March 2024 report

Even in the afterlife, Ted doesn't have peace. His little daughter Bo was kidnapped by evil Mr. Pinstripe who has taken her deep into his lair. Getting there wouldn't be easy and Teddy has to navigate through the hell, fight off hordes of enemies, and operate devilish machines to be able to progress. He won't be all alone though as his daughter's dog George will be his trustworthy companion. There are also many other souls suffering in their own inferno. Some of them will help him directly, others will just comment on hell and Mr. Pinstripe, but all of them will shed light on Teddy's previous life… the deeper he goes down the rabbit hole the uglier the truth becomes. But leaving Bo alone is not an option and Ted has to face up to his demons—will he be strong enough to surpass them? Well, that depends on you.

The journey to the depths of hell will take you through frozen hills, dark underground caverns, or a small town full of miserable existences. The overall burdensome atmosphere is greatly portrayed by unique graphics of both the environment and characters. The soundtrack is also very good and helps to set the right mood. I have found the voice acting exceptional, especially Mr. Pinstripe who was truly fearsome!
As you interact with the characters you can influence Ted's attitude towards them and like that his personality, which will then have an impact on the ending you get. Your behavior will also show in his visual appearance, which is a nice touch!

As for gameplay, it's a 2D platformer with a few environmental and classical puzzles. They aren't overly difficult and were quite enjoyable, well maybe except for the last lockpicking which was quite frustrating. There are also enemies in the form of black balloons that drop bombs to fight off, for that you have a slingshot at your disposal. With enough "cash", you can even get a better weapon! But that's only possible after completing the game once as with the AdventurePlus mode you will gain access to previously locked secret rooms with a lot of cash in them.

The whole game is quite short, fast-paced, and can be easily completed in one session. Three playthroughs are required for 100% achievements, but thanks to the shorter length and smooth gameplay it doesn't turn into a chore. Beware that there is also a slightly grinding aspect as you need to collect a certain amount of cash for a story progression, the bad thing is that there isn't exactly a reserve so if you missed any you need to backtrack and search the locations again. I wasn't bothered by it, but other players can be. I have sadly encountered a bug when a collectible disappeared after accidentally leaving the screen, but it didn't count as collected and couldn't be obtained again. Like that, I was unable to enjoy the Vintage mode. Seems like there are some problems with achievements, but I luckily haven't encountered any.

All in all, even with a few small problems I think Pinstripe is a very good game, with nice visuals and an emotional story. An easy buy during a sale. ;)

So, this one is hard to rate. I got it from my first bundle ever and at that time I activated all games from it… in other words, I wouldn't have bought it on its own, because I know it isn't exactly my cup of tea. I enjoy visual novels, but I can't pretty much stand an all-girl ensemble. The second thing is I am not a real fan of poetry and my knowledge about these gender-swapped poets is rather scarce so I wasn't anyhow connected to them and they were just a bunch of teenage girls to me… annoying teenage girls. And I suppose I am way too cynical for it.

The game isn't long as it only covers one day of a field trip, but even that is quite enough as the alpha and omega of the story is Samantha and her unrequited relationship with her (formerly) best friend Lillian. The only things we will be talking about are Samantha's depression and self-loathing or absolute admiration towards Lillian. Oh, Lillian is so unearthly beautiful. Oh, I feel so sad. Oh, she is a genius! Oh, I am so miserable… one can get fed up with it pretty quickly.
I know that the game deals with heavy and serious themes, be it depression or suicidal thoughts… but I found the main heroine pretty much annoying and her constant whining was rather tiresome. Nothing of what the other characters said (like her next close friend Roberta) had any impact on Samantha and she was only Lillian this, Lillian that… The story isn't exactly positive and neither are the endings, the true one is at least hopeful. But that is mainly because of the inspiration in the real lives and relationships of the poets as you can later read in the summary that opens after you get to the end. I have found it more interesting than the story to be honest.

The art is pretty but the girls look younger than 17 years old, which was a little bit off putting (especially De Quincy with all her drugs). The music fits the story nicely. There is luckily a skip, so getting through the remaining story paths is quick. The writing is fine with some good moments that made us laugh, but it can also be verbose and lengthy with a lot of things repeating instead of quickly getting to the point making it a chore to read. There are also some typos and even completely missing words. Although the theme suggests a heavy emotional invention I stayed quite passive about Samantha and her problems with Lillian/life/you name it.

I wonder if my hostile approach towards Samantha has something to do with the fact that I have found a few small similarities with myself in her attitude… my partner said I am not so terrible though… Anyway, for my (unwanted) psychological analysis I have to recommend the game, it would be pretty much alibistic otherwise. Just beware that it isn't for everyone.

Yep, I have also played it before the server's shutdown. ^_^ It's a shame really, the game is quite enjoyable. The graphics are pretty good, I liked how the car got dirty or destroyed. The soundtrack works well with the driving, but it isn't Raiders on the Storm. ;) The story is fine, nothing groundbreaking but works well. There are hundreds of driving challenges that put your skills up to the test. You can find parts of secret cars or simply buy a new one from a wide selection. The options for modifying cars, be it cosmetic or performance, are vast. The best thing is the map! It's huge and full of sightseeing spots. I will never travel around America in such a complexity and this was a great way to enjoy visiting all the significant places.

I can imagine playing some more, getting better in the races, and upgrading my car. Maybe even joining with some other players… well, no more.

Grande finale to the endless saga! ;D Our heroine needs to come back home, stand up against the Nightmares from her childhood, and save her long-lost friend Hans from their devilish clutches!

From the whole series, it has the most boring and weirdest story. It is also very hectic and most of the development doesn't make much sense. Although it does have a mythic creature, Sandman, it doesn't have a solid ground in some myth tales and that's probably why it is the weakest part of the series.
The visuals are traditionally colorful and pretty to look at. The music is fine, I suppose… nothing extra. On the other hand, the voice acting is bad. The puzzles and hidden object scenes are of good quality and difficulty, nothing to stuck on. However, there were some moments of slight frustration during the game where I wasn't certain what to do next and had to search every available location to be able to move on.

Overall an okay HOG, good for short and relaxing gaming.

Conspiracy against the crown ends up with our false accusation of murdering the king. The process of cleansing our name will uncover a big secret from the past - our brother is a truthful heir of the late king! His heritage could be proven by the legendary crown of the first ruler, so that's what we need to find… Well, let me tell you, our brother is good for nothing and was mostly standing there looking pretty. All the time I was thinking we would make a better king. xD

A standard short hidden object game with nice visuals. The puzzles are mostly good and varied, with just a few frustrating ones. Hidden object scenes are also nice, although some item descriptions are rather unclear. Voiceovers were a little bit strange, sometimes our character spoke and sometimes he did not.

I think they are slightly pushing it with the achievements with time limits though… 30 seconds, really what would be next… 15 seconds? But looking aside from completionist problems it's an okay game, suitable for killing off some time with it.

Tengami is a cute, serene, short game where we follow a lonely man through a paper world in a search for lost petals of dying sakura. The inspiration in Japanese culture is visible in every aspect of the game, be it visuals, music, or overall mood, and it works pretty well.

Moving around is slow, but thanks to the shorter length of the game (you can complete it in one sitting) it doesn't turn into frustration. You will feel like you are actually reading a book as you need to flip the paper all the time. With it, you will change scenes, and perspectives or solve clever puzzles. Sometimes the speed of your flip can be crucial as you can uncover hidden clues with a slower motion which is neat!

I remember pop-up books from my childhood and how mesmerized I was by them, Tengami does a great job of recreating this feeling. Thanks to the calm atmosphere it's a great game to relax with, I can safely recommend it.

Memoranda is a very strange game about a young lady suffering from severe insomnia who has lost her name and now is searching around the town for it. It's hard to rate as there are up to three layers that influence the overall experience.

1) The story is, according to the store page, inspired by Haruki Murakami and his short stories. I can't relate to it much as I am not familiar with his work. The game felt to me very surreal with hints of magic realism making it somewhat hard to comprehend. After one bizarre encounter following another, I stopped trying to understand it and just went with the flow. We encounter a lot of various characters, some of them are ordinary and some of them are quite un-ordinary. Interacting with them is mostly fun, but in the end, it doesn't lead anywhere. At least for the main heroine because I still don't know what to make off of the ending.

2) The graphics are hand-drawn, rather unique but still very pretty. The soundtrack is also very specific but suits the mood of the game. The voice acting is… fine, again in terms of the surreal feeling. My only problem was with the voice of our heroine as she lisps and it was somewhat unsettling.

3) As for gameplay, it's a standard point-and-click adventure game. We have inventory, a logbook, and a map at our disposal. We have to go around the town, collect and combine items, and help our fellow citizens with their burdens. There are also puzzles to be solved. Although they can seem quite obscure, they are still logical. If they prove too challenging you can use a built-in hint system. Through the game, one can easily become stuck as most situations are resolved by nonsensical solutions so don't be surprised when you end up going in circles and tearing your hair out in despair from how the hell was I supposed to know that? tantrum.

Each of the layers has its ups and downs. It's not perfect and I struggled with it, but I suppose I will recommend Memoranda. If you are a lover of adventure games you can enjoy it, even more, if your mind is open to the surreal, absurd, and nonsensical storytelling.

In Yomawari we are playing as a little girl searching for her lost dog and big sister. Our search won't be easy though as the town gets pretty much dangerous during the night. And even if the title suggests that we are alone it's not exactly right and truly lonely moments will be something you are gonna cherish.

The gameplay is fairly simple. We are running around the town equipped with only a flashlight, our best friend, and a few other, more or less, useful items. The streets are full of ghosts/monsters and we need to safely navigate through them. As we progress in the story we open new city locations with a new kind of monster to hunt us down, yay! xD Be prepared to die a lot as the enemies will easily catch up to us… don't forget, we are playing as a little girl with short legs who gets slower the closer the monsters are. Also, their hitboxes are sometimes pretty strange and we can get killed even though we should have been safe. Some parts of the game (especially the last two chapters) are extremely frustrating thanks to it! Every chapter ends with a boss fight. Sometimes it can be rather unclear on what to do, but one thing is certain - you need to run and get to safety.

I enjoyed the graphics and music even if it's nothing extra, but the combination of cuteness and morbidness creates a nicely unsettling atmosphere (some scenes were really emotional). There is a peculiar saving system when our progress is saved only at the girl's home. So if you want to close the game, don't forget to go home and save it otherwise all of your progress will be lost. Making offers at one of the Jizo statues around the town serves only as a checkpoint in the case of your death. There is always enough money lying around so don't be afraid to use them as you see them. You can even use them for fast travel!

There are also a lot of collectibles hidden around the town. The good thing is that once you grab it, you are gonna keep it even if you die in the next second! Also, there is no need to search for them right away as once you complete the story you open the free roam. Like that, you can visit all of the locations and find the remaining items, just beware of the monsters (luckily no bosses).
One thing about the collectibles to note is that some are hidden behind a certain task you need to perform, but it can be quite obscure and even luck-based as you need to repeat a certain action until you trigger the event (you need to come back home to reset the town) and then you need to do some other action to successfully get the item… a lot of hard work to simply realize what you are required to do. So feel free to consult the walkthrough for any of such items!
As for achievements, there are three types - straightforward (for completing chapters and collecting items), grinding (repeating some task), and luck-based (just one, but can take some time to trigger). Oh and then there is the one for 50 hours of playtime which is just ridiculous and absolutely unjustified.

The game is rather short (the story can be completed in 6-7 hours) and can be actually quite enjoyable even if you die a lot. Some parts are designed in a pretty bad way and can easily turn into frustration leading to rage quitting… my patience was pushed to the verge a lot of time. But if you like to spend the night alone running from the monsters lurking in the shadows, I'd say grab it during the sale, you will have fun!

When the Queen leaves the castle to fend off new dangers threatening the kingdom an evil wizard will seize the opportunity and usurp the throne! He locks down the young princess Tsioque in the dungeons and summons devilish creatures to roam the castle. But even though the princess is young she is determined to break free and show the wizard who's gonna rule here!

TSIOQUE is an absolutely adorable, funny, and charming game with beautiful hand-drawn graphics and pleasant music. Gameplay-wise it's a standard point-and-click adventure where we have an inventory in the form of a small bag for the few items lying around that we will need to use throughout the game. There are a few logic puzzles and even quick-time events but most of the time we will just use items on the characters or environment itself. Some item combinations or actions are just red herrings, but as they lead towards funny moments it's a good thing to play around a little to see what could possibly happen!

The game is pretty short, my playtime stands for two complete playthroughs. You can get all of the achievements in the first one, but if you miss some (like right before the end) you need to replay the whole game. But even for the second time it was funny and enjoyable.
The story reminded me a lot of The Whispered World. The ending is somewhat bittersweet and I would maybe enjoy a different one more. One thing I don't understand though is why the princess looks so pissed all the time. xD

If you want some game to cheer you up, look no further and grab TSIOQUE!

I maybe stumbled upon this game as a kid, but it was just a brief interaction for sure as it was pretty hard. Playing it now, I can say that I have quite enjoyed it even though it's still pretty hard. xD Anyway, I can't really compare the original and "remastered" versions.

We assume the role of Conrad on a run from his enemies who kidnapped him for knowing too much. His memories got wiped out, but luckily a backup exists! The truth is pretty scary though and the future of humankind depends solely on Conrad's agility… and on how quickly he can draw the gun.

Flashback is an old school platformer that reminds me a lot of Prince of Persia - the movement and jumping especially, it is also one of the reasons I struggled with it at some moments. xD The story takes place in a futuristic universe where we visit Titan moon, Earth, or an alien spaceship. There are hordes of enemies waiting for us and fights with them can be pretty hectic with every mistake quickly punished. However, most of my deaths were caused by my misclicks that led me to jump from a cliff instead of slowly climbing down and other similar scenarios. During fights we can sometimes gain a nice advantage thanks to the teleporter and shields.

I liked the graphics, even if it’s older, each level also has a nice distinctive style. The game isn't anyhow long and can be completed in a few hours, it mostly depends on your skill. The rewind system is a great utility for getting to know the levels. Beware though that on the expert difficulty you get 10 minutes of rewind for the whole game! You can also play it without this feature and make do with standard checkpoints. I am not sure yet how much I wanna suffer, but I will try at least the normal difficulty. ^_^