite puzzle games and I recommend it to anyone who thinks it sounds remotely fun. The morals told are reflected greatly within the gameplay, which is also executed extremely well.

Starts off super strong with fantastic art design and genuinely engaging language mechanics. I was thinking that this is what I wanted Heaven's Vault to be. For most of the game I was having a blast doing the language puzzles and I didn't even mind some of the gameplay deviations like the stealth segments. The game unfortunately falls apart at the leadup to the final area with an extremely tedious math puzzle as well as the final area where if you don’t want to get the completely nothing basic ending you have to do obscene amounts of backtracking through the massive levels with no map if you want to actually get the real ending. It’s just super deflating how hard the game just fell flat on its ass right at the end. I just came off of this game feeling disappointed and I think its utter praise its getting is kind of unwarranted. Really kind of reminds me of how I ended up feeling about Norco last year. Still I think it’s worth playing, just set your expectations accordingly.

Grows steadily more unsettling thanks to the refreshingly minimalist visual style and spare synth soundtrack which allows the conscience to form its own isolated terrors and the game for the most part feeds into that paranoia. Kinda whiffs it in the needlessly melodramatic third act but even then the overall mystery is less so about empty shocks than it is about dissecting the scarred psyche of our protagonist. The South(western) Gothic atmosphere allows for this empathetic study of a disillusioned individual existing beyond an increasingly fractured community to feel authentic without being exploitative and while I wish it was more satisfying in the end (it takes the easy road in the final moments instead of conquering the difficult questions about the character’s PTSD) I was spooked enough for an hour and a half to give a pass.

Majora's mask is one of those gems that everyone praise and everyone will consider the biggest videogame ever made. Over the years I tried to play it in different ways but I never been 100% into it
Most of the time I gaslighted myself by thinking "I don't get it" or "I am the problem and I don't play it correctly"

But I decided to give it a definitive shot and finally finish it thanks to the NSO
And after clearing all the dungeons, completing a lot of the side quests and beating the final boss without the Fierce Deity mask, I concluded that..... imo Majora Mask is not a game for everyone

The idea behind the game is phenomenal: a race against time against the literal end of the world, an end that only Link is able to escape thanks to a clever implementation of the Ocarina of Time, the only big artifact returning from the prequel. An incredible idea with a more than incredible realization in terms of its portrayal of Termina: the townsfolks you meet in this world are not regular NPCs, but real people, with deep backstories, realistic routines and actual emotions and reactions to the moon falling. You actually want to know and pass time with all of the friends and comrades you meet in Termina..... so it hurts even more when the final night approaches and all you can do is just..... go back, as they just run desperate, accept their fate, hide the truth to the kids, or straight up serving alcohol to their younger sister so she will not feel anything.......

I have never seen this vibe in a piece of media, let alone a nintendo game. To this day this defines Majora's mask, and it is enough of a reason why EVERYONE should try this title.
Of course this feeling can be alienating for a lot of people, specifically because Link gets treated like dirt by the townsfolks in the first 3-days cycle and what you have to do when you first arrive is not really clear.

I also like the idea of the villains of the game. Skull Kid is a tragic figure that you feel sorry for as you advance throught your mission. I also like how nobody points out about the freaking nightmarish moon, and you technically can't even notice it until it's too late, only hint of the impending doom is the music speeding up to raise your heartbeat.

What Majora's Mask accomplishes in terms of its atmosphere and message is immaculate.... but actually playing the game? Ehhhhhh I am not 100% into it sadly. The concept of the 3 day cycle and the fact that every npc has its own routine is incredible for a worldbuilding perspective, but in terms of completing a task or obtaining a specific item (especially if required to reach the end of the story) it means that the game leaves the player with small windows of time where either everything is done perfectly, or you have to restart the whole side mission again and again, a issue I find even by applying the Inverted Song of Time to slow down the cycle.

Need to search for your horse to reach the new dungeon? You gotta go to the ranch but to reach the ranch you need a power keg, that you can obtain only if you complete the task at the goron village, but also remember to buy it later at the goron in the bomb shop for 50 rupies (that you need to farm if you don't have a deposit), a task that takes half a day meaning that you don't have the chance to talk to Romani to fight the aliens, meaning that you need to restart to the first day so she doesn't get kidnapped. This lets you get Epona but now that you got the horse to proceed in the main task, you better don't do it otherwise you have to refight the aliens to have a chance to accompany Cremia to fight the evil Luigis so she can give you the mask to go buy milk, but keep in mind that the bar doesn't give you a glass so you gotta bring your own what kind of bar doesn't have glasses.... GASP.

THE FREAKING GIBDO in Ikana are the worst: I swear, do people like this annoying series of fetch quests? Some of them are just the most tedious "ok go back to this area to find the racist deku that sells Beans, than go to get the milk but they are only open at night so go dance with the scarecrow to make pass the time, then go find a fish that can be hard to find if you don't see it inside the shop.... and all of this to eventually have the chance to enter the Ikana castle where another freaking Power Keg is required so go back in town rebuy a power keg and come back to ikana and have a chance to proceed.

So yeah these types of quests feel kinda tedious. If these were optional I wouldn't mind those being so convoluted.... but considering that the game cannot be beaten without some of them makes their more vague progression a bit irritating to go through.

Of course the reward with the character interaction is memorable: Cremia sharing her troubles at the farm, or the reconciliation of father and daughter in Ikana canyon.... the bartender saying during the last day "everyone left but I will stay open to hope that a trusted customer will come..... and you came! Thank you!" Shed me to tears (like bro don't make me cry I just want some milk). All of these moments are incredible... the issue is that I had no fun in the middle sections to reach these moments, which I felt was just a series of task that can result tedious or kinda not intuitive. Add to that the presence of stricht schedules to accomplish your tasks and I feel this may not be an experience everyone will enjoy.

The dungeons are bangers though. All 4 of them are really fun to navigate and have a great sets of gimmicks. Only exception may be the Great Bay dungeon but mostly because I feel the swimming can be a bit clunky. Also screw that boss fish.

So yeah, Majora's Mask? A title that everyone should give a shot at least once in their life. An experience like no other..... even though its weirder gimmicks and time management shenanigans may not be everyones' cup of tea.

Madre puto mía cuánto necesitaba un BUEN juego este 2024 para salvarme de la angustia de empezar mi nuevo trabajo.

Hades II es Hades pero más. Más niveles, más posibilidades de armas, más personajes, más todo. Sólo he derrotado a Cronos una vez, pero me ha costado sus buenas horas y entre medias no he parado de conseguir avanzar poco a poco y expandir más y más las posibilidades que he encontrado. Y las que me quedan.

Es el tipo de secuela que me gusta, un refinamiento del original que mejora todo lo anterior. Cambia lo necesario para darle un nuevo sabor propio mientras mantiene las bases que tanto adoraba. Y añade cada vez más y más hasta crear un producto más redondo y completo. Lo adoro.

Si no le doy cinco estrellas es porque el juego está en early access. Se nota que hay "paredes" contra las que te estampas y que están aún por construir. Y me sabe raro porque sé que este juego se va a merecer sus buenas cinco estrellas más adelante. Pero hasta entonces, sigue recibiendo mi más alta recomendación.

An absolute masterclass in art direction.

Every where I go I’m like “holy shit I need to screenshot this” because literally every single area in this game is so picturesque. I was also surprised with how fluid the combat feels with the stance switching and the amount of tools they give you. I’ve never felt cooler playing a game before Ghost of Tsushima. If there’s one thing PlayStation exclusives nail, it’s the story and GoT is no exception. And can we praise Nixxes for such an incredible port? This is one of the best console ports to PC I’ve ever played. It seems they have kept every setup in mind, as it also runs crazy good on the Steam Deck as well.

There’s a couple things holding this back from being a perfect 5 star. Like many have mentioned before, the open world suffers from being too “safe” in my opinion. It’s very clear it follows the typical open world formula you see in most open world games where you have to do a specific activity to get a specific item (like climbing the shrines for charms or following foxes to boost charms) and it kinda breaks immersion for me because you know what to expect when you do an activity. Also the typical outpost clearing is present too which isn’t a bad thing, but like I said it feels safe. I also noticed in the Iki island and Act 2 portions of the game, the audio for sound effects like fighting often cut out during big fights which I felt was a weird bug in an otherwise well ported game.

Overall an excellent experience with very few flaws. Also Sony bad lol.

Down the sinews of memory lane again.
You have this spirit caught in a tree in the Whispering Hillock that utters : "A mare, wild and free...In meadow's pasture caught...Dark as a bottomless well...Black as the depths of night...Such a beast, no other." It's one of the best moments of the game. The whole quest smells like putrid devotion, with a love for language old and profane. Instances like these are when you truly understand how enamoured Wild Hunt is with speech and its intricacies, the way it can flood back and forth between rustic tongue twisters and theatricalities. This, to me, is the draw, at all times, in a game such as Wild Hunt.
But words are precious things and a story like this one always has too many of 'em. In the process of playing a videogame, of sitting at the desk for hours on end - consuming swathes of informations even in the most restrained of environments - we tend to fuse with it. A mouse movement becomes a handy one / You learn how to instinctively use the array of systems at your disposal. Ease of play ; you ride through the mechanics, swinging your sword aimlessly before picking up a thousand little materials that you can never grasp anyway. Then you press A to have your horse get you to the next dialogue. Imagine bearings of all places in a fantasy setting - but let's say for a second that it's the point, because it is effectively the point. Speeches of all shapes and sizes are Wild Hunt's way of framing the moments, big and small, that tend to make or break our experience. You don't necessarily remember the time you looted a Witcher's grave but you do remember setting up a stage play with your best friends at the end of the world. Speeches, short and long, are Wild Hunt's way of conveying theme. Of manifesting (and maybe even warping to the extent of our choices) the text. Wild Hunt, as it happens, has a lot of thoughts on human nature. On society. On being a father - every ten hours of gameplay or so.

But in these moments all I really care about is Johnny the Whiterun guard that told me about the arrow once lodged in his knee. What gets me thinking - what got all of us thinking in truth - is just how common of a name Johnny was in Northern Tamriel and how many arrows seemed to be flying, daddyless and unsupervised, around Skyrim's terrain.
This interaction is revelatory to me.

Because the more you play Wild Hunt and the more you realise that its open-world is full of Johnnys. Because what I need to know about Phillipe Strenger is not a façade reproduction of abuse or some kind of temporal puzzle that would allow me to solve the riddle of his humanity.
I don't care about the how, only the why. Why did you take up arms in war ? Why did you choose that woman ? Why did you no longer choose her ? Why why why. And in the absence of answers to this question, a movement then, something to bend me towards the videogame.
It's like, I could never trust someone whose favourite game is The Stanley Parable. It's not about whether The Stanley Parable is good or bad. It's about It being a game of hows and ways. Of metatext for the sake of the metatext - so just a text, then.
Wild Hunt is a game that asks the Skyrim soldier the circumstances of his crippled knee, but rarely why he wanted to venture the wildernesses in the first place. And I think that's preposterous.

One of my favorite lines in the Whispering Hillock goes as follows :

"It is done already...
It cannot be undone.
There are no roads...
To Aard Cerbin."

This is the pIace. Somewhere beneath the veneer. I wish we could go there. Leave the boring social apparatus to the kings and the elves and instead chase a wilder one. Be explorers, adventurers of strange forces beyond Geralt's comprehension. Actually, I'd just wish I could feel his body, his thoughts sometimes incorporated in play or dialogue variances. But I'm always away - away from men, from him - and decidedly following foot-tracks to learn the name of a killer when all I really needed to know was the shape and colour of their favourite dagger.