Gorogoa (PC): Steam goaded me into replaying this game, after I'd played through it once on iOS (New Year's Day 2019). And I feel a bit foolish for succumbing to Steam's bullying: whilst Gorogoa is certainly beautiful, the point-and-click discovery yields less delight, more frustrated incredulity. Or maybe that's just my own brain subjecting me to time pressures.
I suspect I'm just being bullied by *everything*.
Current Backlog: 246, Average Release 27-Apr-2017, Median Release 14-Sep-2018.
Damn you, Steam Sale!
Current Backlog: 246, Average Release 27-Apr-2017, Median Release 14-Sep-2018.
รoo (PC): Stunning little platformer that oozes creativity and - *gasp* - teachability. An absolute delight to play and discover, and a masterclass in gently guiding the player into new mechanics. Whole-heartedly recommended!
(...the (post-game) secret statues are pretty nasty, though ;)
Current Backlog: 243, Average Release 28-Mar-2017, Median Release 7-Aug-2018.
Tiny Turnip (Playdate): Another great game for the Playdate! Tiny Turnip is a delightful search-action game with meaningful progression and a great sense of movement. I'd be lying if I said the controls were perfect - occasional swing+release+catch combos tested the Playdate's button layout - but the crank sure feels awesome to roll your little turnip (or daikon!) around.
Current Backlog: 243, Average Release 28-Mar-2017, Median Release 7-Aug-2018.
Ori and the Blind Forest - Definitive Edition (Xbox One): Look, Ori is a great search-action game. It looks & sounds stunning, and there's an organic fluidity to its movement that feels unmatched.
But its One-Life difficulty was almost a step too far for this little completionist. Yes, it's possible to save-scum (and save-scum I did!), but it's the most nerve-wracking save-scumming imaginable. Very glad it's done.
Current Backlog: 242, Average Release 18-Mar-2017, Median Release 3-Aug-2018.
The Legend of Zelda - The Wind Waker HD (Wii U): In a surprise to no-one, this is (still) an awesome game. Just consistently beautiful & hopelessly playable. I hadn't played this since 2009, then did three 100% playthroughs in a month... and I'll do more later. When the backlog's sorted ;)
Current Backlog: 241, Average Release 1-Mar-2017, Median Release 13-Jul-2018.
Dredge (PC): A really compelling & rewarding cozy fetch-quest fishing & exploration game, with the "cozy" bits replaced by existential horror vibes. Totally worth playing!
Something totally *not* worth doing is the collection of all trophy fish. Even though it guided me into a bunch of the game's mechanics that I'd previously avoided, it more-than-doubled my playtime for no benefit. But my mind is quiet now.
Current Backlog: 240, Average Release 7-Feb-2017, Median Release 15-Apr-2018.
@inthehands A quote I'll be rehearsing (tweaked slightly for impact and brevity):
"Proclaiming 'Free Speech' awards the fundamental right to speak without being shamed or shunned requires believing the shamers and shunners lack the same rights."
Yoshi's Crafted World (Switch): This game looks *gorgeous*, and is a fun & breezy playthrough... right up until the final challenge, "Kamek Kerfuffle". My Switch reckons I played this game for 55 hours, and I'd bet I spent 40 of those hours just trying to beat all the challenges in that one level. Sure, I'm feeling pretty accomplished right now, but there's a puddle of bitter resentment underneath that glow.
Current Backlog: 235, Average Release 29-Dec-2016, Median Release 16-Feb-2018.
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Nol Malone โญ