5 reviews liked by shamzOwO
Kentucky Route Zero
2013
somewhere between 2 and 4,5
Deltarune: Chapter 1
2018
Back when Undertale came out, like almost 10 fucking years ago, I fell in love with my whole soul. That shit was fucking speaking to me at a time when I wasn't mentally well.
As time passed by, I grew to kinda despise Undertale, still giving it credit for how I loved it but putting it in the same bag as all that I liked at the time, "cringe", especially for how disproportionate and dumb my relationship to the game was.
I was somewhat prepared to have the same feeling for Deltarune, but this shit blew me away. Seeing the characters I have loved 10 years ago in that setting was so emotional. Seeing the overlapping of my own life with the game events with an Asriel that has now grown enough to go to college and leave his divorced family longing for him... hearing the old musical themes... examinating the same butterscotch pie... watching this universe grow in parallel of my own journey is completely breaking me. I don't really know how to describe that relationship, but fuck, it's making me sad.
In parallel to that, Deltarune still managed to be fresh as hell, with its—very effective on me—humour, its lovely characters—in love with Ralsei—its still engaging soundtracks and its effective gameplay.
I have no idea if ever coming back to Undertale will make me love it again or not, but I can say that Deltarune is a treasure, a funny, creative and ever so sweet treasure.
As time passed by, I grew to kinda despise Undertale, still giving it credit for how I loved it but putting it in the same bag as all that I liked at the time, "cringe", especially for how disproportionate and dumb my relationship to the game was.
I was somewhat prepared to have the same feeling for Deltarune, but this shit blew me away. Seeing the characters I have loved 10 years ago in that setting was so emotional. Seeing the overlapping of my own life with the game events with an Asriel that has now grown enough to go to college and leave his divorced family longing for him... hearing the old musical themes... examinating the same butterscotch pie... watching this universe grow in parallel of my own journey is completely breaking me. I don't really know how to describe that relationship, but fuck, it's making me sad.
In parallel to that, Deltarune still managed to be fresh as hell, with its—very effective on me—humour, its lovely characters—in love with Ralsei—its still engaging soundtracks and its effective gameplay.
I have no idea if ever coming back to Undertale will make me love it again or not, but I can say that Deltarune is a treasure, a funny, creative and ever so sweet treasure.
The Finals
2023
Most fun I've had with a shooter in years
Sable
2021
Sable, along with A Short Hike and Death Stranding, proposed a new way to understand videogames by being, at the same time, open world games and good
Cocoon
2023
A fun puzzler that excels in environmental and puzzle design. Much like Limbo and Inside, the game does so much with very little in terms of controls and complexity, yet unlike those titles, the imagery and themes aren't nearly as strong or memorable.
The puzzles themselves, though easy most of the time, are never tedious and the game's short runtime doesn't let it overstay its welcome.
Despite it not feeling nearly as impactful as previous titles by the same creator, Cocoon is, overall, a success. Its short length makes it an easy pick between this year's massive releases and its gamepass inclusion helps widen its appeal. However, this isn't a title I think will stick with me for very long.
6.8/10
The puzzles themselves, though easy most of the time, are never tedious and the game's short runtime doesn't let it overstay its welcome.
Despite it not feeling nearly as impactful as previous titles by the same creator, Cocoon is, overall, a success. Its short length makes it an easy pick between this year's massive releases and its gamepass inclusion helps widen its appeal. However, this isn't a title I think will stick with me for very long.
6.8/10