#I like to play turn based rpgs and puzzle games on it

[paladincecil]

I keep thinking about buying a steam deck. I always get to the purchase page then back out because I'm just not sure how much use I'd get out of it.

Maybe if the oled goes on sale at a good time I'll finally go for it. Though the next sale is likely to be when I'm saving to make christmas easier on my wallet xD

[bobcat-pie]

yes i know everything about this game. no i haven't played it.

[thydungeongal]

Anyway ultimately when it comes to trying to define the act of roleplaying ultimately I've decided on such a circular definition (to me, in the context of a roleplaying game, roleplaying is the act of playing a roleplaying game) because it's satisfactory to me and ultimately who cares. Splitting hairs about which action is and isn't roleplaying (is engaging with the rules roleplaying? Sure! Is making goblin noises roleplaying? Absolutely! Is solving the GM's physics puzzle via interfacing both with the mechanics and the fiction roleplaying? Hell yeah!) isn't satisfying to me and ultimately I feel it just leads to people turning personal preferences into value judgements.

But also like the whole idea of judging people for not roleplaying to a satisfactory standard to you is often the domain of tiresome killjoys. Who cares that Steve is here to just roll dice because he wants his character Bob to do cool shit and isn't interested in interrogating Bob's internal life? His fun doesn't have to come at the cost of anyone else's fun provided there is a broad understanding across the table as to what everyone wants out of the game.

Now what I do think is useful, in the domain of tabletop RPG writing, is defining what roleplaying means to you in your specific game, but even then I feel it's better to frame through positives rather than negatives or opposites. And this is because the medium of RPGs is so broad that the act of roleplaying in a romantic drama like Monsterhearts is going to look very different from roleplaying in a dungeon crawler to the point where they're going to be unrecognizable as being "the same" activity.

Also I think everyone should try out both a challenge-based dungeon crawl and a game of Monsterhearts, it would do all of you good

[theresattrpgforthat]

THEME: Kaiju Games

@ospreyonthemoon I see your need and I answer! There's a lot of really neat Kaiju games out there.

Kaiju Klash, by NeonRot.

Kaiju Klash is a GM'less rules light game where 2-4 kaiju battle it out in a fight for might to become top dog of the city. In the centre of the city is the Capitol Building, a huge spire that the kaiju scramble up as they slash at each other with tooth and claw.

For Kaiju Klash all you need is a D20, a D6 and a falling block game like Jenga.

Make a Kaiju and battle it out in this Gm-less strategy game. Kaiju Klash includes various Kaiju types with respective skills, and incorporates the city as more than just scenery - it’s a vital battle strategy!

On any given turn, instead of choosing to attack, your Kaiju can grab onto nearby buildings for bonuses that help your next attack. However, you’re in the middle of a fight, so you have to roll randomly for the building that you grab, and the building type will have special details that inform what happens next.

I don't know what the Jenga Tower is used for exactly, but the fact that this game uses one definitely makes it more exciting for me.

Overall, the game gives me King of Tokyo vibes, so if you like smashing through a city in a big ol’ brawl, you might like Kaiju Klash.

Caltrop Kaiju, by Button Kin Games.

A gigantic, rampaging kaiju (giant monster) has shown up in your home town and is destroying everything! You must head out to observe the kaiju to find its weakness, then pass on what you know to the military at their secret base so they can defeat this monster  - all while trying not to get eaten!

This is a solo TTRPG which can be played in ten minutes as a tense, tactical puzzle, or in a couple of hours as a journaling/story game.

This one is for the solo gamers! Caltrop Kaiju is about your tiny little character trying to survive a Kaiju attack. The game comes with a grid for you to print off, with special icons to represent specific buildings in the city. You roll 2d5 to determine where the Kaiju moves on every turn, and you’ll try to move through the city before too much of it becomes damaged for you to move through. Special locations will trigger specific effects when they get destroyed, and if you get too close to the Kaiju, you might get injured - or worse, killed.

However, you need to get close to it in order to save the day, as you’re responsible for learning the Kaiju’s weakness and communicating that weakness to people who can stop the monster. Overall, the game can play pretty quickly if you just focus on dice rolls and moving through the map, but the game also comes with instructions on how to turn the game into a journaling experience, which can draw out the story as you reflect on who your character is, why they’re following the Kaiju, and what the city means to them.

Hyperweapon, by Rookie Jet Studio.

Hyperweapon is a rules-light tabletop RPG that combines the excitement of dart blasters with a vibrant and immersive gaming experience created by you and your friends. Set in a world threatened by colossal Kaiju, players take on the roles of skilled Hunters tasked with defending humanity. These Hunters utilize real world dart blasters as their primary weapons in epic battles against these gigantic foes.

Players will embark on a journey through ancient ruins, navigate diverse landscapes, interact with all kinds of people, and ultimately face off against towering Kaiju threats. The game places a strong emphasis on collaborative storytelling and worldbuilding, allowing both players and the Game Master to contribute to the creation of the game's setting, factions, cultures, and lore.

Hyperweapon is unique in how the core of the game revolves around the guns that your characters are using to bring down gigantic Kaiju. You still roll dice to determine damage, but to see whether you hit, you have to actually shoot a foam dart at a target. On top of combat mechanics there’s also locations that change the battlefield: towns have civilians and infrastructure that are endangered by Kaiju but carry shops that the players can purchase goods at. Ruins are more dangerous to visit, containing booby traps, collapsed areas, and Kaiju - but they also hold information that may be useful.

The linked page in the title also has a link to a free Quickstart, in case you want to try before you buy. If you want a high-energy game with a neat resolution system that gives you an excuse to pull out your Nerf gun collection during game night, then you want Hyperweapon.

Dawn of the Daikaiju, by Pinnacle Entertainment.

The world changed in 1953—a radioactive monster rose from Hudson Bay to terrorize New York. Now these “daikaiju” save the world!

In Dawn of the Daikaiju, players take on the roles of giant monsters called kaiju or daikaiju (the terms are used interchangeably and both mean “giant monster”). Though daikaiju range in origin from oversized insects and dinosaurs to bio-engineered alien weapons, they somehow recognize in each other a single species. Even daikaiju from different worlds work together in packs.

Savage Worlds uses different dice sizes to represent competence, and much of the character creation process uses a point-buy system, with guidance on how many points you can spend on certain things. Characters can take on flaws to give them extra points to spend on bonuses, so there’s a balance of embracing weakness in order to boost your strengths.

Savage Worlds also has both the boon and the flaw in that it’s a system meant to cover a lot of genres. You’ll need the SWADE core rulebook in order to use this supplement, but you can also use that rulebook for many other genres. If you already own the core rulebook or know how to play the game, this is a neat option to change the tone of your current game.

The Kaiju Love You, by InnocentGoblin

Walking through the ruined streets of a massive metropolitan city, each footstep crushing another building, the weight of brick and mortar collapsing underfoot. The military prepares for battle, tanks and helicopters opening fire at the behemoth.

The florists come out to see the commotion only to see a massive foot crash down in front of them, believing their end has come they cover their eyes only to find that they are safe. The Kaiju leans down, gently drops a coin that is tiny in its massive claws, in return it takes a large bouquet. It sniffs the flowers with delight and starts walking back. 

The Kaiju has a date tonight, and it has to be perfect.

A neat twist on the Kaiju genre, this is a game not just about being a Kaiju who is fighting other Kaiju, but also being a Kaiju who is falling in love with the city they are trying to protect. Your character will be balancing between big disastrous fights against other monsters, and finding ways to romance the people of their city. The more people who love you back, the stronger you are in combat; but the more that they adore you, the harder you have to work to maintain that relationship.

Thematically, I think this is a really neat concept. Character creation feels rather simple; you have only 2 stats, which are represented by numbers that are opposite from each-other on a d8. You want to typically roll at or over your personal number, so your Kaiju will probably be better at either fighting or falling in love. Altogether, it’s a really unique take on the genre, and I think that merits checking this game out more than anything else.

Giant of Light, by RudoJudo.

Giant action in the style of Ultraman! Investigate strange goings-on, uncover mysterious aliens and ancient powers, then do battle as either a Giant Hero or Kaiju!

Giant of Light is a TTRPG for 2-6 players that can be single sessions or long campaigns. This is the first edition of the game, which uses custom-built systems to allow play at both human and giant size.  

Giant of Light is designed to replicate Ultraman, so you can play a Kaiju, but you can also play a giant hero. Your characters are meant to be protectors of your city, fighting against other supers-sized threats. Your characters have both civilian and giant forms: as civilians, you’ll be investigating the newest threat as regular civilians, and then transform into Heroes or Kaiju in order to fight your foes on an even playing field.

What’s really interesting to me is that a giant Hero and a Kaiju character are somewhat different mechanically; Heroes have an energy pool that powers elemental abilities, while Kaiju have a health bar and special abilities instead. Heroes typically have more energy to spend and can bounce back, but they need to use their energy to fuel their powers. Kaiju don’t have to spend currency to use their abilities, but their health bar makes them more susceptible to falling in battle.

If you want some more info on how the game works, I reviewed Giant of Light a while back on this very blog.

Kaiju Incorporated, by Evil Hat.

Do you have what it takes to face the hazards of mayhem, destruction, biohazardous waste, human resources, minimal career prospects, and really really big footprints?

Jump into the lives of the workers for the world’s biggest multinational Kaiju-conglomerates! Rebuilding the world following giant monster attacks takes a Kaiju-sized work-force. Do you have what it takes to face the hazards of mayhem, destruction, biohazardous waste, human resources, minimal career prospects, and really really big footprints? Find out in Kaiju Incorporated: The Roleplaying Game!

Kaiju Incorporated is usable for both Fate Core and Fate Accelerated, both of which can be found for free on the Fate SRD website. It comes with suggestions for character options and stunts that are unique to the setting, and incorporates a crew structure that the group is balanced and equipped for taking on a giant monster. There’s also GM advice to help you build a Kaiju attack, and lore to help the GM if they don’t want to build the world from scratch.

Overall, Fate is very accessible since you can access the rules for free, and you can use regular d6’s if you don’t have any Fate dice. It’s a stellar system if you value maximum character flexibility, and enjoy coming up with witty turns of phrase rather regularly. If you want a bit of taste for Kaiju Incorporated specifically, there is a lovely episode of Literal Cat Pod that goes through character creation, in which they build Peter the Kaiju Reader!

Kaiju Generator, by The Bardic Inquiry.

What is a Kaiju? To put it simply, Kaiju refers to a genre of film that originated in Japan that featured giant monsters, but it can also refer to the giant monsters themselves.

The actions of these giant monsters are typically devastating to the planet and pose a global threat. This can range from the intentional destruction of infrastructure or the combat between two giant monsters.

This generator will help you to create a Kaiju that you can use in your roleplaying adventures by utilizing 4 1d66 random tables. Can your players survive an encounter with a gigantic monster?

This isn’t really a game; it’s mostly just a monster generator, but it’s very well designed and the quality of the zine makes me excited to play a Kaiju game. I think you could use this for many of the other games on this list, or use it to add a Kaiju to a game of your choice. There’s a number of roll tables for the type of Kaiju, its special ability, its origin, and its goals. As a bonus, there’s also some guidance on creating plot hooks to get your players interested in the Kaiju plot, and creates stakes that keep them invested.

Honorable Mentions

Liminal Colossus, a supplement for Liminal Horror by Mynar Lenahan.

Hey, So… We Accidentally Turned Steve Into a Kaiju and Now He’s Trying to Eat Cleveland, by lazersarus.

I Was Going To A Picnic, But Then A Kaiju Showed Up!, by BitwiseCoyote.

Twenty, by kumada1.

[dreamsandcozygames]

My Favorite Time Loop Games

I've been playing a lot of games involving time loops lately, so I thought I'd recommend some of my favorites!

(The descriptions are from Steam.)

I Was A Teenage Exocolonist:

Spend your teenage years on an alien planet in this narrative RPG with card-based battles. Explore, grow up, and fall in love. The choices you make and skills you master over ten years will determine the course of your life and the survival of your colony.

The Choices You Make, Make You

Growing up in humanity’s first extrasolar space colony means navigating a new world full of wonder, danger, and beauty. Explore the wilderness, study, fall in love, discover strange creatures, and deal with the consequences of your actions. Your choices will directly affect the lives of your friends and the fate of the colony. What kind of world will you help make? Will you survive to enjoy it? Why do you remember doing this before?

Growing Up on an Alien Planet

You have your whole life ahead of you. Will you spend it studying in school, or diving into the intriguing flora and fauna of this new world? Will you introduce space-age technology, or live in harmony with nature? Will you battle massive beasts, or nurture future generations? Realized in brilliant watercolor, the world of Vertumna is yours to explore.

Your Pasts and Your Futures Matter

Everything you learn and experience will make you and your colony stronger. You will thrive and you will make mistakes. These formative moments - your memories, decisions, and friendships - become collectible cards you carry with you. Each season brings new obstacles on Vertumna. The battle cards you earn from your experiences give you new options for overcoming these challenges, whether that is navigating relationships, learning new skills, exploring the planet, or staying alive. Every decision counts, during this life and the next.

How Many Lives Will YOU Live?

The cosmos is full of incredible mysteries, and your ability to remember your past lives is one of them. There are dozens of different endings to your story. How many lives will it take to save both your colony and the planet? Are you ready to wake up again?

Features:

Use memories of past lives to explore 800+ story events.

Discover more than 250 battle cards as you grow up on an alien planet.

Play your best hand in challenge encounters to ace your math test or escape from a wild snapbladder.

Make friends, fight with your parents, go on dates, fall in love, and save the colony.

29 wildly different endings based on the choices you make each month.

Pick from 25 colony jobs, like goofing off as a depot clerk, or surveying the valley.

Grow into 15 skills, including bravery, toughness, organization, and empathy.

Get to know 10 dateable characters, including dog-boys, aliens, hot politicians and stone cold killers.

In Stars and Time:

Live with the ever-present burden of being trapped in a time loop only you can know about in this turn-based RPG. Create a better future for you and your friends. Find hope where there is none left. Pray to the stars and free yourself from time.

What would you do if you were forced to relive your failures over and over again?

In Stars and Time tells the story of Siffrin and their adventurer friends—a found family bound together by fate in order to end the tyrannical reign of an evil king. But as victory is just within the party’s grasp, a tragedy occurs, the clock resets, and they have to do it all again.

As Siffrin’s the only one who notices this loop, each new start wears away at his cheerful veneer, yet he keeps going in hopes he can end this temporal tragedy once and for all.

In Stars and Time is a time-looping RPG adventure. With each loop, Siffrin gains a new perspective on the world around them, opening up new solutions to puzzles and allowing them to make better choices in conversation. Equip memories as armor, pray to the Change God to improve your team’s capabilities each loop, and challenge deadly foes to Rock, Paper, Scissors as Siffrin seeks the truth.

Our Adventurers:

Siffrin (he/they): Stressed, depressed, and under duress. (Don’t worry about it. They’re doing fine.) The punmaster protagonist of our neverending tale.

Mirabelle (she/her): A caring and nervous housemaiden mysteriously blessed by the god she so ardently follows.

Isabeau (he/him): Defender with a heart of gold. Cares dearly for his people and his friends.

Odile (she/her): The mature and nonsensical researcher studying…something. (No, she will not tell you what it is.)

Bonnie (they/them): Wait a minute, who brought this kid along???

Features:

Save the world through the power of Rock, Paper, Scissors in strategic turn-based RPG combat encounters.

Ignore the limits of time and space to fix your past mistakes by repeating the same two days over and over again.

Equip the memories you have of your friends to make your party stronger in combat.

Watch the fate of this world unfold as you escape the twists and turns of this endless(???) loop.

Eat samossas with your friends!

Get heckled by a cheeky ethereal being of infinite starlight.

Pray to a god for good luck in your travels. You’re gonna need it.

Slay the Princess:

You're on a path in the woods, and at the end of that path is a cabin. And in the basement of that cabin is a Princess.

You're here to slay her. If you don't, it will be the end of the world.

She will do everything in her power to stop you. She'll charm, and she'll lie, and she'll promise you the world, and if you let her, she'll kill you a dozen times over. You can't let that happen. Don't forget, the fate of the world rests on your shoulders.

You're not going to listen to him, are you? We're supposed to save princesses, not slay them...

Features:

Fully voice-acted by the impeccable Jonathan Sims and Nichole Goodnight.

Hand-penciled art - every background and sprite is drawn traditionally with pencil and paper by Ignatz-winning graphic novelist Abby Howard.

A princess. She's very bad and you have to get rid of her for all our sakes.

No, the Princess isn't a “cosmic horror,” whatever that is supposed to mean. She's just an ordinary human Princess, and you can definitely slay her as long as you put your mind to it.

Don't even think about trying to romance her. It won't end well for you.

Hopefully you won't die. But if you do, you'll die a lot. Be careful and stay focused on the task at hand!

A branching narrative where what you say and what you believe determines both who you are and how the story unfolds. Though I wouldn’t recommend taking any paths outside of the one I lay before you.

A new roleplaying experience from the creators of Scarlet Hollow.

[marth-garhengi]

Things I Want From DA: Veilguard That I Know We Won't Get:

These are almost all things DAI did poorly. Though I cannot stress enough that I love ALL the DA games, nothing is perfect...

- Kill Moves

Kill moves in DAO were amazing and there were only like 10. Worst decision by DA2's dev team was not to add them. Who the hell doesn't want to see their characters doing a sweet finishing move to round out a tough fight, in ANY game?? Ragdoll in RPGs sucks and always has, Killmove Supremacy forever (for all classes, not just melee!)

- Companion Tactics

It sucks that Bioware keep deciding to take great RPG elements out of their games and this one is so sorely missed. DAI dropped the ball big time by dumbing down companion tactics. It's a Party based game! I want MORE passive control over my companions, not less!!

- OG Tactical Gameplay

I can understand the thought process behind giving players the option to play tactically OR casually in DAI, but in practice both options are worse than the alternative. Having to switch Tactical on/off in the middle of combat just makes the gameplay more jarring, as opposed to the more accessible Pause Wheel style of the previous titles. It wasn't broken, it didn't need fixing.

- Unlimited Abilities

Another DAI fumble, tying into the previous point. Don't give us 300 ability points and then force us to pick only 8 that we can actively use. RPGs are great BECAUSE of the wide variety of playstyles and abilities you can choose for your characters. Slowly turning them into Gods is part of the fun! It's a reward for all the grinding and the early game slog. Much of the joy of obtaining a new skill or power is lost if you're forced to sacrifice another ability to use it, AND means you're wasting points when levelling. TL;DR for this and previous point: Combat wheel good.

- Manual Attributes

Another gripe I had with DAI that boils down to; Stop taking RPG elements out of your RPG. If the player wants to make a mage with insanely high Constitution, LET THEM. Making attribute points exclusively obtainable via passive abilites was taking a neat idea too far. Sub-point: All armor should be accessible to all classes. Attribute thresholds work.

- Less Collectathon-y

It's Dragon Age, not Banjo Kazooie. Nobody liked trekking through the hissing wastes for all those stupid shards. People realised that video games don't need a bazillion things to collect DECADES ago. Comparitively, the Astrariums were fun and engaging! A few little logic puzzles that unlock a loot cache? Good and fun. Spending hours running around grabbing little rocks in every map to unlock a loot cache? Boring and lazy addition to gameplay. Less of that forever.

- Horse Riding that doesn't Suck (Or No Horse Riding, period!)

We all played Inquisition. Enough Said.

- Arcane Warrior

Please Bioware I'm begging you to let me be a Mage with a sword again it was so fucking cool please it's all I want forever.

- Oghren

Bring back my Alcoholic Berserker Homie, he was so much fun and I love him and miss him.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

[kirvia]

these are my favorite types of games ^_^

- shorter and linear. like less than ~5hrs

- Puzzles!!!!!

- stylish&memorable art ... if it doesnt look good 2 me i dont play LOL

- story heavy. good writing

- limited # of main characters maybe like 3 at most!

- not Outright horror, but I like psychological stories a lot. It's a little hard to find any in video game format that is successful at what it does bc i get super picky w the writing ^_^;

- no turn-based battle systems especially if it requires me to grind. counteractive to how much i love rpgs but i don't find most combat interesting

[bluesturngold]

Sub-Genres Included in Each Genre (Below the Cut)

Action includes Platformers, Shooters, Fighting, Beat 'Em Ups, Stealth, Survival, Rhythm, Battle Royale

Action-Adventure includes Survival Horror and Metroidvanias

Adventure includes Text Adventures, Graphic Adventures, Visual Novels, Interactive Movies, FMV Games, Real-Time 3D Adventure Games

Puzzle includes Breakout Clones, Logical Games, Trial-and-Error Games, Exploration Games, Hidden Object Games, Reveal the Picture Games, Tile-Matching Games, Puzzle Platformers

Role-Playing includes Action RPGs, MMORPGs, Roguelikes, Tactical, Sandbox RPGs, First-Person Party-Based RPGs, Monster Tamer Games

Simulation includes Construction and Management Simulation, Life Simulation, Vehicle Simulation

Strategy includes 4X Games, Artillery Games, Auto Battler/Auto Chess, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Games, Real-Time Strategy (RTS), Real-Time Tactics (RTT), Tower Defense, Turn-Based Strategy (TBS), Turn-Based Tactics (TBT), Wargames, Grand Strategy Wargames

Sports includes Racing, Competitive Games (i.e. Rocket League), Sports-Based Fighting Games

[I read the sub-genre info but no genre listed here includes my favorite games.] The above sub-genre information does not fully encompass all of the smaller or more niche sub-genres that could reasonably fit into the core genres. I encourage you to think deeply about the gameplay mechanics and artistic influences of the games you enjoy the most to determine if they may be close enough to one of the listed core genres such that you can decide it's representative enough to say your tastes fall in that genre, or fall into two or more of the listed genres. Ultimately, it is up to your own analysis of your preferences to find a core genre you feel adequately encompasses your tastes and decide whether or not you need to click this 'other' option.

(Core Genres and Sub-Genres are lifted from the list of core genres on Wikipedia. If you need additional assistance picking a core genre you feel is your favorite, the hyperlinked Wikipedia article has a lot of good information explaining these sub-genres and what sorts of games fall under them. None of this is my opinion.)

(This post was inspired by a favorite video game genre poll that listed several action, adventure, and RPG sub-genres but omitted mainstay genres like puzzle games, sports games, or strategy games.)

[aerscribbles]

What Video Games I Think The Cast Of TGCF Would Play:

(long under the cut)

Xie Lian: Ultrakill. Devil May Cry. Neon White. Bayonetta. Anything fast paced, skill based and violent will do. He would play every Soulslike Fromsoft game, at first for the challenge and later for the emotional catharsis. Speaking of Fromsoft, he would absolutely adore the Armored Core series. Give the weapons freak a customizable mecha, please.

Hua Cheng: Dating sims, to practice his seduction skills in a simulated environment through a proxy character. Then he would figure out he enjoys the Visual Novel format in general, and go through just about every one of them in existence. He would also play a lot of Animal Crossing-like games. Ghost City is just his animal crossing village.

Feng Xin: Ye olde Legend of Zelda. All of them. Classical RPGs in general. He would enjoy a structured experience with juuuust the right amount of freedom. He likes knowing what to do and where to go but having some amount of choice in how he gets there.

Mu Qing: Fromsoft Soulslikes, purely for the emotional catharsis. I think it would either fix him or make him worse.

He Xuan: Rougelikes and weird artsy shit. The former can become a kind of 'turn emotions brain off logic/violence brain gets to drive' experience, and for the latter, well, fishboy is a loser nerd (affectionate) (saying this as a bit of loser nerd myself). Also heavily modded Skyrim.

Shi Qingxuan: Gatcha games. Look, they have disposable income and a fondness for pretty things. They would. After the... Blackwater Incident, they would get really into MMORPGs, playing as support- a way to have social interactions the way they used to, being powerful, beautiful, loved and needed.

Shi Wudu: Only plays viddy games socially. Allegedly. In reality he does play video games, just really really old ones. Heroes of Might and Magic, the older Civ entries, stuff like that. Would also the spreadsheet hell game (World of Warcraft). Generally regards video games as a complete and utter waste of time.

Pei Ming: Aside from the obvious visual novels IYKYK, he would have a great time with MMOs.

Ling Wen: Give this lady some nice and bloody fighting games, to unwind from being the sysadmin-in-chief for a massive organization while being unable to punch any of her coworkers. She would probably also enjoy the highly technical aspect of speedrunning.

Yin Yu: Puzzle games, platformers, puzzle platformers. The more brain-meltingly hard the better. The Witness. Baba Is You. Celeste. Return of the Obra Dinn. Portal. Hollow Knight. Little Nightmares. Outer Wilds. I think his favorite game ever would be Stray. IDK he's catboy coded.

Quan Yizhen: An absolute relic of a doom copy, given to him by Shixiong to keep him occupied ages ago. Would pick up some other games post-canon, probably playing co-op with Xie Lian.

Yushi Huang: Strategy games, to keep herself sharp.

Mei Nianqing: FTP gatcha phone games. Gambling addict, keeps things portable.

Jun Wu: Before/during canon, nothing. Post-canon, anything, as long as it's co-op with Mei Nianqing.

[pumpkinpuffgirls]

What types of videogames would the girls like?? (feel free to include Bliss and Bunny)

We've seen the girls play a few games throughout the TV series. One based on Atari Pitfall, another was a fighting game. We even see the Mayor playing what's essentially Legend of Zelda (OoT or MM) which, fun fact, was due to the release of one of those games eating up the time of the people working on the show (forget which one it was).

Here's a comprehensive list of what, in my opinion, the girls would enjoy:

At baseline, all the girls like fighting games. Especially the beat 'em up type like Super Smash Bros and Street Fighter.

Bubbles loves fun, kid-friendly type RPGs and simulation games. The stereotypical cozy game and games normally associated with being kid-friendly. You know that she would play farming-type games when she got older

Blossom also like RPGs but she will branch beyond turn-based and play tactical rpgs and real-time strategy games. God games also fall into this category She would also accept a puzzle game as an easy time-waster if she didn't finish it super quickly

Buttercup is the only one who tries to get away with playing games above her age rating. This girl wants GTA and Call of Duty. Though she can get toxic-competitive. She should really stick to Mortal Combat or action adventure games where you fight a lot of guys at once like dynasty warriors.

Bunny likes games with animals, so she loves a lot of mascot platformers like Sonic and Banjo Kazooie. She gets lost with collect-a-thons wanting to collect everything and gets upset when she's missing something.

Bliss likes games that give her tasks to do daily and goals to work towards and a place to dress up and organize. She also joins the farming game department, but games like Animal Crossing and Slime Rancher also come to mind. Not exclusively cozy-games, but games that either have a goal-oriented aspect or a "restore the x" kind of mission at their core.

Some of their interests would blend together I'm sure. Though this is what I feel would be each's preferred type of game.

[eccentric-nucleus]

actually if i'm gonna make a games rec post.

here are some games i have enjoyed recent-ish.

kenshi. an open-world squad-based rpg with base-building elements. get stronger by getting beaten up. lose a fight and get knocked out, have your weapons and food taken by the bandits that mugged you and left you bleeding to death. get rescued by some slavers that capture you and sell you into slavery. free yourself from slavery and limp away until you roll in hours later with a whole squad of overpowered fighters. then head a little bit too far south and get murdered by skin bandits. they take your skin. this is a completely self-directed game; there's no "main plot", although arguably "figure out the history of the world" is kind of the main 'story' mystery. there's also a bunch of unique recruitable characters with custom-written interactions. i usually recruit exclusively from freeing slaves but you can do w/e.

wildmender. a survival gardening game. this one came out recently and the devs are still releasing bugfixes; it's unclear if they'll make large content patches in the future. apparently multiplayer can still be pretty glitchy, and there's a water flow bug that i've been finding very frustrating. the way biomes work is kind of unsatisfying. kind of slim content-wise, but still, i really enjoyed what's there. out of all of the climate change terraforming anxiety games i've seen, this has been the one i've most enjoyed.

hellpoint. a scifi soulslike made by a team of like 12 people. previously i had thought things like "it would be neat if dark souls was less linear". hellpoint is a great example of why that might be a nightmare. the areas are connected in such a complex way, with one-way routes and branching unlock keys and secret paths and hidden doors behind hidden doors that it gets profoundly disorienting. a hint: almost every single hidden door in the game (there are a lot) is the middle panel of the same exact three-paneled-wall geometry. once you notice what it is you will see it everywhere. also, the enemy designs are hot.

crystal project. remember playing fan translations of final fantasy v? remember wandering around in old mmos? crystal project is kind of a... turn-based rpg mmo-influenced platformer. with a job system. you can sequence break the game from the tutorial level and also at basically every other point in the game too, although until you know what to look for it might seem like there's a linear critical path. but there's a lot out there. hint: play on easy mode. the combat gets tough later on and the game absolutely expects you to be finding and exploiting some class combinations.

astlibra: revision. a sidescrolling rpg. it must have been released episodically originally or some of the chapter pacing makes no sense. also it was originally released with a mess of art sourced from all sorts of places; 'revision' is a re-release with a more unified art style. it gets extremely anime all the time. there's a whole obligatory section where you have to ask all the women in a town about what kind of panties they're wearing. it's rough. i enjoyed how chaotic the systems are and how much Stuff there is to pick up and upgrade and unlock. the plot goes some unexpected places though it doesn't quite stick the landing, i still enjoyed what it did. also karon should be the love interest instead.

silicon zeroes. a cpu-building puzzle game. this straddles the line between the tech/code games that are literally just "learn a new language and code in it" and ones that are more structure-themed like, idk, spacechem. connect modules to assemble solutions to problems. it takes too long to get to chapter 3, which is where they start asking you to make entire cpus.

ashen. another souls-like. i just really like the environments in this one. the initial area looks gorgeous and the way it changes through the game is really neat to see happen. the seat of the matriarch is wonderfully awful to traverse and i wish there had been two or three more dungeons like it in the game. you can't level up; you gain stats mostly by progressing sidequests and the name quest. i eventually ran out of things to spend money on AND inventory space to store items. the late-game tuning is a little rough but until then it's great. a hint: there are three weapon types and within that type nearly all the weapons are identical. you get thrown so many weapons that don't matter; don't worry about collecting all of them. see above re: running out of space and things to use money for.

i guess it would be cheating to recommend minecraft regrowth or morrowind but i have also been playing those.

[meggannn]

Do you happen to know any other games like transistor or Hades? sorry if it's so random but I got into them thru seeing them on your blog and have been looking for something along similar gameplay

if you haven't already, check out the rest of the Supergiant catalogue? they're also isometric action games, and although I haven't played them myself I hear good things:

Bastion—truthfully I tried this one and just couldn't get into it but it does look pretty and has good voice acting like all SG games

Pyre—honestly I've been meaning to play this for a while but I just haven't gotten around to it. it has middle child syndrome in that it gets looked over for its move hyped siblings but everything I've heard about it has been positive

I don't know if I can recommend anything with similar gameplay to Hades and Transistor, because I don't play a lot of roguelites and Transistor was so unique I'm struggling to think of a comparison. Supergiant has been really singular for me in combining storytelling with gameplay, the marriage of the two in Hades in particular I think was a masterclass akin to Portal (which I'd also recommend if you haven't played it). so a lot of these recommendations are just going to address parts of what I liked about Hades and Transistor, but not the whole package, really.

story-heavy RPG-light games with beautiful graphics with no combat:

Oxenfree—supernatural/coming-of-age story about a group of kids trapped on an island when a portal opens to another world

Night in the Woods—the story of Mae, a college dropout struggling with mental health, who moves back home to deal with friend and family problems... and something else that's in the woods

Afterparty—two friends die and get sent to hell. they hear the only way to escape is to challenge the devil to a drinking contest, so they travel the afterlife to do just that

Signs of the Sojourner—this is an interesting one where you travel to acquire goods to sell at your shop, but negotiating is difficult, and the cards in your deck will help you succeed in forging bonds in conversations. the more diverse cards you have, the more people you can interact with successfully, but you also risk losing the cards you started with, which will make your conversations back home difficult when you return to stock up.

action-heavy indie games, usually made me go "just one more map":

Apotheon—story set in a 2D Greek mythology world about a man challenged to take down the pantheon one god at a time

Into the Breach—the only other roguelite I've played, it's a turn-based strategy where you fight aliens on a grid system with robots, very Pacific Rim-esque

Cult of the Lamb—a roguelite about running your own cult full of animals. apparently it's big on the horror elements without being off-putting or too gory due to the cute graphics. I haven't played this but other people have recommended it!

Jade Order—a very short puzzle game with a neat map design

[splatsvilles-fashionista]

It's Splatfest, which means no fashion challenge this weekend, and that in turn means it's time for Off-Topic Weekend!

This weekend, I wanna highlight a really cool indie game I've been playing that I think is right up a lot of your collective alleys.

Are you a big Pokémon fan? Or were you a Pokémon fan, but are unhappy with the series' more recent efforts? If so, I might just have a game recommendation for you.

Cassette Beasts is a freshly released open-world RPG that feels like a thorough attempt to take the formula of the DS-era Pokémon games and push it to its absolute limit.

This game has a large open world full of puzzles and secrets, 120+ cool, cute, and fun monsters to collect, really in-depth 2v2 combat with a unique take on the regular type weakness system, tons of quests and sidequests, a banger soundtrack with a ton of dynamic music, a bunch of cool party members (that you can apparently romance?), and a story that goes to such weird and cool places that I don't want to go spoil it for you.

I've been consistently impressed by Cassette Beasts ever since I started playing it, and I think you will be too if you give it a chance. It's available on PC right now, and is releasing on all consoles on the 25th.

Also when you pick your starter, instead of giving you choices based on types you're asked if your aesthetic is creepy or cute. 10/10 game based on that alone.

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hi! I was talking to some friends at work about possibly, some time in the future starting an RPG group with them. I asked what kind game they wanted and they asked for a game based on food and puzzles, influenced by currently popular media.

I’m not familiar with a game that is centered around both puzzles AND food. Can you offer any suggestions?

Thanks!

THEME: Food and Puzzles!

Hello friend, so I have a Dungeon Meshi recommendation post that was very poorly tagged, but I’ve fixed it now!

Not everything in this post is beginner friendly, but I’ve talked about these kinds of games a lot before, so I definitely recommend checking out the other links I have in this list, especially Cook & Hero and Wilderfeast. Now, on to the recommendations!

FOODIE’S, by Sam Bullock.

The world has ended. Only psychotic people are left limping through the devastation, trying to scrape by on whatever prepackaged and shelf stable food they can find picking through the wreckage. You are sick to death of eating this shit. You are a Foodie, and your tastes will be satisfied even if it kills you (and it probably will).

Become crazy wasteland chefs willing to fight and die for their next insane culinary creation. Kill raiders, hunt radfauna and escape the endless cycle of mediocre food.

This is a game that’s meant to be as radioactive and shocking as the apocalypse it’s set in. Use whatever you can around you to cook horrifying meals in an effort to make something more than edible. The game uses a system that adds and subtracts dice from your pool depending on traits that you (and your food) might have that make things slightly easier to do or less appealing to cook with. If you want a game that’s stomach-churning but only a few pages to read, maybe check out Foodie’s.

Forager’s Feast, by FUNONEGames.

Your old adventuring group retired, but you couldn't keep yourselves out of the action. And so, you opened a fine-dining establishment where you serve only the finest monster, locally caught and immaculately presented.

Each week after serving your exclusive clientele, you sit down to eat from the menu and tell tales.  Before long, reliving current and past adventures has you sharing deeply with your comrades.  

Roll on a series of d12 roll tables to determine what kind of adventurer you were, and what your role is within the restaurant that the group of you run together. Players take turns selecting a dish from the provided menu, and telling a story about how the group found the related monsters, the process of putting the dish together, and what heavy price they had to pay: an experience from their adventure that left a mark on who they are as a person.

Forager’s Feast is definitely the least focused on stats and mechanics, and more focused on storytelling happening within turns. You are provided with prompts and then asked to jump right in - great for groups who are really interested in storytelling, and much less focused on things like character abilities or hit points.

No Picnics in the Dungeon!, by Biscuit Fund Games.

Classic adventuring through megadungeons and catacombs distilled down to an easy-to-follow recipe: the comfort food of dungeon crawlers! 

Built on the robust Powered By the Apocalypse engine, No Picnics in the Dungeon! is an accessible, rewarding dungeon-crawling experience that’s easy to run and even easier to play. Create an adventuring party in minutes and descend through dungeons requiring a minimum of preparation. Find rare ingredients from the monsters you battle and the flora you find, and cobble them together into beneficial potions or hearty meals. Track down rare Curios, negotiate with the dungeon’s denizens, and come up with a recipe for a fantastic adventure.

The dungeons hide many secrets and many more delicacies within their walls for you and your friends to discover. Ah, dungeon picnics… there's truly nothing like them.

Combine your class and background to put together an adventurer right out of Dungeon Meshi. Powered by the Apocalypse games are very different from what you may expect in D&D, but I think they can be easier to learn because each character works similarly, and doing things is boiled down into moves, which typically involve rolling 2d6 and interpreting the results as either success, failure, or mixed. If you want to learn more about the PbtA school of games, you can check out my system overview, as well this advice on resources when learning how to play.

Death Cap Sauté, by Junk Food Games.

It’s the year 23XX and our world is now The Wasteland. The legendary, reclusive Shroomp Lord is hosting a new cooking competition and your restaurant has received an invitation! Can you survive through the challenges and cook your way to the top?

Death Cap Sauté is a GM-less TTRPG and dice game for 2 to 5 players and is meant to be played in a single session. Each player takes the role of 3 culinary team members representing their restaurant that has entered a deadly cooking competition. Make the best dishes and impress the judges to earn Shroomps. The restaurant with the most Shroomps at the end wins! 

Because Death Cap Sauté is GM-less, it requires everyone around the table to have some understanding of the rules; which means you could teach it as if you were teaching a board-game. The pdf includes a bunch of roll-tables for the competition, as well as hazards that show up in your attempts to make the best dish at the competition. Your characters each have mutations that lend them special powers, allowing you to do things like add or subtract values to your dice, or re-roll certain dice. This is also designed to be a one-shot, so if you want a goofy game that is low-commitment, this might be the game for you!

Delicious in Torchbearer, by Games by Corey.

Delicious in Torchbearer is a Delicious in Dungeon inspired supplement that adds a variety of cooking centred options to Torchbearer 2E. Ideally meant for use at character creation, these rules extend and increase the focus on cooking in the game.

This game is meant to be an add-on for Torchbearer, so I’d only recommend it for your first group if you really want to get up to your neck in the amount of game that’s here. Torchbearer uses a system called Burning Wheel, and much of its mechanics involve making tough decisions regarding your resources, in the hopes that you will be able to outlast your enemies. If you want puzzles, this game can definitely provide them; many of your choices will require your characters to think carefully about their resources and the best way to go about solving problems. Character progression is slow and painstaking; perfect for groups that are in it for the long haul, but for your first game, maybe not so much.

You might also want to check out…

The Laughing Kobold, by therabidbanana.

Bug Dish: Amouse Bouche, by Ryan Khan.

Spirited Cafe, by A Couple of Drakes.

Stewpot: Tales From A Fantasy Tavern, by Takuma Okada.

Consuming A God Recommendations

My Monster Recycling Rec Post

[diy-fire-water-pups]

I know you pups play video games, but does Ryder play any? I know he plays some on his pup-pad, but does he have a console/computer that he also plays on? If so, what does he play? Any favorites of his?

(Maybe us Anons can give him and you pups some new games to play… if that’s okay with Ryder, of course.)

I've only ever seen him playing mobile games. It's usually puzzle-like games, but I've seen him playing some turn-based RPGs and shooting games before too.

Yeah, I don't think he plays anything on the computers here and he doesn't have any console as far as I know.

He's probably too busy to play bigger or longer games like that, so it makes sense it's just mobile games occasionally.

[thelureking]

LILIUM'S 2023 GAME LIST:

Hey! Better late than never! I actually have been editing this list since november, but I lost some of the things I said about the last games and it took me this long to remember what I had written. The risks I run because my mind flows better when I write with pen and paper. So, seeing how well the last list did on my memory, and because I got bored of talking to myself, I shall torture the unlucky ones who have found this post with both my video game taste and my rambles about them. I am so sorry in advance.

It's the same as before: they are ordered chronologically, from first played/finished to last, not ranked in how much I liked them. If I dont say a lot its not because I didn't like it, or that it was bad. At times I didn't want to give too much away. This time I tried to write each segment right after finishing them, or the following days, so that's why I talk way more or in more detail about each game and my own opinions. And who knows, maybe this will be a yearly thing. I like it, I'm Having fun. And hopefully some of these games get the love they deserve by whoever reads this.

So, once again, and now with more words:

1) Mothmen 1966

Mothmen being in the title was enough for me to give it a go, so it's good to say that the game is also good. It is divided by chapters, each one from the perspective of one of our three protagonists, showing the perspective of these vastly different people even if they are connected in some way. The game goes from a visual novel style to changing the gameplay to be interactive while also maintaining its format, something that I found entertaining. Its visuals are a treat, and I believe they enhance the horror presented in the story. All of the parts in this game work in its favor. I cannot believe I am actually saying this, but to get an achievement you need to take an L. I am not joking. It is part of a puzzle and me being good at it made me miss an achievement. No hard feelings, I had a good laugh about it as I was going back to the save file and doing it again. Sometimes, sucking is the way to go. I may have spent way too much time trying to win the Impossible Solitaire. But I will, one day, you'll see.

2) Roadwarden

You know a game is good when I play it for hours uninterrupted and is the main reason I turn on the computer.

Roadwarden is, as the title image says, an illustrated text based RPG, in which you take the role of a Roadwarden who is tasked to explore an unknown peninsula to expand a merchant's guild's influence, establish its safety, and find out what happened to the missing previous roadwarden.

Let me tell you, this game is amazing from both a mechanical and storytelling level. Mechanically because the game keeps track of so many things, it will remember even an answer you gave at the very beginning, and it'll become an integral part of your character. Even little thoughts as you are about to sleep will shape who you are playing as. On the story telling level, so many of the quests and towns are interlinked that holding back on finishing certain quests is the way to go, although in some cases having as many done as possible will no doubt help. The characters and towns are all unique and memorable, each with history that shapes them and how they interact with each other and you, the outsider. Both gameplay and story service each other to present an experience unlike any other, enhancing each other at every opportunity. The art and soundtrack set the perfect atmosphere for each moment. And the world building. Man, the world building, it's just. So well done, you actually believe this is a real place that existed before you arrived, and that it will continue to do so after you leave. It wasn't waiting for you, it did not kick into gear just because you showed up. It has its own issues, its own history, its own people, nature, culture, and you can feel that with each written word, each piece of information. I can't even explain properly just how good the world building is.

I just really fell in love with being a guy on the road taking care of these settlements' problems, getting to know their inhabitants and gaining their trust, all while falling in love with the game. There is one quest that I do not want to spoil, but the ending was so. Fitting, in a way, that I was surprised I didn't see it coming. Even as I saw the achievement name once I completed it, I looked back and just. I just smiled like damn, good job.

If you want to really take in this entire world and its people, I would personally recommend playing in Casual, since any other difficulty setting will put a limit to the days you'll be allowed to stay, and I must stress that this experience must not be rushed. Unless you dont mind a time challenge, in which case you do you. Also don't know about your memory, but I needed to take notes, and some highlights are: "Efren marry me", "We should have all stabbed Thais full Julius Caesar style", "Eudica and Efren my beloveds" and "Thyrsus is my Warlock Uncle". With that being said, the Journal mechanic is a god sent, and I can't be more grateful that it exists. Finally, a journal that doesn't get stuck in the first sentences of a quest from when you first got it.

Oh boy, those are a lot of words. Can you tell I really liked this game? I can't wait to see more from this developer.

EDIT: THE GAME HAS RECEIVED A HUGE UPDATE THAT I HAVE YET TO PLAY, BUT OH BOY IT'S MAKING ME WANT TO REPLAY THE ENTIRE GAME AGAIN.

3) Exhibit of Sorrows

A short game set in a clown exhibit, with a point - click and drag gameplay. I'll keep this one short, since this game can be played for free in both browser and for download in Itchio, and it is a neat little thing that you can beat as fast or as slow as you want. You interact with each exhibit, clicking and dragging the mouse depending on what you need to do, each with a little buddy that you need to help or have fun with to get the key, and proceed to the next screen. Its length and artstyle make for a fun and interesting experience, pacing itself beautifully. It is effective in every way. And come on, they are clowns, they are so cute and look like plushies. I love them all.

4) The Firebrand

A game about a detective interrogating a woman with different word prompts that he writes down in his notebook, all which branch into more questions and answers. You'll uncover the story and the truth of this conversation as you play along, finding out stuff about the woman, the detective, and even the world they live in. It is an interrogation against a clock that keeps on ticking, and luckily the developers give us the chance to check out a dialogue tree and how to get both the Normal and True Ending. With that in mind, the questions that don't lead to either of these are worth reading, as they serve to paint a bigger picture. And hey, you can also get the Bad Ending while you do it.

5) Royal Alchemist

Royal Alchemist is a visual novel in which you, the protagonist, are tasked with tutoring the three princes of a nation. You will fight for your life against the challenges this new position presents and also the stat checks you will have to pass at different points of the story, both of your character and the princes. Speaking of, each one of them represents a different route, with their recommended order (which I highly request following as stated by the creators: Aurelius, then Serin, and finally Nazir. Trust me, they were made to be experienced like this, you wont regret it). You will experience the constant back and forth, the battle of swords and wits with Aurelius, the emotional build up with Serin, and to describe the main appeal of Nazir's route before playing it would be a spoiler. The romance in this VN is some of the best I've experienced. I have never read about two characters holding hands in such an intimate way, it made the pure build up of a route worth every second. And the Princes aren't the only interesting characters, this visual novel is full of fun and complex characters, all with their own personalities and roles. From Raphael, the butler who might as well be the patron saint of patience, to Viola, the infamous head merchant. It has a mechanic of stat raising and, as stated before, there will be points in the story where you will need to reach a certain level of a skill to be able to pass. But don't worry, there is an official guide made by the developers which is a life saver, which not only has each stat requirement for each route, but also with neat additions like character profiles and more. The only criticism I'll give it is that some scenes are cut short when they could have been expanded on and it would have had a better effect, not only in terms of an emotional connection, but also to further enforce the bond between the player and the relationship developed in the route. But besides that small complaint, this visual novel is one I would gladly recommend.

6) Fear & Hunger

God, this game. This game hates you on a mechanical level. This game will put the fear of god in you every time you get further away from a save point, every time you think "yeah I can take this enemy no problem" and next thing you know you are eating dinner with your creator; every time you think "oh neat, a new area" and proceed to eat shit and die for the next hour because you just lost a fucking arm and a leg and can't outrun your enemies anymore. And you refuse to start another run because you are just that stubborn, and you will suffer through the consequences of your early game actions. No this is not my personal experience what are you talking about. It is a bleak and grotesque horror rpg game, made with RPG Maker. You will accompany whichever poor soul you choose as your playable character in their trip to the dungeon of Fear and Hunger, for whichever the reason their story presents. Should you play this game? Be mindful of the triggering content, first and foremost. This is a dark game, and it does not shy away from depicting it. From enemy designs, gameplay mechanics, to the way of worshiping gods, to specific game overs, and so on. Its hard and you will feel it unfair. This game will not hold your hand, and when you think it does it will put its teeth around your wrist and tear it off your body, its saliva infecting your wound with poison and leaving you to rot. I love this game.

7) Clash: Robot Detective

Fun fact: I never look into games that much before playing them, which in this case led to the asssumption that I was going to play a robot. So I named my character Flesh, because I thought a robot named Flesh was funny and also cool. Turns out, I ended up playing a human named Flesh. Which was somehow even funnier, and ended up becoming a pattern when I played the extras, which have a different protagonist, and I decided to commit to the bit and named them Blood. Flesh and Blood, my favourite human beings.

You play as the extremely new assistant to our titular detective Clash, who asks for your help in solving a mystery taking place in the cruise ship you are vacationing on. Depending on the different dialogue options, you can play as the good or the bad cop, and Clash will balance you out in this act, which leads to different and interesting outcomes.

I have to say, the artstyle drew me in. I am a sucker for these types of illustrations, and I'm glad that the writing and story were as good. I was invested not only in the case, but also on Clash as a character, who I will longingly stare at from a distance because I respect his boundaries and preferences.

Keep on going, you majestic robot detective, I can't wait to see what kind of trouble you get into in the future.

8) EXCUSE ME SIR (Demo)

Long awaited (at least for me) DEMO from Airdoft (creator of FAITH) and , and it all came about because of her videos and a single tweet.

The demo is short, but it shows the great potential of what a game like this could grow into, and I cant wait to see it become a finished project.

EDIT: Sadly, the game has been canceled, so we won't be able to see this concept grow into a finished game. Hopefully it'll inspire others with its style and presentation.

9) (Don't) Open Your Eyes

In this room, you know how everything looks. Does that include your midnight intruder?

This entire VN is a one sided conversation between you and something that may or may not be there, shaped in the darkness of your closed eyelids. Both of you are gripped by the same question, the intrigue eats away at you. Your imagination runs wild trying to give shape to this anomaly, and it is so desperate for you to find out.

There is only one way to do so:

Don't open your eyes.

10) Fortress

Man, short and effective is the way to describe this one. It has such a fantastic grip on atmosphere and tension that I admire. It truly captures the feeling of returning to a place where an impactful childhood memory took place.

Using the same location and making you play through it at different times of the story was done so well. I was ready for things to happen just because they did in the past, the first half of the game, and expected them to happen again.

In the past, I was ready to shoot on sight. As an adult, I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger, not even to see if I could. I don't know why, months after playing it, this little thing has stuck with me the most.

11) The Shadows That Run Alongside Our Car

You leave the gas station with a stranger, either on the wheel or sitting next to you. The silence hangs heavy between you two, the road is empty, the sun is setting, and the end of the world is now. Time to break the silence, you get to choose who. In this visual novel you get to decide how this conversation at the end of the world unfolds, a game of perspective between our two characters, who may hide certain details about themselves or reveal them, if they give you the choice. After all, what would you gain by hiding a secret in this car ride? It could be your last.

12) Attack of the Murder Hornets

Hornets are evil, evil things of nature. They are coming for your bees.

They are coming for you.

BE READY

13) Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition (+ Siege of Dragon Spear)

There has to be a saying that goes: If you can't play the game everyone is talking about, go play every single game in it's series that came before it. Because that's what I did, even if I already wanted to play the Baldur's Gate games before the third one came around. But it was definitely a good push. The game's story has a much smaller scope than I expected, or maybe that's just how I feel now that I am currently playing the second game, but I think it works in its favor.

I think the reason I don't have much to say, besides the fact that I had lots of fun, is because my head is still processing Siege of Dragon Spear (with its much bigger scope) and what I am currently seeing in the second game. What all I'll say about that one now is man, what a way to start a sequel.

My suffering came mostly from the ruleset used (which I was unfamiliar with) and the fucking paralysis spell. Fuck it. ALL MY HOMIES HATE THE PARALYSIS SPELL.

In terms of characters, I didn't end up using most of the available NPCs in my party, even if I made the effort of recruiting them all, mostly because the ones I had I liked a lot. I liked Rasaad and I was pleasantly surprised he had a romance in the expansion AND the second game, which I am enjoying a lot. Jaheira and Khalid never left my party, same with Imoen who I kept treating like a sister because come on, the setup of being raised in the same city since birth and being childhood friends was perfect. I love Baeloth an unhealthy amount, he is so perfect in the expansion I made an effort to keep him in the party even if I had high reputation. In the expansion my party was insane looking. Like Oh yes, the Hero of Baldur's Gate, her monk companion Rasaad, Jaheira and... a gnome nobody knows why he is around, Baeloth the entertainer I guess, and a GOBLIN? At one point I did switch Jaheira for Viconia, only because Baeloth was one point of reputation away from leaving the party. I swear, the grip that man has on me. The story from Viconia's POV must be so funny: She gets recruited and instantly tells me she is fucking off, gets recruited again only because I dont want an idiot entertainer to leave; and then when she is about to be killed, who comes to her rescue? THIS DUMBASS. She must be like: GOD, DAMN IT, I CAN'T ESCAPE THIS BITCH. I am her surface curse.

My closing thought for this game is: Whoever made the TOSC maze... Who the fuck hurt you? Same goes for whoever made that final boss. WHY?!