Review 44 - September 19, 2025

Game Title: A Short Hike
Rating: 70%
Started: September 18, 2025
Completed: September 18, 2025



This game has been on my radar for a while. A friend gifted it to me and I finally got around to it! I can tell how much care and passion was put into this game, and I can also tell that the dev(s) had fun creating it. It's a fun exploration game with charming characters and various little tasks to complete and things to collect. If you're a completionist, you'd love this game. This game is just about everything I want from a cozy game.

Review 43 - September 19, 2025

Game Title: Venba
Rating: 65%
Started: September 18, 2025
Completed: September 18, 2025



This is a short and sweet, impactful little game that navigates a wife and husband's life as they immigrate from India to Canada and raise a son. You witness the mother, Venba, struggle to adapt to the culture within Canada. It was really nice to learn about Tamil culture through this game. It was really hard to watch the Mom struggle to connect with her son as he grows up in a world so different from hers. I'd reccomend picking this game up next time it goes on sale. I got it for 6 bucks and it was definitely worth it!

Review 42 - September 18, 2025

Game Title: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Rating: 65%
Started: July 9, 2025
Completed: September 17, 2025



First off, the story was great and I have no complaints. I enjoyed exploring the Star Wars universe from a new perspective with totally new characters. The gameplay was also enjoyable. I have to complain about one thing, RETURNING TO THE DAMN MANTIS. This could totally be a skill issue, but my gosh, at LEAST three hours of my time playing this game must have been spent going back to the Mantis after finishing a mission. Had to get that off my chest.

Cal is an awesome character despite being a redhead. He really changes as the story progresses and you watch him struggle with his past, but eventually move past it and find himself. I think Cere had a pretty similar progression as well.

I liked this game enough to plan to play the second one eventually, but I'm not gonna lie, the long treks back to the Mantis really did spoil a lot of my experience. I hope this is resolved or made less annoying in Jedi Survivor.

Review 41 - August 10, 2025

Game Title: Getting Over it with Bennett Foddy
Rating: 80%
Started: July 11, 2025
Completed: July 17, 2025



I hated nearly every moment of playing this game. Ten minutes in, I tried to refund it but Steam would have to have taken one of my seasonal badges if I did, so I decided against that. I figured I should get my money's worth, so I launched back in and continued to suffer. At a little over the halfway point of my playthrough, after spending hours on that awful anvil jump, I uninstalled it and said I was done. I then reinstalled it about an hour later. Twenty hours in, and I finally got over it.

This game put me through the most amount of mental torment I've ever experienced. The controls are awful and clunky, and those damn quotes that seemed like they were there only to taunt you. I can't tell you how many times I personally insulted Bennett Foddy himself. My friends had to hear about the mental anguish I was in for six days.

Now, despite what I've said prior, this game is still brilliant. I hated it so much in the moment, but the absolute relief once I finally beat it was so worth it. I felt like I was apart of something. Bennett's narration throughout the game is wonderful, and definitely my favorite part. At the start of the game, he sounds like a generic narrator, but by the end, he truly is talking to you, the player. You've built a connection with him. His voice and words become more intimate, and I realized he was rooting for me the entire time. And man, those credits. So good. This game taught me multiple things that I can't quite explain, so you'll have to take my word for it. Will I ever touch one of Bennett's games again? No, absolutely not. Am I grateful for this experience? Yes, very much so. Thank you, Bennett Foddy.

Review 40 - July 11, 2025

Game Title: Orwell: Ignorance Is Strength
Rating: 70%
Started: July 10, 2025
Completed: July 10, 2025



This game takes place during the same time as the first game, and you'll see some things overlap. This game focuses more on how the government influences media and spreads false information to fit their own agenda.

This game had a new time constraint, but it didn't really do much and I found myself not worrying about it. Your choices definitely matter, and I felt the need to be a bit more careful about which data chunks to send over this time around. I really liked the new feature where you could import data into different websites in order to progress.

The story was good, but not as impactful as the first game. The ending also felt a bit sudden. There weren't nearly as many characters, which I think is both a positive and a negative. I got to know and understand the characters better, but I also think the world building suffered a bit because of this. This game definitely makes you think, though. It opens your eyes up to how easily the government can manipulate us if we let them, and that's why it's important to not take things at face value. Overall it sends an important message.

Graphics are the same as the last game, so nothing new there. Sticks to the same unique art style that I really like.

As for the soundtrack, it does the same thing as the last game, becoming suspenseful or panicked when something crucial happens. In my review of the first game, I said that I wanted the calls to have voice actors rather than just text, and that was a new addition in this game that I really appreciated.

This is definitely a game I'd recommend. I think they both pose some very important questions in a fun and engaging way. Worth trying out!

Definitely have this game in my sights, good to know it's an enjoyable time :)

Definitely worth trying out! I'd probably wait for it to go on sale since it's pretty short unless you plan on playing multiple times to achieve different endings.

Review 39 - July 10, 2025

Game Title: Orwell
Rating: 80%
Started: July 9, 2025
Completed: July 10, 2025



In Orwell, it's your job as a government agent to spy on the lives of civilians and find out who is responsible for recent bombing attacks. The game touches on some pretty relevant topics today regarding cybersecurity.

So.. this game is most definitely what I'd call a hidden gem. Your choices have real consequences, and it's not as simple as dragging data chunks. Deciding which information to send or discard will seriously impact what happens. The gameplay does exactly what it aims to do, make you feel like a government agent. I'm a sucker for political/government simulators like this, so I really enjoyed it.

The story is brilliant. It's up to you to discover all that you can about the various characters. You'll find yourself liking some, hating some, and sympathizing with some despite their wrongdoings. This is definitely a game that challenges the player morally. The worldbuilding is super good. I found myself becoming super immersed while playing (so much so that I actually completed it one sitting and stayed up until about 1 am to complete it.)

Graphics are nice and the art style successfully gives off the Orwellian vibes. I don't quite know how to explain it but it definitely feels dystopian in a way. Well done.

The soundtrack mainly stays the same, but will become suspenseful or panicked when something goes wrong or when new, crucial information is discovered, which I really liked. I do think it would have been cool if the phone calls had voice actors rather than just text.

If you want something very different from most games, I'd highly recommend Orwell. I've already started playing the sequel.

Review 38 - July 6, 2025

Game Title: Death and Taxes
Rating: 70%
Started: July 1, 2025
Completed: July 4, 2025



Death and Taxes is a game where you play as the grim reaper. You can choose to follow orders, try to save humanity, or try to doom it. It's all up to you. The game has multiple endings, but I've only played once so haven't experienced any other ones, though I might give it another playthrough eventually.

From what I understand the gameplay is very similar to Papers, Please, a game I have yet to try. It's a pretty standard office job type game. The voice acting was pretty well done. I really liked the conversations with Fate. The game also has a cat, so bonus points for that.

Really solid story. I think it challenges you through the daily reviews of your job. You want to please Fate and not get fired, but you also may end up desperately trying to save humanity by the end and defying orders. I'd like to see what other endings it offers.

I really like the art style. It's very fitting for what the game is about and pleasing to the eye.

The soundtrack is very enjoyable and relaxing. I like how it's actually kind of upbeat despite the fact that you're literally deciding who dies. Adds a bit of an eerie feeling, because to the employees, it's just another job.

This is a short and sweet game, and I think I might even call it a bit of a hidden gem. Nice game to unwind to.

Review 37 - July 1, 2025

Game Title: New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U
Rating: 70%
Started: June 26, 2025
Completed: June 29, 2025



This is another solid addition to the New Super Mario series. A classic 2d Mario game that you can't really go wrong with. I actually only played New Super Mario Bros. U, not New Super Luigi U.

The gameplay is just what you'd expect, and there really isn't anything to change about it. The movement and overall controls aren't clunky or anything. Some levels definitely serve as a challenge but overall it's a pretty easy game. As usual, I hated the Boo levels and underwater levels. I always find them annoying. Other than that, really solid level design in this game.

Graphics are good for the Wii U era, no complaints there. The soundtrack is your classic Mario music, can't go wrong with it.

I don't tend to have a ton to write about when it comes to 2D Mario Games, but this one didn't disappoint and I had a fun time as always!

Review 36 - June 25, 2025

Game Title: Unpacking
Rating: 70%
Started: June 4, 2025
Completed: June 6, 2025



Unpacking is exactly what it sounds like. It's a game about unpacking. You follow this character as she moves to different homes and grows up.

Certain items need to go in certain places, making you figure out how to properly use the space you're given. As someone who loves organizing, this game was pretty perfect for that.

Throughout the game you gather things about the character you're playing as, such as the fact that she's an artist, a gamer, etc. One of my favorite details is a photo of your ex that has a hole through his face, and you have to hide it somewhere rather than hang it up like the other pictures.

The art style is cute and minimalistic and the sound design is minimal but relaxing and well done.

Pretty short review, but there's not a whole lot to say about this game other than it was a fun, relaxing little game. It's usually 20 bucks, which I definitely wouldn't pay, but it was on sale when I got it, and I'd reccomend waiting for it to go on sale before buying.

Review 35 - June 25, 2025

Game Title: Until Dawn
Rating: 75%
Started: March 31, 2025
Completed: April 3, 2025



Until Dawn takes place at a cabin a year after the death of Hannah and Beth, where the player is tasked with surviving until dawn, hence the name. You play as eight different characters and try to keep them alive.

For a mainly story-focused and choise-based game, the gameplay is about as good as it can get. It can be a bit clunky, but it doesn't really ruin the game since it's not the sole focus. Worth noting it's got a few good jump scares too. The atmosphere is done really well. It definitely invokes that tense and paranoid feeling it aims for.

Your choices actually matter in this game and determine who will live and who will die. Some characters are likeable, and some are just completely annoying. They're also all kind of dull and stereotypical, but I kind of think this was done on purpose. It's meant to have that cheesy, teenage horror movie vibe, and as long as you embrace it as the player, it's actually really enjoyable. I found myself attached to a select few characters which made me want to keep them alive the most, which caused me to purposefully put other characters in danger to save the ones I liked. The story has a nice plot twist which I won't spoil, but I definitely didn't expect it.

The graphics are nice and the cinematography is really beautiful at times. I really don't remember much about the sound design, so I guess it must not have been very memorable? Nothing bad sticks out about it, though.

Overall, pretty good game. I managed to keep four characters alive by the end, which was better than I had expected of myself. If you like choice-based games, you'll enjoy Until Dawn.

Review 34 - June 25, 2025

Game Title: Okami
Rating: 80%
Started: March 12, 2025
Completed: March 30, 2025

I once again forgot to write a few reviews. I'm going to review Okami, Until Dawn, and Unpacking in three separate posts. I actually completed these games before my most recent review on art of rally.



So, this game is pretty great. You play as a goddess named Amaterasu, who takes the form of a white wolf named Shiranui. You are tasked with restoring color and life to Nippon. The game roots itself in Japanese folklore and mythology.

The gameplay has aged quite nicely considering the game released in 2006. The celestial brush might just be my favorite part of the entire game. It's a mechanic unlike anything I've ever seen before and it's honestly just brilliant. I do have to admit that the combat does get repetitive after a while, though, and I think the game could have been a little shorter. My biggest gripe has got to be that you have to fight Orochi three times in the game. Like.. why..? Orochi was made out to be this big bad villain, but I feel like absolutely destroying him three times takes away from that, not to mention nothing new is added in any of the fights, making it quite frustrating and feeling more like an inconvenience rather than a boss fight by the end of the game. Despite these flaws, I do think the gameplay was overall done pretty well for its time, but has admittedly, aged poorly.

As for the story, it's wacky, fun, and interesting. It dives into Japanese folklore and culture. The dialogue is well-written and definitely got a few good laughs out of me. The characters are super likeable and my favorite aside from Amaterasu has to be Issun. I actually really didn't like him at first and expected him to be an annoying, captain-obvious sidekick that gives you useless advice (which he still most definitely did,) but he redeemed himself near the end and I got to understand him better. The story was engaging and definitely succeeded in making me hyped for Okami 2.

The game has a very unique and beautiful art style. After looking into it a bit, I found out it's inspired by Japanese ink wash paintings, which is pretty neat. The soundtrack is successful in immersing the player and making them feel whatever emotion the game is set out to induce.

Overall, you can definitely feel the age with certain controls and mechanics, but I think the immersive storytelling and writing makes up for it. I definitely understand why this game is so beloved and I'm excited to see what the sequel has to offer.

Art of rally is super chill, I love that game. If you want something a bit more engaging but with the same vibe check Lonely Mountains: Downhill, can't recommend that game enough.

Looked up some gameplay and immediately added to my wishlist! Looks super cool, thank you for the suggestion!

Review 33 - June 23, 2025

Game Title: art of rally
Rating: 80%
Started: June 20, 2025
Completed: June 23, 2025



art of rally is essentially a love letter to rally. It brings you through the eras of rally and how the sport progressed. From what I know about rally, it seems to have captured it perfectly.

Some people may disagree, but I found this game to be incredibly relaxing. Sure, the controls are tough to grasp at first, but it's so rewarding once you start getting it down. The controls present a challenge, but not to the point of frustration. The various vehicles actually have their differences, strengths, and weaknesses, unlike many other racing games out there. I don't tend to play a whole lot of racing games, pretty much sticking to Mario Kart, but I found myself really enjoying this game.

As for story, the game doesn't focus too much on that. It takes place in an alternative universe where restrictions weren't placed on rally and the cars continued to get faster and more advanced, despite the dangers presented. I learned a lot about rally through this game, and found the history of it really interesting, even as someone who isn't that into cars or racing.

The art style is classic, simple, and timeless. It's something that will age super well. The various settings you get to drive through are all beautiful and really well made. I do wish there was some more variety, though, as many of the tracks felt really similar to each other. The sound design is done nicely, albeit I had it turned down quite a bit since I was watching YouTube or listening to music on my second monitor.

Overall, I really enjoyed playing the main campaign and I'll definitely continue to hop on this game every now and then to play the other game modes available. I wouldn't recommend this game to someone who has no experience with racing games due to the more advanced controls, but other than that, it's definitely a game I'll proudly recommend.

Review 32 - March 28, 2025

Game Title: Half-Life 2
Rating: 75%
Started: December 13, 2024
Completed: March 22, 2025



Half-Life 2 is the sequel to Half-Life. The player follows Gordon Freeman on another groundbreaking journey.

Man, this game was ahead of its time. The world building is absolutely amazing, and does a great job of really making the player feel that the world is crumbling around them. The level design is very well-done and makes the game feel linear. I can count on one hand the amount of times I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do or where I was supposed to go. And the physics? Fucking awesome. The world is so interactive and honestly, one of my favorite parts about the game was using the gravity gun to absolutely destroy and explode everything I possibly could. And the final chapter? I FUCKING LOVE THE GRAVITY GUN!

The story was well-done. I felt very immersed throughout the game and I think the strongest storytelling in this game is the environmental storytelling. Just looking around you can find all sorts of details that often bring up more questions than answers. The story really picks up a little past halfway through the game, and particularly during the final chapter. I will say, as awesome as the ending was, it did leave me feeling kind of unsatisfied, but I feel like that was the point. I think the story leaves a lot of room for a Half-Life 3, as I still have many questions.

Visually, the game is impressive for the time it came out. The facial animation was probably one of the most impressive parts of the game in my opinion. The sound design did exactly what it was meant to do. It captivated and immersed me into the world even further. I love the sound the healing and suit stations make.

This game improves upon the first game in just about every aspect. I really hope we get to see a Half-Life 3 one of these days.

Weekly Update - March 26, 2025

Hello! I recently completed Half Life 2, and will write a review very soon on that. I've been playing Okami and I'm around halfway through with it. It took me a bit to get in to but I'm really enjoying it now! I love the brush mechanic. Super cool and unique, very fun to use.

Review 31 - March 11, 2025

Game Title: God of War
Rating: 90%
Started: February 28, 2025
Completed: March 7, 2025



Pretty much a reboot of the older games from what I understand (never played the og games.) God of War follows Kratos and his son, Atreus, who go on a journey to spread the mother's ashes on the highest peak of all the realms.

The gameplay is super fun. I'm a sucker for melee combat so I had an absolute blast. The moment where Kratos gets the Blades of Chaos makes you feel so powerful and is overall a really cool part of the game. Definitely one of my favorites. I enjoy the variety of enchantments, armor, upgrades, equipment, etc. However, I will say that the UI can be overwhelming and confusing, something I hope Ragnarok improved on once I get around to playing it. The different realms are designed super well and offer a nice amount of exploration. There's plenty of side content to keep you busy without feeling like too much.

The story, gosh, the STORY! This is a game about parenthood, trust, and redemption. The portrayal of a father's love and devotion for his son is flawless. A super pivotal moment is when Kratos has to confront his past to save Atreus. Watching Kratos realize that trying to hide his and his son's godhood was what hurt Atreus in the end was heartbreaking, but definitely nescessary for the development of both the characters. It's also a story about the cycle of revenge and violence, and how difficult it can be to overcome. I'm excited to see what Ragnarok has in store for me.

Lastly, the graphics and sound are exceptional. The sounds are immersive and the graphics are beautiful to look at.

Overall, outstanding story, performances, and gameplay.

Review 30 - February 23, 2025

Game Title: Astro's Playroom
Rating: 85%
Started: February 21, 2025
Completed: February 22, 2025



Astro's Playroom is a PS5 launch title that comes with the PS5. It was made to show off the PS5's features and capabilities, as well as pay homage to Playstation's history and games.

I decided to platinum this game and it was super fun. It's a really cute and short game. Only took 6 hours to platinum. The game runs super smoothly and the platforming is really creative! The graphics are stunning and the world design and use of colors captures the essence of Playstation really well. I'm all for Astro Bot becoming the new Playstation mascot! The soundtrack and sound design was charming and well designed.

I definitely want to play Astro Bot now!

Review 29 - February 22, 2025

Game Title: Life Is Strange 2
Rating: 85%
Started: February 18, 2025
Completed: February 20, 2025



Life Is Strange 2 takes place in the same universe as the first game, but follows an entirely new story about two brothers on the run. Sean Diaz is the oldest of the two brothers, being 16 years old, whereas Daniel is 9. Early on in the game it's discovered that Daniel has a telekinesis-like power.

It didn't take long for me to become hooked! Within just the first episode, I had already become emotionally attached and invested in both the brothers. Playing as Sean, I felt the need to take care of Daniel and teach him good values. The settings of the game were really cool and beautiful, some of which I'd actually been to before. And man, I feel for Sean. People seem to forget that he was also just a kid. A kid having to raise his brother after the death of their father, and the game does a really good job of grilling that obligation into you. Despite Sean and Daniel's ups and downs, they always remained united and incredibly bonded. This is a very heavy game with little comic relief, but honesty, I didn't mind that. I tend to like pretty heavy and emotional games, but I understand that it could be a lot to stomach for some people. This game seriously improves from the previous installments. Your choices throughout the game will actually affect the ending, which was one of my biggest gripes with the first game. Throughout my playthrough, I taught Daniel good morals and taught him not to use his powers for violence. I ended up getting the "Parting Ways" ending where Sean crosses the border into Mexico and Daniel decides to stay behind. I've watched all the other endings, and I believe this is the best one. Rather than Sean spending 15 years in prison, causing both the brothers even more turmoil (and Daniel much more guilt) Sean lives happily in Mexico and Daniel lives with his grandparents. At first I felt upset that Daniel pulled a fast one at the end and stayed in the United States, I realize that he never truly wanted to go to Puerto Lobos. It was always Sean's plan. Even though the brothers may not ever see each other in person again, they both get to lead relatively normal lives and stay in touch with each other.

The visuals and the soundtrack are absolutely amazing. The visuals and art design has such an amazing charm and I wouldn't trade them for more "modern" graphics. The soundtrack is absolutely genius and beautiful. All of the music used perfectly captures what the characters and player is thinking/feeling. Just incredible. I also got introduced to lots of songs that I now love!

I would absolutely recommend this game. Dare I say it's better than the first Life Is Strange? Yes. Yes, I do.

Yup! Your turn!

Feudalism?

Review 28 - February 18, 2025

Game Title: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Rating: 65%
Started: February 5, 2025
Completed: February 18, 2025



New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the third installment in the New Super Mario Bros Series. It's a classic 2d Mario platformer released in 2009 for the Wii.

The level and world design is exceptional, offering a nice challenge. I did find myself getting particularly frustrated sometimes, but that made it all the more rewarding upon completion. The boss battles are definitely more creative than other 2d Mario games. My biggest gripe, however, is having to redo a pretty large portion of the level before returning to the boss battle whenever you die to the boss. The final boss battle is incredibly well designed, challenging, fun, and rewarding!

By today's standards of course the graphics are outdated, but they still hold up well and are on par for its time. The sound design and soundtrack are nothing crazy, just classic Mario sounds that everyone loves. Nostalgic, but sometimes a bit too repetitive.

I had a pretty good experience with this game and definitely enjoyed it enough to want to play other games in the sub-series.

Played for 10 minutes. A cat walking simulator?

Not a fair opinion after playing it for 15 minutes but, for a cat roleplay, all my expectation was to freely... JUMP! What a disappointment.

Result: retired

Screenshots:


Cat game.


Yup, cat game.

Stray actually has a really cool story! I hope you'll give it another chance one of these days. It's honestly probably one of my favorites.

I totally agree with you about the setting high standards! I haven't dived in to any of the Batman games but I hear lots of them are great! I'm glad you had a good experience with this one.