Game reviews for the first half of 2024
Jul. 17th, 2024 09:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alias_sqbrMy internet was down yesterday and I got very bored, so I did some brief reviews of everything in my recently played Steam list for all of 2024.
Plotty (mostly puzzles):
Endless Fables 2
Fairy Tale Mysteries 2
Hypnospace Outlaw
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Unpacking
Amnesia Memories
Agatha Christie the ABC Murders
Strange Horticulture
Epiphany city
I was a Teenage Exocolonist
Base building/crafting etc:
Timberborn
Havendock
Oddsparks
Factory Town
Autonauts
Stardew Valley
Cattails
Islanders
New plotless puzzles:
Knotwords
Cats in Time
Plotless puzzle replays:
Jewel Match Solitaire 2 Collector's edition
Loop a tranquil puzzle game
Hexcells Infinite
Other:
Trombone Champ
Plotty (mostly puzzles):
Endless Fables 2: The Frozen Path Collectors Edition: Slightly above average but still pretty standard Hidden Object Game involving Norse mythology. I haven't finished the extra story yet since I play these sorts of things in little bursts on high pain days, when the dumb plots are just right for distracting my brain, and also it has zombies.
Fairy Tale Mysteries 2: The Beanstalk: Mediocre hidden object game about Jack and the Beanstalk.
Hypnospace Outlaw: A strange but interesting and clever little narrative game set in a nostalgic alternate universe early 2000s internet. The goal is to poke around a huge network of cheerfully cheesy webpages to find violations of the terms of service. From the subversive acab-y humour of the parts I played I'm guessing the plot eventually involves pushing back on the internet corporation you're volunteering for, but while I quite liked some aspects I eventually got bored and stopped before any of that had a chance to kick in.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles: Phoenix Wright/Ace Attorney prequel set in the 19th century about an earnest young Japanese lawyer who ends up in England and having to solve a bunch of murders. Fun so far in the typical Ace Attorney way, it has a complicated ambivalence about both Japan and England as they were in the 19th century, which is sometimes jarring, but also interesting.
Unpacking: Lovely narrative puzzle game following a young woman as she moves into various houses during her life, finding places to unpack her objects into in each new house. The puzzle aspect is very gentle, there's usually a moderate amount of extra space to fit things into. I only got stuck once or twice when there was a single correct place I had to figure out for one specific object. Masterclass in environmental storytelling.
Amnesia Memories: an otome game I played and mostly enjoyed right when I first got into the genre. I decided to replay it since I'm working on a romance game somewhat inspired by one of the love interests, but it's feeling a bit too het for me right now.
Agatha Christie the ABC Murders: I already posted about this but it's a fun little adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel, which works as both puzzle game and mystery story.
Strange Horticulture: Fun, moody narrative crafting game where you have to identify and acquire herbs and recipes to make potions for various people, while deciding how to handle eerie events going on in town.
Epiphany city: A puzzle game whose initial cutscene was so cliched and tedious I never actually got around to the puzzle part. Maybe one day!
I was a Teenage Exocolonist: Narrative game with some deck building aspects, about a young person growing up on a space colony and maybe finding love. I was worried the deck-building would be too hard for me since it's not a genre I really like, but it was enjoyable and easy enough in the part I played. And I liked the characters and world well enough, and it was nicely diverse, with the chance to play as non-binary. But when I mentioned I was playing it a friend warned me I would probably dislike how the romances play out and looking up spoilers, yep, all the characters I find appealing have endings I dislike and vice versa, in a way which leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Base building/crafting etc:
Timberborn (badwater update): I played a little of this and it was fine but too similar to the (very fun!) base game to get me to keep playing.
Havendock: Base building game. I played a little and it seemed fine if a bit ugly but I wasn't quite in the mood for it. Attempts for ungendered character creator but does not entirely succeed.
Oddsparks: An Automation adventure: Very cute crafting/automation game where you fulfil quests for the local townsfolk with the help of cute little sprites. It's early access and eventually got a bit samey, but was pretty fun for a while. Basic but effective non-binary character creator.
Factory Town: Base building/crafting/automation game I really enjoyed.
Autonauts: Base building/crafting/automation game I didn't click with. Seemed fine!
Stardew Valley 1.6: Some fun updates!
Cattails: Stardew valley but you're a cat. I got through the tutorial and it seemed fine but I just never got back to it.
Islanders: build standalone bases, unlocking new areas and seeing how big your island can get before you build yourself into a corner. Fine, but not the sort of mechanic I enjoy.
New plotless puzzles:
Knotwords: rearrange clumps of letters to fill out an unlabelled crossword. Very simple but effective if you enjoy word puzzle games. My one complaint would be a feature for other people: it keeps track of daily streaks and lightly encourages you to play every day, which makes it feel a little like a job.
Cats in Time: Solve puzzles to find cats who are scattered around various historical locations. Relies on some unfortunate stereotypes as these sorts of games usually do, and sometimes a bit janky/poorly made, but otherwise cute and fun. The puzzles are mostly very easy, the only one that's caused me real trouble so far was just badly programmed.
Plotless puzzle replays:
Jewel Match Solitaire 2 Collector's edition: I have been playing the extra games in this regularly for like a year, it's pretty fun if you like solitaire.
Loop a tranquil puzzle game: Simple puzzle game where you rearrange hexagons decorated with coloured lines to form connected loops. I fire up the randomly generated puzzles every now and then when I want something calm to poke at.
Every Day Genius: Squarelogic: Arithmetic-based logic puzzle I have been playing on and off for years. Very fun if and only if that description sounds appealing.
Hexcells Infinite: Logic puzzle a little like minesweeper on a hexagon grid. I have played SO MUCH OF THIS GAME.
Other:
Trombone Champ: Silly rhythm game where you try to match the beat of a song as an always kinda dorky sounding trombone. I played a bit and was bad at it but had a moderate amount of fun then got bored.
Plotty (mostly puzzles):
Endless Fables 2
Fairy Tale Mysteries 2
Hypnospace Outlaw
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Unpacking
Amnesia Memories
Agatha Christie the ABC Murders
Strange Horticulture
Epiphany city
I was a Teenage Exocolonist
Base building/crafting etc:
Timberborn
Havendock
Oddsparks
Factory Town
Autonauts
Stardew Valley
Cattails
Islanders
New plotless puzzles:
Knotwords
Cats in Time
Plotless puzzle replays:
Jewel Match Solitaire 2 Collector's edition
Loop a tranquil puzzle game
Hexcells Infinite
Other:
Trombone Champ
Plotty (mostly puzzles):
Endless Fables 2: The Frozen Path Collectors Edition: Slightly above average but still pretty standard Hidden Object Game involving Norse mythology. I haven't finished the extra story yet since I play these sorts of things in little bursts on high pain days, when the dumb plots are just right for distracting my brain, and also it has zombies.
Fairy Tale Mysteries 2: The Beanstalk: Mediocre hidden object game about Jack and the Beanstalk.
Hypnospace Outlaw: A strange but interesting and clever little narrative game set in a nostalgic alternate universe early 2000s internet. The goal is to poke around a huge network of cheerfully cheesy webpages to find violations of the terms of service. From the subversive acab-y humour of the parts I played I'm guessing the plot eventually involves pushing back on the internet corporation you're volunteering for, but while I quite liked some aspects I eventually got bored and stopped before any of that had a chance to kick in.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles: Phoenix Wright/Ace Attorney prequel set in the 19th century about an earnest young Japanese lawyer who ends up in England and having to solve a bunch of murders. Fun so far in the typical Ace Attorney way, it has a complicated ambivalence about both Japan and England as they were in the 19th century, which is sometimes jarring, but also interesting.
Unpacking: Lovely narrative puzzle game following a young woman as she moves into various houses during her life, finding places to unpack her objects into in each new house. The puzzle aspect is very gentle, there's usually a moderate amount of extra space to fit things into. I only got stuck once or twice when there was a single correct place I had to figure out for one specific object. Masterclass in environmental storytelling.
Amnesia Memories: an otome game I played and mostly enjoyed right when I first got into the genre. I decided to replay it since I'm working on a romance game somewhat inspired by one of the love interests, but it's feeling a bit too het for me right now.
Agatha Christie the ABC Murders: I already posted about this but it's a fun little adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel, which works as both puzzle game and mystery story.
Strange Horticulture: Fun, moody narrative crafting game where you have to identify and acquire herbs and recipes to make potions for various people, while deciding how to handle eerie events going on in town.
Epiphany city: A puzzle game whose initial cutscene was so cliched and tedious I never actually got around to the puzzle part. Maybe one day!
I was a Teenage Exocolonist: Narrative game with some deck building aspects, about a young person growing up on a space colony and maybe finding love. I was worried the deck-building would be too hard for me since it's not a genre I really like, but it was enjoyable and easy enough in the part I played. And I liked the characters and world well enough, and it was nicely diverse, with the chance to play as non-binary. But when I mentioned I was playing it a friend warned me I would probably dislike how the romances play out and looking up spoilers, yep, all the characters I find appealing have endings I dislike and vice versa, in a way which leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Base building/crafting etc:
Timberborn (badwater update): I played a little of this and it was fine but too similar to the (very fun!) base game to get me to keep playing.
Havendock: Base building game. I played a little and it seemed fine if a bit ugly but I wasn't quite in the mood for it. Attempts for ungendered character creator but does not entirely succeed.
Oddsparks: An Automation adventure: Very cute crafting/automation game where you fulfil quests for the local townsfolk with the help of cute little sprites. It's early access and eventually got a bit samey, but was pretty fun for a while. Basic but effective non-binary character creator.
Factory Town: Base building/crafting/automation game I really enjoyed.
Autonauts: Base building/crafting/automation game I didn't click with. Seemed fine!
Stardew Valley 1.6: Some fun updates!
Cattails: Stardew valley but you're a cat. I got through the tutorial and it seemed fine but I just never got back to it.
Islanders: build standalone bases, unlocking new areas and seeing how big your island can get before you build yourself into a corner. Fine, but not the sort of mechanic I enjoy.
New plotless puzzles:
Knotwords: rearrange clumps of letters to fill out an unlabelled crossword. Very simple but effective if you enjoy word puzzle games. My one complaint would be a feature for other people: it keeps track of daily streaks and lightly encourages you to play every day, which makes it feel a little like a job.
Cats in Time: Solve puzzles to find cats who are scattered around various historical locations. Relies on some unfortunate stereotypes as these sorts of games usually do, and sometimes a bit janky/poorly made, but otherwise cute and fun. The puzzles are mostly very easy, the only one that's caused me real trouble so far was just badly programmed.
Plotless puzzle replays:
Jewel Match Solitaire 2 Collector's edition: I have been playing the extra games in this regularly for like a year, it's pretty fun if you like solitaire.
Loop a tranquil puzzle game: Simple puzzle game where you rearrange hexagons decorated with coloured lines to form connected loops. I fire up the randomly generated puzzles every now and then when I want something calm to poke at.
Every Day Genius: Squarelogic: Arithmetic-based logic puzzle I have been playing on and off for years. Very fun if and only if that description sounds appealing.
Hexcells Infinite: Logic puzzle a little like minesweeper on a hexagon grid. I have played SO MUCH OF THIS GAME.
Other:
Trombone Champ: Silly rhythm game where you try to match the beat of a song as an always kinda dorky sounding trombone. I played a bit and was bad at it but had a moderate amount of fun then got bored.
