the co op can be very fun with a friend, but oh my god fuck every chase sequence, the camera angle changes and clunky controls are an absolute nightmare

I don't even know how to describe how this game hit after spending a year indoors. I know part of why it was so effective for me was the timing of when I played it, but it’s absolutely masterful at conveying its feelings of isolation. I still find myself missing checking in on the little Shade.

I enjoyed a lot of the gameplay and there are some really lovely character moments, but there are definitely plot elements and character choices that feel really strange when trying to look at this game as its own complete story. I'm hoping it's something that I'll change my mind on when the next part is released.

also: piss off, ghosts.

2018

I've never enjoyed a roguelike in my life, so no one is more surprised than I am that this became one of my absolute favorite games. every part of it is a visual delight, especially the character designs, and the soundtrack is top tier. the gameplay is so fluid and fun that I didn't feel punished for being terrible at it and dying all the time, and I'm going to be chasing that feeling in other games forever.

Yoko Taro has left my heart in absolute ruins and I'm still going to thank him for it. this is one of those games I wish I could play again for the first time.

my kingdom for this to have been as long as the original game, I enjoyed my time in it but was really wanting more time with these characters since everything went by so quickly. that said, the gameplay feels much better here, especially the swinging, I actually managed to platinum the game this time.

I didn't even care that I'd heard the game was bad, I was in it for fun co-op but we couldn't even get that to work well. between frequent glitching and really awkward camera controls, it was just rough to play and stopped being fun fast.

a lovely experience with some surprisingly emotional beats. I only wish that there was more of it, especially the last segment of the game, which was kind of abrupt compared to the previous ones. the game uses its detail well, teaching you about the process of body preparation as well as other aspects of the funeral industry while still staying accessible.

one of the most stylish games I've played in a long time. the experience is almost entirely carried by the aesthetic and sound design, since some bugs and the lack of clarity of some of the interactions in certain sections would interrupt the experience as I was trying to figure out what to do. that said, I really enjoyed my time here.

sometimes the real making it up that hill was all the buying out the store we did along the way.

this game is simple, but so effective at what it does -- which is give intense emotional whiplash between glee and fury in a matter of seconds.

2022

visually stunning, and a lot of interesting worldbuilding and story going on in the environment, which I had a lovely time exploring. honestly the only thing that keeps it from being perfect is that it was fairly buggy during certain chase sequences, and there were sections that I wanted the story to delve a little deeper into. more games should let me cat.

the style and design of this game is absolutely incredible, and it carries the game on its own for me. what's going on in the story is extremely unhinged and overwhelming in both a good and bad way, and aside from some janky moments I was surprised by how I didn't want to put it down.

there's also a particular scene that hit me so hard that I still laugh when I'm randomly reminded of it, jesus christ.

when the game works I've been having a blast - there's so much to do and collect and it's just generally really soothing. however it's just way too unstable - the bugs can undo a lot of progress to the point where it gets really frustrating. I'll probably pick this back up in a bit to give them a chance to patch it.

after finishing the game I can say with confidence: the most formidable enemies are jumping, and I still don't understand the UI

a very cute and soothing game, that manages to do a lot with a little when it comes to its environmental storytelling.

that said, I should've been able to use the oven as storage and I will die on that hill.