Wow, So this is 2020, huh?

 Hello fellow gamers, 

It's been a while, huh? My last blog post was July of 2019. Oops. Suffice to say that keeping up with any regular task is difficult, and the end of 2019 saw me getting sick a lot and coming into 2020 was a league of it's own in terms of "How bad can things get?" I've gotten your emails and concerns about how I hadn't been writing, and I'm sorry if I didn't reply to them all as I wasn't sure at the time what I wanted to do. I've been struggling for motivation and energy to do anything, and while I have been playing games I wasn't thinking critically about them as much as just trying to fill some time and make myself feel like I was accomplishing something.

So here's the plan. I'm going to start writing again. Why not? I miss doing it, and I miss getting to be involved in the gaming community in a different way. Starting next week I'll pick up blog posts again and I'll return to the circles of people I have missed so much. Thank you everyone for your concerns. 

While I haven't been posting, I have been attending to my other crafty interests, like knitting and cross stitch, as well as spending extra time cuddling my dogs. I'll share some pictures below if you're curious how any of that is going. 

Thanks for sticking around, thanks for visiting, and I'll see you all next week! 

Bell

A beautiful shawl on the blocks

The cutest dog isn't he?

Hey... Nice cock

Who doesn't love the fat chocobo?

To Infinity and Beyond! || Chasing the Stars (PC)

“The end never justifies the means because there is no end; there are only means.” - Penn Jillette

Title Screen

Chasing the Stars is a BL (Boy’s Love) Ren’py visual novel created by Ertal Games. I played their previous game A Hand in the Darkness, which was also a BL visual novel, you can find my blog entry about that game (here). I backed this game on Kickstarter and I waited some time for it, so I was happy when I got the email saying that it was finished and got my keys for it. However, I was changing jobs and had a lot going on so I didn’t get the chance to play it until now. Everything has sort of been on hold, and even after I said I was coming back there was a major crisis and I had to bail again. Sorry! But I’m here now, and let’s talk about Chasing the Stars.

In Chasing the Stars you play as Tirs, a young man who has a dream to be a part of the team that is Terraforming the new planet Alaya. Tirs had an opportunity, but declined, not wanting to leave his boyfriend at the time Nil. Tirs bore resentment over his decision to give up his dream to go to space, and it impacting their relationship in a way that Nil breaks up with Tirs. The game starts just after the break-up when Tirs has to come face-to-face with how he got to where he is, with the help of his friends Pol and Lila. Pol suggests that Tirs try to join the terraforming project again, and after some debate, Tirs decides it’s worth a shot. How will his life change if he’s able to follow his dream?

If only, if only. 

I like the cast in the game, particularly Dr. Rossell, but as someone who’s had a lot of crushes on teachers through the years it’s sort of a thing with me. Although Rossell’s character is rather predictable and I knew where his arc was going, that doesn’t mean it was bad by any means. Perhaps I’ve just watched too many anime have have a knack for seeking out the bad boys. The dynamics between Tirs and his teammates and friends are well formed and the dialog feels natural and smooth. There are more than a couple spelling or grammatical errors, much like in their last game. I hate to harp on such a thing, but when you're paying for a game those little not so polished features really can stick out.

There is partial voice acting in the game, and while the voices all fit the characters, at times the written dialogue and the spoken dialogue didn’t match. It didn’t change the meaning of what was being said in any way, except for one time it sounded like Tirs called Lila “Linda”, but it was just a bit of a pet peeve of mine. Also there was one time that Tirs was speaking, but it had Mark’s name on the dialogue box.

Something that really bothered me was a section of the game that involved inputting a code by selecting, “Up”, “Down”, “Left” or “Right” to open a computer. If you don’t input the code correctly the first time, you get stuck in an endless loop of “It doesn’t do anything. The cursor blinks, unmoving, so I type another arrow”. This apparently is a feature, not a bug. As Ertal stated in their forum for the game, “Not an issue, sorry: if you fail the right order of the arrows, you get into a loop. You must load a saved game to repeat the puzzle (psst, there's a guide in the game folder).” This is bad game design(not everyone immediately thinks of the Konami Code when they see arrows), and irritated me that there isn’t some out or restart to this.The guide is nice, but it shouldn't be a required tool to play a game. 

Poor Biel has tried so hard

In all fairness I only played through this game once, so there are tons of branches and decisions that I didn’t get to explore before writing this. I slept with Marc (Dr. Rossell) right away because he was my favorite, and I also had the opportunity for a threesome with Marc and another character named Biel that I came to really like through the course of the game too. I unfortunately didn’t get to see any romance with Pol this time around, but perhaps I’ll swing through it again on my own time to see how that goes.

Despite any flaws in the game, what Ertal excels at is really the love scenes. I really enjoyed the scenes I saw in my play through. They're well written and descriptive. Much like A Hand in the Darkness, their writing skill shows more in these parts of the game than anywhere else. 

Something else I appreciated in this game, and many other BL games I’ve played too, is the ability to set whether you want the sex scenes or not. Chasing the Stars gives you an option up front to decide whether you want them all, you don’t want any of them, or if you want to pick and choose as you go. I appreciate that. I also enjoy getting to choose top or bottom for those scenes. I do wish there was a gallery available though.

All is well that ends well... right?

Overall Chasing the Stars is well-written and I like the Steampunk theme, the character designs, and the story of going into space is one that I can relate to. I’ve always loved the idea of going into space and seeing what is out there. Perhaps someday. I got End 8, which tells me there are at least 7 other endings out there that you can get. I imagine not all of them are as happy, either. If you enjoy BL games, and especially if you enjoyed Ertal’s previous game, then I think this one is work your time as well.

Thank you all so much for joining me here for this, if you’ve played the game, let me know what you thought of it. Who was your favorite character? Who did you romance? Do you think Marc deserved what he received? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll see you all next time!

Pol is honestly so cute though...

You're Not Rotten, Just Forgotten || Forgotton Anne (PC)

“Athazagoraphobia: the fear of being forgotten or ignored and fear of forgetting.”

Beautiful environments

Forgotton Anne is a 2D indie-adventure game that is heavily story-driven. Created by ThroughLine Games and published by the Square Enix Collective, Forgotton Anne follows the tale of Anne, the Enforcer of the forgotton world. When the game started, I was reminded of a movie I watched called OblivionIsland: Haruka and the Magic Mirror. In the movie, Haruka loses a mirror that was a precious possession to her and finds her way to a world of lost and forgotten things. Forgotton Anne is very different from the movie, but the world made me think of that movie.

Anne is the Enforcer of the world, which means it’s her job to keep the forgotlings from getting out of hand and dealing with the rebels (forgotlings that want to stop the construction of the Ether Bridge). Anne seems to have a bit of a ruthless reputation to the forgotlings, which I suppose is well warranted since Anne could distill them without thinking twice about it.

The color schemes are beautiful as well

The story is well told, nicely paced, and deeply emotional. The characters all have their own motives and personalities, and I enjoyed meeting all of the different forgotlings in the world. There are many decisions to make, mostly related to whether you’ll distill certain forgotlings, or try to reason your way out of it. Given my own personality, I tried my best to talk my way out of everything.

The game is overwhelmingly beautiful, with a style similar to a Miyazaki film. Anne herself reminded me a little bit of Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle. The animations are pretty smooth, and I loved the variety of movements, and the thoughtfulness put into how she moves—like stepping on every step when taking the stairs or having a specific turning animation while crawling.

There were a few things that ruffled mt feathers, but some of it is really nitpicking. For example, in the plant, when Anne descended a set of stairs, I noticed that the stairs appeared in front of her feet, instead of behind. A small issue, but I still noticed. Once when I was trying to drop down from a ledge, instead of falling, Anne changed to her animation pose when she hits the floor and fell down in that pose. I also was moved around the screen once as if I was on a moving platform, but I wasn’t.  The other issue I had was with the platforming. Sometimes I would be holding the run or wings buttons, but when I tried to jump it wouldn’t work—and sometimes it didn’t register my jumping at all and I would just fall.

This game gave me plenty of reasons to be sad.

Despite these little issues, I still found the game amazing. The music was beautiful, the sound design was thoughtful and created an immersive atmosphere. I often felt like I was strolling though a Miyazaki film. The environments are so detailed and well put together. I appreciate the time and effort that was put into it. I *highly* recommend you pick the game up for yourself and give it a play through. You can pick it up on Steam *here* for $19.99. The game took about 7.5 hours for me to complete, and it was a joy the entire time, so I feel it’s worth it.

Be sure to let me know down below what you thought about it! Did you stay with the forgotlings, or return to the Ether?

Thank you, as always. Until next time!

Bellannmae

Enter the Twilight Zone || Midnight Scenes: Highway (PC)

"Imagination... its limits are only those of the mind itself." --Rod Sterling

Title

Midnight Scenes: Highway is a short point and click suspense created by Octavi Navarro. You play as Claire Barnes, a woman on a journey whom is forced to take a small detour when her path becomes blocked. What Claire encounters, however, may change her life forever.

I loved this short adventure. It has heavy Twilight Zone feelings, a show that I love dearly. I was sad that the game was so short, but I feel that it doesn’t need to be longer. It leaves off like an episode of Twilight Zone as well, I could even hear the voice in my head.

Oh boy, a dark looking house... Let's go in!

Octavi does a spectacular job of creating an atmosphere of suspense and unease. The music, sound effects, and the graphic style all work very well together. I was never explicitly afraid, but it did make me feel uneasy and a little anxious. This is the sort of eerie game I enjoy. Not the in your face jump scares, but the subtle unease that makes your hair stand up on the back of your neck.

Kudos to the developer for creating such a well-crafted game. Given that this game is called Midnight Scenes: Highway, I do wonder if there will be more of these in a sort of series. If so, sign me up! I would even happily pay for one.

All a dream?

If you enjoyed Twilight Zone as a kid (or an adult) I think you’ll find immense enjoyment in this little game. Either way, please be sure to check it out for yourselves. You can download it free from Itch.io *here*.

As always, be sure to leave your feedback and encouragement to the developers, and until next time… stay safe, and happy gaming, Jammers!

Bell

Finding Closure || Midnight Train to Nowhere (PC)

"You are strong enough to face this, even if it doesn't feel like it right now." --Unknown

Title Screen

Midnight Train to Nowhere is a short, but sweet, rpg style game created by mannytsu. A long time ago now, I reviewed another one of mannytsu's games called Imaginary Friends. In Midnight Train to Nowhere, you play as George, and you board the midnight train to find closure in your life, regarding your friend leaving. You’ll get to meet other characters and friends, and try to help them as you try to help yourself. Its seems that all of the characters aboard the train are working through their own issues, and until they work through them, they’re stuck on the train.

The characters are cute, and I love the hand drawn style of artwork. The animations are well done, the colors are smooth, and it’s like watching a cartoon play out. The music is also amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I love the variety of characters

I enjoyed the messages that were portrayed throughout the train as well. Particularly Maria, who is on the ceiling is what looks like a depressive episode. Even if you get the step stool to try to reach her, you cannot. So, Aaron says that he’ll continue to stay and support her, until she feels better. I feel that’s really sweet. As someone who suffers from anxiety and depression, it hit home with me.

Over all, the art is cute, the music is beautiful, and the message is meaningful. This game is certainly worth the 10 minutes that it takes to play, and it’s free on Itch.io *here*. The game is up for votes in the Indie Game Maker Contest 2017 also, so if you like it, you can also show support by voting for it *here*.

Thank you all, as always, for stopping in. I hope you’ll give this game a shot. Be sure to leave your feedback and encouragement for the developer, and until next time…  Happy gaming, Jammers!

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

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

Free Itch.io Games #22

What's shakin, bacon? Today we have another small collection of free games from Itch.io that may or may not be worth your time. We'll only know by playing, so let's get to it!

1. The Hair in the Wall

The Hair in the Wall is a strange tale woven by AndreaPignataro. A long time ago I played another one of Andrea’s games called That Spongey Thing on Your Tongue, and you can find the review for that *here*. This happens to be one of her earliest works though. You play as someone who moved to a new town, a new job, ready to start a new life.

As you are settling in you notice a hair sticking in the wall of the basement. Thinking nothing of it, you pull it off and continue on. The next day you host a party and go to the basement to search for wine… and there is that hair again. Didn’t you pull that off already?

This game is short, and does a good job of building suspense. It sort of has a Junji Ito feel to it, which Andrea cited as inspiration, so well played. There are some grammar issues that don’t affect the playability of the game too much. So, if you like horror/suspense, give it a try free *here*. Just remember this is an earlier work that the developer improved on in following games.

2. Silent Crossing

Source: Itch.io Page

Silent Crossing is an atmospheric suspense game created by Lycaon. Very similar to Silent Hill fashion, you traverse a foggy town on your own, with nothing but a flashlight. The sound effects and atmospheric white noise is very unsettling, which really makes the game I think.

Overall the game isn’t bad, but there isn’t much to it either. You can always give it a try for yourself free on Itch.io *here* and let me know how it was for you!

3. If One Thing Changed

  

If One Thing Changed is a text based, emotional, choices matter story created by kahmehkahzeh. You play as a girl reliving her memories through childhood and into adulthood, and your choices shape how her childhood goes, good or bad.

My first play through I played it like I would have done as a child or adult, and got the bad end. I guess there’s no real surprise there. On my second go through, I just got ‘end’. So I wonder if there is a good end?

There are no images for the game, just text, music and sound effects. I could relate to the story. Perhaps not the content itself, but the emotions that the girl goes through are definitely familiar. The story is about 10 minutes long, and has some grammar issues, but you get the idea. You can download and play free from Itch.io *here*

4. A Melon’s Tale

A Melon’s Tale is a short and cute tale about a watermelon, created by Shelly Alon and Nikolai Reinke. You play as a watermelon that was thrown out in the trash, and now you want to help those who might just need some watermelon in their lives.

You only need to use your left and right arrow keys for this game. It’s simple, but I liked the cute visual style, and the ending was cute too. I also enjoyed the music and sound effects. The music and graphical style together almost made it like a children’s story book.

You can download it and try for yourself free on Itch.io *here*

Thanks for stopping in once again! You have no idea how much I appreciate you all. I hope you found a game worth playing, so I hope you enjoy. Happy gaming!

Bell

Time is Ticking || Tick Tock Isle (PC)

"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." --Andy Warhol

Source: Steam Page

Tick Tock Isle is a time travelling puzzle adventure game created by Squiddershins. You play as Strike, a young horologist who is somehow transported back in time while trying to repair an abandoned clock tower. Now, as Strike searches for the way back home, he’ll help a family become a happy unit once again.

Tick Tock Isle has a lot to offer in the way of a short puzzler game. The graphics are cute, the colors are bright and the details are well done. You’ll be able to utilize the clock to travel between 2009 and 2010 to complete tasks to make members of the family content. You’ll have to find items between the two time periods to help the family members. For example, Melody is creating music and you’ll need to collect instruments to bring her.

How did this lawnmower get here?

Tick Tock Isle also has some mini games from the youngest boys that give you some of the most important items. The mini games aren’t long, and are a stark change from the pace of the rest of the game. In the mini games, you are armed with a sword and have to make it through a short platforming level. When you get to the end, the two boys reward you with a “treasure”.

Swish!

I mentioned the graphics and colors, but the animations are smooth too. The music is beautifully orchestrated, and it very relaxing—befitting of the island that you’re on. My favorite music the from the part I mentioned before, with Melody. As you give Melody more instruments, she’ll begin to add them in with her beginning piano tune, creating a layered and more complex musical piece.

The game ran about 2 hours worth of gameplay for me, which I very much enjoyed. It could take up some time to find items that were a little more elusive, so play times may vary. This game is available on steam for 99 cents.  I highly recommend picking this game up, it’s worth more than it’s minuscule price. You can but it on steam *here*

 Thank you again for stopping in to see Gaming in Pajamas, I appreciate it. Be sure to try the game for yourself, and let me now what you thought in the comments below. Until next time, take care and happy gaming!

BellAnnMae

I need a Bear Hug || The Bear's Black Heart (PC)

"I don't know where the darkness grows in me, but I dare no search for it."--William C. Hannan

Title

Source: Screen Capture in Game

Bear’s Black Heart is an ‘roguelike lite’ game created by Big Bad Studios. You play as a bear who has to survive until Spring, 15 weeks, by finding food and keeping your heart good. You’ll be foraging for left over cans of food, picnic baskets and apples… or you can just eat the squirrels, if you want to be bad. I’ve had this game in my queue for so long it’s sad, but I’m excited to finally get to play it. So let’s do it!

I tried to play though being good, and it’s truly a challenge. The longest I made it was 8 weeks before I died of starvation because I refused to eat the squirrels. In order to advance the time, you’ll need to interact with a variety of quirky characters that will give you a list of actions you can perform. The choices usually involve helping them, refusing to help, or just eating them.

 A friendly snowman?

Source: Screen Capture in Game

The graphics are cute, I like the cartoon vibe it has. I also liked seeing the quirky characters I mentioned before. From a roided out smurf, to a snowman who lost his carrot, or a park ranger trying to arrest a bear, they were all interesting. It can sometimes be difficult to know what the ‘right’ choice is. I’ve chosen answers, only to be given corruption in my heart for an unknown reason.

The controls are decent. I did have issues try to pick up food items on the move, as you have to be right on top of it, and I got stuck on trees constantly, even when I swore I had enough room to fit through. Then again, when you’re s starving bear, you’re just trying to hurry through to find my picnic baskets. He should have asked Yogi Bear for help, he can always find picnic baskets.

Oops...

Source: Screen Capture in Game

Overall, I enjoyed playing the game. I want to try again to get farther because I’m curious about what lies at the end. But that is for another time! You can get this game free from Itch.io *here *

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

Bell

Cabin Fever || One Week, My Room (PC)

“A little neglect may breed great mischief.” –Benjamin Franklin

title

Source: in Game Screen Capture

   

One Week, My Room is an intriguing point and click adventure created by Joyato. You play as a child who seems to be suffering from neglect from their mother. You learn more about the child’s life through diary entries, which talk about the mother playing a ‘game’ and getting sad when she looks at them, as well as a mysterious big brother that visits. All you need to do in this game is help the child survive.

The endings are also relative to Japan, I feel. And while I don’t want to spoil anything, I also feel it’s important to understand the relevance of the ending to the culture. In Japan, the suicide rate is 60 percent higher than anywhere else in the world. It a sobering statistic, but the tale of this child and his feelings may help bring some of that to light. Anyone can have these feelings, so it’s important to be able to recognize it—in yourself as well as others—to try to prevent it.

:(

Source: Screen Capture in Game

One other thing that occurred to me is about big brother. Big brother visits you on a certain night during the game, unless you take an action to stop him. My first thought about Big Brother is that maybe he is a Baku, which in some Asian countries is a supernatural dream eating monster. However, he also looks like No-Face from Spirited Away which isn’t based on any kind of traditional Japanese being that I know of. With the Baku, he can consume nightmares while you sleep, but if you’re not careful he can also consume your hopes and dreams, which I think may be relevant here.

Don't do it, little guy!

Source: Screen Capture in Game

I love the graphics of this game, and the colors are nice as well. The music is beautiful, if a little sad, and the sound effects are fitting.  The controls are simple and you only have to click with your mouse, I didn’t encounter any issues with it.

One other thing I really liked is that when you complete a playthrough you get some ‘tips’ which provide additional information on some aspects of the game. The game is short, and free to download and play. You can do so on the Itch.io page *here*. I highly recommend you give it a try.

Thank you once again for joining me here today. Be sure to let me know what you thought of the game, and happy gaming!

Bell

Free Itch.io Games #20

Hey guys! Welcome to another thrilling collection of free games from Itch.io! We made it to #20, everyone! It's kinda exciting for me, you know? Anyway, let's get to the games! 

1. Gone Wandering

 Cruising along.

Source: Itch.io Page

Gone Wandering is a butterfly cathing exploration game created by Oogaphobia. You play as a young girl who, with her boat and her cat(/magical creature), goes hunting for butterflies. Can you catch the 4 rare butterflies?

This game is very relaxing, and I enjoyed cruising around the scenery, catching butterflies… or not, since I wasn’t very good at it. I did catch one of the rare butterflies, though. The map is seemingly so large in your little boat that it takes a lot of time to get around.

I love the N64 graphics aesthetic, it’s super cute. I love the cat(/magical creature) steering the boat! Overall, just a relaxing, take it easy kind of game. So, if you want to kick back, enjoy some 64 era style graphics, and catch some butterflies, then go download this game free from Itch.io *here*.

2. Purifire

 The pixel graphics are nice. 

Source: Screen Capture in Game

Purifire is a 2D platformer created by TodesBrot and Walictor, wherein you play as Shiro and help him on his journey towards death. However, he is in a world in which he can neither die, nor truly live.

Purifire is an interesting platformer, and it has some puzzle elements as well. Your goal is to reach the fire, and burn yourself in its purifying heat. The mechanics are nice, and the controls are smooth. I’m a sucker for pixel graphics, so that’s good too. There’s something serene and calm about the backgrounds as well.

Overall, this game provided a bit of challenge, and was a well put together puzzle platformer. I recommend you give it a try for yourself. You can download it for free from Itch.io *here*.

3. Beneath Floes

That's unsettling....

Source: Screen Capture in Game

Beneath Floes is a text based game that’s more like an interactive story, created by Kevin Snow. The tale involves some Inuit mythology, specifically the Qalupalik—a fish-like humanoid creature that dwells beneath the ice, and steals away any children who dark wander too close.

I love mythology in all cultures, so I enjoyed the learning experience. It’s written as though you’re being told a story, which I sort of liked given the content. You simply click to advance the story. There are some choices that can be made (usually changing a small detail of the story) but I don’t believe they have any significant bearing on the story itself, it’s just a way for you to make the story your own.

If you enjoy mythology, and reading, you may find some enjoyment with this game. You can download it free from Itch.io *here*

4. Miskro

Ahh~ The sun and the sky.

Source: Itch.io Page

Miskro is a size changing adventure game created by Braindeer_Games. You play as an unnamed character who is trying to fulfil the wish of a deity that resides over these islands. As you explore you’ll gain abilities to change you size, giving you access to some new areas to explore, and so on.

In full disclosure, I was not able to fulfill whatever the deity wished of me. I gained 4 different sizes and gold and silver… coins? But that’s apparently not all there is to do. I plan to explore the islands some more if I have some off time, but I had enough fun playing with the mechanics and enjoying the scenery.

The graphics are decent, the blocky trees in particular I enjoy. It can be difficult to tell the difference between the sand and the water, so beware. It can be tricky when you’re bigger to see where exactly you are in relation to everything else below you.

Overall, the game is free so you have nothing to lose, but perhaps maybe you’ll enjoy a more relaxed pace game to wander and play in. You can download the game free from Itch.io *here*

As always, thank you guys so much for spending some time with me today. I hope you found a gane you want to try out for yourself. Be sure to leave your feedback and encouragement for the developers, and happy gaming!

Bell