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!

Reliving a Memory || When the Past Was Around [DEMO] (PC)

"Past is a nice place to visit, but certainly not a good place to stay." --Unknown

Title screen

When the Past was Around is a unique point and click, puzzle solving tale created by Mojiken Studio.  I played and wrote about another game by Mojiken Studio a while back called A Raven Monologue. Mojiken Studios branches out into these experimental types of story telling that are charming and wonderful to behold. If you haven't played A Raven Monologue, I suggest you do so because it too is quite a tale. 

In When the Past was Around, you unfold the tale of a young woman and a beast in a surreal world where the woman’s memories play out in vignettes. This game is still just a demo, so the game will be build up and things might change in terms of how the game plays, but for now we’re going to talk about the demo.

The art style used in this game is absolutely stunning. The colors are soft and gentle, the characters and the environments are crafted lovingly with great care. Everything flows together nicely from scene to scene, lead along by the beast. I have to say, it feels wrong to call him a beast. This game feels so gentle and loving that using a harsh sounding word like beast feels wrong.

Photos of Memories

The music and sound design are also delightful and add to the overall gentle and relaxing flow of the game. The puzzles are rather simple, and you can manage your way around simple by clicking on everything if you get stuck. Good old trial and error. Nothing was too difficult, and the game focused more on the journey than creating a struggle with the puzzles or mechanics.

There is no spoken dialogue in this demo, all of the story telling is told through the imagery and puzzle solving. This game manages to do that very well, particularly towards the ending of the demo when we get a small idea that perhaps not everything is sunshine any rainbows(and also a small assault on my ears). It reminded me that this was a demo and that there was something more to come.

Where will they lead us to next?

Overall, I think I fell in love with this demo. The art style was enchanting, the music was relaxing and the story was told in a beautiful way. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what more comes from this game in the future.  I definitely recommend that you pick up the demo and experience it for yourself. You can grab the demo free from Itch.io HERE.

How do you feel about a game that uses the art to tell a story as opposed to words? Have you played a game that plays in a similar way before? Comment down below and let me know what you think. Until next time, happy gaming, friends!

Where Gaming Begins! || Origins 2018

Over the weekend, I went down to Columbus with some friends to attend a day at Origins 2018. In case you don’t know what Origins is, it’s a convention where gamers and creators gather for 5 days of game filled shenanigans. Everything from tabletop games to role playing can be found at Origins. This was my first-year attending, so I was particularly excited—even if I just wanted to see all the Dungeons and Dragons things.

From the left: John, Me, Bethany, and Ashtan

I went with some of my close friends: John, Ashtan, and Bethany—our DnD. Our group is getting ready to start a Dungeons and Dragons Tal’Dorei campaign, but more about that another time. There were a lot of interesting things we saw. Ashtan and John even got to meet Chris Perkins. Bethany and I went to the Dungeons and Dragons hall to get our hands on some DnD tote bags (Plus, she and I didn’t really know who Chris Perkins was).  I love DnD, but I’ve never really been immersed in the popular culture of DnD until recent years.

There were also massive amounts of table top games, and so many different companies were there to show their wares. If I had a million dollars there would have been so many things I would have gotten for myself, and for my friends. However, I didn’t. I got my daughter a Hatsune Miku blind bag, because she’s very into Miku’s music right now, and I also got some dice, and a comic book from a local artist.

I got a "misfit" metal set, and a mini minty green set.

We only had one day, so there was so much we didn’t get to do. We didn’t get to demo as many games as we wanted, and we lost track of some of the things we wanted to come back to. The vendor floor was so big and flooded with so many people that is quickly became mildly overwhelming. I should have been more prepared for that amount of people, but I wasn’t. It was my own fault. Next year I’ll be more prepared.

I even saw some cosplayers! I didn’t get any pictures of them as generally it was just in passing and I was often distracted by all of the shiny and pretty things. I was thoroughly impressed with the skill and variety of the vendors. I wish there had been more comic books, but I get that it was a gaming convention. I would need to hit up Ohayocon or something for more comic and manga related merch.

John and Bethany demo-ed Stroop

The one game my friends did end up buying was Stroop. I watched John and Bethany demo it, and it looked interesting. I was too exhausted to demo it myself, but I look forward to taking part at the next game night we hold. Stroop is a game based on the Stroop Effect. Stroop effect is a demonstration of interference in the reaction time of a task. When the name of a color (e.g., "blue", "green", or "red") is printed in a color which is not denoted by the name (i.e., the word "red" printed in blue ink instead of red ink), naming the color of the word takes longer and is more prone to errors than when the color of the ink matches the name of the color.

Overall, my first visit to Origins was a huge success! My legs were tired, and my nerves were shot, but it was worth it in the end. Memories were made, and fun times were had. Hopefully next year we’ll be able to get a hotel room and stay for an extra day to really get the full experience or demoing games and meeting other people.  

Below I’ll post any other pictures I have:

I love my Octopus bois.  

A poster a got in my DnD tote

Ashtan and I

We spotted a Holly!

Be careful, I think that's a Mimic

Bards of Entertainment

Thank you for reading, as always. Until next time!

Bellannmae

There's Something Strange Going On... || The Librarian (PC)

“Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures.” –Lewis Carroll

A Cozy Opening Screen

The Librarian is a short little adventure/puzzle game created by our friend Octavi Navarro. You may remember his name from a previous post for his previous game called Midnight Scenes:Highway. I was greatly impressed with the previous game, so when I heard that Octavi had created a new game, I couldn’t play it soon enough! My excitement was well warranted.

In The Librarian, you play as a young Librarian who’s reading is interrupted by a strange gust of ominous wind. They find an owl with a note telling them that something is wrong at the Library, so our dear Librarian gets ready to investigate. What wonders could await?

Not in any way ominous...

As with the previous game, I was very pleased with the pixel graphics and aesthetics. The colors fit the mysterious and slightly ominous tone of the game, and the animations were smooth. It was all very cohesive and worked well together.

The music and sound effects are well done, and Octavi does a spectacular job of crafting the environment and atmosphere of the game. Although the game is short (took me about 10 minutes) and the puzzles were a bit to easy to me, I greatly enjoyed the adventure. In the end, that’s what really matters.

Who you gonna call?

I hope that Octavi continues to make more games like these in the future, as I’ll be first in line to play. I encourage you to download the game and play for yourself. You can download the game free from Itch.io *here*. Be sure to leave a comment down below and let me know what you thought of the game.

As always, thank you for stopping in to share some time with me today. Remember to take some time for yourself, and have a momentous day, friends.

Until Next Time,

Bellannmae

Free Itch.io Games #19

Hello everyone! How are you all doin'? I hope you're having a great day! School will be starting up again before you know it, so make sure to get your rest and study hard! But not today. Today we're gonna look at 4 more games free from Itch.io that you may enjoy. Have a look. :)

1. Anchored

 Makes me wanna be a sky pirate!

Source: Screen Capture in Game

Anchored is a challenging exploration survival game created by BadCharger. You take control of yourself and 3 other settlers and you must collect resources, explore the world below, and defend your floating island settlement. Sounds simple enough!

I love a good survival game. I spent days playing Don’t Starve, I loved it so much. This game has the same basic principle, except with a floating island, which—let’s be honest—is pretty freaking cool in itself. Like most survival games, I died pretty quickly the first few times I tried to play. But after some practice I was able to live for a few days longer! 

In any case, I really enjoyed this game. The graphics are pleasing, I like the theme and there’s challenge involved. So if you like these kinds of games, you can try it for free on Itch.io *here*!

2. The Endless Express

 On and on.

Source: Screen Capture in Game

 

The Endless Express is a calm exploration game created by Florian Veltman, where you get to navigate a collection of strange worlds connected by train. There are small tasks you can complete, or you can wander aimlessly and enjoy the calming atmosphere (like I did.) 

Each of the worlds has a unique appearance, be it a lighthouse by the ocean, a stop off near a gas station, or fields of cherry blossom trees. The game has some good humor hidden around, and the crazy train time tables made my head spin. 

The most memorable thing about this game for me was the dream-like graphics. The colors are vibrant and eye-catching. If you press the esc button in game, a portal opens, the appearance of the portal makes me think of a Miyazaki movie or other similar imaginative cartoon. 

Overall, although I didn’t play the game to any sort of “ending”, I found the game enjoyable and an interesting experience. It’s worth taking some time to wander around in the dream like world. You can download the game for free from Itch.io *here*

3. Gran Mortalidad

A difficult decision....

Source: Screen Capture in Game

Gran Mortalidad is a think-quick puzzle game created by Piero-Diaz. You play as a girl who is seeking refuge, and you descend through multiple levels as you do this. You have to move the rooms in order to make a path, but avoid the infect rooms, and keep them from infecting other rooms. 

This game is intense, and challenging. I really enjoyed what I played of it, although I wasn’t able to finish it. I’m quick, but not quick enough to finish one of the levels near the end. I liked the game’s art style. It’s dark and foreboding, which fits the game well. 

Overall, for a short 15 level puzzle game, it’s well done. You can find the game free on Itch.io *here* and try it for yourself!

4. Inspector Waffles 

 A secret office!

Source: Screen Capture in Game

Inspector Waffles in a point and click hidden item detective game created by Goloso Games. You play as Waffles, and you’ve come to investigate a crime scene. A cat has been murdered! It appears that he was thrown from a window, but… cats land on their feet, right? Something is suspicious… 

In the house, you have to find items and work your way to the second floor to try to uncover the truth! This is kind of a part one, and it ends on a ‘to be continued?’ screen. I hope that the developers are able to get another installment out because I really want to know who killed that cat!

The pixel graphics are decent, though some details can be difficult to make out at times(as with most pixel graphics), and there are no sounds, and no music because the developers ran out of time before the jam, but maybe it will be updated another time. 

Either way, you can download and try the game for free from Itch.io *here*

 Thanks for sharing some of your valuable time with me today! Be sure to leave your feedback for the developers, and happy gaming!

Bell

Free Itch.io Games #16

What's shaking, bacon? Welcome back to another thrilling collection of free games on Itch.io! Yaaaay. Okay, not that thrilling. Anyway, here are 4 more free games from Itch.io, just for you!

1. The Best Romance Game Ever

Source: Screen Capture in Game

The Best Romance Game Ever is an april fools joke created by Michaela Laws, the creator of otomes like Seduce me. In The Best Romance Game ever you are trying to romance a small unfeeling robot who seems to be having a bit of an existential crisis. 

I wasn’t sure what I expected when I started playing it, but it wasn’t really bad. The robot was really cute, and the way his legs squeaked when he walked. This is a very short little experience, and it was for an april fools joke, so it’s important not to get your hopes up… but I felt it wasn’t as nearly as bad as some of the games I had played. 

If you want in on this little joke for yourself, you can go right over to Itch.io and download the little game for free *here*.

2. Takume

 Source: Screen Capture in Game

 

Takume is a very short (around 5 min.) and linear atmospheric and dramatic adventure game. A mystic story about identity, dreaming and dealing with past events, created by telecrafter. You play as Takume, and you are searching for your sister. 

The game is interesting, but I felt it was lacking in some details areas. Some things that weren’t explained left me feeling like I had missed something important. The graphics, though simple, are beautiful. The colors are nice, and the music is also fitting. 

Overall, it was an interesting 5-minute experience. I felt bad for what happened to the little “doggy” creature though… If you want to experience this short game for yourself, you can download it for free from Itch.io *here*.

3. A Tale of Toys and Terror

Source: Itch.io Page

A Tale of Toys and Terror is a tower defense and card game hybrid created by Team Feed. The game is turn based, as you take a turn placing your cards/toys into designated spaces, and then a boss is released and follows a path through the room. The goal is to stop the boss monster before it reaches the end, which can be difficult. 

I liked the graphics of the game, and the sound effects are fitting. Although for a story mode, I didn’t get any story—which sort of takes away from the game for me. I had some trouble using power ups also, I would drag it directly to the toy, but it wouldn’t work, like the accuracy was off or something. 

Overall, I did enjoy the game, I don’t care much for tower defense games, but this game kept me wanting to play. You can try game for yourself free from Itch.io *here*.

4. The 3 Beards

Source: Screen Capture in Game

The 3 Bears is a short point and click puzzle game by Nogoodnik Games. You play as one of 3 brothers after the car breaks down on an abandoned road near a cave. Strangely enough the cave looks to have been inhabited, and has a plethora of interesting items(including a rubber chicken. Classic comedy). Your task is to work with the items around the cave and find a way to get the car running so that you can get out of there and on your way. 

The game is very short, I beat it in about 5-10 minutes. The graphics are nice, and the music is wonderful. I liked seeing Chris’s crazy Elvis/Kuwabara hairstyle bounce around as he talked. The puzzle was easy to work out, but the game was enjoyable for what it was. I would recommend it if you like short point and click games. You can find it on Itch.io for free *here*!

Thanks for sharing some of your time with me today! I really appreciate it. As always, be sure to leave your comments for the developers, and let me know what you thought as well! I hope you were able to find a game that you can enjoy for yourselves. Happy Gaming!

Bell