#a mix of psychology. action. monsters. horror and puzzles

[sirensea14]

HOLY. FUCKING. HELL.

So Specialedd finished his gameplay series of In Sound Mind and is, hands down, easily able to tear the fuck me out. This game is a masterpiece, its so emotional. I really cried at the fact that the government or smth tried to kill Desmond and his parting with his cat. This game easily made me tear up, wtf. (This is actually a rare occurrence for me 😭)

This is a fucking masterpiece psychological game. It had the strongest feels and--ugh its just way too emotional. It tackled things about mental health whilst being a game.

The characters that resonated the most to me is Allen and Desmond. My favorite part of the game would be Jorge (a mannequin)-and also the other mannequins-helping Desmond. Fuck. And it has an animated mv of it which made it sooooo sick!! It's way too fucking awesome. And that scene in the post-credits? Fucking wtf moment for me! The kinda 'relieved' type of wtf lol.

I should also mention that in Lucas' tape, those star connecting puzzles are so fucking awesome. And also i remembered, the 4 medallions in the church, fucking awesome detail.

I love this game and I--ugh damnit.

This is way too realistic for me. Damn too much. Im gonna have a brainrot on this. And the lamp/small chandelier near the staircase, the light had the colors! And the details of the map outside the building--the rooftop. All the places-Homamart, Icarus point, the quarry and the Elysium state park(or whatever, its smth Elysium) theyre all there! I love that detail sm. I even stopped the assignment im currently doing just to check on yt and suddenly the last episode of the gameplay is the first thing i saw! XD

I love this. I so love this sm. This-well, ive had a bit of interest in psychology or smth that affects people's behaviors and minds and stuff. This game. This. Game. Damn showed it too well.

In sound mind is going to my favorite games, kudos to We Create Stuff !(game dev team) This game has left an impact on me.

[senuassaga]

Exploring the Terrifying Realities of Senua's Saga Hellblade II

If you were worried that Ninja Theory would lose its touch under Microsoft’s new ownership, think again. With gore-soaked scenes in village huts and creepy creatures lurking in dark caves, Hellblade II’s intense violence shows that the bigger budget only amps up the brutality, making it clear where to buy Xbox games for the best experience. Just like the first game, you gotta have headphones for the full experience. After Senua’s lover gets killed in the 2017 Hellblade, a grief-stricken Senua sees her resulting psychosis as an ancient curse, calling her inner voices "the furies". Hellblade II uses the same binaural audio tech to make Senua’s madness feel real, surrounding you with eerie whispers that get louder and scarier. Melina Juergens nails it as Senua, with Helen Goalen and Abbi Greenland giving life to the voices in her head. But Hellblade II isn’t just about her inner demons. As you explore Iceland’s beautifully crafted Norse landscapes, from plains to snowy peaks, you realize reality can be as terrifying as Senua’s visions. Ninja Theory’s game echoes the unsettling mix of folklore and history found in Robert Eggers’ 2022 Viking flick The Northman.

Exploring Haunting Realms in Hellblade II

Senua’s journey isn’t a solo gig anymore; with a crew of seriously messed-up characters adding weight to this epic tale, you'll want to buy PS5 games. Battling Vikings, giants, and the undead blurs the line between reality and Senua’s twisted mind. A freaky cave part cranks up the psychological horror to unbearable levels. Like Death Stranding, Hellblade II rocks Iceland’s surreal cliffs to bring its crazy story alive. It mixes photorealistic tech with widescreen style and film vibes, making it the slickest game of this console era. Normally I skip photo modes (basically Instagram for games), but I had to stop mid-action to snap some sick horizon shots, like some messed-up art project. The mind-bending puzzles from the first game are back, yanking poor Senua into nightmares between all the epic scenes. Environments twist and warp like a trippy 00s music video, with voices adding stress like a creepy symphony. Hellblade II keeps you in the movie with no hints, health bars, or meters – just a battered, slow-moving Senua dodging demons and swords.

Embracing Empathy: Hellblade II's Message in a Risk-Averse Industry

Video games have always been praised for letting you step into a character’s shoes, and Hellblade II takes that to the next level, creating real, challenging empathy. Dealing with anxiety means dealing with voices that can’t be trusted, but it’s rare in games to feel that constant misdirection so intentionally. While I don’t have psychosis, there’s something strangely healing about hearing this character’s deepest fears and self-doubt unfold in real time. As a high-budget sequel to an indie game about PTSD, Hellblade II is the unexpected hit of 2024. From its heart-pounding start to its intense, bloody finale, it’s a gripping, scary success. It’s short and tightly scripted, not like your usual games focused on loot and leveling. Instead, Hellblade II delivers a profound, gut-wrenching experience. There’s a layer of compassion even amid the brutality, reminding us that even the worst monsters were once human. In today’s divided world, this message of choosing empathy over hate hits hard. As big corporations shut down award-winning studios, games like Hellblade II deserve to be cherished. Who knows how many more bold epics like this we’ll get in an industry that’s often afraid to take risks.

[boop-le-snoot]

PARTY FAVOURS I CHAPTER 30

First time reader click here

TRIGGER WARNING! This chapter is a horror movie. There's blood, gore and psychological horror elements. Lemme know if it was actually scary - I'm desensitized to this shit. This was written to come out on Halloween but I was too slow with writing.

Wooden floor creaking behind me, I couldn't feel the cold of it, not even a single splinter piercing the arches of them, I ran like my life depended on it. The darkness behind me was alive; it breathed, pulsated, spreading along the walls of the hallway like mold. The hallway seemed to be endless.

As soon as I realized that, I noticed that it, in fact, did have an end and not a door was in sight; that quickly proved to br also just a trick of the eye - there were doors, the hallway was riddled with them, each one dark, identical and placed neatly about five feet apart. With shaking hands, I turned the knob, slamming the door behind me with a loud bang.

Panting, I let myself slide against the door, eyes closed, sheet landing in a puddle of white fabric on the floor around me. First five seconds passed quietly; then, a noise interrupted my panicked thinking and my eyes flew open as the scene in front of me produced more confusion.

The familiar scene of the pond behind my grandparents' stables, the poppies - a splash of blood red against the dull greens and browns - swaying in the breeze. A Dora the Explorer bucket hat and a six-year-old me, hair in pigtails, poking at a spot of moist soil with a large stick.

I knew where this was going yet I couldn't pull my eyes away from the scene that was going to unfold. A stallion my parents had recently bought, ill-tempered and moody, jumping over the low fence and galloping noisily right at mini-me. The terrified animal was screaming yet I was oblivious to it's distress, too busy trying to fish out earthworms out of the wet ground. Almost in slo-mo, mini-me noticed the running, screaming animal and bolted for safety, its hooves missing my little body barely by a feet.

I felt the cold water of the pond on my skin. It was dirty and blooming at the time, musky smell assaulting my senses, murky water choking the life out of both versions of me. In the distance, I noticed a much younger and slimmer dad sprinting full-speed towards the splashing child in the pond. He was screaming something and I leaned in, trying to hear him better.

The scene vanished into thin, wispy smoke. My head was once again clear and the suffocating dread and panic subsided, letting me take in several deep breaths and try to assess the situation calmly. I had survived that accident, even successfully overcame my fear of swimming later on.

Hands shaking and heart fluttering like a frightened bird, I recoiled from the locked door when it began to rattle, the noise deafening in the eerie quiet of the house.

The shadows were taunting me. Trapping me in my worst fears, making me relive my worst memories. The artifact needed something from me - what was it? I wondered, tucking the sheet in some semblance of a toga and standing up to explore the room. Save for a few outdated pieces of furniture, it was cold and empty, void of life. Nowhere to hide.

I paced the room, coming to a halt next to the heavy, thick velvet curtains. Expecting to see a window behind them, I was surprised with another old wooden door with a bent handle that had gathered an impressive layer of dust. With rattling behind me increasingly growing in volume, I had no other option but to press it down and quickly dart into the next dark room.

Clint. Lifeless eyes wide open, his body laying at my feet, sheet-white and rust coloured stains adorning his mouth, nails black and broken as if he'd been clawing at the dilapidated wooden floors. I backed away from him, further into the room - the archer's body began to move and tremble, tiny little gashes appearing on every inch of exposed skin. The thing that was breaking out of him glowed, pale blue and sickly.

"That's not..." I whispered to myself. "Clint is alive," As if I had been doused with cold water, the images of MAFS incident seeped into my mind, the what-ifs of my past actions weighing heavily and clouding my mind with guilt.

"Come on, we don't have much time," Steph's voice appeared behind my back, loud and out of nowhere. I was rightfully sceptical about the reality of him - while his face was the usual, tense expression of boredom, he stood differently. I couldn't describe the difference if I tried; it just felt wrong. Like a puzzle piece was missing.

"I don't think so, demon dude," Squaring my shoulders once again, I prepared myself for the inevitable pain.

"Who?" The copycat asked, faking concern surprisingly well. "It's the artifact. It's making you see things that aren't real," With a wave of his hand, the door flew open, exposing the hallway filled with the void that was chasing me previously.

"Oh what I saw was real alright," I countered, tilting my head to examine the entity. Unknowingly, it had given itself away - Stephen's magic always glowed gold and orange, in the sense that he wasn't like Loki - Strange's spells were always visible. "I'd rather you kill me then spread your vile disease beyond this... Space," With none of the bravery I actually had, bluff came surprisingly easy. Perhaps, I really was ready to die so my friends and family could live.

Not-Stephen tsked and grinned maliciously, once again waving his hands about. "Killing you? So barbaric and an absolute waste of potential." The shadows pushed something into the gaping hole of the doorway, something curled up in a fetal position and whimpering. The entity picked up the man by the shoulders, forcing him to kneel in front of it, teary baby browns staring back at me, wide with terror.

Tony. My feet took an involuntary step forward, where my Tony was trembling, whimpering in the creature's grasp, unseeing eyes looking straight forward. As if I wasn't there.

"Submit and I will let him go. Right now, he's relieving the worst memories of his life," The entity raised an eyebrow, a mock imitation of Stephen's expression. I could hear Tony mumbling faintly, something about his chest and Afghanistan and bombs and Obadiah.

It pissed me off. Firstly, how dare this wannabe-Pennywise, this LOST-fog-monster-reject to lay his filthy metaphysical fingers on my Tony. And secondly, for the sloppy intelligence job - I had been woken up by Tony's nightmares more than enough to know his biggest fear wasn't Afghanistan. It wasn't Obadiah and it wasn't Bucky killing his parents, it wasn't even the vast, consuming black emptiness of the space behind the wormhole.

Anger burning my throat, I lunged at not-Stephen with a bloodcurdling scream, feeling my nails dig into the cold, clammy flesh of the thing's throat. Taken by surprise, both of us stumbled, falling into the abyss of the hallway, me kicking and scratching and screaming all the way, fingers squeezing deeply into the lifeless imitation of flesh. His screams mixed with mine and Tony's into a shrieking cacophony.

The darkness was laughing, cackling, noise sharp like nails on a chalkboard. It hurt, but the thing's grip on me hurt even more. "He'll never love you like you expect him to. They don't care about you. The mage said he'd help you and now you're dying here, alone," Black smoke began leaking out of the impostor's mouth along with the words, both acrid and venomous.

My head was pounding as more and more of the stuff came into contact with my body. My vision swam, bordering on unconsciousness. "If I'm dying, I'm taking you with me, bitch," I screamed out, squeezing and squeezing and squeezing until I exploded together with my surroundings, in a short of white, blinding light.

And then, there was darkness. My limbs were once again filled with concrete, mouth dry and skin burning like I'd been branded with a hot iron.

I opened my eyes to the familiar sight of the room with the fireplace. The fire was roaring, crackling and and shooting noisy sparks, accompanied by heavy breathing to my left. Disregarding the nausea that followed my every movement, I hung my head over the side of the car coming to witness both sorcerers laying haphazardly on the floor, a thin river of blood seeping into the carpet from Wong's head.

Confused, disoriented and terrified, I called out for them, voice barely audible and terse. Had I been screaming?

The sorcerers' chests rose and fell rapidly; my panic subsided but not by much. I crawled out of the cot only to land ungracefully on my face, body refusing to cooperate and feeling about as well as after I'd ran a marathon. Inch by inch, I crawled over to the chair I had left my things on, fighting with my body for every movement I made.

Fumbling, l pulled out my phone and pressed the green call button on the one person one would call in this situation. My best friend.

"Yes, dear?" His baritone was tense but nonetheless calm.

"Help, some-something happened," I managed to say, no louder than a whisper. "Sanctum," I clarified, hearing a noise of things falling over and several distressed voices shouting in the background.

"I am coming, do not end the call," Loki replied immediately, barking out several commands I didn't quite catch. There were more noises of distress as I obediently stayed on the phone. "Darling, can you tell me what happened?"

"I- Killed?" I tried to articulate my thoughts, tongue becoming more and more uncooperative by the second.

"Oh my God, who's dead?!" I heard Bruce yell, probably, right in Loki's ear.

"The Thing," I clarified, hoping to calm him down.

Loki cursed in his native language, I heard him trying to wrestle the phone from someone - unsuccessfully so, I might say, as Tony's distraught voice was the next thing I heard. "Princess, listen to me. Are you okay? Where's Strange? We're gonna be there in 10 minutes. We're coming."

An avalanche of information for my overtaxed brain and aching body, I struggled to keep up with Tony's rambling and filtering out Loki's screeching in the background. So much noise. My head hurt. "No, Steph and Wong are down. Alive." I managed to convey the most important part, a terrified sob leaving my chest burning. "Please, talk," I begged Tony, not wanting to be left in that terrifying, consuming silence ever again.

And Tony talked. He babbled nonstop, things that I didn't really catch neither care about, having enough strength to give a hum of approval every few seconds or so. It appeared to be as calming to him as it was to me, I didn't hear any more complaints from the team, only brief increase in volume as one of them got closer to the phone. A part of me conceded I should've made at least one joke about being put on loudspeaker, however, my brain was exhausted.

Burnt out, rather. The emptiness settled in my bones, chilly, like the blood had been sucked out of me, making my body just a vessel for the darkness that stalked my nightmares. I dug my nails into the soft flesh of my bare thigh, feeling none of the pain, just the relief when blood seeped through the cuts, crimson and warm.

That's how they found me. Loki threw open the door, breaking one of the hinges, eyes immediately darting between me and the laying sorcerers, as he swiftly cast a bright golden spell on the room, warming us from the inside out. Carefully stepping over the two men, Loki kneeled in front of me, green eyes staring right into mine.

I heard cursing and thudding but all I could focus on was the shining emerald of Loki's eyes. "Oh, child," He whispered, reaching out with both arms to pull me into his chest. I couldn't have resisted even if I wanted to, my body was utterly drained of fight.

"What happened?" Tony asked, a hysterical pitch to his voice.

"I can assume there was a failsafe left behind by the artifact, it took out both sorcerers and attempted to finish the job it started," Loki spoke up, hand gently petting my hair, still clutching my limp body like I was dying. "She fought it off, I don't know how, but she fought it off. It has entered a dormant state again."

"What do you mean took them all out?" In his distress, Tony seemed to have lost all sensibility. "What happened to her?!" He was getting impatient, angry.

"With an artifact like that, it's a blessing they are still alive. It is ancient and unpredictable," Loki explained patiently, none of his usual vitriol present. "And she... You could say she was mind-raped," He stated, quieter.

I groaned in protest. Loki's spell of gold did what felt like a wonder: the light was slowly coming back into the room, into me, filling me with warmth I didn't know I could lack. "As if," I slurred. "As if that Pennywise wannabe could ever," My body was, nonetheless, exhausted. "I've swallowed more kids than he could ever," My eyelids dropped, the comforting noise of Tony's and Loki's combined chuckle amplifying the surplus of warmth within me.

Last thing I saw was Tony's watery smile, tears crinkling at the corners of his eyes as he lifted me from Loki's arms, hot rod red of his suit saturating the room with color. Feeling safe for the first time in what felt like forever, I let my eyes close voluntarily, a smile crawling onto my face. I was right. Tony was alright, it wasn't really him that was getting tortured in the nightmare-verse.

"What..." I heard Stephen croak from somewhere. "Baby?!" His voice raised a whole octave; Thor's fond chuckle followed the rustling of fabric and a few stronger choice words from the sorcerer as Loki briefed everyone on the situation at hand.

"How is she, Tones?" Bruce asked quietly from above me.

"Pretty out of it but on her way back to health," Tony replied with another watery laugh. "Cracking jokes and whatnot clownery."

Bruce exhaled in relief, stroking my face with the side of his fingers. It was almost palpable, the general atmosphere of respite in the room, the sudden free flow of oxygen to my lungs.

"I am so sorry," Stephen's whisper was more felt than heard by me; the spice of his cologne and copper of blood reached my nostrils, burning them, keeping the warmth from leaving my body ever again.

My fingers weakly held out to him, finally coming to grasp his more-than-usual shaking hand. "Not your fault," I breathed. "Persistent cursed box," Were my last words before my consciousness gave out. Sleep sweet sleep.

THE TAG LIST IS NOW OPEN! @another-stark-sub ​ @mostly-marvel-musings  @vozit ​ @littlegasps ​@pilloclock ​ @shereadsinquiet @downeyreads ​ @hermione-grangers-wife ​ @individualistfem ​ @sleep-i-ness @capbrie @lillsxd @agustdowney @dee-vn @justanotherblonde23 @fanngirl19 @persephonehemingway @softie-socks @schemefrenzy @letsby @cutenessloading @romeo-the-cactus @jelly-fishy-babie @mikariell95

[maskedpeach]

RPG Maker Fever Hero & Issues

Warning: This article may contain spoilers and the content inappropriate for children…or may not contain.But get the children away from the screen just in case.

Five little authors went out to write. One little author has missed the deadline. Four little authors didn’t pay him much mind. Three authors are left since fourth drank the lye. Three little authors are bursting with confidence. One overworked himself and other two ignored his absence. Two little authors try to finish hard task. Teddy bear hugged one and one stands at last. One little author is left all alone. He hung himself on the chandelier and then there were none…Then who has finished this article? And why this teddy bear is giving me a weird look?

1. Walking on a Star Unknown

Walking on a Star Unknown is the latest game made by Segawa and most heartwarming out of her three games (while End Roll was more heartbreaking than heartwarming, and Farethere City is somewhere in-between). Game  tells a story of two alien siblings, whose ship has crashed on the unfamiliar planet, where they decide to participate in the cooking tournament to get their ship fixed. Gameplay is simple yet very fun - most of the time you gather ingredients, learn new recipes, do side-quests and make friends with the planet inhabitants. Game has memorable cast of characters with their own interesting stories and  bright and stylish visuals. As previous Segawa’s  games Star also has some disturbing themes and some areas are dark and creepy, but overall tone of the game is bright and optimistic.

2. Witch’s Heart

Actually I wrote the detailed review on this game few posts ago, but  I’m still including WH in the article for those who are lazy to read that enormous wall of a text. The most notable part of the game is its plot (which is interesting to follow and full of good twists) and memorable cast of well-developed characters. Along with it WH has  entertaining  gameplay (mini-games included), great presentation and catchy soundtrack. Overall it is one of the best games I’ve ever played, so if you like rpg-horrors I suggest to at least give it a try. Game is still unfinished, currently only one ending (out of four routes) is available, but even in the present state it means about 15-20 hours of gameplay.

3. The Mystery Files of Detective Inaba No. 1, 2, 3

Here goes a game trilogy about Sogo Inaba-a tsundere detective with adorable side and Nina Arimura – his energetic assistant, together they solve various cases, some of the cases are pretty normal, and others are somewhat paranormal. First game of the series is a detective with minor supernatural horror elements – some rpg-horror typical puzzles and minor chasing sequences included. Second game is purely realistic and much more simple gameplay-wise comparing to the first game. Stories in first two games resemble Agatha Christie’s detective  novels mixed with japanese psychological horrors. Third game of the series is closer to pure survival horror with minor detective elements and plays like many other rpg-horrors . To be honest, the third game is my personal favorite, since it is the most polished game out of three and the good conclusion for the Inaba and Arimura’s story. All three games are about 2 hours long and have great presentation (like quality art-style and great in-game music).

4. Asadoke no Majo

Asadoke no Majo starts with our protagonist ��Yui arguing with her father and as a result running away from home to …another country, where resides their old family mansion along with dark family secret and a handsome guy managing the estate as a bonus. Game is about 2 hours long and has pretty simple puzzles, minor jumpscares and several chasing scenes (but a final chase is the only frustrating one). Despite being pretty typical rpg-horror Asadoke no Majo leaves very positive impression thanks to bright cast of characters (the Nogi guy here is something else), good story and atmosphere along with well-chosen soundtrack. Currently game is available in japanese and russian.

5. Hero & Daughter

H&D is a dungeon-crawler made by tachi (Headless Prisoner, Moonlight Ghost, Hello?Hell…o?), which mocking famous fantasy cliché “hero defeats a dark lord”.Our hero Ralph get his level reduced to 1 because of his arrogance, and with this permanent level 1 he is tasked to defeat the Demon Lord. Again. That’s where Ralph’s friend of the haremancer class comes to rescue. This guy can summon pretty girls (including heroines from previous tachi’s games like Erina and Akari) to help Ralph in his quest. H&D is fun and entertaining, battles are fast-pacing, dungeons are complex, visuals are nice, also game has enormous level-cap and loads of optional content and many playable characters. Plot may be simple, but H&D has good humor and characters ( even generic Ralph got a nice personality). If you like quality role-playing games I highly recommend to try it out

6. Ai korosu yori, Ai korosaretai

An ordinary (alright, maybe a bit eccentric) family moves into new house. Soon after that their daughter Lucy falls with high fever.When she gets better, she discovers that her parents are gone  and various weird phenomena is occurring in the house. To find the missing parents Lucy will have to search the house and learn about its history full of mysterious disappearances and tragic events. AiAi has very interesting story (good mix of horror and sci-fi) and entertaining gameplay with interesting puzzles and action cut-ins. Also beside proceeding the story you can also do some optional stuff  like gathering collectibles and later saving runaway cows. If you like quality horror-adventures I highly recommend to try this game out. AiAi is currently available in japanese and russian.

7. Escatpade

Here goes another quality game for those who is tired from horror and tragedy and wants something warm and relaxing. Escatpade  is about the girl who falls into the pit and finds herself in the weird place full of adorable talking cats. Game is nice and fun, have a bright, adorable designs and simple yet elegant puzzles. Also some items in the inventory can change appearance of our heroine (like clothes, glasses and stuffed kittycats).

8. Tower of Feles

ToF made by the author of Escatpade and also full of adorable cats. But unlike Escatparade this game is slightly more challenging. ToF is an action-puzzle where your objective is save your little sister from evil witch. In order to do so you have to climb on top of the tower, solving various puzzles and avoiding witch’s servants in the process. Every floor has a time limit, and if either time runs out or your health drops to zero you’ll have to start the floor over. Game is a bit tricky and very fun to play. If you have beaten Escatpade and want more cats and cuteness- Tower of Feles is what you need. 

9. Twilight Epic

Twilight Epic is a sequel to Amayado Bus Stop. This time the main character is Akane’s and Akari’s cousin Akino, who  receives a call from unknown girl, who tells him about certain “promise” and right after that he finds this girl’s dead body (or not quite dead). The boy decides to find out the truth and grown-up Chitose and Akari are helping him out. Game is far more simple than its predecessor-puzzles are mostly gone and chasing scenes are pretty straightforward, but still the game is very enjoyable, since story is good and heartwarming. Also game has quality art-style and skit system similar to one in Tales series. Twilight Epic is currently available in japanese and russian.

10. Peret em Heru: For the Prisoners

Peret em Heru is survival horror with rpg-elements about a group of tourists, lead by an archeologist, professor Tsuchida, exploring  ancient  ruins underneath the Great Pyramid of Giza. Needless to say, that these ruins are filled with deadly traps and Tsuchida’s intentions are far from mere scientific interest.  Gameplay resembles Sweet Home and Corpse Party –Rebuilt-, but more simple and straightforward – you play as one of the tourists,  fight monsters, grind levels,  and save your teammates from booby traps. Overall Peret em Heru is a nice game with stylish old-fashioned visuals and good music, game is about 3 hours long and have one ending, which varies depending on how many of your teammates have survived.

11. The Object

You awake in the dark room in the unknown place and find out that not only your memories are gone, but your head is gone as well. On top of that  you can attach literally anything to an empty place where your head once was. Now your goal is to regain the lost memories along with the head and leave the house. Game consists from exploration and simple yet elegant puzzles, which you solve by swapping  your heads. Game is pretty interesting and  has five endings , to get all of them  you’ll  need about 30 minutes.

12. Colors: Lost Memories

This time you play as a little girl who finds herself in the colorless world inhabited by talking animals. To get back home she must return this world its colors. Colors have stylish visuals highly reminiscent of old GBC games as well as unique puzzles based on using various colors you get during the game at the right places. First you can use only one color (for example red is needed to light or put out fire), later you will be able to activate up to three colors at the same time.Game is cute and fun to play, approximate time of the playthrough is one hour.

13. Nemoral

Nemoral is a short game about two cops who end up in the abandoned mansion while chasing the cult followers, assuming that they have something to do with the recent disappearances of children. And this mansion hides pretty dark secret about a project based on the famous fairy tale. Nemoral is quality action-horror, where both visuals and gameplay is somewhat resemble very first Resident Evil (in the good way of course). The only con of Nemoral is anti-climatic ending (game was made for the contest, and author was short on time). But even in present state the game is still enjoyable.

14. B*x. Colorful.

I’ve decided to unite both games in one mini-review, since they are both made by the same author and both are very short. B*x is about lonely girl in bunny outfit, who lives with her boyfriend, the only person who cares about her. But it seems like he’s hiding something from her. Game is about 30 minutes long and have few easy puzzles. Colorful is only 10 minutes long and have no puzzles at all, and more depressing than B*x. In Colorful you just listen to the story and watch pictures. Both games have very nice art style.

[iamcrimelord]

Excerpt from the Journal of Doctor Henry Thomas: Oct 3

“A most, fantastic thing has occurred. As I was conducting my research into the changes of beasthood that plague Yharnum, a creature appeared in my room. It is the most.. ASTOUNDING THING. At first I thought had been dreaming and tried to wake up, but this creature that appeared informed me I was not dreaming, but had in fact emerged from a dream and wished to converse with me. I dare say I thought I was mad at that point but he assured me that such was not the case, but for my personal safety I should keep to myself our conversation. I shall endeavor however to record it in this journal to read back to at a later time. 

The Creature that I spoke to, had the body of a man sure enough, only his head was like that of a Cephalopod. It went upward like a squid and at his mouth were several long tentacles that went down to his belt. He was dressed in robes of a most ancient looking fashion and on his shoulders wrapped around him like a cloak were dragon like wings. His skin was of a sea green hue. I inquired of him what he wanted and he said that he had observed my work, in particular my work with the mad houses and was most impressed by my observations. Indeed he said that my insight into such things had grown to the point that he was visible to my naked eye. When I asked him his name, he told me he went by many. The Sleeping one, Mind Flayer, the Eldritch Guardian. He told me however I may refer to him as, Cthulhu. I offered him tea but he politely declined and said he wished instead to speak and converse with me on my research. I eagerly sat down and pulled out my journal to discuss my notes with him. 

We began to speak on the insight of lunatics and madness and how they seem to transform into more horrid beasts. I informed him of my theory that perhaps these lunatics madness freed them of restraining closed mindedness and allowed them be more perceptive, or perhaps it was not madness at all, and was in fact that the things they could see where of a most fantastic nature it only made them seem mad. He confirmed that it was more the latter theory that was true. Lunacy does not mean insight he told me. Rather it is a symptom of seeing the world for what it is. The most frantic of these madmen were simply trying harder than others to escape the truths that they had suddenly been burdened with. But once a thing is known... it is rather difficult to un-know it, hence the decent into madness. I asked him then if these various transformations of eldritch horror, pale faced man, and hound were indeed tied to the level of insight one had of the world around them. He said that this was indeed true. The cause he said of the eldritch horrors the lunatics most often take is a result of them rejecting the truth, they try to force what they know out of their minds and the result is a mental backlash that causes their body to reject itself. He compared it to a hernia of sorts. The stress of rejection causes the body and the mind to damage itself, only this time instead of a damaged organ they have a damaged existence, the strain of exertion to try and restore their previous ignorance results in them contorting their form. It is like when one try’s to solve a very complicated puzzle, they try and try to put all the pieces back together but when they are unable to figure the puzzle out, they cast the puzzle aside in anger, damaging and losing pieces as they do so, and as a result the puzzle cannot be as it once was, and one must make do with what one has left.....and sometimes what happens is they take pieces of other puzzles to fill in the empty spaces but as you can imagine, those pieces do not fit perfectly. The lunatics then are like those who have cast aside their puzzle, only many of their pieces have been cast into the fire and are destroyed utterly as well as replaced not with new puzzle pieces... But with shards of other items entirely, hence the randomness of their form. 

The explanation indeed opened my mind to the world around him, and I noted that my new companion seemed... More in the room now. As if he had gained a much more, solid mass somehow. As if he were more real now than he had been before. 

I then asked him in regards to the hounds and how low insight caused them to change so and why their change and that of the pale faced men were more organized and less chaotic than the lunatics. He explained in great detail that men who become hounds turn into such things because it is what their minds are most akin to. It is not that they are idiots he said, but rather they spend their days doing simple tasks either working in factories or farms mostly only concerned that they are able to obtain that which will feed them, clothe them, and give them shelter as animals are apt to do. Hounds he explained, are not concerned with the goings on of the world, they are concerned only with their basic needs and nothing else. Many do not consider the actions of kings or pontiffs nor do they delve into the mystery’s of science or the world around them. They simply live, or rather as my guest Cthulhu put it: concern themselves with not dying. I asked then why hounds in particular? Why not some other beast as those traits are shared by all the creatures that walk the earth. He explained then that aside from those basic survival traits, man also has a savage blood lust that cannot be sated. When I protested that he asked me a question: What games do children play the most? Games of war... of Violence... of battle. Who are deemed heroes and great men of any age? Soldiers, Generals, men of Violence. Even the actions of men like Jack Ripper have in their own way, a Macabre infamy that deep down many people are mesmerized by. He explained that there is a spirit of violence in all men, that is why the beastly transformation takes the shape of a hound. Wolves and other such beasts have always been romanticized as noble warriors and warriors... are in the business of violence be it for good or ill, and even then, the acts of noble intention are oft times an excuse to indulge in that need for killing. I then realized that these beastly transformations are not in fact biological, but Psychological. That it was the mind that resulted in these shapes, a realization I then found was obvious, and yet I did not make it before. Upon that my new friend again seemed to become more real, more corporeal, more...existent. 

I then inquired as to the pale faced men. If psychology was indeed the means by which a transformation was made possible? As I asked that question the very answer came to me, and again my friend seemed to be even more real than before. I dare say even more real than the room in which we sat, as though reality itself was the illusion and this man the truth. I told him what I realized, that the church became pale faced men because they saw themselves as men yes... but men of a greater stature, that they were human still... but now more than human. They were, the next step of humanity’s evolution. A smile touched the eyes of Cthulhu and he nodded. He confirmed my discovery and congratulated me for it. 

I then asked him the most important question: What was causing these transformations in the first place? What was the cause of these psychologically mandated transformations into monsters, and how might we stop it? He laughed softly and told me: The Arrogance of Man, suckled on the Teat of Ambition. He then vanished and I have not since seen him. 

I do not know if I shall see this man again. But ever since my conversation with him, the world seems to have changed. I can see things that I did not see before. Women with faces a mix of beast and human, Priests with lanterns covered in eyes, Scholars that seem to be perpetually melting like wax and leaving trails of it behind them as they walk. My conversation with Cthulhu as changed my views of the world... they have changed my levels of Insight... They have caused my thoughts... to Ascend.”

[wonderful-podcast]

VR (Virtual Reality) Headset Comparisons

If you are thinking about jumping into VR, there is a lot to consider. Before even getting the headset, one must consider their power source, whether that be a high-end computer rig or an expensive gaming console or a pricey smartphone. Here is what is recommended for most computer set-ups:

NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD 290 equivalent or greater graphics card

Intel i5-4590 equivalent or greater processor

8GB+ RAM

Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output

Also, what content are you looking forward to playing? Most virtual reality content is exclusive to one headset or another. Jumping back a few steps, do you even have the open space required to play most virtual reality games? Between all the headsets, the average play space needed is about 5 feet (1.5 meters) by  6.5 feet (2 meters).

So, now let’s get into what actually makes the magic of virtual reality happen… the headsets themselves:

VR on a Budget

These 2 headsets don’t have the most robust catalog of VR experiences but if your just looking for a little taste of virtual reality without breaking the bank, these could work for you.

Samsung Gear VR 

Cost for headset: $130 

Additonal equipment: A high-end Samsung phone, like the Galaxy S8, which costs $750.

Top content available:

 Land’s End: from the makers of Monument Valley, this is an eerie game of exploration

Minecraft: Gear VR: blocky building game suits VR well

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes: clever multiplayer game – the headset wearer defuses a bomb while friends try to help

Smash Hit: inventive rhythm-puzzle game

Gunjack: sci-fi shooter that flings ships and bullets at you

NextVR: live sports and music in virtual reality

AltspaceVR: interesting attempt at social VR, updating the second life virtual world idea for current headsets

The Economist VR: intriguing virtual tours from the digitally recreated Mosul Museum to Osaka’s secrets

Jaunt VR: a great range of made-for-VR videos, from documentaries to music

Within: bespoke fiction and nonfiction videos made for VR

TCL Alcatel VR headset 

Cost for headset:  Free with purchase of an Alcatel Idol 4 or 4S smartphone, which could be about $400.

Additional equipment needed:  An Alcatel smartphone at about $400.

Top content available:

Cardboard: Google’s own collection of VR demos for Cardboard is a great place to start

Bohemian Rhapsody Experience: Google teamed up with Queen for this fun VR music video

NYT VR: the New York Times’ take on VR with video news reports

Star Wars: the film’s official app includes the story of Jakku Spy

Sisters: one of the scariest VR horror apps

Inside Abbey Road: virtual tour of London’s famous Abbey Road Studios

Cardboard Camera: shoot 360-degree photos with sound on your smartphone, then relive them in your headset

YouTube: the standard YouTube app, but you can watch its 360 and VR videos come to life through Cardboard

InMind VR: clever medical arcade adventure lets you travel into a patient’s brain

6x9: the Guardian’s compelling exploration of the psychological damage caused by solitary confinement

High-End VR Headsets

Sony PlayStation VR

Cost for headset: $400

Additional equipment needed:  A PlayStation 4 gaming console, which costs an additional $399 if you don’t have one.

Top content available:

Rez Infinite: brilliant reboot of classic rhythm game Rez

Tumble VR: clever puzzle game that involves piling up blocks

EVE Valkyrie: this space dogfighter game was specially made for VR, and it shows

Batman: Arkham VR: crime-solving strategy with the Dark Knight

Superhypercube: “first-person puzzler” with trippy graphics

Thumper: racing, shooting and rhythm-action combine

Job Simulator: a big word-of-mouth hit; its 2050 setting simulates jobs taken over by robots

PlayStation VR Worlds: from gangsters to racing, this collection of VR mini-games shows off Sony’s VR tech

Headmaster: use your noggin to complete a series of football-heading challenges

Driveclub VR: slick racing game puts you in the cockpit of 80 motors

HTC Vive

Cost for headset: $800

Additional equipment needed:  A high-powered gaming PC with a graphics card, which could cost as much as $1000 or more.

Top content available:

Job Simulator: a big word-of-mouth hit; its 2050 setting simulates jobs taken over by robots

Elite: Dangerous: epic space game gets even more epic with a headset

Cosmic Trip: gripping “first-person real-time strategy” game about colonising alien planets

The Brookhaven Experiment: survival-based horror game with plenty of monsters – and scares

Fantastic Contraption: originally a 2D machine-building puzzler, this works beautifully in 3D and VR

Tilt Brush: Google’s app is one of the early creative joys in VR: paint in the 3D space around you in a blur of neon

Jaunt VR: a great range of made-for-VR videos, from documentaries to music

Apollo 11 VR: clever historical app that puts you in the moon landing mission

theBlu: if you enjoyed the BBC’s Blue Planet, this is a must for its glorious VR ocean life

AltspaceVR: interesting attempt at social VR, updating the second life virtual world idea for current headsets

Oculus Rift

Cost of headset: $500

Additional equipment needed:  A high-powered gaming PC with a graphics card, which could cost as much as $1000 or more.

Top content available:

Chronos: wonderful-looking role-playing game with plenty of depth

Minecraft VR: the blocky building game suits VR well

Elite: Dangerous: epic space game gets even more epic with a headset

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes: clever multiplayer game – the headset wearer defuses a bomb while friends try to help

EVE: Valkyrie: this space dogfighter was made for VR, and it shows

The Climb: part game and part experience, this sees you climbing mountains around the world

Jaunt VR: a range of great made-for-VR videos, from documentaries to music

Henry: Oculus VR’s attempt at a Pixar-quality animated short film

Apollo 11 VR Experience: a clever historical app that sends you on the moon-landing mission

Within: a mix of bespoke fiction and nonfiction videos made for viewing in VR

Virtual Reality is really here and it’s really cool! Who knew this experience, conceivably straight out a sci-fi novel or movie, would be available to us in our lifetime? Think about saving up and purchasing a VR set-up for yourself!

Information gathered from articles on these sites: Tech Insider, The Guardian, VR Heads, Tech Radar, PC Gamer.