Lazhiral

After playing Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly and reading many reviews on Ashen Hawk, I must say that I wasn't very eager to try this game. That, though, started to change as soon as I hit the New Game. Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk is not your usual otome game, filled with fanservice and cutesy romance scenes with tons of choices to guide out the story outcome. Ashen Hawk focuses on telling a compelling story inside the world of Psychedelica, bringing out well written characters, beautifully made illustrations and a GREAT soundtrack. The game mechanics aren't really innovative, but it was a smart choice to keep the short-stories dynamic from Black Butterfly. It's easy to play, the voice actors did an amazing job and the protagonist quickly became one of my favourites to date. For me, Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk succeeded in every aspect of the genre, but the strongest point surely is the story it tells. Completing 100% of this game gave me nothing but pleasure and I can only hope for new titles inside the Psychedelica scenario.

This 'nordic-feeling' game tell us a tale about two brothers that go on a journey to find a cure for their father's disease. In this game you have to control both guys with the ps3 controller. While the old brother may take the left side of the controller, the small one will take the right side of it. It's a nice challenge to first understand how the game works, but the learning curve was well made and soon you'll find yourself playing with the possibilities of the control. Personally, I couldn't avoid being too entangled in this story. Being an older sister, I soon started to put myself in place of the older brother. I started a little bored with the narrative's rhythm, but it didn't take long for me to notice how this slowness was more than necessary for the character's construction. This game will drive you into a fantasy world, with reeeally well made maps and puzzles, and the narrative will surely make you rethink about some things (specially if you do have a brother). If I may say, this game is manly about overcoming your own limits. Only after finishing it that I've realized that, all along, was the little brother the real protagonist of this game. Again, as an older sister, I instinctively put him as a subject that needed to be protected by the older brother and didn't really give him time to show his own abilities. During most part of the game he was actually carried by me (as the big brother) and put behind on all trials. I used to put the older brother in front of him to test every danger and puzzle and, only after making sure that it was already safe, that I adventured myself on letting the little guy go on. Seeing how the little brother struggled to make his own path made me realize how, sometimes, big brothers (and sisters) take this role of being overprotective and may end up, unexpectedly, 'cutting out the wings' of our younger brothers. Letting them go, or even, letting them make their own paths, won't hurt. It may actually let them find a way of growing up in their own ways. I could say that this game serves as a pretty comfort for us, Journey orphans. If I were to compare the amount of feelings that I felt while playing Brothers, I shall put it near Flower (That game company). Even if now the story comes in a more literal way, it is clear to me that the game-makers were able to deliver us a simple, yet well built story, able to provoke so many feelings and questions that I would never be able to really describe it. Anyway! Pretty graphics, beautiful maps and scenarios (I often found myself long-staring at the backgrounds elements), simple story but full of feelings. Wouldn't really have time and patience for a replay, but if you do, I really recommend it. Easy (really) trophies, entangling narrative and well put musical effects.