Recent reviews by The_Ring-Bearer

Rise of the Golden Idol is a sequel that builds upon the ideas and mechanics of the previous game and does not require any prior experience with the series. It scratches that itch of logic puzzles that Return of the Obra Dinn revealed to me and that I continue to seek out to satisfy.

Notably I do like how each chapter is made up of a few levels or cases and upon finishing each level in the chapter, gives you an overarching mystery to solve that ties all the levels together. It can be amusing to see how these seemly isolated levels do in fact have some thread which connects them all together.

But as much as I do like them, I do wish it was a little bit faster to switch between the levels to remember the key details you need to solve the chapter mystery. I also feel like I did get stuck a few more times than in the predecessor, requiring me to access the in game hint system, which for the most part, except in two cases, managed to work pretty well to nudge me in the right direction.

The final mystery to solve did stump me even more so than usual. Mostly due to me making a fatal assumption that I struggled to correct, even after numerous hints.

Ultimately the only hint I’d suggest is that you try and figure out the date every level takes place on and note that down as you go. As it can be helpful for solving the overarching mysteries.

Still it was a fun ride and I look forward to solving more cases when they release more DLC.

This is a platformer where jumping your maximum height results in your death.

If this previous statement intrigues you, then read onward. The game takes this premise and runs with it as far as it can, before it reveals even more surprising mechanical depth. Eventually culminating in a cute twist.

The game is short, but it doesn’t overstay its welcome and was an enjoyable experience. The only shortcomings I felt it had were near the end, when the checkpoints started to get a little further apart than they were near the start of the game. As well as navigating these final levels, I felt a little lost as to where my ultimate goal was. But that was only because I forgot it. Still a reminder to tease it would had been nice.

By the end of the game you realize that each of the levels is very intentionally designed. Which just makes it all there more impressive.

The best Into the Breach game since Into the Breach. That is, a tactical game on a grid that lets you play out your turn, experimenting with different commands or abilities, and undoing them if the outcome isn't want you hope for. It is very satisfying gameplay mechanic that I hope more games will implement.

The writing is also pretty good and funny. A very enjoyable package overall that is worth picking up.

And defenestration of your foes is always fun.

While it is not an amazing game. It is a charming and oftentimes cozy little gem (at least when you are not in a boss fight or trying to get some shark that is roaming the seas) that is still worth your time to check out. The feedback loop of each day is compelling. There is a constant drip feed of new mechanics for pretty much the entire game to try and keep things fresh. It also has some of the most glorious cutscenes in any video game ever. Even if you choose to pass on this game, it is still worth checking them out.

As a whole I think Void Stranger is a fascinating indie gem that I am glad I experienced, even if it does have some issues which I feel hold it back from greatness for the average player.
Yet the majority of those issues don't really have anything to do with the core experience of the game.

The game is nominally about solving Sokoban (block pushing) puzzles while experiencing the story in flashbacks. I always looked forward to seeing those trees to rest by, just so I could see the next flashback. But there are many secrets to be found around that can make it easier or reveal hints to the lore behind the scenes.
I split the game into 4 parts.
The first two parts hold the most emotional weight and enjoyment of the game. While Part 2 is considered "Hard Mode," its story is still meaningful to try and complete.
Compared to the first two parts, the third part feels like an afterthought with less weight.
The last part is when you strive to earn your golden ending by solving the secrets of the game.

Despite there being a Golden Ending to try and achieve, I feel like the core experience of the game is those first two parts. And it is those two parts which have made me recommend this game.
Where as I almost feel like that fourth part is better off watching some youtube videos due to the difficulty in investigating and figuring out how to solve those secrets, especially on your own.

Despite my enjoyment of this game, it does have a number of issues which were tiring. These only started to show themselves after part 1 and mostly when you are trying to figure out the golden ending.
Navigating the dungeon to get to specific floors can be a chore.
Progress through the dungeon can be easily lost, although this is more of an issue after part 1.
The game is mysterious at times, sometimes too mysterious as it becomes unclear what action you should take. At least without the risk of being inefficient and having to redo things. Sometimes a -lot- of things.
Some of the secrets are perhaps to hard to solve on your own and would seem better suited to a collective group solving them.

Yet I really did enjoy it and would recommend it solely on the basis of those first two or three parts of the game.

At first glance, this game appears quite shallow and dumb. And in a sense, that appearance is correct. Yet despite that, the game is strangely compelling and full of dumb fun. Although I find that the screen can get way too busy depending on what items you pick, to the point you are just going to hope for the best. It remains one of the better 5 dollar games I’ve bought.

And as an aside, opening a chest with five items has to be the best loot box opening animation I’ve seen in any game.

While not as good as Return to the Obra Din, it absolutely scratches the same itch it did for deduction games and gets a recommendation from me as a result. I didn’t even need to finish the demo before I knew that I was going to buy this game.

While the art style was initially slightly off putting, I would eventually come around to it. The worst part I’d say about the game is when the game would ask you to fill in something like 10 blanks of a 12 word sentence. A slight exaggeration, and some of those blank spaces would be color coded to certain classes of words, but it does make it difficult to understand what the sentence structure even is. But it always feels satisfying to fill in every blank in a section correct on your first try. I also appreciate that there is a hint system, although it tries to add friction so to avoid a temptation to use it often.

Consider this review my recommendation to at least try the Demo so you can see for yourself if this game for you or not.

While I think that Beat Saber might ultimately be a better game, I've found myself enjoying Synth Riders a lot more for attempts at tricking my dumb brain into exercising. At the very least I feel that the game can manage to achieve the "Flow" state which games like this and Tetris try to reach.

Some of the game's levels could be better designed though. As it is common enough to have high notes block my vision to see the next notes. I also feel like the penalty for missing a note is way too harsh as it takes hundreds of notes to recover after reaching the max 6x modifier.

But its still a fun VR rhythm game that is worth checking out.

Chicory is a fantastic gem of a mostly chill game full of heart. The gameplay progression is that of light exploration and puzzles, where you color in the terrain to achieve a desired effect. But it is in the decent story, a handful of amusing dialogs, and the optional art class drawings where the game shows the most fun and heart. Whether its the relationship with your little sister or with Chicory, the celebration of art and creativity (no matter how small or poor), or the exploration our own flaws.

The art class drawings in particular feel like the most important side activity of the game. And its here that I found the other half of the enjoyment of this game. Where you are tasked to draw some expression or recreate some art (now in color!) and in spite of poor brush fidelity (or perhaps because of it) and a selection of seemingly random colors, you try to create some glorious approximation. While not all of them will be winners, some will succeed in generating some emotion as you create this art. And brilliantly, after completing the painting if you examine your painting (now on display in the world of Picnic) you'll get the option to save it as a gif.

While the boss fights seem a little incongruous with the rest of the game being pretty chill, they do serve their narrative purpose (especially the final one). But if they are not your style, you can neuter them easily via options.
While the way you control your advance movement abilities don't feel as smooth as you'd like, they were never bad enough to be frustrating, even if they were noticeable at times.

It is a great game that certainly gets my recommendation.

I suspect that this unique game might not be for everyone, as it is perhaps a little too passive. Although if you are trying to play optimally, you still need to be aware of when you get a rare card before it gets discarded. But realistically the pause after each loop tends do work well enough where you can play your cards and inspect any equipment you found during the loop.

The gameplay loop (heh) is placing cards/locations which generate monsters which you can kill for loot. Place too many monsters and you'll die, but place too few monster and you'll fail to outpace the monsters leveling up each loop and be too weak to defeat the boss. Thus you try to weave a tight line between these extremes. Win or lose, you spend resources on upgrading your camp to help make your next attempt easier or unlock new classes to play with.

The game does have a few flaws that mar it, perhaps not doing a great job at trying to teach you some of the deeper strategy of the game as you learn trial and error what cards to bring into each run. Or if you are trying to get more of a specific resource for the camp, it might become a little grindy.

But ultimately I found the game to be quite compelling and I enjoyed playing through it until the end. Also the soundtrack does have a few nice tracks to be worth picking up.