Report #62

Dear Esther is a Half Life mod which turned into the mother of all walking simulators. In 2012 it was released as a stand-alone game, the Landmark Edition is a improved 2017 re-release. It was free on Steam for a short while and I took that chance to play this "historically" important game.

I'm not getting into the confusing story, you have to experience this on your own. The game is visually and aurally pleasing. The gameplay is very simple: You walk and listen to voiceovers, which trigger at certain points. The level design is linear, there is a lot to discover in each level though if you take the time to explore. Or, well, use a guide.

The atmosperic impression of the game was great, but did I really enjoy playing it? No, not really. I can appreciate the game on some levels, but I would not call this a great game, where it not for its significance in forming an entire genre. Overall I like a clear story and some more gameplay too much to find Dear Esther appealing on a gameplay level.

A funny sidenote: This is the 4th recently released game in my library despite being from 2019…shows how few games I activated in recent years :D

I played Gothic only recently for the first time, so nostalgia is not a factor when looking at the Gothic series. So fanboys can disregard my review if they want. I still have mixed feelings about this game. I think it offers some potentially interesting concepts, gameplay elements and lore. On the other hand I wasn't a fan of the fighting mechanics (well, that would fit perfectly though!) and I wasn't really invested in the game after the 3.5 hours it took for me to get through it. In addition the audio wasn't working properly for me, but hey, it's just a teaser.

However, seeing how this is a teaser for a game that won't happen in this form anyway, I think it's a moot point to discuss the details any further. The reason I played the game was for the achievements. They removed 4 broken ones at the end of last year, so I took the chance to complete a quick game as a break from grinding missions in HoMM VI :)

Shadow Burglar is a noir themed stealth game. It is a student project and free on Steam. Considering this, I think it's an excellent game! The visuals are pleasing, the game mechanics seem interesting and the musical score is very fitting, immediately transporting me in the 1920s.

Sure, it's quite short and the voiceover is subpar. But to criticize that on a free student project? They know themselves for sure.

Oh, and it's a quick perfect game, although the achievements are a bit wonky and some may trigger a bit prematurely.