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Normally I wouldn't link to games I haven't played but I know I'll forget otherwise.

Eclipse: Special Forces is butch/butch military scifi, just a demo so far but worth checking out for the trailer alone if that premise appeals.

Velvet Bite: Softly, with Teeth m/m and m/f contemporary romance with vampires, was much anticipated and just came out. But tragically the reviews look pretty bad. OH WELL at least it looks pretty and we can imagine the game it could have been.

I've been pondering this post for a while but it's taken me a while to be able to articulate my thoughts.

So: The world felt out of character, and that threw me out of the story aggressively. I could plausibly have enjoyed a very similar game if it was an original setting.

Also I hear it has platforming, which I am very bad at, but I'd have been willing to get Cam to help with those parts if I'd been enjoying the game otherwise.

It does a good enough job at other things that I can intellectually see how someone could enjoy it, and I'm legit happy for those people. But this post is about how it did not work for me.
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It really is just a small, efficient convection oven, it's less that you can cook new things and more that a bunch of recipes become faster and easier. But that has made a pretty big difference, to us as people who spent a lot of time thinking "I WOULD cook that in the oven but ehhh... too much effort".
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Masterlist

THIS IS SO GOOD OMG. JUST. SUCH A GOOD ANGSTY TIMELOOP FANTASY ROMANCE AHHHH

The romance itself is incredibly understated even compared to the others and I do not care I loooove himmm best boooooy.

It's very briefly just the tiniest bit queer. And I'm pretty sure Zenn is meant to be read as black?? But mostly it's all about the DELICIOUS ANGST as they like... bond and support each other despite being stuck in some deeply fucked up and traumatising fantasy timeloop bullshit :D

I have been avoiding adding images since the switch makes that troublesome and I didn't want to spoil myself, but I liked one CG so much I took a photo of the TV. And if you're curious what everyone looks like here's the official character page though I haven't clicked any of those links to avoid spoilers.

Content Notes, spoilers

just suicide and major character death I think! Practically darkness free ahahahaha

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Masterlist

Phew! That was wild! Some things I didn't like (lotta dark topics in those content warnings which get brought up for drama then dropped for New Twists) and the romance ended up being more bittersweet and understated than I was hoping for, but still overall a good time and I am for sure continuing on.

Content Notes, spoilers

Genocide, sexual harassment, suicide, incest, self-harm, child harm, slavery, violence from a love interest, major character death, emotional abuse, trauma, child abuse, violence

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Masterlist

Just finished the common route and it's been GREAT fun!

Content notes: Child abuse, slavery, violence, suicide, emotional abuse, narrative fatphobia (though this section was mostly just violent, hooray)
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Masterlist

Even if Tempest is a switch exclusive otome game. The moment I saw that page and got a couple of positive reviews, I decided to take the risky move of not looking into it further, to better experience an unspoiled wild ride. And so far, while not always interested in unnecessary things like subtlety or consistent timelines etc, it is DELIGHTFUL and EVERYTHING COULD HAVE DREAMED. And I ONLY JUST GOT TO THE OPENING CREDITS.

It's currently 50% off but seems to go on sale regularly.

Summary:
Though born the daughter of a marquess, Anastasia suffers physical and spiritual violence at the hands of her stepmother day in and day out.

The joy she had found at suffering's end is also ultimately robbed from her by someone she trusts.

As she burns at the stake, Anastasia obtains the grotesque ""Fatal Rewind"" ability.

"This time, I will transform into the ideal version of myself."

With this oath branded in her heart, Anastasia begins her life anew.
But this resolve will only lead to further misfortune.

The curtain rises on the Carnival, and this witch trial shall herald the end.

Content notes: Child abuse, slavery, violence, suicide, emotional abuse, narrative fatphobia
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Humble Book Bundle: A Wizard of Earthsea and More by Ursula K. Le Guin

30 books for $18USD/$27AUD, which isn't bad. But what was notable for me is that many of these books don't seem to be available in Australia as ebooks at all. Yet Australians can buy them for an Australian Kobo account from this bundle. So now I finally have an ebook of Steering the Craft, hooray, I've wanted one for ages.

Important note: You need to be logged into an existing Kobo account, and get them as Kobo ebooks, also you must select EVERY BOOK when you redeem your code, or lose them forever! Very strange way of doing things, but it is what it is.

Masterlist

This was a really lovely, if sometimes implausible, story of two sad, lonely, self sacrificing people learning to be happy and let themselves reach for what they want.

While the route leans heavily into Kai as the big chivalrous Jack and Kisa as the tiny beautiful Jeanne, to my surprise Kai is the closest to overtly bi of the love interests: he finds out Kisa's gender late in the game and it makes zero difference to his behaviour or feelings.

While Kai has a bunch of Angst to work through, the route also digs much deeper (which is to say... at all) into Kisa's emotional issues than the others.

There's a bunch of Big Romantic Moments which will either land for you or feel silly/unrealistic/unwise. They worked for me most of the time.

Content Note: mention of suicidal thoughts
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Jack Jeanne Masterlist

Finally got around to finishing Sou's route.

It grew on me a bit, and I liked some parts, but is still my least fave so far.

I was actually ok with the gender stuff in the end, it was a kinda bland and heavy handed but basically ok "You don't have to fit this one narrow box of masculinity to be a real, loveable, competent man" moral. But the romance felt a bit like him... being too creepy/possessive for her, and it making her sad, and he learns to be more Acceptably Devoted. I preferred the Weirdo 4 Wierdo vibes the route had more of earlier, this felt more like Nice Girl/Slightly Weird Guy which, eh.

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