besiegedparent

This game clearly doesn’t want some of us to play. It is only for those with stellar fine motor skills and reflexes, which would be fine if it wasn’t taunting us with its beautiful animations, soundtrack and attention to detail. Given everything else going on in the world right now, this game feels almost cruel, catering to the kind of player who thrills over beating something that other people cannot.

There’s much to love here: Beautiful scenery; a simple, moving story; low-key puzzles. It would be the perfect cozy game for me were it not for a few jarring moments where perfect timing was needed to, say, avoid frying your (cat-monkey?) companion. There is an accessibility setting to turn-off timing challenges but it doesn’t work in many cases, such as one where you help your 4-legged pal navigate through gigantic rotary fans without repeatedly getting electrocuted or chopped to bits. Though it’s not a particularly difficult game in the end, these scattered challenges seemed at odds with the spirit of the game, which would otherwise be a chill, relaxing experience.

Beautiful game with simple -- yet innovative -- climbing mechanic, plus some light puzzle-solving. Loved the music and general vibe, though I didn't find it quite as meditative as others, in part due to a couple of janky spots where I needed to look online.

A beautiful, evocative game that masterfully (and wordlessly) blends gameplay and music to capture the emotions and experiences in a human lifetime. So brilliantly designed, the first thing I did upon finishing was to look up other games by the studio. I’ve giving it a 9 instead of a 10 for the sometimes janky controls, but those issues are relatively minor.

The stories, voice acting, character development, and open-world realism in Forbidden West struck me as a quite an advance from Zero Dawn. Loved the accessibility features too. I tend to be very goal-oriented in games, but I thoroughly enjoyed idly exploring and hanging out in the world. I spent over 100 hours playing and finishing felt bittersweet. My only criticism is that the amount of weaponry I had to load and unload got a bit frustrating, and the weapon wheel felt pretty wonky (difficult to switch ammo mid-battle, for instance). Still, those felt like minor issues in an overall fantastic game.

A beautiful little charmer set in a post-apocalyptic dystopia that I loved exploring as a cat. The puzzles and gentle platforming challenges (mostly involving racing) were fun, but mostly this game stood out to me for its aesthetic sensibilities, chill pacing, and affectionate portrayal of its unconventional heroes.

Beautiful game that looks like a Pixar film but plays more like a Soulsborne. I'm playing the default difficulty and every 10 minutes there’s another boss kicking my ass. (Though there is an easy, mode, it eliminates almost all challenge from boss fights -- the gap between those two modes is very wide.) I've seen it tagged as a "Zelda like" but gameplay is MUCH more combat-focused than that series. One thing I do really appreciate is that that Kena collects the karma used for upgrades by restoring parts of the forest -- picking up fallen statues, etc. instead of destroying things.

This is the first time-loop game I've played, and I loved it. I found it very immersive, despite its relative simplicity. It got me thinking and problem-solving in a way unlike the adventure games I usually play.

Jaw-droppingly beautiful platformer. Anyone who questions whether games can be art needs to experience this. It's emotionally evocative in a way that few games are -- and no less fun. The gameplay is simple yet engaging, filled with gentle surprises every step of the way. The music is as gorgeous as the animation. Love, love, love!

A beautiful game with a compelling narrative, adorable creatures, and (for me) a perfect balance of challenge/difficulty. Worthwhile even if you don't usually like platformers. It reminded me of Hollow Knight but is MUCH more accessible, less punishing. I loved everything about the game except some of the music, which struck me as a little overdetermined in parts, a little too Hollywood.