#Games Review

[fridge-reviews]

Platform 8 - Blast Review

Developer: Kotake Create Steam Deck Compatibility?: Verified Rrp: £3.39 (Steam)

This is my second time visiting the genre that is anomaly hunting and funnily enough this is also the second game I’ve covered by Kotake Create. Now, I’m going to assume that you who are reading this review knows what the genre of anomaly hunting is, if you don't, I suggest finding my review for ‘The Exit 8’(hopefully I remember to make that a link to make it easier, if I don’t… sorry about that).

Anyway, back to the review. In Platform 8 you’re stuck on a seemingly endlessly repeating train carriage. While traversing through the carriage you will see anomalies (one per carriage), in the last game you had to go back the way you came if you saw an anomaly but in this you always have to move forward. Once you’ve left that carriage the number on the electronic display above the door will increase. You need to pass eight anomalies without getting caught otherwise the counter resets to zero.

You read that correctly, some of these anomalies are hostile. Each has its own set of rules, maybe it’s not moving when the lights are on or never looking back, the only way to find out is by experimenting. Just like with The Exit 8 the anomalies vary quite a bit from being somewhat mundane (if a little freaky) to some actually give a little jump scare.

This is a short and sweet game, easily completed within an hour but very worth the time. I can’t wait to play more games in this genre.

---- If you’d like to support me I have a Ko-fi, the reviews will continue to be posted donation or not.

[sage-gamer]

I can't stop playing this game's demo!

Genuinely cannot wait for the full game to come out!!

[jjkirbs]

GAME REVIEW - The Chant

THE CHANT is a firm entry in the new weird genre - inspiration clearly drawn from the likes of Stranger Things, The Thing, Beyond the Black Rainbow, Annihilation, Mandy, this is an enjoyable entry in this underexplored genre in gaming.

THE CHANT integrates elements reminiscent of these classics while carving its own narrative path. The game evokes a sense of exploration and nostalgia for players familiar with gaming hallmarks and a story full of intriguing concepts.

Jess is invited by her friend Kim to the isolated Glory Island for a spiritual retreat, rekindling friendships and to treat unresolved trauma regarding an accidental death.

Joined by Maya, Sonny and Hannah, they're led by Tyler, an easygoing new age brah with an omnious vibe - the guy screams B-Movie villain. Tyler, whose family owned the island, has set up makeshift tents amidst eerie remnants of rituals and chilling notes; neglecting the disturbing past of the island. The contrast between Tyler's casual approach and the island's ominous history is quite captivating - what does he know that we don't?

The game cleverly uses colours and symbolism related to a very 60’s inspired concept known as "Prismatic Science", whereby using chakras, geometry, mathematics, and physics, an innovative approach is devised to treat the human mind. By intertwining these esoteric concepts, it creates a captivating ambiance that connects the mystical with the scientific. It gets very Lovecraft and I'm totally here for it.

Similar to the captivating world-building and immersive environments of Control by Remedy Entertainment and BioShock by 2K, THE CHANT meticulously constructs its lore.

In contrast to most games that create tension and fear by restricting vision and/or immersing you in darkness, THE CHANT refreshingly flips this on its head - instead, it creates a sense of dread for bright areas drenched in vivid colours. As you will learn, the colours are indicative of the types of encounters you're about to face.

You’ll end up running towards the darkness for respite! 

The gameplay mechanics in THE CHANT exhibit similarities to Alan Wake, again by Remedy, offering a familiar and comfortable experience. Progression through the game is reminiscent of previous gaming generations. Such as finishing an intense boss fight, which will result in new powers, upgrades, keys, and/or pathways to new (and old) parts of the island enhancing gameplay and although old-school; ensures a sense of progression - a routine which becomes quite a comfort. 

On the island, you'll find various materials scattered around that can be used to craft unique items, including weapons. However, in a new age twist, rather than making typical proactive weaponry like knives or spears, Jess is a defensive combatant, making use of twine and sage to create smudge sticks that offer protection and makes use of salt to defend herself against enemies.

There is also an interesting mechanic of balancing three key metres: Body - Jess’s physical health, Mind - Jess’s mental health and Spirit - essentially her mana - how much magic you’ll be able to use. By getting Jess to meditate, you can adjust these metres, depleting one to boost another. Balancing all three metres is essential for overcoming the challenges Jess will face.

There’s an absence of any real stealth which to me feels like a missed opportunity, as it could have enriched exploration and encounter strategies. Incorporating stealth elements would have seamlessly aligned with the game's ambiance, offering players alternative methods to navigate the erie island and engage with the corrupted inhabitants. This is no Assassin's Creed but the bushes would have made for great stealth takedowns for example - Jess is adept at magic I suppose so it's a trade off.

One critique lies in the rapid acceleration of the plot, catapulting from 0 to 100 without so much as a pause for breath. While this pace can intensify the sense of urgency, some players might yearn for a more gradual buildup of tension and suspense, allowing for a deeper unfolding terror.

An aspect I can only say is a nitpick is with Jess's seemingly instantaneous mastery of magic, oh sorry, prismatic science, without any training or learning curve. This inexplicable proficiency might detract from the sense of character progression and immersion for some players, potentially warranting a more nuanced approach to skill development within the narrative and gameplay mechanics. Though it’s obviously easy to overlook and rather just, again, enjoy the game for its own sake.

By amalgamating inspirations from iconic sources, melding analogue horror with spiritual science, and crafting a richly detailed world akin to aforementioned influences, THE CHANT presents a daft yet enjoyable experience. 

By embracing design choices reminiscent of past generations, the game blends familiar gameplay mechanics with missed opportunities, creating an engaging yet imperfect journey into the new weird. 

[rgamesworld1]

Enhance Your Roblox Experience with These Features!

✨ Unlocking the Best of Roblox! 🎮

Roblox is a universe full of creativity and adventure, but are you making the most of its features? Here are some tips to enhance your gameplay:

Customize Your Avatar: Stand out in the game by personalizing your character! Explore endless options for outfits and accessories.

Master Game Controls: Ever tried the Click to Move feature? It can make navigating your character easier and more intuitive! For a quick guide on how to enable this function, check out How to Use Click to Move in Roblox.

Engage with the Community: Join forums and chat groups to connect with other players. Sharing experiences and tips can lead to discovering new games!

Explore User-Created Content: Dive into a variety of games made by fellow Roblox users. The creativity is endless, and you might find your new favorite game!

Utilize Game Passes: Consider investing in Game Passes for special abilities or items that can enhance your gaming experience.

[fandom]

Video Games Fictional Characters

Honestly? We brought this list back out of our own need to know whether Astarion or Gale would come out on top.

Astarion | Baldur's Gate 3

Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog

Simon "Ghost" Riley | the Call of Duty franchise

Shadow the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog

Gale Dekarios | Baldur's Gate 3

Shadowheart | Baldur's Gate 3

John "Soap" MacTavish | the Call of Duty franchise

Karlach Cliffgate | Baldur's Gate 3

Lae'zel | Baldur's Gate 3

Lamb | Cult of the Lamb

Narinder | Cult of the Lamb

Wyll Ravengard | Baldur's Gate 3

Phoenix Wright | Ace Attorney

Sans | Undertale

Miles Edgeworth | Ace Attorney

Halsin | Baldur's Gate 3

William Afton | Five Nights at Freddy's

Link | The Legend of Zelda

Tav | Baldur's Gate 3

John Price | the Call of Duty franchise

Kim Kitsuragi | Disco Elysium

Harrier "Harry" Du Bois | Disco Elysium

Kyle "Gaz" Garrick | the Call of Duty franchise

Daycare Attendant | Five Nights at Freddy's

Mario | Super Mario Bros.

Aventurine | Honkai: Star Rail

Malleus Draconia | Twisted Wonderland

Belphegor | Obey Me! Shall We Date?

Kirby | Kirby

Leon S. Kennedy | Resident Evil

Papyrus | Undertale

Amy Rose | Sonic the Hedgehog

Sundrop | Five Nights at Freddy's

Medic | Team Fortress 2

Springtrap | Five Nights at Freddy's

Siffrin | In Stars and Time

Moondrop | Five Nights at Freddy's

Michael Afton | Five Nights at Freddy's

Dr. Ratio | Honkai: Star Rail

Scout | Team Fortress 2

Kris Dreemurr | Deltarune

Boothill | Honkai: Star Rail

DogDay | Poppy Playtime

Neuvillette | Genshin Impact

Akechi Goro | Persona 5

Frisk | Undertale

Enver Gortash | Baldur's Gate 3

Gabriel | ULTRAKILL

Arthur Morgan | Red Dead Redemption 2

Kurusu Akira | Persona 5

Sniper | Team Fortress 2

Spy | Team Fortress 2

CatNap | Poppy Playtime

Rouge the Bat | Sonic the Hedgehog

Minthara | Baldur's Gate 3

Princess Zelda | The Legend of Zelda

Furina | Genshin Impact

Azul Ashengrotto | Twisted Wonderland

Leona Kingscholar | Twisted Wonderland

Yuu | Twisted Wonderland

Knuckles the Echidna | Sonic the Hedgehog

Scaramouche | Genshin Impact

Ignis | Final Fantasy XV

Kaveh | Genshin Impact

Flowey | Undertale

Spamton | Deltarune

The Dark Urge | Baldur's Gate 3

Lilia Vanrouge | Twisted Wonderland

Heavy | Team Fortress 2

Alhaitham | Genshin Impact

Wriothesley | Genshin Impact

Jamil Viper | Twisted Wonderland

Idia Shroud | Twisted Wonderland

Jade Leech | Twisted Wonderland

Floyd Leech | Twisted Wonderland

Pearl Houzuki | Splatoon

Marina Ida | Splatoon

Luigi | Super Mario Bros.

Noelle Holiday | Deltarune

Maya Fey | Ace Attorney

Chara | Undertale

Soldier | Team Fortress 2

Vil Schoenheit | Twisted Wonderland

Lucifer | Obey Me! Shall We Date?

Leshy | Cult of the Lamb

Mammon | Obey Me! Shall We Date?

Melinoë | Hades II

Silver the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog

Tails the Fox | Sonic the Hedgehog

Cloud Strife | Final Fantasy VII

Sylus | Love and Deepspace

Goat | Cult of the Lamb

Sebek Zigvolt | Twisted Wonderland

Sephiroth | Final Fantasy VII

Ace Trappola | Twisted Wonderland

Zagreus | Hades

Klavier Gavin | Ace Attorney

Maria Robotnik | Sonic the Hedgehog

Metal Sonic | Sonic the Hedgehog

Riddle Rosehearts | Twisted Wonderland

Tada! This is a returning list!

Want to discuss the finer points of your Tav? Or swap Astarion fanfic with fellow readers? Here are some Baldur's Gate 3 Communities to get you started. Not a BG3 fan? Find a Community for your fave, or create one yourself. The sky's the limit.

[runawaymarbles]

Reading Mockingjay as an adult is extra devastating because. Of course the plucky teenager and her ragtag friends aren't going to sneak into a government building to kill the president with a bow and arrow. That's absolutely ridiculous. It's the kind of thing that's only possible in the kind of propaganda that Coin developed. But she's so good at it that in some ways she tricks the reader into thinking that's the kind of story this is, too--even after 3 books reminding us that pretty much everything that Katniss does the second she volunteers is manipulated by adults pulling strings to make propaganda in some form or another.

[hell0mega]

people are drawing Steamboat Willie Mickey doing all this crazy shit and whatnot, but you could always do that. you can do that now, with current Mickey, just fine. it's fanart and it's legally protected. hell you could take Disney-drawn Mickey and put a caption about unions or whatever on it and it would still be protected under free speech and sometimes even parody law.

what is special about public domain is that you can SELL him. you could take a screenshot and sell it on a tshirt. you can use him to advertise your plumbing business. people have already uploaded and monetized the original film.

you could always have Mickey say what you want, but now you can profit off it.

[reviewkun]

Introduction to Game Design

Game design is the intricate process of conceptualizing, crafting, and refining interactive experiences that captivate and engage players across diverse platforms and genres. At its core, game design encompasses a myriad of disciplines, including art, programming, storytelling, psychology, and user experience design, converging to create seamless and immersive gaming worlds. It involves the meticulous orchestration of gameplay mecha...

[milkywayes]

there's downsides to ranking high in the hierarchy [prints]

[memientom0ri]

Similarities between Inhun/457 and Hannigram; personal analysis of the attitudes that connect these characters 💭

Starting with actor Lee Byung Hun's face. I don't even need to go into details...

• Villain disguised as a hero;

Inho/001 x Hannibal Lecter

Both wear a good guy disguise to get close to and mentally and psychologically manipulate their "target" of obsession, taking actions to impress and defend the target that sometimes make us question their villainy towards the good guy.

Both Inho and Hannibal seem to be desperately searching for a trace of understanding and similarity in someone towards themselves. Hannibal became obsessed with Will when he saw this similarity in him (both characters misunderstood by society, mentally broken and with difficulties in expressing and understanding their own emotions), and just like the cannibal, Inho saw something similar in Gihun, therefore, feeling the need to, somehow, get close to him to keep him under his control.

"But Inho and Gihun are completely different", yes, just like Hannibal and Will; that doesn't stop the characters from identifying with each other psychologically.

In my opinion, Inho saw in Gihun an ambition and confidence that piqued his interest. "But Gihun is not ambitious or self-centered" No, he is not, not materially speaking. Gihun's ambition comes from the will he has over the things he sets out to do. He is ambitious about what he wants and this ambition is accompanied by a hyper-empathy bordering on masochism, considering that Gihun returned to the game not only because of his desire to end it, but because of the guilt of having survived when people died, because of the desire to prevent other deaths. This hyper-empathy also shows up in other scenes, and this is where Will comes in.

• The hyper-empathetic good guy;

Will Graham × Seong Gihun

Unlike Will's hyper-empathy, which manifests itself through his ability to put himself in the Assassin's shoes and mentally experience the murders, Gihun's empathy is blatant, making us feel a little angry and uncomfortable with the situations in which 456 puts himself by thinking more about others than about himself. A scene that left me in agony was in season 2, in the first game, where he runs from the safe area to pick up a man who was shot in the leg. The man would have been killed anyway, but he insisted on picking him up with less than 30 seconds to go.

Unlike 456's blatant empathy, which almost makes him seem naive in several scenes (like when he gives his only extra ammunition to Inho to save himself in the future), Will's empathy is more "dark" and firm. Will doesn't trust people easily, much less Hannibal, while 456 trusts Inho/001 right away and from the first contact they are inseparable.

• Jealousy, Control and Possessiveness

I think that after their faces, these are the characteristics that Hannibal and Inho have most in common. Neither of them want their good boys to have anyone other than themselves. We can see Hannibal eliminating the people who get close to Will throughout the series, but with Inho, we follow the stages and moments of this jealousy until it reaches its peak (the final episode that resembles Mizumono). Inho observed Gihun's interactions with Jungbae (Gihun's longtime friend) in silence, just processing each moment and creating a mental bomb that would explode in the future (like when Jungbae made Gihun laugh, at night in the dorms, and the scene cuts to 001 listening under the bed in total DISGUST).

• Mizumono

Both villains analyzed here need to control their targets of obsession, manipulating them and trying to build a home in their heads, and when they realize they have been "betrayed", that's when the bomb explodes.

Hannibal felt betrayed by Will when he learned that he was helping in a plan against him behind his back (but we know that Will was so confused about his feelings and morality that he didn't even know who to go with), and then killed Abgail in front of him after a heartbreaking speech.

Inho felt betrayed by Gihun when, during a shootout in the player vs. soldier attack, Gihun said he would go inside to find the way out. Inho asked: "Shall I go with you?", and Gihun simply said that Jungbae would go with him. Later, Jungbae asks 456 why he chose him and not 001 who is more skilled with weapons, and Gihun answers that he chose him because they are friends. The next scene suggests that Inho, disappointed, listened behind the communicator, but we don't know if the communicators were on or not...

It's worth noting the expression on Inho's face when Gihun said that Jungbae was the one who would...

(POOR GUY 456 APOLOGIZE TO HIM AND TAKE HIM WITH YOU NOW

The Mizumono between 456 and 001 happens thanks to this event, when, later, after putting on his masked Boss costume, Inho goes to Gihun and Jungbae on the stairs. Just like Hannibal, he says heartbroken words (less dramatic and more angry) and eliminates Jungbae in front of Gihun.

Both killed people close and important to their targets out of possessiveness and hurt, out of a sick and incomprehensible feeling of betrayal; feelings that only they understand.

How can little sweet creatures like this be so DESTRUCTIVE.

There doesn't seem to be a need and mutual dependence in 457 like there is in Hannigram (at least not yet, there's still one season left), the obsession and interest come from Inho, but there is a notable chemistry and tension, smiles and exchanges of OBVIOUS glances.

I know that Hannigram is complex and very intense, I'm not making an extremely serious comparison, but rather recording some points that I observed and since I love both couples, I wanted to do this. The depth of the characters is obviously different, we're just making a fan observation here. ♡

[fridge-reviews]

Luck Be A Landord - Blast Review

Developer: TrampolineTales Steam Deck Compatibility?: Verified Rrp: £7.89 (Itch.io), £8.50 (Humble, Steam)

This game is both quite difficult and easy to explain. At its most basic level it's a slot machine simulator. The more difficult aspect of it being that you are the one who picks the symbols that appear on the reels and that you can manipulate things to make the symbols work more in your favour. Between each spin you get to pick between 3 symbols or skipping (or rerolling if you reach that far into a run). Some symbols react to having others specific symbols next to them, for example the cat symbol will drink the milk symbol which scores more points but also removes the milk symbol from play until you get a new one.

The aim of the game is to defeat your landlord, you do this by paying the rent. Yes, I know that sounds stupid but you aren’t playing this game for logic. Anyway, each time you pay the landlord the rent goes up. After twelve raises of the rent the landlord retreats to another ‘floor’. You beat the game by doing this twenty times. With each floor a new rule will be added to make things more challenging.

Graphically this game is extremely basic. I wouldn’t be surprised if I found out all the art assets were created in MSPaint. But once you start playing you won’t really be paying attention to the artstyle as this game really it.captures that ’just one more pull’ feeling that slot machines have.

It’s a great game for such a cheap price and if you’re an achievement hunter (which I’m not) you’ll have a lot to try and attain in this game as there are 186 of them.

---- If you’d like to support me I have a Ko-fi, the reviews will continue to be posted donation or not.

[sage-gamer]

I downloaded the demo for Tiny Glade and made these little settlements!

This game is so freaking cute!

I followed the developer years ago on TikTok and remember the latest update at the time was building the paths and now look how far she's come!

I can't wait for the game's release in Q3!

[rewardsgamesreview]

Elvenar Free Online Game

Elvenar is a free online game where players can build and develop their own fantasy city. Immerse yourself in an enchanting world filled with magic and mythical creatures as you expand your empire and uncover new technologies.

[ficwip]

A slightly revised version of last year's questions! Two ways to play: Reblog and have your followers send you numbers, or answer the whole list!

How many fics have you worked on since January?

What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year?

What piece of media inspired you the most? (This can be the fandom you wrote the most for, the one that spawned the most ideas, the one you thought about the most, etc.)

How many fandoms did you write for this year?

What ships captured your heart?

What characters captured your heart?

Did you write for any new fandoms or ships this year?

What fic meant the most to you to write?

What fic made you feel the happiest to work on?

What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing?

What fic was the most difficult to write?

What fic was the easiest to write?

What were your shortest and longest fics posted this year?

What were your go-to writing songs?

What was the hardest fic to title?

What's your favorite title of the year?

Share your favorite opening line

Share your favorite ending line

Share your favorite piece of dialogue

Share your funniest line

What's something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story?

What writing programs did you use? Did you write by hand?

If you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year?

Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic?

How did you recharge between fics?

Did you create fanworks other than fic?

How many events did you take part in? (bangs, exchanges, ship weeks, zines, prompt memes, they all count!)

If this were an awards show, who would you thank?

What's left on your to-do list for 2024?

What would you like to write next year?

[fandom]

Video Games

Free-to-play doesn't actually mean free-to-play...right?

Baldur's Gate 3 +1

Five Nights at Freddy’s +2

Genshin Impact -2

Undertale +3

Twisted Wonderland +1

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 +7

Cult of the Lamb +55

Honkai: Star Rail +10

Ace Attorney -1

Splatoon 3 -5

Stardew Valley +21

The Sims 4

Team Fortress 2 +2

Deltarune

Disco Elysium -4

Minecraft +4

Hades II

ULTRAKILL +16

Rain World +4

Final Fantasy XIV -3

Elden Ring +9

In Stars and Time

Obey Me! Shall We Date? -13

Project SEKAI: Colorful Stage! +5

Persona 5 -4

Danganronpa

Hollow Knight -3

Mouthwashing

Love and Deepspace

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Guilty Gear +5

Red Dead Redemption 2 +11

Poppy Playtime

Touhou -3

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -16

Arknights -9

Fallout: New Vegas +26

Mortal Kombat +11

Sonic x Shadow Generations

Persona 3 +39

Flight Rising -1

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Dragon Age: Inquisition +17

Cookie Run +12

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -13

Regretevator

Fear & Hunger +12

Final Fantasy VII +32

Slay the Princess

Omori -12

Undertale Yellow

Pressure

Portal -16

Cyberpunk 2077 -8

Overwatch -19

Pokémon Violet and Scarlet -48

Bloodborne -6

Lethal Company

League of Legends -2

Metal Gear Solid +22

Silent Hill -7

Fallout 4 +14

Mass Effect

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Half-Life -2

Yakuza -13

Resident Evil Village -3

Resident Evil 4 -28

Limbus Company -22

Animal Crossing: New Horizons -43

Pathologic -6

Dragon Age 2 -2

Pizza Tower -52

Monster Hunter +22

Fire Emblem: Three Houses -30

Zenless Zone Zero

Warframe

Destiny 2 -28

Hogwarts Legacy -64

Pikmin 4 -46

Dragon Age Origins

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

What in Hell is Bad?

Professor Layton -15

Devil May Cry -12

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess -20

Ensemble Stars! -32

The Sims 2 -13

Persona 4

Dandy's World

Detroit: Become Human +3

That's Not My Neighbor

Fields of Mistria

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon

Fortnite

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time -29

KinitoPET

The Stanley Parable -54

The Sims 3 -11

The number in italics indicates how many spots a title moved up or down from the previous year. Bolded titles weren’t on the list last year.

Psst. Love video games? There are Communities for that.