Relaxing in a Dream || Ruya [PC]

 "When you cease to dream, you cease to live." - Malcolm Forbes

Ruya is a peaceful matching game created by Miracle Tea where you have to match the same colored heads in a dictated pattern. A story told in pictures, combined with a surreal landscape and a deep relaxing soundtrack create a calm and serene game experience. I’m a little shaky on the lore, and I have to be honest—I didn’t complete the game. The music is SO relaxing and chill that it actually made me sleepy. I played in short bursts and made it through 4 of the worlds. The music alone makes this game worth it, but let’s talk about the rest of the game too.

I wonder if this game was designed to be mobile, because the style seems very mobile with simple controls that just involve drawing a line through matching colored heads in a particular pattern given to you. As you match the heads and they disappear, you then get the chance to place new heads in their place, so be mindful to place them where you can create the correct patterns. As simple as that sounds, it can become difficult since you’re only working within a small space and it’s easy to block yourself from being able to create the pattern you need.

I love the soft aesthetic of the game, from the character you play as, the sound design and lack of dialogue all add to this soft and calm atmosphere that draws you in, wraps you in a blanket and gives you a nice mug of hot cocoa. My child watched me play some of the game and they were entranced, and loved the flowers that decorate Ruya when you make a color match. The little details really add to the overall feeling of love in the game.

The downside, I feel, is also one of the things that is good about the game. For me, the game is so simple that it feels boring. Each level feels the same, just with a different back drop and sometimes with a little bit of story at the end. I recommend playing the game in short bursts to keep it from getting that way. Play just enough to unwind for the day, enjoy the experience, and then go about whatever else you needed to do.

I will probably continue to play this game until I finish, as a way to unwind after a hard day of work and to relax. The game is simple enough to not require an intense amount of thought, so you can relax and really enjoy the music, which I feel is really the highlight of this game. I believe you can even purchase the soundtrack through Itch.io, which I might actually do.

Overall Ruya is a lovely experience with beautiful music that leaves you feeling relaxed and accomplished. The simplicity of the game won’t be a strain on you, and at only 3.99 it’s not a strain on your wallet either. You can get Ruya through Itch.io HERE or you can purchase on Steam HERE. Either way I highly recommend if you’re looking for a lovely little game to play in your down time.

Thank you, as always, for spending some time with me today. I hope your day is going well, remember to hydrate, take a nap if you need it, call a friend. This year has been stressful, so find happy moments when you can. Hang in there, friends. I'll see you next week!

Bell

Taking Artistic Liberties || Shapeless (PC)

"Art is an experience, not a formulation of a problem." --Lindsay Anderson

Title Screen

Shapeless is short artistic puzzle game about a creature fixing paintings that have somehow been altered in a nefarious way. Created by ISART DIGITAL ,you play as a creature composed of what looked like a painters palette and copious amounts of paint. The creature is rather cute in their own way. This creature has the ability to enter paintings like a magical portal.

During the game you solve short puzzles involving objects that belong in the paintings, then you return the objects to the paintings to restore them to the full beauty. The puzzles are not too difficult. They involve rotating different parts of the object in order to line them up properly. My spatial reasoning isn’t top notch, but I was able to get them together. The light bulb was the hardest for me, but it still only took about a minute or 2.

This light bulb....

There isn’t really a story given about the gallery you are in or what is happening, you’re just sort of thrown in and you see a rather nefarious looking vortex form over the exit. I wasn’t sure what was happening at first, but figured it out pretty quickly. You can make up your own narrative about why this happened. I’m going with evil wizard, that seems like a good bet.

The visuals in the game are just astounding. I love the multitude of paintings around the gallery, even if some of them are a bit unsettling. The colors are vibrant in the paintings and the gallery itself is somewhat dark an ominous—this may be in part due to all the rather off putting paintings of creepy eyes. Stylistically the game does a great job. When our creature enters the paintings, they become is sort of blue haze with eyes. I think that a small touch that would have really make this game shine would have been if our little creature took on the style of whatever painting they jumped into. The body colorful style of Van Gogh? The quiet realism of Edward Hopper? It would have been phenomenal.

Feel like you're being watched?

In terms of game design, everything worked as it was supposed to. The controls were smooth and I didn’t have any issues. I was really just sad that the game was so short. Before I knew it I was at the end and I wanted it to just keep going. I was hoping this was just a demo, but I don’t see any indication on the Itch.io page that this game is being developed any further, so we will just have to enjoy what we have.

Something small that I also appreciated in this game is the gallery, where the developers provided information on the paintings that you help to fix in the game. It seems like such a small thing, but being able to read a little of the history on each painting made the art nerd in me really happy.

Restoring my favorite painting. 

Overall, I felt like this game was really something special and could most certainly be expanded into a full length game. Everything about this game felt enjoyable and I can’t really think of any negative experiences I had while playing. Definitely grab the game for yourself, you can download free from Itch.io HERE.

Do you have a favorite painting, or a painting that you would have liked to see in this game? Let me know in the comments below and I will see you all next time. Until then, happy gaming, friends!

I just wanna fly! || Cloudtrail Island (PC)

"Once you have tasted the taste of sky, you will forever look up." --Leonardo Da Vinci

Title Screen

Cloudtrail Island is a relaxing game of exploration created by a small team of people known as Wing It Games. You play as Wendy, a young lady who, it seems, is moving to Cloudtrail Island from Obscondia. The world of Cloudtrail is a world of disconnected floating islands that require some form of flight to travel between them. Wendy does this using a glider, and there are also these large almost blimp like airships that travel between the islands.

I really love the concept of this game, the disconnected sky islands, with the air travel and a view of endless blue skies. When I was younger, I played a game called Skies of Arcadia that filled me with such a sense of wonder. It had a similar concept, you had an airship and you traveled between floating islands that were different towns and cultural representations. There was a lot more to it, but the idea of living in the skies is similar.

Ah, the age old fetch quests! Bring it on!

The controls for this game are not stellar. The movements feel floaty, you get caught on the terrain when walking sometimes (especially bridges) and Wendy will jump into the hair when she hits a bump. To use the glider, you hit space twice, but in the platforming sections Wendy would whip out her glider when I was just trying to jump, which caused issues and got a little frustrating. The gliding was considerably smoother and I had fewer issues. 

The graphics style of the game is really cute and the music is nice as well. I didn’t seem to run into a lot of characters, but it might have been a result of the day/night cycle and I just wasn’t getting there at the right time to see them. The characters that I ran into seemed charming, if a bit generic. Also, I wish there was a house for me. I kept trying to go into houses but couldn’t find one that I could enter. I feel like the game was trying to go for a relaxing Animal Crossing vibe, but I felt like it needed more to get there, and a house would have added to that.

There is a large variety of items to collect in the game, and you would use them for fetch quests I imagine. There was a shop set up on the main islands, and he said he was a shop but I didn't get any options to buy or sell so it seemed pointless.

Flying is admittedly fun, though.

Overall, there is a decent amount of space to explore, the graphics are cute, and it is fun to soar around through the air. I love the idea of this game, and I feel like with some extra work and tweaking to the design and execution, it could really be a fantastic game to spend time in. As it is right now, it’s still worth a play to experience soaring through the air and to have a relaxing jaunt around the islands. You can download the game for free from Itch.io HERE.

There was a surprising lack of fencing for living so high in the air. I would be concerned about losing my children or pets off of the edge. Do you think you would enjoy living in the sky on a floating island? Would you want to live in a community like the Cloudtrail Island, or off on your own little hunk of floating rock? Let me know what you think in the comments and I will see you all next time. Until then, friends, happy gaming!

I'm worried about this cow. Are they okay?

What the heck is happening?! || Ode to a Moon [DEMO] (PC)

“Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.” --Neil Armstrong

Title Screen

Ode to a Moon is a first person psychotropic horror game in the works from Colorfiction. You play as a tabloid writer who is tasked with investigating a historic fall festival in the rural town of Ashfield, CT. Things start going awry pretty quickly, and I started to feel like I was on a bad acid trip.

The graphics and the aesthetic used are well suited for this genre of game. The colors feel over saturated and even mystical at times, and with an otherwise rather dark backdrop, the colors really stand out. When the landscape starts to shift and alter around you, it can be very disorienting. As I neared the end of the demo, I spent a good while going in circles because the mixture of the shifting landscape and the over saturated colors made it difficult for me to navigate.

Field trip!

There is also a VHS quality on the screen as you play, which gave some part of the game, particularly the wooded area, a Blair Witch Project feel---which I did not like. I started having flash backs to when I was a kid, watching the movie with my older brother and my younger brother and pretending to not be afraid. Then of course my older brother took delight in jumping out of anywhere he could to scare me... but I digress.

The music and the sound design are well done. I wasn’t sure what I was hearing sometimes because I didn’t have my headphones on. Was that a breath? A ringing in the ears? Are we descending into madness ourselves? The sounds worked together with the aesthetic to create a good sense of unease as you wandered about your way.

Are we slipping into another dimension?

The end of the demo was a bit jarring, and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t talk about it. Obviously this is a demo so we aren’t going to solve the whole mystery today. I am not much for horror games, but something about this demo really drew me in. It wasn’t cheap jump scares, it was an overall feeling of, “Something is going to happen but I don’t know what.”

Overall the aesthetic feels unique and interesting, the music and sound design are well done and I want to solve the mystery. I look forward to seeing where the development with this game goes in the future. I definitely recommend you pick up the demo and give it a play for yourself, this is a game that really has little justice done for it in a written review and you need to experience it for yourself. You can grab the demo free from Itch.io here.

What do you think the mystery is behind the fall festival that went wrong? It almost feels like a bad dream, so maybe it is? Let me know what you think down in the comments, and I will see you all next time. Until then, friends, happy gaming!

Is this the stairway to heaven....?

What Makes a Hero? || A Hero and a Garden (PC)

"I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people." --Maya Angelou

Title Screen

A hero and a Garden is an adorable and slow paced game about picking berries and righting wrongs created by npckc. We played another game from npckc a while back called One Night, Hot Springs, which I loved,so I am looking forward to seeing what this game has to offer. 

In A Hero and A Garden, you play as Cyrus, a hero who attacks a village of monster folk with the aim of defeating the witch and saving the Princess of his kingdom. Unaware that his sword is magic, his sword clashes with the witch’s magic and causes a great deal of damage to the town. The witch curses Cyrus to tend the gardens and work to earn money for reparations to rebuild the town he so damaged.

A horned doctor explains to Cyrus how the garden works. We have to grow berries, and then fill orders that townspeople make for those berries. We use the money we earn to pay for the repairs in the town, and hopefully everyone is happy in the end. As Cyrus grows the berries and fills orders, he meets more of the town’s monsters and even the Princess he came to save. The monsters grow on him, and Cyrus begins to wonder if monsters are really what humans have claimed them to be. Perhaps he was truly in the wrong to begin with?

Sooty!

The artwork for this game is simple, and absolutely adorable. I love Sooty and I wanted to give him some ear scratches like I know my dogs love. All of the endings are cute, and once you finish the game there is a gallery you can access to view all of the other possible endings—which I loved because that means I didn’t have to spend an hour growing berries again to see another ending.

Speaking of berries, you are going to spend a lot of time growing berries. There are 5 different kinds of berries, each with a different timing for when the berries will appear. Some are rather slow. Towards the end when I was just trying to get my 100 scorch berries to finish the game, I was knitting stitches on my scarf while I waited for berries to grow. Just saying, if you don’t want to stare at the screen, maybe have something else to do.

All of the characters you meet in the game are unique and adorable, and I enjoyed the dialog Cyrus had with them. I didn’t run into any issues in gameplay, and the mechanics all worked as intended. The music and sound effects were nice, although the music sounds like a lullaby, and paired with the slow pace of the game it made me feel a little sleepy. You could flip that and say the game is just very relaxing, which it is.

Grow my berries, grow!

Overall I liked the game. The dialogue is cute and made me chuckle at times, and the characters were cute and fun to meet. The gameplay is repetitive, and the slow pace make it difficult to stay engaged at times. If you need a break from the fast pacing gaming world we’re in today, take a break with this game. You can download it free from Itch.io HERE. Be sure to let npckc know what you thought.

Do you like slower paced, more relaxing style games, or do you prefer the fast paced edge of your seat games? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll see you all next time!

Romance is Magical || Floret Bond[DEMO]

"Take a lover who looks at you like maybe you are magic." --Frida Khalo

The art is so beautiful!

Floret Bond is a super sweet otome in development from GBPatch, the makers of XOXO Droplets, A Foretold Affair, and My Magical DivorceBureau.  Floret Bond is all about developing a polyamorous relationship between the main character, Peony, and the male leads, Gata and Krishin. Peony studies the art of neutralization, meaning she is able to negate the effects of some spells and curses. Krishin and Gata come to her, because it seems that Gata has cast a spell to keep the two of them bound together. While Gata doesn’t seem to mind, Krishin wants the spell removed.

Krishin and Gata are both interesting characters, though the mysterious Gata quickly became my favorite (I may have a type). Peony herself is a sweetheart as well, and I like her as a character. The art style for the game is soft and beautiful. I love the watercolor look of the whole game. The characters also seem diverse and unique, which makes them more interesting. I want to learn more about them.

Krishin and the mysterious Gata.

This game is still a demo, so it’s missing some parts, such as the crafting system. Peony will have to manage her time, forage for items, craft, trade, and even make gifts to give to the guys to earn their affections.  This will be a great addition to the final build of the game and I can’t wait to try it out.

Overall, I’m excited for the game, and I hope that you’ll give the demo a try for yourselves. You can download and play free from Itch.io *here*. Also, be sure to leave your feedback and encouragement for GB Patch as well.

Thank you, as always, for sharing some of your time with me today. Let me know what you thought below, and be sure to check back every Tuesday and Saturday at 11 AM to see what we’re going to play next! Until then, happy gaming, Jammers!

Bell

Knees Weak, Palms are Sweaty... || Sweaty Palms[DEMO]

"It is a mistake to regard age as a downhill grade toward dissolution. The reverse is true. As one grows older, one climbs with surprising strides." --George Sand

Sweaty Palms is a climbing adventure made by thecalooch. You play as an old acrobat preparing for The Show™. You’ll have to climb through the stages to reach the top and ring the bell, fighting off crows (and death, probably) the whole way.

The controls are interesting, if a bit frustrating at times. Old man acrobat moves with the use of your mouse. You have to click on one of his limbs, then move it into a suitable position. If the limb isn’t flat against a solid surface, though, it won’t do you much good. There were some issues I had with the hands and feet not registering where I wanted to place them. It was a little frustrating, but it was simple enough to just try re-placing them.

Just... a little... further...!

I like the graphics and the overall aesthetic, as well as the sound effects. Most of all, I had fun playing. I used to play a game called Catherine on the ps4, where you had to climb towers, and this gave me a similar feel to that game (even though they are quite different).

The developer has said that its current state is a demo build, but if you enjoy the demo, please be sure to let the developer know, and perhaps we can see a full-length game from this. You can download the demo and play it free from Itch.io *here*. Let me know what you thought down below!

Until next time, Jammers, happy gaming!

Bell

Blessing and a Curse || What Remains of Edith Finch (PC)

"Show me a hero, and I will write you a tragedy." F. Scott Fitzgerald

This is not in any way ominous...

What Remains of Edith Finch is heartwarming game about exploration and discovering the stories of the past, created by Giant Sparrow and published by Annapurna Interactive. You play as Edith, returning to the Finch home after years away. Edith is the last remaining Finch, after the loss of her mother. Her mother left her a key, so Edith takes it and returns to the Finch home to unravel the secrets of her family and the “curse” that afflicts them. And, oh, what an adventure awaits.

This game has to be one of my favorite games that I have played in the last year. The story is well crafted with mystery, intrigue, and tragedy. As you explore the house through secret passages and hidden doors, you learn about each member of Edith’s family tree, and how they met their untimely ends. I loved playing the short vignettes of each family member, and despite some minor issues with the controls not working as smooth as I liked, many of the stories stuck with me and often had an element in them I could personally relate myself to.

Such a beautiful house with a view.

Edith’s brother Lewis, I think, was my favorite of them all to play. Simply because I can understand the desire to escape your reality and imagine something more—something grand and all your own. There were a few times I felt tears welling inside me (reminder: I cry so easily) and approaching the end of Lewis’ story, since I could see what was coming, was one of those times. Well done.

The graphics and music are both beautiful and fitting for the game, I took far too many screenshots to share in this blog entry, but I hope they showcase the game accurately. The music is well composed, and I even have the OST saved on my computer to listen to myself. Milton’s tower theme is just beautiful.

I wish my brother and I had this room growing up.

The story easily blew me away, the tragedy of Edith’s family members’ deaths, and her wondering if it was really a curse, of it the family’s belief in the curse made it a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts. Strange coincidences happen, after all.

I love the strange, the mysterious and the unexplained, so the “unsolved mystery” feeling of the game and the stories that Edith read from her family really spoke to me. I would recommend this game highly to anyone. What Remains of Edith Finch runs 19.99 at normal price, though I received my copy free, as I won it as a part of a random prize drawing. On sale, I believe it was priced at 12.99 during the winter Steam sale, so I, myself, always wait for a sale. This game is more than worth the experience, in my opinion. You can view the Steam Page *here* to purchase, add to your wish list, or get more information.

Thank you all once again for stopping in. I always take recommendations for games, so leave a comment if there’s something I should play, or if there is an error or anything. Take care, until next time. Happy gaming, Jammers!

Bell

Gaming in Cat Pajamas? || Kirigami (PC)

Kirigami!

Kirigami is an adorable, paper style adventure and puzzle solving game project by Sophie Cook for Studio 694, WCG's in-house game studio. You play as an adorable creature in cat pajamas, and you traverse an intriguing doll style house to solve puzzles and interact with the characters.

The art style of the game is where I think it really shines. I love hand drawn games, and the pieces almost looks like stickers placed in a story book at times. I am not sure what all there is to do, since all 3 times I played I ended up getting stuck on the roof after I got the black feather for the potion. I’m clearly missing something, but I’m not sure what. I wish I knew, because for what it is, I did enjoy what I played.

What a witch!

The walking animation is odd, as it would play often while I was standing still, but rarely when I was actually moving. I also had an issue with items not appearing in my bag at times, like the rubix cube (which I thought to give to the fellow on the roof, but never seemed to have it).

Despite the errors and bugs, I think that the creator was on to something that would be fun and interesting. I hope that they are able to take this idea and make something amazing in the future. If you’re interested, you can certainly download the demo to play, free from Itch.io *here*. I bet you can do better than I did. 

Be sure to leave feedback and encouragement for the developers! Until next time, Jammers. Happy gaming!

Bell

Sniping for You || Long Gone Days [DEMO] (PC)

From Steam Page

Long Gone Days is a 2D RPG game with visual novel and shooter elements in the works by BURA. You play as Rourke, a young man who has dreamed of being a Sniper for as long as he can remember. He gets his chance, and becomes a sniper in the Core—a highly isolated area that exists below the surface of the Earth. From the Core, squads can travel to the surface, to Kaliningrad. Rourke fills his post as sniper, believing that he is fighting against violent enemies…. But something seems a little strange, doesn’t it?

After he has exposed to the truth, Rourke decides to desert his post. Adair, the medic in his squad, decides to come along also. Together they want to escape the cruel reality they have come to find themselves in, but will they be able to handle facing their brothers in arms?

Adair, the optimist.

I did play through the demo of this game, and it looks really good. The game has beautiful pixel graphics, and visual novel style sprites as well. They work well together. The music is well composed and fitting for the scenes. I like the dystopian future vibe that the game has, and both Rourke and Adair are likeable characters. I feel for Rourke, as I imagine is his shoes I would have had to defect also (or die).

Okay, let’s talk about some of the features that the developers are promising for the full release! So, besides the classical RPG staples, LGD will also borrow mechanics from visual novel style games, puzzles, and shooters.

I really like the battle mechanics that the developers used, so I want to explain it a little better. On the battle screen, you’ll have the opportunity to fire at different areas of the body. Headshots, arm shots, body shots, and leg shots. Each had a different possible effect. For example, you can disable an enemy shooter by hitting them in the arms, or lower their evasion by making leg shots. I think this is a really interesting mechanic to use, and it helps spice up the battle gameplay a little.

In Battle

The game also says that it won’t have any random encounters, which is strange to hear for a game with so many RPG elements. Any battle will be plot related. Instead of leveling up with EXP, characters will learn new skills, upgrade weapons and craft new items. There is also no magic in LGD. Instead, characters have morale, which directly affects a character’s stats in battle. To keep morale up, you’ll need to know each character so that you know how to properly encourage them.

Overall this game looks really stylish, it has a good plot developing, the characters seem unique and have interwoven relationships with you that are important to maintain, and the battle system seems sound. I’m greatly looking forward to the full game release, which is set for February 2018. You can watch the trailer below or visit the Steam page *here* to try the demo for yourself, or get more information.

You can also watch my playthrough of the full demo on my YouTube Channel. There's a link to the demo video *here*

Thanks for shooting by to say hello. I hope you’ll take the chance to check out this game. Let me know what you think in the comments below! Until next time, happy gaming!

Bell

Life is an Adventure || Where Ages Go (PC)

What did that guy look like?

Where Ages Go is a cute visual novel style story created by Fox Lee. You play as a silent protagonist who has grand dreams of traveling the world, and seeing all there is to see. Perhaps the world may have a different plan for you though…

I think this VN is really cute. I like the artwork and the characters, even if the characters are a bit cliché. Tropes aren’t necessarily bad, though it can make the stories a bit predictable. Maybe I’ve played too many otomes or watched too many romance anime, I don’t know. I still enjoyed the stories, so don’t let that deter you.

Such a sweetie <3

There are a couple of things I really liked that the developer did. In the beginning, you get to choose your pronouns, your personality type, and your look. I’m not sure what bearing any of these have on the story, if any, but I like it none the less. I also like the way you choose your path, or your guy, rather. It was cute, and I haven’t seen another VN do it like this before, so a plus from me.

There are 3 different guys to play through, a tough guy, a smart guy, and a cute guy. I rather like the little cute on the best. He and I are the most alike, I think, and we could be friends in real life. This developer has a good base, and I hope to see more work from them in the future.

My favorite!

You can download Where Ages Go to play for yourself free from Itch.io *here*. Be sure to leave your feedback and encouragement for the developer, and let me know what you thought in the comments below.

Take care, Jammers, and happy gaming!

Bell

Mystery Abounds || Up Until the End [DEMO] (PC)

Title

Up Until the End is a visual novel in the works from LetiGame. You play as a nameable protagonist, who was reading in a library, when she somehow passed out. When she awakes, she’s surrounded by smoke and flames. What happened?! As you’re trying to escape, you’re intercepted by a man you don’t know, and you’re knocked out. When you awake again, you’re in a dark room, alone. Somehow, you’ll have to find a way to escape.

When you are able to escape the building, and perhaps help some others escape along with you, you’re left with no answers, except the knowledge that you don’t want to be caught. You learn that the others who escaped with you are Matt, Amanda, and Erika. You’re able to elude the men chasing you, and rest in a farmhouse located in the woods. After a rest, they search for supplies and decide to keep moving—together.

Talking with Amanda and Matt

I found the demo intriguing, and I want to know who those men were, and how all of these people got tangled up in such a mess—and what exactly that mess is. I find the artwork charming, both the sprites and the backgrounds. The music is intense and fitting, although I feel that it might benefit from some sound effects.

From what I understand, this VN is an undertaking by one individual, which is rather impressive, so kudos for making what you have. I hope that you are able to complete it, and refine it into something you’re proud of!

You can find the free demo of Up Until the End on Itch.io *here*. Please be sure to leave your feedback and encouragement for the developer, and let me know what you thought down below! Thanks for sharing some time with me today, and, until next time, happy gaming!

Bell

LetiGame did have a form to fill out in regards to the game, and in case I didn't address every point, I'll post it below:

Did you enjoy it overall? What did you like the most in the demo?

I did enjoy it overall. I am enjoying the mystery, and I want to know more.

Who is your favorite character and why?

I like them all, but I think Erika. She's young, and innocent. I wonder how she got mixed up in this?

Who is your least favorite character and why?

Um, I don't think I have one. 

What do you think of the protagonist ? Can you relate to her?

Not quite, but we don't really know anything about them, so I don't have anything to relate to yet. 

What is your opinion of the artwork?

It's not award winning, but it's not terrible either. I like a little more variation in poses maybe, but that's it. 

What do you think of the story so far?

Very intense.

Was it something that bothered you about the game?

I wish we knew more about the men, and what happened. (In time, I hope)

Did you find any typos or spelling mistakes?

Yes, and I'm still open to helping you with that, if you'd like. 

What would you say needs the most improvement?

Sprites.

Do you think you'll play the finished game once it's released?

I look forward to it!

The protagonist doesn't have a sprite. Did it bother you? Did it help you to relate to her or would you prefer her to have one?

I think there are pros and cons to both approaches. Personally, I think it's fine without. 

Any other comments?

Nothing in particular. :)

Beauty is Only Skin Deep || Meeting in the Flesh [DEMO] (PC)

"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." --Aristotle

Title

Meeting in the Flesh is a horror/romance visual novel in the works by cacoethic and inktrashing. You play as Vil, a delivery boy on a strange world that’s inhabited by a diverse number of… what you might call “monsters”. At first, I thought that we were in some sort of post-apocalyptic Earth, but then Vil described the planet’s 3 suns and I realized that we are on some strange and unknown planet. 

There is a good deal of reading, since this is a visual novel, however there is less dialogue and more descriptive writing, compared to other visual novels I have played. It’s not bad at all. I thoroughly enjoy reading, and the descriptions given made me much more curious about the world. The characters are all very different, and I’m very curious about where the story will go in the future.

In the plot of the story, an eclipse is approaching, an event that occurs only once every century or so. It’s seem as a great occasion and a day when anything can happen. Everyone seems to be making special plans, except for Vil. Perhaps someone else has plans for Vil, though?

Salt Bath... not a good time.

The demo takes you through two days of deliveries, introducing you to the major characters and giving a good bit of the lore and atmosphere of the world. I still am curious to know more, but hopefully that will come with time. Some of the characters can be rather unsettling at first sight, but half of this game’s genre is horror after all, and the artwork is very well done, regardless. 

Over all, I really enjoyed the demo. Kudos the developers for the great writing and artwork. I’ll be keeping an eye out for the finished game. As always, I encourage you to give the demo a play for yourself, you can download it free from Itch.io *here*.

Also, be sure to leave your feedback and encouragement for the developers on their page, and you can also follow the development of the game through their tumblr *here*. Until next time, happy gaming, Jammers!

Bell

The Abuser, or the Abused? || He Beat Her (PC)

Title Screen

He Beat Her is an interesting interactive mystery created by Zephyo. You play as a lawyer who is defending a client accused of domestic abuse. It seems, however, there is more to this story than it seems. The trial is about to end, so you need to use the last few precious minutes to change the outcome—to see that justice is served. But can you?

This game as a unique mechanic, which requires typing your actions into a dialogue box to perform them. For example, you can type “grab” and then you have to type what you want to grab. It can be frustrating to figure out, but I feel that is likely a part of the intended feeling of the game.

Source: Itch.io page

There are apparently different paths you can take, and there is a walkthrough to help you through them all. I played around with different inputs, and I managed to walk out of the case and abandon my client, and I got a little bit of somewhere with the plaintiff. Because it is looking for specific inputs, it can be difficult to get through.

I love the art style, and the game overall is well put together. I feel like the developer achieved the feelings and goals they set out to create, and I’m happy for that. As frustrating as this game can be, I enjoyed every minute I played of it.  I hope you’ll download this game free from Itch.io *here*

Be sure to leave your feedback and comments for the developer. Until next time, Jammers… Happy Gaming!

Bell 

Fur the Love of Gaming || Furwind (PC)

Title Screen

Furwind is a fun action platformer game in the works by Boomfire Games. Furwind is the name of the small fox that you play as. An evil force has been awakened by a dark cult, threatening the balance of nature. Furwind has been chosen to restore balance. He’ll learn abilities to help him on his quest as well.

I really enjoyed this demo, despite the fact that platformers and quick reflexes are not my forte. The graphics are vibrant and colorful, the music and SFX are great. The controls probably would have felt better to me on a gamepad, since my right hand isn’t as agile when hitting those arrow keys. That’s my error, however, and for the most part the controls felt nice. The animations are cute, I love Furwind’s tail attack animation. The enemies are well made and there seems to be a good variety.

Oh no, a boss!

The demo has the first 3 levels available for play, and the demo offers fair challenge without being rage inducing. I enjoyed playing through the environments, and I look forward to seeing more as it comes. If you enjoy platformers, and are looking for something cute with a little challenge, then this could be for you. Give the demo a try free from Itch.io *here*. 

Be sure to leave your comments for the developers, and let me know what you think below! Happy Gaming!

Bell

Norse Adventure || Finding Idun (PC)

Starry Night

Finding Idun is a cute adventure game created by Chris Macey where you play as Loki and you are on a journey to Jotunheimr to rescue Idun. When the great giant Thjazi tricked Loki into promising to bring her to him, Loki had no choice but to comply. Loki led Idun (the goddess who possessed magic apples of youth, the same apples that kept the gods young) out to the woods, Thjazi swept down in eagle form and took Idun away to his home in Jötunheimr (per the Itch.io page). You’ll be platforming, solving puzzles and meeting new people.

You have to read the Itch.io page to get the story information, as the game doesn’t tell you any of this. All I knew from starting the game was that I was going to rescue Idun. It was fine for just going to play the game, but I’m a gal that likes backstory so it might have been nice to even just have a little description at the beginning of the game.

I love this place

I like the dark, backlit graphics which is reminiscent of games like Limbo with the glowing eyes. The music is nice, and there’s enough of a variety in the different areas that I didn’t get tired of it. The controls, however, can be more difficult to deal with. I have fallen off many a ledge because the moving and jumping mechanics don’t always want to work together. 

I’m a big fan of Norse Mythology, and mythology in general, so that’s what drew me to this game in the first place. There is also a phone app that can be used to unlock more story. There are 4-digit pins in the game that you can find to do this. I think it’s interesting to tie a game you play on a PC to an app like that.

Overall, I like the game. It could use some polishing and minor mechanic fixes, but it’s still worth a play. You can download and play Finding Idun free from Itch.io *here*.

Catventure! || The Chronicles of Zuro DEMO

Title

The Chronicles of Zuro is an action adventure game in the works by Exmat. You play as an adorable cat boy(or girl, maybe?), who works at a restaurant located on the back of a giant tortoise. I’m not sure what the full plot is planned to be, but in the demo, you’re exploring a forest to place 3 hidden alter stones, and defeat the boss.

The graphics are cute, they sort of have an N64 look to them. The character you play as is super cute! I’ve always had a thing for characters with cat(or other animal) ears. The colors are bright and attractive as well. The environments are crafted nicely.

A forest path...

I had some trouble working my slingshot, and I wished that there had been a little more tutorial to tell me how to aim the damn thing. It was just guesswork. It took me 7 tries to shoot a ramp right to get it to drop. Aiming at barrels? Forget it.

I had a lot of fun just running around and exploring the world, though. There are barely any enemies, which I suppose is good since I can’t shoot my slingshot properly. There were some graphical glitches, but this IS only a demo, so I shouldn’t judge too harshly. The sound effects could also use some work. In particular I would have liked some splash sounds when walking through water.

Such a nice view, though.

Overall, I feel the demo shows some promise. The graphics are nice, the characters are cute, I just wish I had a better idea of any story. I hope that the developer is able to build upon this demo in the future, because I’d like to play it. You can try the demo for yourself *here*

Be sure to leave your feedback and encouragement for the developer, and happy gaming, Jammers!

Bell

Deep in the Heart of Trouble || Date or Die (Prologue/Pilot)

Title

 

Date or Die is an episodic (so far) visual novel game in the works by Arden. You play as “Hero” and you’ve awoken to find yourself in a metal room with no immediately apparent escape. There is one door, but it’s locked, and a computer screen built into one wall. When the screen comes to life, you’re given a strange quiz and it matches you to another person, who you don’t even know. After which the door opens. You can even be matched to the host.

You’re met with some other folks who appear to be in the same situation as you are. They can’t remember their names either, nor do they remember how they got there. You do all have matching pink rings, however. They must have some significance.

Gang is all here!

I like the variety of characters. They all have a unique design and they all seem to have their own personalities as well. I really like the art style they are drawn in. I was matched with “Mesmer” in the beginning quiz during my first go, but “Luna” and “Six” caught my eye also.   

You soon meet the host, who explains that he has this game show to prove that anyone can find love. ANYONE. You have no choice but to participate, since those pink rings are able to poison you at the host’s whim. You’ll be participating in some challenges, designed to test your devotion to the idea of love (according to the host, anyway). But how far are you willing to go? A human’s natural instinct is to survive, but are you willing to kill another to have your chance…?

Mesmer's grin, though...

In the Pilot Episode, you get some sneak peaks with either the Host, or with “Mesmer”. Mesmer is one of the other characters being held captive for the game show. I don’t want to talk about them too much cause I don’t want to spoil any of it. I did enjoy both branches of the pilot, though. I’m intrigued by the host and I really want to know more.

Overall the Prologue and the Pilot Episode are great. They’re well written, the plot is interesting, and the characters are unique and they make me want to learn more about them. I can’t wait to see more from this developer for this game. You can download and play the prologue *here* and then try the Pilot Episode *here*.

Thank you all so much for stopping in! I hope you’ll give this game a try. Let me know what you thought in the comments below! See you next time!

Bell