In this second season of my 12 Days series we took a look at 12 different games that I have received for free during Epic Games giveaways, trying them out for an hour or two, or a chapter or two, whichever came first. I then decided whether to continue them online as content, continue them offline for myself or to drop them, content that they are no longer part of my backlog.
Now that the challenge is over, I thought it would be nice to do a wrap up post. I recorded the videos in advance so in the time between recording and the series finishing, I managed to secretly play through a few of the games to completion.
Day 1 – Recipe for Disaster (2022)
Recipe for Disaster is a management sim that captures the fast-paced, drama-filled environment of a professional kitchen and dining room. Build your dream restaurant, create recipes, design menus and manage your staff, all while contending with demanding customers and disastrous situations!
While I thought that Recipe for Disaster was doing something interesting with its menu creator, it turned out to be a very forgettable experience for me. Despite being one of the longer videos, I did move on from it completely once the video was done. I am always on the look out for the management games that scratch the itch that I have, but unfortunately this wasn’t the one for me.
Ranking – That’s enough for me. Current Status – Dropped.
Day 2 – Frostpunk (2018)
Frostpunk is the first society survival game. As the ruler of the last city on Earth, it is your duty to manage both its citizens and infrastructure. What decisions will you make to ensure your society’s survival? What will you do when pushed to breaking point? Who will you become in the process?
Oh man.. Frostpunk. Les than one week after I finished recording, I had completed the entire scenario. By then, it felt like a shame not to show how it ended so I managed to find a way to add it in to the video.
This was my favourite game in the entire 12 days and I think that is for good reason. The tension kept me on my toes throughout, every decision made me question whether I had made the correct choice. The desperation was palpable and the stress had me sweating, despite the bitter cold my colony were trying so hard to survive.
An extremely memorable experience and I am really glad I have it on video for memories sake even if it isn’t a full Let’s Play.
Ranking – Continue playing offline. Current Status – Completed the scenario and moved on. May try other scenarios in the future if I ever run out of new games to play and get the itch.
Day 3 – Transistor (2014)
Discover the world of Transistor, a sci-fi-themed action RPG from the creators of Bastion.
I am a little sad that Transistor didn’t hit for me the way it seems to have for a lot of others. I found the combat difficult to navigate and the story even more so.
I respect a game that doesn’t drown you in exposition. Naturally, when a story is set in its own world like this it will take time to learn about, but I have discovered that I like at least a little more handholding than Transistor offers. Having said all of that, since playing I have enjoyed what I heard about the story while listening to podcasts and will look forward to seeing the full game vicariously as a Let’s Play with this new context.
Ranking – That’s enough for me/watch someone else. Current Status – Have listened to a podcast, looking for a Let’s Play to watch.
Day 4 – The Spectrum Retreat (2018)
Check-in to The Spectrum Retreat for a stay you won’t forget. Manipulate your way to the truth in this captivating narrative-driven puzzler.
I really liked The Spectrum Retreat as a first person puzzler. I went on to finish the game and I think it was the perfect length, never overstaying it’s welcome while regularly revealing more of the story as you go (it evolved after the video ended and I like where it went). The puzzle difficulty never got too much, adding in fun new mechanics each chapter to keep it fresh.
A pleasant surprise and an easy recommendation.
Ranking – Continue playing offline. Current Status – Completed.
Day 5 – The First Tree (2017)
A beautiful, 3rd-person exploration game centered around two parallel stories: a fox trying to find her missing family, and a son reconnecting with his estranged father in Alaska. Uncover artifacts from the son’s life as he becomes intertwined in the fox’s journey towards The First Tree.
It is never a good feeling to not gel with a game, especially an indie and especially during recording. But there were a lot of reasons The First Tree fell flat for me. Rather than get into a critique of the game, I will report that I did finish it, and that unfortunately did not fix my issues.
Ranking – Continue playing offline/That’s enough for me. Current Status – Completed.
Day 6 – Death Coming (2017)
‘Death Coming’ is a non-linear puzzle game where you must harvest human souls ‘Final Destination’ style. However, pesky mortals are not your only problem, as the Agents of Light will do everything they can to stop you.
I liked Death Coming for what it was, but after some time away I didn’t find myself desperate to play anymore. I booted it up one more time just to be sure, and as I got back into the swing of it, I enjoyed seeing what the remaining chapters had to offer. More than anything, I feel like the developers must have had a blast pooling together their ideas, and I am glad to have played through this game.
Ranking – Continue playing offline. Current Status – Completed.
Day 7 – 20 Minutes till Dawn (2023)
20 Minutes Till Dawn is a survival roguelite where endless hordes of creatures lurk from the dark. Craft an array of overpowering builds and eradicate waves of Lovecraftian nightmares. Will you be able to survive the night?
20 Minutes till Dawn made me feel very similar to Vampire Survivors. I enjoyed trying it out but there is no magnetism for me to get back in there to try to master it. I was going to replace Vampire Survivors with 20 Minutes till Dawn on my PC, but I realized it is fine enough to keep them both installed as they take up next to no space. I think one day the genre will either click with me, or I will drop it completely, but for now, I keep trying.
Ranking – Continue playing offline. Current Status – Still installed.
Day 8 – Loop Hero (2021)
The Lich has thrown the world into a timeless loop and plunged its inhabitants into never ending chaos. Wield an expanding deck of mystical cards to place enemies, buildings, and terrain along each unique expedition loop for the brave hero.
Considering how much I enjoyed this one, it is shocking how little I remember about how it played. I shelved it immediately as I knew that I could sink a lot of hours into it, but in the few weeks that have passed, I can barely remember the gameplay loop.
That doesn’t put me off continuing though, I know that it will all come back to me when the time comes and I look forward to seeing how it escalates.
Ranking – Continue playing offline. Current Status – Still installed.
Day 9 – Breathedge (2021)
Survive in outer space! Together with your immortal chicken, discover the truth behind your sudden spaceship crash. Craft tools, pilot vehicles, and even control space stations to survive and explore the wreckage.
Breathedge is a game I enjoyed as I was playing it, but am hesitant to say that I will definitely play the full thing through. Going out on little expeditions and gradually upgrading my equipment is fun, but I do wonder how long that fun will last.
I am so thoroughly confused as to how I am remembering this as a chill game that I could perhaps listen to a podcast to, yet we were in such a precarious situation in the most dangerous setting there is. I will find out whether the podcast idea works out when I pick it back up soon enough.
Ranking – Continue playing offline. Current Status – Still installed.
Day 10 – Beyond Blue (2020)
Beyond Blue is a single-player narrative adventure that takes you deep into our planet’s beating blue heart. Explore the awesome wonder and unbounded mystery that exists within the world’s ocean.
Beyond Blue is the game that I always wanted. It isn’t a huge game, but the focus on the ocean and what lives within, having an ongoing story while giving you the freedom to take your time, educating you while entertaining you, all create a Noob tailored combo that I would love to see more of. I, predictably, ended up spending a lot of time in photo mode, the results of which will be shared on the blog soon enough.
While I am most interested in the life below, I was grateful that the game took the time to acknowledge the people that work in the field. I had no idea the sacrifices they make, but their passion is clear and it is a good thing we have people like them in the world, striving to not only understand, but do so in an ethical way.
Ranking – Continue playing offline. Current Status – Completed.
Day 11 – Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018)
Story-driven open-world RPG that immerses you in an epic adventure in the Holy Roman Empire. Avenge your parents’ death as you battle invading forces, go on game-changing quests, and make influential choices. Explore castles, forests, villages and other realistic settings in medieval Bohemia!
Kingdom Come: Deliverance was more difficult than I expected, but also so much more engaging. I love a dramatic story like this and I am curious to see the twists and turns that may be presented as the narrative unfolds.
I am still intimidated by the gameplay. Research has told me that you can get quite strong to make the game easier, however that is my biggest worry about continuing online. Either way, I had loads of fun and would love to see how the story continues one day, despite the game not making it to my 2025 backlog list.
Ranking – Continue playing online/Continue playing offline. Current Status – Not on my immediate backlog but would like to play fully in the future.
Day 12 – Wilmot’s Warehouse (2019)
Wilmot’s Warehouse is a puzzle game about keeping a warehouse running in tip-top shape. Just remember where you put everything, because when the service hatch opens, you’ll need to find the things people want quickly, in order to earn the coveted Performance Stars.
Wilmot’s Warehouse is even more niche than I expected. I didn’t know 100% what to expect going in, but it is literally exactly as the description says. It is the kind of game that is satisfying when it goes well, and makes my brain itch in all of the wrong ways when it doesn’t.
I have played more since the video and appear to be exactly half way through. I am enjoying it but almost feel as though I have had my fill. I will continue as I have a feeling it is going to become absolute chaos, but I have to admit, the game running slightly long for what it is for me.
Ranking – Continue playing offline. Current Status – Half way through. I don’t know how I am going to do the rest 😂
Playing new games always feels nice. Even if I don’t like the game, removing it from my backlog list is satisfying in itself. Playing so many in a short space of time doesn’t really reflect a natural way of consuming games, but I think I will always enjoy it.
We had some very different results when compared to Season 1. It has been great to play through some of the ‘continue offline’ games during my holiday, and I am going to strive to finish them all up throughout the year, as well as Tunic which is the only game that remains from the Game Pass season.
After previous years of following game release dates and witnessing delay after delay, I heavily lost interest in keeping track of what games are releasing and when. Admittedly, this is also in no small part because I rarely buy or have time for new games immediately. My philosophy is, once they are out, I will get to them when I get to them. In the meantime, I am not running out of other things to play.
There is something about this mindset that has been an absolute boon this year, where I have been taken by surprise time and time again by the amount of games I really want to play. 2024 has been an outstanding year not only for games, but especially for indies.
Here are some of those games that I absolutely must play.
This list is in release order, from the beginning of the year to the end!
Persona 3 Reload
Developer: ATLUS
Release Date: 2 February 2024
Dive into the Dark Hour and awaken the depths of your heart. Persona 3 Reload is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era with cutting-edge graphics and gameplay.
To my knowledge, the only JRPG other than Pokemon that I have played and finished, is Persona 5. I have dabbled in the first hour of a couple of modern Final Fantasy games, but otherwise it is a genre that I have not embraced yet. When I did play Persona 5 though, I was enraptured. From the first hour or two I was drawn into the story, then hour by hour as the gameplay revealed itself, I was all in. By day, I was Noob. By night, I was Joker, Phantom Thief of Hearts, delivering justice and making the world a better place, one intervention at a time.
Once I finished P5 I saw that both Persona 3 & 4 were available to buy and play immediately, but I dug deep and resisted, knowing that I would most likely be once again consumed. Cue Persona 3 Reload – here to allow me to play the most modern version, and to tempt me all over again.
I am exceptionally curious to see how the game presents itself with any other storyline than the Phantom Thieves. One day.
Hunt ghosts as two memorable characters in a story-driven Action-RPG where your decisions carry dramatic consequences. Torn between honoring your oath to the living and saving your departed partner, how far will you go for love?
I don’t know a lot about Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, except that I saw a trailer, liked what I saw, and filed it away as a game I would really like to play. Both before and after the game released, I haven’t seen much chatter around it and I am not sure why. Is it average and forgettable? Or was it just under the radar? Whenever I am presented with these questions my desire to find out for myself rises dramatically.
The stage is set. Imagine an old baroque manor, perhaps a hotel or a museum, somewhere in central Europe. A woman wanders in search of answers.
Classic Noob disclaimer: I get weirdly intimidated by puzzle games. Usually that is only confined to playing them as content. Whether that is the fear of showing myself up, of failing, of being judged, that is an entirely different conversation. So why does this game intimidate me? Even the idea of playing with 0 viewers makes me feel slightly unsure. Everything I have heard about Lorelei and the Laser Eyes sounds intriguing and great, but every part of me is sure that I am not going to get far with it.
I think one factor is a fear of the unknown. All I truly know about this game is that I have seen photographs of peoples notebooks during playing it. As far as I am aware it is a non-linear puzzle game, and that gives me flashbacks to how hard I dropped The Witness 4 hours in. Even the way that the visuals look so oppressive in their own, stylised way. Vibes work hard on me and I almost dropped Animal Well – one of my favourite games of the year – due to a spine chilling moment and gameplay section causing stress and terror. Will this game do that too?
Ultimately, it is my choice to avoid the answers to these questions because I know deep down I would like to find out for myself. And the most burning question of all… why laser eyes?
The sequel to the award winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Senua returns in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland. Intent on saving those who have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny, Senua faces a battle of overcoming the darkness within and without.
This is another new game that I was aware was releasing that I have heard little to nothing about post launch. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a very important game to me. I didn’t play it myself as I was way more nervous about potential horror back then, opting to watch a playthrough instead. Despite not being the one playing, the game left a huge impression. This is a game with huge themes of grief and it came to me at a time when I was heavily grieving myself, even inspiring me to take my own solo trip into the wilderness in an attempt at healing. This is the impact that I remember the first game for, before I even remember the fantastic audio design, the stunning visuals and haunting atmosphere. All of this to say, I am very fond of the first game, but was surprised when a sequel was announced.
I don’t crave another Hellblade game, but I have got to know where they went with it. Whether it brings disappointment, another extremely emotionally profound experience, or anything between, I feel ready to pick up the controller for myself this time.
Solving crime is no walk in the pond. You are a down-on-his-luck detective who also happens to be a duck. Use your powers of de-duck-tion to inspect evidence, fill in the blanks, and bust the case wide open! This is a short but twisty detective case.
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami was one of my favorite demos of the year, of course I have to play this game. Deduction gameplay, mysteries, good jokes and phenomenal voice acting all within a bite-sized package sounds absolutely perfect for a Noob stream.
You can buy Duck Detective: The Secret Salami here.
Still Wakes the Deep
Developer: The Chinese Room
Release Date: 18 June 2024
1975. Disaster strikes the Beira D oil rig off the coast of Scotland. Navigate the collapsing rig to save your crew from an otherworldly horror on the edge of all logic and reality.
I can’t put my finger on why I am so insistent that I want to Still Wakes the Deep. I have already mentioned my aversion to horror, but this one is drawing me in. The setting is certainly a factor. Not only is an oil rig the perfect isolated environment for whatever horrors lie ahead, but whenever a game is relatively local to me it immediately piques my interest. They really did have me with 2 words – North Sea.
Survival horror is too stressful for me, but I have lead myself to believe this is a more linear and straight forward experience, more akin to Soma than Alien Isolation. Hopefully I don’t get a rude awakening when I finally get to playing it but if so, I would 100% watch a Let’s Play instead as it seems very much up my alley.
Once you get tangled with the mob, you will forever be a part of the mob. At least they pay a decent salary and all you have to do is clean up after their dirty work, but you know what you’re doing. So clean crime scenes, earn as much money as you can, and get ready for the next mission.
Another demo that I thoroughly enjoyed, Crime Scene Cleaner is a game that I would love to be my next House Flipper, Powerwash Sim, task based, hands busy, half a brain, podcast game. I went in with low expectations and came out with a game very high up on my wishlist. Something these types of games do is fun, subtle environmental storytelling and it is endlessly entertaining to me. I imagine I will be picking this one up next time that mood strikes.
You can read my impressions of the Crime Scene Cleaner demo here.
Grunn
Developer: Sokpop Collective, Tom van den Boogaart
Release Date: 4 October 2024
A gardener gets hired for maintenance work over the weekend. A simple task, but strangely some tools are missing… The owner of the garden isn’t around, and their house is off-limits. Perhaps new tools can be found in the mysterious town, or maybe some of the reserved townsfolk have seen them?
Grunn was a demo that I actually had to stop playing because I was seeing too much and I HAVE to play this on stream. Weird, wonderful, awful, hitting those task based feelings I mentioned above but mixing that up with what I can only describe as ‘right unsettling vibes’.
I imagine playing this on stream will be super fun, collaborating on ideas, chat being both the angels and devils on my shoulders at the same time. Noticing any changes will be an entertaining group effort and they might even give me the courage(?) to stay out at night.
You can read my impressions of the Grunn demo here.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Developer: ATLUS
Release Date: 11 October 2024
The throne sits empty after the king’s assassination. With no heirs, the will of the late king decrees that the next monarch will be elected by the people, & thus begins your fight for the throne..
I felt the fomo HARD when Metaphor: ReFantazio released. I didn’t touch the demo as I knew already that I would want to play it. I haven’t played enough Persona to be sick of the high school setting yet (see the Persona 3 Reload entry above), but regardless of how you feel about real life monarchy, it makes an exciting prospect for fictional drama and I am so here for that idea alone. As the reviews released the fomo grew even more and I knew that this is something I am going to have to make time for eventually.
You can buy Metaphor: ReFantazio or play the demo here.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Developer: MachineGames
Release Date: 9 December 2024
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in a first-person, single-player adventure. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them – Indiana Jones™.
I haven’t seen a single Indiana Jones film and I wasn’t particularly interested in playing this game. That is until the reviews came out of course. The more I heard about it, the more fun this game sounds.
I think a lot about Uncharted, and wonder if there are many others like me who enjoy adventurous shenanegans but really could not stomach another Uncharted game. After playing all 5, the formula becomes so glaring that it feels impossible to un see it. Everything I have heard about Indiana Jones and the Great Circle makes me feel hopeful that I can have these adventures again in a new and exciting format.
You can buy Indiana Jones and the Great Circle here.
As always, there are way more than 10 games that released this year that I would like to play. The top 10 got swapped around so many times this year, here are some others that I would also like to get around to some day.
Balatro
Botany Manor
The Casting of Frank Stone
Caves of Qud
Clem
Cryptmaster
Dungeons of Hinterberg
Ete
Europa
Hades II
Indika
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Little Kitty, Big City
Phoenix Springs
Rise of the Golden Idol
Tales of Kenzara: Zau
Times and Galaxy
Thanks 2024 for another stellar year of video games!
Here you can find all of my coverage of the Summer Game Fest 2024, including shows like Guerrilla Collective, Wholesome Direct and Steam Next Fest June 2024.
The Guerrilla Collective was a cracking start to the indie coverage of Summer Game Fest 2024. Here, I am highlighting my 10 favourite trailers from the showcase!
Some of them have demos available right now. I haven’t played any yet – this list is based off of first impressions alone – but if I end up posting any Demo Impressions I will be sure to link them below.
The games are in alphabetical order for convenience!
Beloved Rapture
Developer: Rapturous Studio
Release Date: 2024
Beloved Rapture is an indie jRPG that blends modern themes with classic gameplay. Explore beautiful landscapes, fight in turn-based battles, and uncover many secrets. This mid-length adventure balances both an intimate coming of age story, and larger threats looming over the troubled kingdom.
Wishlist Beloved Rapture on Steam here. There is also currently a demo available!
Chocolate Factory
Developer: Tbjbu2
Release Date: 18 Jun 2024
Build your dream Chocolate Factory among candy cane forests and gumdrop hills to produce the tastiest sweets. A delicious first-person factory automation game with a little exploration and combat. Confectionary conveyor belt heaven awaits!
Wishlist Chocolate Factory on Steam here. There is also a free Prologue available!
Cozy Dungeons
Developer: Them Handsome Fellas
Release Date: To be announced
Explore deadly dungeons, clear them out of enemies and renovate them in Cozy Dungeons, a one-of-a-kind adventure/interior design game!
Let your empathy guide you as you play an exciting action-adventure, creature-saver game. Understand and tame the creatures of Ava and let them lead you through a variety of ecosystems – all in the hopes of saving the planet from a life-consuming infection.
Control your environment, gather your party, and build your best deck to overcome outlaws and supernatural forces, across a rich fantasy world. Watch as your tactical choices and deckbuilding prowess play out through stylish fight sequences.
Wishlist Knights in Tight Spaces on Steam here. There is also currently a demo available!
Little Problems: A Cozy Detective Game
Developer: Posh Cat Studios
Release Date: 2024
Little Problems is a Cozy Detective game about solving mysteries around minor inconveniences, everyday misunderstandings, and of course, little problems. This game is not about saving the world; it’s about enriching it, one case at a time.
Wishlist Little Problems: A Cozy Detective Game on Steam here.
Neon Blood
Developer: ChaoticBrain Studios
Release Date: Coming Soon
Viridis, year 2053. Growing inequality drives Bright City and Blind City further and further apart until idealistic detective Axel McCoin starts a revolution to change the world in this fast-paced cyberpunk adventure.
A first-person resource management game about running jobs for picky aliens! As Rebots Corp’s newest agent, it’s your task to journey to diverse asteroids, terraform the land, gather resources through bot automation, and fulfill client’s needs! And who knows, maybe you’ll get a raise ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Wishlist Rebots on Steam here. There is also currently a demo available!
The Secret of Crystal Mountain
Developer: Revolutron
Release Date: Coming Soon
Adventure through a land full of mystery and wonder in The Secret of Crystal Mountain, a platforming game about a delivery fox making his way through a magical world, exploring and uncovering secrets.
Wishlist The Secret of Crystal Mountain on Steam here.
Yooka-Replaylee
Developer: Playtonic Games
Release Date: To be announced
Embark on an epic open-world 3D platforming collectathon adventure with Yooka and Laylee! The search for Pagies starts anew in Yooka-Replaylee, the enhanced definitive version of the beloved indie darling with all new challenges, secrets, mechanics, and accessibility options.
With Summer Game Fest 2024 just getting started, I am looking forward to seeing what the other showcases bring in a year that is already panning out to be an all timer for indie games.
I haven’t played many 2023 games yet, but I hope to change that in the future. The year is going to go down in history as a certified banger and it is going to take literally years to catch up with the crazy amount of great releases. What a feeling!
I have narrowed down a top 10 list of the games that I would like to play, and I have got to say, this was not an easy task.
This list is in release order, from the beginning of the year to the end!
Dredge
Developer: Black Salt Games
Release Date: 30 March 2023
DREDGE is a single-player fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. Sell your catch, upgrade your boat, and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets. Explore a mysterious archipelago and discover why some things are best left forgotten.
Dredge seems like it is the game that I wanted when I tried out Moonglow Bay. I enjoyed the demo but did not predict the popularity the game would have.
On one hand, I am glad to have waited as the game has recieved updates and I do prefer to play the complete version of a game. On the other, I am pleased that so many people jumped on board and allowed the game to be the success that it has become.
Last year I tried my hand at a few crafting games. I always like the idea of the gameplay loop – gather, upgrade to allow you to gather more and better stuff, to allow you to upgrade, to allow you to gather more and better stuff – but it is so rare that it is as satisfying as I hoped. Presuming that even is the loop of this game, I wonder if this will be the one. Plus, I just love the ocean.
Experience a nerve-racking Lovecraftian adventure, rebuilt from the ground up with modern graphics and gameplay. Become Sherlock Holmes, and find yourself at the heart of the terrifying Cthulhu Mythos as you investigate a series of mysterious disappearances in Europe and the US.
I played the demo for this game and I had an absolute MOMENT. As much as I knew it was Sherlock Holmes meets Lovecraft, I didn’t know what that would really mean. Oh how I wish that moment was on stream so that I could have shared it with others, but at least now I have an idea what to expexct.
I had fun with the investigation, the exploration and I am expecting a very different Sherlock experience to any that I have had so far. I am grateful that I did not play the original as I am certain I am in for an absolute ride full of unfathomable weirdness.
DAVE THE DIVER is a casual, single player adventure RPG featuring deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day and sushi restaurant management at night. Join Dave and his quirky friends as they seek to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Blue Hole.
I’m something of a diver myself. And this game seemed to come out of the blue. Suddenly, everyone was playing a game called Dave the Diver and I was like wait.. what.. how did I miss this? Not only that, but it is a restaurant manager, another genre that I love to dabble in.
I haven’t seen any gameplay or looked into the gameplay loop as I would like to experience it for myself, but based on the steam description it is giving me Moonlighter vibes. Gather by day, profit by night (or which ever way around it goes). I have downloaded the demo on my Switch so providing it is still available, I am excited to get a taste of what the gameplay is and how the vibes feel.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-rich, party-based RPG set in the universe of Dungeons & Dragons, where your choices shape a tale of fellowship and betrayal, survival and sacrifice, and the lure of absolute power.
The fear of missing out was very intense at the release of Baldur’s Gate 3. It is one of those games that took over the lives of seemingly everyone around me, and had so much genuine praise.
The last time I saw this much hype was Elden Ring, which I actually bought on launch – a thing I rarely do – because it felt like a moment of gaming history that I didn’t want to miss. The only reason that I didn’t do the same for BG3 is because it is such a huge game, and I knew I didn’t have the time to get the most out of it.
I am very fortunate to have been gifted the game so as soon as I feel I can give it the attention it deserves, I will dive straight in and I cannot wait for that moment! I don’t believe I have played anything like it before and it is sure to be a heck of an experience.
Stan, a professional diver in the North Sea, is struggling to overcome a life-changing loss during an extended mission underwater. Stuck in his self-imposed solitude, he starts to experience strange events and will have to make the most significant choice of his life…
I was sold when I saw that Under the Waves was taking place in the North Sea. As I mentioned above, I used to scuba dive so when a game includes diving it always piques my interest. This one even more so as the North Sea is my home sea and the one I am most familiar with.
The other factor really drawing me in is that it doesn’t appear to be horror. With narrative and exploration being the driving force I feel a lot more confident in trying the game out.
The overall theme of the game is grief and while that can be hit and miss, I am always open to trying games that deal with these subjects as I have been helped immeasurably by them in the past. Having said that, I do feel like they are best played under certain circumstances, so this one will definitely be a personal game as opposed to a stream game.
Legend says that one day, a traveller will reunite the Peoples of the Tower who are unable to communicate with each other. Observe, listen, and decipher ancient languages in a fascinating universe inspired by the myth of Babel.
I have already written about Chants of Sennaar, as it was my favourite demo that I tried on the PS5. It left a huge impression and I am still just as eager to play the full game as I was when I first tried it.
The beautiful minimalism engaged me in a way I could not have expected, engendering a trust in the player to discover what is needed, while at the same time feeling extremely user friendly. This is something that I appreciate more and more as I play more games and I believe to be an art in itself.
The type of puzzle that the game presents alone is something that I really enjoy. But paired with the art style, colour pallete and atmosphere, it turned into a sensory experience that put me into my favourite kind of zen. One part of my brain is chugging away at the dopamine from the progression and the other is completely and utterly relaxed. No overwhelm, no underwhelm, just the absolute balance of whelm in the best possible way.
Starfield is the first new universe in 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4.
While Starfield reviews have been middling, I would still like to make my own opinion on this one. As much as I have seen some damning reveiws, I have also seen people get exactly what they hoped for and have a lot of fun with it.
I can’t help but wonder how much of the criticism has stemmed from the impossibly high expectations Bethesda themselves set for the game. I am not denying that the game could be lacking in some departments, but things always feel worse when you are expecting a complete game changer. That is why I am so interested in going in with low expectations and seeing how I find it.
I am not in the biggest rush however, as I suspect DLC will be coming and based on my experience with Skyrim, I’d rather play the complete version of the game.
From Jeppe Carlsen, the lead gameplay designer of LIMBO and INSIDE — COCOON takes you on an adventure across worlds within worlds. Master world-leaping mechanics and solve intricate puzzles to unravel a cosmic mystery.
I shrugged off the buzz surrounding Cocoon because I thought it was going to be too ‘smart’ for me. I remember seeing the reveal trailer and thinking ‘puzzle game, cool, I have no idea what is going on’.
I was surprised when reviews started releasing and solidifying that the game seems to be way more approachable than I expected, and all of the positive critique appealed to me. From then on, I went into avoidance mode and decided I would like to try it out myself. Hopefully I will find some time to have a Game Pass Shabananza and this is very high up on the priority list.
You’re here to slay the princess. Don’t believe her lies.
I played the demo for an Indie Showcase a while ago and to this day it remains my favourite. I already wrote about why in the post linked below, but TL;DR It’s fantastic.
The only issue with playing this game is that I really would like to Let’s Play it. The problem is that I have no time to record, and I have already promised a Let’s Play of another game before I could get around to this one. So it is very high on the list of games that I want to cover, as soon as life allows.
Travel to the desert community of Sandrock and take on the role of a fledgling Builder. Use your trusty toolset to gather resources, construct machines, and turn your run-down workshop into a well-oiled production facility to save the town from the jaws of economic ruin!
Veterans of my channel will know that I loved My Time at Portia. It wasn’t without its problems but it provided so much joy both on and off stream, as well as some mindless play when I needed it. This made Sandrock a must play for me.
A long time ago I did play the Sandrock demo on stream. The main thing I remember is that I noticed improvements that made the game immediatly smoother to play. Fast forward to the games release and word of mouth confirms, it is like My Time at Portia but better. That is everything that I hoped for and I love knowing this exists ready for a time that I need a comfort game.
I played the demo of My Time at Sandrock on stream.
Isn’t it wild that this list isn’t even exhaustive? Here are some more that didn’t make the top 10 but I still would love to play.
This time last year I was living my best life. Driven mad by my backlog and the continually rising number of games on my Game Pass ‘play later’ list, I gave myself a beautiful gift. That gift was permission. Permission to dive into said list. 12 games, 12 videos, 12 impressions – maybe I should have called it the Duodecuplary games. It turned out to be an absolute treat.
One year later I am still looking back fondly on this time. While it was so much more work than I anticipated (why would I even consider that this would only be 12 hours of gameplay?!), I loved every second. I didn’t only do it for enjoyment though, it served a purpose. I wanted to try out a bunch of games before they left the service, experience what they were about, decide if I wanted to play them to completion and by extension, see whether I wanted to make content with them.
I would have loved to have done it again this year but circumstances mean that my content has slowed down. Even if I somehow managed to carve out the time to do the 12 Days of Games, it would feel bad knowing that I didn’t manage to Let’s Play most of the games that I wanted to from the previous batch. So instead I am doing a recap!
Finished
Citizen Sleeper (2022)
You are a sleeper, a digitised human consciousness in an artificial body, owned by a corporation that wants you back. Thrust amongst the unfamiliar and colourful inhabitants of the Eye, you need to build friendships, earn your keep, and navigate the factions of this strange metropolis, if you hope to survive to see the next cycle.
Citizen Sleeper was the first game from the bunch that I decided to complete as a Let’s Play, and little did I know, the only game. It was quite an undertaking as it is primarily a text based game with zero voice acting, but it turned out to be the perfect choice. The final DLC got released at exactly the time that I reached it and we got to experience the full story, and honestly, the DLC is very worth playing. I was pretty happy with where I ended up in the main game and felt strongly content in my decisions. The DLC was great at how it managed to progress that in a very natural way and a reminder that the end of one story can be the beginning of another.
Super glad that we played this one, I love that there is a sequel on the way and I really enjoyed getting back to recording.
Game Pass Status – Still available.
Original Ranking – Continue playing online. Where are we at now? – Let’s Play completed.
Exo One (2021)
A strange signal… an alien craft… Exo One is an interplanetary, gravity-defying journey through space and time.
Exo One was such a strange one. After reflection with the context of having tried out so many games, I was pretty sure that I was just going to let this one go. I got the idea, I didn’t thrive with the controls and thought I had had my fill. But for whatever reason, I couldn’t.
I think that reason could possibly be that I played 1 and 1/2 hours of a game that ‘How Long to Beat’ tells me is a two hours long. I was so close, I needed to see it through! Of course, HLtB hours are shorter than Noob hours so it did take longer than anticipated. However, I think I am pleased with seeing it through.
I can’t say that I understood what actually happened in the game, but I can say that my favourite thing was seeing the variety of absolutely stunning environments. While it didn’t blow me away with its gameplay, I am glad that I reached the end because no doubt I would still be kicking myself to this day for putting it down unfinished.
Game Pass Status – Left the service.
Original Ranking – Continue playing offline/That’s enough for me. Where are we at now? – Finished offline.
Spore (2008)
Be the architect of your own universe with Spore, an exciting single-player adventure available for download to your PC. Will you be a bloodthirsty carnivore destined to crush your competitors, or a gentle herbivore seeking out stronger allies to enforce your quiet way of life?
Confession – I didn’t technically finish Spore. BUT I played enough to be satisfied so I am keeping it in my ‘Finished’ category.
The game is made up of 5 eras correlating to stages of evolution, but what I didn’t know is that the final stage can be as long as the rest of the game combined. I didn’t love the gameplay throughout but I did desperatly want to see how my species turned out, and the levels changed regularly enough that everytime I was beginning to feel fed up, it was almost time for the next one.
I made it to the space phase and once I saw what it was about I was happy to call it a day. The evolution of my specific creature while also discovering different creatures around me were my favourite parts of the game. If I could have that in a game with a different gameplay structure I think I could get really on board, the only problem is that I can’t identify what I would rather the gameplay be!
Game Pass Status – Still available.
Original Ranking – Continue playing offline/That’s enough for me. Where are we at now? – Finished offline to an extent.
Opus: Echo of Starsong (2021)
Asteroids emitting a sound known as “Starsongs” have become the center of conflict for the immense power they hold. Determined to claim asteroids of his own, a young man ventures out with a girl who can imitate starsongs, lending her voice to unravel an ancient myth deep in the heart of space.
I ended up continuing this one offline due to the voice acting being in Japanese. I wanted to hear it but I didn’t want to talk over it which obviously doesn’t make for a good Let’s Play!
I am SO glad I went back to it though, once I got into the flow of the story and the exploration I had a really good time. It was beautiful, emotional and I enjoyed it more than I expected.
It has parallels with Citizen Sleeper in a way, being Visual Novel adjacent, set in a fictional space world with time/resource management aspects. Having said that though, they are both entirely different experiences, both of which I think are worth the playthrough!
Game Pass Status – Still available.
Original Ranking – Continue playing online/Continue playing offline. Where are we at now?– Finished offline.
Dropped
Valheim (Early Access 2021)
Valheim is a brutal exploration and survival game for 1-10 players set in a procedurally-generated world inspired by Norse mythology. Craft powerful weapons, construct longhouses, and slay mighty foes to prove yourself to Odin!
I am so hit or miss with survival games, with miss being the much more likely outcome. I thought that I might have been drawn back to the game because so many of my friends have thoroughly enjoyed their time with it, but the more time that passed, the more happy I was admitting that it just isn’t for me.
I still see the appeal of being part of a community server, but solo, I have so many other games to play that even just trying out Valheim was enough. On the other hand, I don’t feel like I got to see much of what the game is actually about – what with the savage deaths and mechanical confusion. This does feel like a shame, but like I said, moving on feels good too.
Game Pass Status – Still available.
Original Ranking – Continue playing offline/That’s enough for me. Where are we at now? – Didn’t play more.
Signalis (2022)
Awaken from slumber and explore a surreal retrotech world as Elster, a technician Replika searching for her lost partner and her lost dreams. Discover terrifying secrets, challenging puzzles, and nightmarish creatures in a tense and melancholic experience of cosmic dread and classic psychological survival horror.
I mean… I really did try and I think I managed much better than I anticipated. The thing that kept me going was knowing that once I put it down, I was not going to pick it back up again. This is absolutely not a criticism to the game, I am just not built for survival horror.
I am not built for any horror really but survival may be the most stressful kind. Not only is there the worry of dying at any moment, but something even more stressful? Deciding when to use your resources. I’m a gatherer, I like to collect stuff and I like to keep stuff. Making the decisions about what to carry, what to use and what to pick up is the nightmare of the indecisive. So this was a nightmare within a nightmare.
I did go on to watch a full playthrough of the game and I enjoyed it a lot more that way! I can’t say I understood it well, but I enjoyed the journey, even if it was vicarious.
Game Pass Status – Left the service.
Original Ranking – That’s enough for me. Where are we at now? – Didn’t play more but did watch a full playthrough.
Kentucky Route Zero (2013)
KENTUCKY ROUTE ZERO: TV EDITION is a magical realist adventure game in five acts, featuring a haunting electronic score, and a suite of hymns and bluegrass standards recorded by The Bedquilt Ramblers. Rendered in a striking visual style that draws as much from theater, film, and experimental electronic art as it does from the history of videogames, this is a story of unpayable debts, abandoned futures, and the human drive to find community.
I believe I picked Kentucky Route Zero back up as it was put on the ‘leaving soon’ list, so that provided some urgency. This is the first impression that changed the most after playing more of the game. I am sad to say it but I’m very glad that I didn’t try to continue this one as a Let’s Play.
I managed to complete Act III (of V) but I could not get any further. By the time I got there I had accepted that I just fundamentally do not ‘get‘ the game. Surrealism doesn’t really do an awful lot for me or my imagination. Not understanding what was going on and not being too fussed about figuring it out already sealed the deal, but potentially the most damning thing was, I just found myself quite bored.
Alas, I am glad that I got the chance to play as much as I did before it left the service. Finding out whether I enjoy these games was a huge reason that I begun the series so whether I liked the game or not, I still enjoy the data that comes from trying.
Game Pass Status – Left the service.
Original Ranking – Continue playing online/Continue playing offline. Where are we at now? – Continued playing offline before dropping it.
No Man’s Sky (2016)
In No Man’s Sky, every star is the light of a distant sun, each orbited by planets filled with life, and you can go to any of them you choose. Fly smoothly from deep space to planetary surfaces, with no loading screens, and no limits. In this infinite procedurally generated universe, you’ll discover places and creatures that no other players have seen before – and perhaps never will again.
If I am being totally – and maybe brutally – honest, this is the game that I remember the least out of the 12 that I played.
A year has passed and I remember being on a planet, in a house near a cave. I think I was building it. And that is all I have got. Perhaps it is the curse of the survival game striking again and I need to accept that I don’t enjoy the mechanics. But I don’t think that is the whole problem here. It could be another game that requires more time to really dive in and see what it is about, but with the amount of games that exist now, I am happy enough to leave this one behind in a similar way to Valheim.
Game Pass Status – Still available.
Original Ranking – That’s enough for me. Where are we at now? – Dropped it.
Pending
Undertale (2015)
Welcome to UNDERTALE. In this RPG, you control a human who falls underground into the world of monsters. Now you must find your way out…or stay trapped forever.
Ahh Undertale. I feel like I have had a little bit of a mess with this game. I spent a while considering that if I was going to continue my Let’s Play, how should I approach it? Should I continue with the strategies I was using? Should I let go of my arbitrary rules and just do what feels right in the moment? Should I start again?
All of these questions were then answered by the game leaving the service. It is now on Ps Plus which I do have access to, but of course my save file does not, so starting over would be the only option.
Secondly – and a deciding factor that I should continue offline – is that I had something spoiled. I have no idea how big of a spoiler it really is, but it is enough that I am dissapointed that I know about it and it will impact the enjoyment of being blind on the game.
All of these factors combined helped me to decide that I am just going start again in my own time from my couch. It is still a game that I want to see through to the end and add to my catalogue of knowledge and references. But the Let’s Play unfortunately isn’t meant to be.
Game Pass Status – Left the service.
Original Ranking – Continue playing online. Where are we at now? – Want to continue playing offline.
As Dusk Falls (2022)
As Dusk Falls is an original interactive drama from INTERIOR/NIGHT that explores the entangled lives of two families across thirty years. Starting in 1998 with a robbery-gone-wrong in small town Arizona, the choices you make have a powerful impact on the characters’ lives in this uncompromising story of betrayal, sacrifice and resilience.
In hindsight, it probably would have made sense for me to Let’s Play this game first. It is the shortest of the bunch and games like these don’t really allow for any meandering. BUT if I had done that then Citizen Sleeper wouldn’t have been so perfectly timed, and if my memory serves me, my Game Pass ran out right as I finished CS so I didn’t have time to play these other games.
This game is still on my list, I would have to go back through the video as a reminder for the choices that I made, but the tension was so high, I can only imagine how the rest of the game will go!
Game Pass Status – Still available.
Original Ranking – Continue playing online. Where are we at now? – Want to continue playing online.
Deaths Door (2022)
Reaping souls of the dead and punching a clock might get monotonous but it’s honest work for a Crow. The job gets lively when your assigned soul is stolen and you must track down a desperate thief to a realm untouched by death – where creatures grow far past their expiry and overflow with greed and power.
As mentioned above, I no longer have Game Pass, and while that isn’t the reason that I haven’t done anymore Let’s Plays, it is obviously a hurdle for these specific games that I had chosen. Thankfully, in the last year Death’s Door became a Ps Plus game! That means that I can now play it at any time that I want.
While there is a chance that I just play this one offline instead, I am not going to do that yet unless I get a really really big urge as I still think it could be a fun YouTube series. The only downside to me now having it on Ps Plus is that it lowers it down the priority list, as it is no longer time limited. When I get Game Pass back ‘As Dusk Falls’ and ‘Tunic’ are the focus. But the bright side is I can start this one back up any time I like (that is, after I have played Pyre, Batman, Scarlet Hollow and any other games that I have promised 😅).
Game Pass Status – Still available.
Original Ranking – Continue playing online. Where are we at now? – Want to continue playing online.
Tunic (2022)
Explore a land filled with lost legends, ancient powers, and ferocious monsters in TUNIC, an isometric action game about a small fox on a big adventure. Stranded in a ruined land, and armed with only your own curiosity, you will confront colossal beasts, collect strange and powerful items, and unravel long-lost secrets.
The last but the opposite of the least is Tunic! If I could suddenly have the time and facilities to Let’s Play a game right now, it would be this one. I LOVED exploring around the world, seeing what we would find and how it connected together. It was really fun and I feel like I clicked with it very well.
This is a game that recieved such heavy praise, but I got the impression it was for doing something different. I didn’t get far enough to know what that is and I really would like to discover it for myself, so while I currently still don’t have time to record and have already promised Pyre as my next series, I still have a huge itch to play this game and will do so as soon as the stars align.
Game Pass Status – Still available.
Original Ranking – Continue playing online. Where are we at now? – Want to continue playing online.
If anyone out there is stuck in a rut with your backlog or struggling with analysis paralysis on what to play next, this was an extremely refreshing experience that I would recommend to others to try for themselves. While I haven’t followed through with the recordings that I would still love to do, I did manage to knock 8 games off my backlog and had a tonne of fun doing it. You don’t have to make it into work or a project, just pick a number of games that you want to try and play the first hour. Don’t think too hard, just press play and before you know you might be playing your new favourite game.
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