Tag: Murder Mystery

A Noob’s [Mini] Review – Death Trick: Double Blind

Time is a balancing act.

Death Trick: Double Blind is a detective visual novel. And it is a very good one. There has been a murder at the travelling circus and it is their last day in the area. We have until the conclusion of their big show tonight to solve it and it is up to us to use our time wisely.

This game was satisfying on both a narrative and mechanical level, the game-play providing a fantastic spin on the genre while the characters played a large part in populating this colourful world.

In Death Trick, we play as dual protagonists. A private detective hired to investigate the case, and a magician, here to ensure that the show goes on. Through both of these characters we get to know the cast of the circus from both an outsiders perspective and within.

The game is played in hourly blocks. First, we play as the magician, behind the scenes of the circus getting ready for our big performance. We are under cover as the famed murder victim herself, meaning that not only do we have to work to be accepted by our peers but we must avoid public areas to keep our performance a surprise. Then, we play the same hour as our down on his luck detective, re-orienting himself after a nasty black-out. As an outsider, we are not allowed into the behind the scenes sections, catching the entertainers for a word in the public areas between their performances.

Conversations are made using Action Points. Every hour they refill, and it is up to us how we use them. As we chat to different characters we gain topics and evidence that we can then question them about. Each question takes up an action point so you really want to take care to ask the questions that matter. Scouring environments for clues and calling out contradictions also use points. You can’t talk to everyone about everything, so a huge part of the game play is prioritising your questions, deciding whether you want to chase up every lead immediatly, or get to know a character in ways which may or may not get you closer to solving the mystery.

The circus setting is pleasing, the cast are colourful to say the least, the currency of points adds an angle of puzzle and the dialogue, as well as the mystery itself are well written, entertaining to read and easy enough to follow along. The music sets the scene, the art is evocative and does a good job visually presenting the characters personalities and styles alike.

I discovered two things playing this game. One is that I want more games set in a travelling circus. The other, is that I want many other games that follow this structure, set in their own weird and wonderful locations and telling their own fantastical stories with their own cast of characters. If any of this sounds appealing to you then I would urge you to give the game a go for yourself.

Developer: Misty Mountain Studio
Publisher: Neon Doctrine
Release date: 12 March 2024
Average Playtime: 7 1/2 hours
Available on: PC, Switch

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The Posthumous Investigation – Demo Impressions

If at first you do not succeed, try and try again, and again, and again

The Posthumous Investigation

Developer: Mother Gaia Studio

Release Date: Coming Soon

Travel to a noir Rio de Janeiro in 1937 and investigate the mystery behind the murder of Brás Cubas, famed character created by Machado de Assis. Until the truth is out, you’ll be trapped in a time loop, amidst a plot full of conspiracy and treason.

The Posthumous Investigation has the makings of a time loop game done right. We have been tasked with solving the murder of a man, hired by the deceased himself to unravel whatever trouble he got himself into. We only have one day but fear not, if at first you do not succeed, try and try again, and again, and again.

The area in which we are investigating is alive, with events happening all around whether you are present to witness them or not. Whether this means you wander into a dramatic confrontation or stumble upon the aftermath of an incident, it makes each loop a joy as it becomes less about being in the right place at the right time, and more about reverse engineering the situation to discover what happened before.

The noir atmosphere and classic cartoon style complement each other wonderfully, setting the scene both in universe and to the player. In contrast, the UI is modern, clean and easily readable, almost as smooth as the jazz occasionally gracing our ears.

Often with these types if games it is impossible to tell in advance how well the full game will hold up. It is going to rely on the mechanics continuing to feel fresh, the story staying interesting and an appropriate runtime. However, the demo did enough to stop me playing. In a good way of course, I am interested enough that I didn’t want to play anymore until I could have the complete experience.

Demo Length – 1+ hour
At a glance
+ All in on the aesthetic.
+ User friendly options to prevent time loop tedium.
+ Lots of events happening inspiring ideas for next loop.
+ Clues carry over but items do not, creating a puzzle in the order of operations.
+/- I didn’t feel the (dialogue) writing was great but it did the job.

More from Steam Next Fest – February 2024

More from previous Festivals

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10 PlayStation 5 Demos – August 2023

While you need PS Plus Premium to access certain game trials, that doesn’t mean every demo on the console is gated by a paywall. In fact, as I was doing some exploring in the PS Store I found an entire section dedicated to demos. In this age of Steam Next Fests providing lots of opportunities to try games before you buy or that you otherwise may not have, I think it’s great to have consoles involved in that too. While they don’t have their own festivals yet, there is still an interesting catalogue available.

I don’t know about everyone else, but gaming at my PC is an entirely different vibe to gaming on my PS5. Feet up on the couch, blanket at the ready, candle on and controller in hand, it is the coziest of times. I find console to be perfect for night time wind down game sessions, so I have decided to use these sessions to make my way through 10 of the available demos.

This is a ranked list, so keep scrolling to see my favourites!

10. Fall of Porcupine

Developer: Critical Rabbit

Release Date: 15 June 2023

Fall of Porcupine is a unique story adventure. The collision of work and daily life – an exciting reflection of an unhealthy healthcare-system. Experience the exciting story of Finley and his friends in a lovingly illustrated world and uncover the darkest secrets of Porcupine and its residents.

Upon booting up Fall of Porcupine I very quickly was reminded of Night in the Woods. Not only because of the anthropomorphic animals, small town energy and autumnal vibes, but the layered, colorful, simple yet bold aesthetic is very pleasing to my eye. The gameplay feels similar in that sense too. This is a narrative first game and walking around talking to other characters is a big chunk of what you are doing, followed by minigames as you carry out your duties and other tasks.

While I enjoyed the ending of the demo, the rest didn’t really grab me in any big way. Partly that is my fault, as I realized a little way in that the themes of failing health care systems may be a little too real and sad for me to really want to spend time exploring at this current time. But other that that I also felt that the game was just a little slow for me. One of the mini games didn’t seem to be working for me and I wasn’t super engaged in the activities I was presented with. I did really enjoy the character designs, but the aesthetics weren’t quite enough to make up for the other parts that didn’t quite hit for me.

Demo Length – 1+ hour
Would I play more? – No

9. BROK the InvestiGator

Developer: COWCAT

Release Date: 26 August 2022

The very first PUNCH & CLICK! Brok is an innovative adventure mixed with beat ’em up and RPG elements. In a grim world where animals have replaced mankind, what kind of detective will you be?

As mentioned in the description above, Brok the InvestiGator is a point and click adventure and a 2D side scrolling beat ’em up in one. I am on the record for being a lover of the former, particularly the detective kind. But I am really not a fan of the latter at all. I thought I would try it out because I like to judge every game individually and every game could be the one that helps a genre click. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case, and predictably, I really liked half of what this game was while really disliking the other half.  

The adventure side of the game had everything you would expect, with fun additions like interrogations that I particularly enjoyed. Another great detail is that there are often multiple approaches to a problem, allowing you to dive in fists first, or sometimes even avoid combat all together. Something else to be celebrated are the adaptability options, allowing the game to be as inclusive as possible, whether that is for people like me who would alter the difficulty for entertainment purpose, or more importantly adaptations for visually impaired folk so they get to enjoy the game too. Despite this, unfortunately the game didn’t click with me. I suspect the potential for combat at any time combined with the classic cartoon aesthetic were a little far outside of my preferences. Having said that I would urge anyone else that is curious to give it a go.

Demo Length – 2 hours 30 minutes
Would I play more? – No

8. NEO: The World Ends with You

Developer: Square Enix & h.a.n.d.

Release Date: 19 October 2022

“Only the possibility of you can change our fate”
Rindo comes to the grim realization that his life is on the line when he is forced to compete in the so-called “Reapers’ Game.”

This one feels very heavily inspired by Persona 5 (maybe others but I have only played 5 myself), at least in a visual sense. It takes place in some of the same locations but that isn’t the only reason. It clearly strives to have its own strong, bold, recognizable style in the way that Persona does. In some ways this works out, I particularly like the comic-esque UI that NEO adopts when a conversation is taking place. Conversely, sometimes it feels slightly over stylized for my tastes, and while the music will be perfect for some people, for me it left me wishing for something a little more catchy or memorable.

NEO: The World Ends with You is an action JRPG set in the streets and districts of Shibuya. On a seemingly regular day, something changes and our protagonists are drawn into a game. The overall game itself consists of animated cutscenes, dialogue, moving around areas solving quests and combat. Attacks stem from pins which you collect and level up as you go.

The idea of my game characters being in a game themselves is always a fun one to me, but one of the reasons it didn’t work for me was because I could not connect with their response. They were not asking any of the questions that I wanted to ask and after playing for 2 hours, the game still did not tell me what the first line of the description above is about. There is a chance that my issues stem from the writing and the pacing, but there is also a chance that what this game adds up to be is just not for me. It is a shame because the game systems evident in the menu (collectibles, levelling up pins etc) looked enticing. Sadly it just seems to be one of those game where I like the idea of a lot of it, I just don’t enjoy the gameplay that goes along with it.

Demo Length – 2 hours
Would I play more? – No

7. Toodee and Topdee

Developer: dietzribi

Release Date: 4 August 2021

A cosmic turbulence caused the 2D Platformer and the Top-Down Puzzler dimensions to merge! Switch between Toodee and Topdee and their unique perspectives to overcome hard-as-nails challenges, solve mind-melting puzzles and defeat huge bosses.

It doesn’t take long for Toodee and Topdee to show what makes it special. The seamless transitions from 2D to top down on command never ceased to make me stop and think ‘coooool’. This is a puzzle platformer which is a genre that can be so hit or miss for me that I almost didn’t give this one a go. I am really glad I did though because even though it isn’t entirely for me, I love to see the wild things that are being created by people much cleverer than myself.

What I didn’t expect was to be taken in so much by the opening. The story set up was fun and strong and it made me immediatly more interested to stay along for the ride. You are controlling two characters but never at the same time, so while this game can be played in co-op, it is also perfectly playable solo. In fact, I am very curious to how this game would feel to play with another. Since so many of the puzzles feel timing based, I could see it making or breaking relationships.

Demo Length – 37 minutes
Would I play more? – Probably not. Maybe if it was on PS Plus and I had company.

6. Final Fantasy XVI

Developer: Square Enix Creative Business Unit III

Release Date: 22 June 2023

The 16th standalone entry in the legendary Final Fantasy series marks a darker turn for the RPG franchise, with a complex tale of revenge, power struggles and unavoidable tragedy.

Final Fantasy XVI reimagines the series’ iconic summons as Eikons. These deadly creatures are housed within Dominants, men and women who inherit their immense power at birth – whether they like it or not.

I put off playing this one for a while because I knew I was long, but once I got started time completely flew by. I should say, the only Final Fantasy I have played is a chunk of FF14 and the first hour or 2 of FF7 Remake, so the only expectations that I had were from the praise I saw in the media, and any marketing material I saw. And as is often the case, my expectations were quite different from what the game actually is.

Final Fantasy XVI feels big, epic and dramatic – particularly the opening – but I did feel like I sometimes struggled to follow what was going on on the screen. Particularly when creatures of any scale were involved and/or lots of particles and effects. Whether that is deliberate or not is one consideration, but for me it breaks my immersion a little, as it goes from ‘woah, that’s neat’, to ‘I literally have no idea who is winning this fight’ and I just have to wait till the action is finished to catch up on what happened. That isn’t my only issue with the style.

There are plenty of quieter, character focused moments with lots of relatively short cutscenes strung together, telling the story of what is going on. The style of the game means that these scenes transition via fade to black, and I can’t say I have ever been bothered by that before – I even use it myself sometimes – but the regularity it was happening, despite how nit picky it feels, really started to bug me. I can’t say what could be done differently, but every single time it happened I felt a little more irritated as I lost my immersion once again.

All of the complaints above are VERY subjective. None of them mean that I didn’t enjoy the game overall. I am so down for the medieval fantasy war setting. Every time anything felt familiar enough, a fantasy element or creature entered the scene and gave me a fleeting delight. Fleeting because of course the plot is very dark and serious. Political drama and intrigue, backstabbing, grief and bad circumstances feel like they are all going to be themes going forward and they are themes I enjoy a lot.

It’s just, from one of the latest AAA titles to release, I did expect maximum immersion so got a shock when it wasn’t quite as ‘smooth’ as I expected. But other than that, I loved phoenixes as a theme, the music is great, there is some cheesyness to balance out the dark and I am still interested to see where it goes. Sometimes stylistic differences are something that I grow to love over time so a demo potentially isn’t going to give me the best impression of a game like this.

Demo Length – 2 hours 30 mins
Would I play more? – I think I would

5. Sea of Stars

Developer: Sabotage Studio

Release Date: 29 August 2023

Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG inspired by the classics. It tells the story of two Children of the Solstice who will combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer.

The only JRPG’s I have really played are Pokemon and Persona 5 but I am very interested in broadening my horizons. On one hand, that means I don’t have a huge base for comparison but on the other, I get to come in with fresh eyes and have an experience I can’t compare with anything else.

I did enjoy what I played. I particularly liked the character designs when shown in their portrait form. The dungeon was interesting with different types of areas but the boss did feel like it took forever. It was quite an adjustment for me to get used to how to play, particularly having timing based reactions in turn based combat. Many times I completely screwed up my plan with bad timing and had to rethink what I was doing. But navigating the point spending systems as well as the ability types was fun and I would be interested to continue.

Demo Length – 1 hour 30 mins
Would I play more? – Yes

4. Viewfinder

Developer: Sad Owl Studios

Release Date: 18 July 2023

Challenge perception, redefine reality, and reshape the world around you with an instant camera. Viewfinder is a new single player game offering gamers hours of interesting and fun experiences while uncovering the mysteries left behind.

I could be inclined to compare Viewfinder to Superliminal, Maquette or even The Unfinished Swan, but the only reason for that would the use of innovation and creativity. In reality, this game doesn’t really compare to any other.

How does this game work? I do not know. I think you have to try it yourself to really feel how bizarre it is to get to alter the environment right before your eyes. It is mind bending and trippy and I can only imagine how surreal the full game gets. It is also artful and the demo does a great job of showing you the possibilities of what is still to come.

Based on this incredibly quick demo, my only complaint is that the narrative felt slightly disjointed to me. I was dropped into the game and there was some dialogue but I couldn’t even tell who it was aimed at. I would imagine that this is a product of the demo and the main game has a clearer set up as opposed to the abrupt start. But if that is the only complaint I have then I would say that is a pretty successful start! Also, I have to shout out the menu UI. It looks great.

Demo Length – 25 mins
Would I play more? – Yes

3. Mythic Ocean

Developer: Paralune LLC

Release Date: 9 Jan 2020

Teach the gods to create a better universe – or mess it all up in Mythic Ocean, a narrative exploration game where your choices shape the fate of the cosmos.

Mythic Ocean already had a head start for my affection by being set underwater, but upon going in with no expectations, I got so much more than I bargained for. I was immediately struck by not only the beauty of the graphics, but how enjoyable the dialogue felt. I have played a few games in which I feel there is too much dialogue at the opening, going for flavor over substance and losing me fairly quickly. This game did the opposite where the opening conversation was not only pleasant to have but intriguing.

In my hour playing I was starting to get concerned that I was playing the entire game. But even though it is relatively short, there is a replayability to it due to the nature of the gameplay. To start, you are exploring different biomes, interacting with the beings that live there. As you find who you are looking for, you enter conversations, giving them advice and potentially influencing their actions. More characters are added in the full game giving more different outcomes for your decisions.

The vibes were great, the audio was great and I loved the characters. One in particular was my favourite (no spoilers) and it was a joy getting to know them. I only wish that everything I did was in the full game instead as I would like to see where it would have lead!

Demo Length – 1 hour
Would I play more? – Yes

2. Process of Elimination

Developer: Nippon Ichi Software

Release Date: 11 April 2023

A hapless student named Wato Hojo finds himself among a group of talented detectives and must take part in their investigation to stop a prolific serial killer that hides among their ranks. Can they solve the case before they’re all eliminated?

This is the first of the demos that I played and I enjoyed it so much, I didn’t think anything would top it. On a day that I wasn’t feeling well, I was looking for something that would entertain me while requiring minimal input and this was it. Process of Elimination is a visual novel. It is mysterious and while some horrible things are happening, the cast of characters keep it energetic and fun. We find our self in the weirdest of situations and going along on the ride is very appealing.

Obviously, visual novels contain a lot of text sections, but quite a way in the game also reveals that there is more to it. The demo only contained the tutorial version, but there are gameplay sections all about investigation. I almost want to call them turn based strategy, in which you set up your team in the grid based environment. Using abilities and leadership, you guide the team in an attempt to solve the mystery you are faced. I don’t feel like I played enough of this to know how much I like it, but it is certainly an intriguing concept that I would like to jump back into.

I had never heard of this game before stumbling upon it in the demo section of the PS Store, and with some research I found it isn’t the easiest game to obtain. It is only available on PS4 (PS5 by extension) and the Switch. I don’t know the reasons that it is only on these specific platforms but it is a shame because I certainly had a tonne of fun during this opening section. If you do have a console and it sounds interesting I would definitely recommend giving it a try.

Demo Length – Long (I didn’t time this one but I was sad when it was over).
Would I play more? – Yes, I intend to eventually

1. Chants of Sennaar

Developer: Rundisc

Release Date: 5 September 2023

Legend says that one day, a traveler 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.

Chants of Sennaar is what I like to call a logic based puzzle, with added freedom to explore. It is a game of translation in which we figure out what people are saying based on the interactions we have and the environment around us. The further you progress, you simultaneously feel more and less understanding. More as you begin to recognize common words, less as you don’t yet know the new context around them. But finding new unidentified words is an exciting moment, setting the brain into motion about what they could mean.

In a game about deciphering language, the lack of external dialogue is an expert choice. The minimalism serves it beautifully, allowing the player to give their full attention to the current moment and recalling anything they have already learned that could be relevant. This tone is served aesthetically too, with an art style reminiscent of Sable and a palette akin to Journey, it is easy on the eye and soothing on the brain.

I absolutely loved this demo. Considering it is on the shorter end of the length scale compared to some of the others I played, it left a long lasting impression and the desire to decipher this entire language.

Demo Length – 45 mins
Would I play more? – Yes, right now please!

There we have it, 10 demos currently available on the PS5. While I don’t necessarily recommend them all, I appreciate every single one of them for giving me the opportunity to try them out without having to make any commitments.

I had a blast doing this and would love to do more in the future, although they will probably be shorter, 5 or 6 seems like a good number!

If you enjoyed this, below you can find more similar content including other game lists, first impressions, favourites and recommendations.

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Indie Showcase #51-#100 – Top 10

My Indie Showcase series has reached its 100th video! That is a milestone worth celebrating and what better way than to shout out the stand out games from the latest 50 videos.

Making this list was difficult to say the least. We have played some absolute gems over the last year and I couldn’t be more excited about the future of gaming. But that made narrowing them down all the more tough. I got there in the end, but as a compromise, the list is not in a ranked order.

I have to shout out The Rewinder, Medieval Dynasty, Wylde Flowers and Beyond R: Rule Ripper. On another day any one of these games could have been on this list.

If you would like to see the top games from my first 50 Indie Showcase videos you can do so here. Here’s to another 100!

What is Indie Showcase?
Every Saturday I try out a different indie game on my YouTube channel. It started out as short, free-to-play games on Steam and games from bundles, but soon extended to demos, games I recieved codes for and games on subscription services.

Slay the Princess [Demo]

Developer: Black Tabby Games

Release Date: 2023

You’re here to slay the princess. Don’t believe her lies.

I am beginning with Slay the Princess because not only did I love the game, but I also think it is my best Indie Showcase to date. The uncertainty, the mystery, the voice acting, the art, the mind games and everything else all came together to create a game that could have been made especially for me. While I could have explored the demo a little more to find more branches, I didn’t need to as I am 100% sold on the game and would like to experience the rest in full release.

Slay the Princess is a visual novel that feels like it is all about the dialogue tree. Navigating choices in order to unravel the mystery is as intriguing as it is entertaining, because as much as you are playing the game yourself, it is hard to shake the feeling that the game is playing you right back.

Wishlist it here to stay up to date.

Roadwarden [Demo]

Developer: Moral Anxiety Studio

Release Date: 12th September 2022

Roadwarden is an illustrated text-based RPG that uses isometric pixel art and combines mechanics borrowed from RPGs, Visual Novels, adventure games and interactive fiction.

Here’s a secret. Every time I sit down to record a game that I know is going to be text heavy I get nervous. Every single time. Thankfully with Roadwarden my worries were completely eased by the immersion that I experienced. That sounds counterintuitive – a text based adventure being so immersive, but well written world building does that to me in a huge way and this is full of it.

Roadwarden is a text based rpg with a distinctive colour palette. The pixel art gives just enough to show you the locations you are visiting then the words populate it with history and life. This game somehow made me desperately want to hit the road to experience adventures of my own, not at all deterred by the stories of said road.

Buy it now here.

Scarlet Hollow [Demo]

Developer: Black Tabby Games

Release Date: 11th June 2021

Return to the crumbling coal town your family built generations ago for the funeral of your aunt. You won’t be able to save everyone. You might not even be able to save yourself

Created by the same developer as Slay the Princess, I did not expect that they could have made another game that I liked more than this one – which is a huge compliment to both of their games since I really like this one. I played Scarlet Hollow (episode 1) first and it immediatly took a place in my heart, enough that I purchased the game to do a full Let’s Play some day.

Scarlet Hollow is an eerie visual novel with some very interesting trait choices right off the bat, including one that I think completely made the game for me. The art style is distinctive and memorable, it doesn’t hold back and I just want to see more of it!

Check it out here.

Buddy Simulator 1984 [Demo]

Developer: Not a Sailor Studios

Release Date: 18th February 2021

Thanks to next generation AI technology, BUDDY SIMULATOR 1984 simulates the experience of hanging out with a best buddy! Your buddy learns from you, constantly adapting to your interests and personality. But most importantly, your buddy can play games with you!

Another Game that I purchased was Buddy Simulator 1984. I wasn’t in the biggest rush to get it as I have so many other games to play, but it cropped up in a great indie bundle and I couldn’t pass it up. The experience of the demo was so well done and ended perfectly, I wonder how the rest of the game compares.

In Buddy Simulator we create our own AI buddy by inputting commands into a machine. The games that we play with our Buddy are fun, as well as the between moments, watching our friend grow and evolve. I don’t want to say more than that, but it was certainly a demo that I did not forget in a hurry.

Available to buy here.

Coral Island [Early Access/Game Pass]

Developer: Stairway Games

Release Date: 11th October 2022

Coral Island is a vibrant and laid-back reimagining of farm sim games. Be who you want and experience enchanting island living at your own pace—live off the land, nurture animals, build relationships with a diverse cast of townsfolk, and make the world around you a more vital and harmonious place.

In my time doing Indie Showcase I have tried out a LOT of cozy games. They can be very hit or miss for me, and the more I try, the more I learn what I value in these types of games. Coral Island feels like exactly what I am looking for.

With a very aesthetically pleasing town to explore, Coral Island has the potential to be the low stakes with lots to do ‘podcast game’ that I love to play. Farming, upgrading and making friends are as far as I got but I know there is more as the devs are very active and open about what is to come. Coral Island is just a place that I want to be.

Buy in Early Access here.

Backpack Hero [Demo]

Developer: Jaspel

Release Date: 15th August 2022

The inventory management roguelike! Collect rare items, organize your bag, and vanquish your foes!

The most recent addition to the list – as it is game 98 of 100 – is Backpack Hero. Based on the premise this one could have gone either way for me, but I enjoyed it so much, I may have bought it outright if I had enough time to get addicted to a game right now.

Backpack Hero is a turn based roguelike that has a focus on strategic inventory tetris. Every item that you pick up takes up precious space in your bag. The limited space forces you to try to get over any ‘too good to use’ syndrome that you may have, as well as make difficult choices as empty spaces can be just as valuable as a treasure. Throughout the game you are making your way through dungeons, fighting groups of enemies while collecting their treasure, if you can carry it.

Check out the steam page here.

Vampire Survivors [Game Pass]

Developer: Poncle

Release Date: 20th October 2022

Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you.

Vampire Survivors was almost bumped off this list as I added in Backpack Hero, thinking that one roguelike was enough. But how could I do that when I purchased the game on Steam as I wanted to continue playing so much. The real reason is because I don’t feel like I got quite as obsessed as others when the game was really taking off. But just because I didn’t, it doesn’t mean that this game doesnt deserve a place in the top 10.

In Vampire Survivors, all you have to do is move your character to dodge enemies, collect things, and make choices to see how long you can survive against the masses. It is super easy to pick up and play, I got more than my moneys worth and I am not done yet! It served me well as a great ‘1 or 2 runs before bed’ kind of game.

Buy it here and look out for DLC.

Abscission [Demo]

Developer: Beyond Booleans

Release Date: Q4 2023

Abscission is a Lovecraftian, story-driven horror point-and-click investigation game. It involves searching crime scenes for evidence, combining clues and questioning suspects. Puzzles can have multiple solutions as you guide the protagonist – Detective Will Stanhope – through the story.

I am unsure how I heard about Abscission but I am so glad I did. Murder mysteries and detective games are among my favourite genres and I am always very happy to find them. Particularly when the cases are compelling like this one.

During my time with the demo I encountered some pretty ghastly scenes, both of the crime and the eldritch kind. The point and click set up had me combing crime scenes, questioning witnesses/suspects and problem solving as I tried to put together a strange series of events.

When I played the Abscission demo it was only available on Itch but since then they have also put up a Steam page!

Casebook 1899 – The Leipzig Murders [Demo]

Developer: Homo Narrans Studio

Release Date: Coming Soon

Feel like a real 19th-century detective in this retro pixel-art detective adventure. As well as featuring classic point & click gameplay you will have to draw your own conclusions and use a deduction board to find the real culprit under several suspects in four murder cases.

Like I said before, I am partial to a detective game. While both Abscission and Casebook 1899 are point and click adventure games, they feel very different both tonally and in play.

Casebook 1899 – The Leipzig Murders is a series of cases that you gather clues in order to solve correctly (or not). I can’t help but compare this to the Sherlock Holmes games – particularly ‘Crimes and Punishment’ and ‘The Devils Daughter’. Imagine those games but rather than 3D action adventure they leant more towards 2D puzzling. That is what this is and if that excites you, it should!

Wishlist it here.

You Will (Not) Remain [Free-to-play]

Developer: Bedtime Phobias

Release Date: 7th January 2022

You must stay in your apartment as the city around you falls to an Eldritch horror.

Finally – going back to Indie Showcase roots – I had to include a short, free-to-play narrative game. But not out of obligation – You Will (Not) Remain earned the spot all by itself. Two things struck me with this game. The first was the ability to tell a complete story in a short amount of time. That was one of the my big interests as I begun this series – to see what people could make within a small game, whether that is run time or complexity. The second was the simple yet striking art.

You Will (Not) Remain is a short but sweet (?!) narrative game. Taking place in an apartment, we spend time with our main character as they contemplate life in their apartment as the world crumbles – or has already crumbled – around them.

Play for yourself here.

Thank you for reading and thank you for any support, be that financial, engagement with my content or moral support via kind words. It is all very much appreciated and helps me continue my work.

Also, thank you if you have ever engaged with any of the games that I have showcased. Other than the enjoyment that I get out of trying such a variety of games and being inspired by peoples work, the ultimate goal is to be able to help indie games, working as a signal booster to help games find their audience.

If you are looking for even more interesting indie games, I have you covered. Here are links to all of my previous Indie Showcase work.

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10 Games I Must Play From 2022

2022 has been a phenomenal year for games. I personally rarely play games as they release, which means I am going to be feasting for years to come. Since my 2022 games post was a celebration of games both past and present, I also wanted to make a post specifically about games that released this year. For every game I play another 10 release that I want to try. This makes it hard to keep up, so I thought I would pick out 10 that have piqued the peak of my interest.

For reference, I have played 6 games that released this year (not including during 12 Days of Game Pass)

  • Elden Ring
  • Stray
  • Escape Academy
  • The Quarry
  • Powerwash Simulator
  • The Past Within

This of course leave many games untouched. As always, picking only 10 was extremely difficult. But here are the games I am most hyped to try from this year, in release order!

19th May – Eternal threads – Cosmonaut Studios

This is an indie game that is set in the north of England. As a northerner myself, that would be enough to get my interest but I also played the demo. I had a fun time with it. I love when games let you explore something that has already happened (Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture being another example) so I am so very down to pick this one up and piece it all together.

You can see more here.

24th June – AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – nirvanA Initiative – Spike Chunsoft., Ltd.

I only played AI: The Somnium Files for the first time this year which is great timing for me, having the sequel readily available. I haven’t heard much about this one as I have purposefully avoided anything about it, but even the screenshots on Steam leave so many questions. I’m going to need some answers.

You can buy it here.

30th August – Immortality – Sam Barlow/Half Mermaid

I love FMV. I love mysteries. Why havent I played this yet you may ask? I DONT KNOW, I NEED TO OK! I was already interested in what the game may have to offer, but multiple 10/10 ratings and awards/nominations mean I need to get to this one STAT.

Check it out here or it is currently on Game Pass.

22nd September – Beacon Pines – Hiding Spot

I played the demo for Beacon Pines a while ago and really enjoyed it. It has been long enough that I have forgotten a lot of the specifics but I do remember the lovely art, the cool story book narrative puzzle structure and an almost ‘Night in the Woods’ vibe. It is currently on Game Pass so I must jump on that opportunity to play it.

You can get it on Steam here or it is also currently on Game Pass.

28th September – The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow – Cloak and Dagger Games

This is another game that I played the demo of and wanted more. The atmosphere and art were great, and thankfully that is as much as I remember. Once I play a demo, I tend to internalise the want to play but forget a lot of the rest which means that I can enjoy the discovery again when I finally play the full game.

Get more information here.

13th October – The Case of the Golden Idol  – Color Gray Games

I played the demo for The Case of the Golden Idol relatively recently, much more so than the previous two games but much to the same effect. I immediatly knew I needed to play the rest of the game and locked it away until I get the chance for the full story. I do remember exploring wacky scenareos and collecting key words in order to piece together exactly what went down. It was great fun and I absolutely want more.

You can see more here.

9th November – God of War: Ragnarok – Santa Monica Studio

It is probably very obvious that I want to play Ragnarok. I played God of War for the first time in 2022 and while it isn’t in my favourite games of all time, it was extremely enjoyable. I have actively avoided as much as I can from the sequel and everything that I did see was another thing too much. It looks outstanding.

More info on the PS Store here.

15th November – Pentiment – Obsidian Entertainment

I have heard that I will enjoy this one and I 100% believe it. Narrative based, mysteries, detective work, choices, historical setting, murder. Just put it in my veins please.

Pentiment is on Game Pass or you can get it on Steam here.

18th November – The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me – Supermassive Games

I love playing The Dark Pictures Anthology games and was very hyped for this one as it is my favourite premise of the series so far. The reviews are dissapointing, but I am only keeping them in the back of my mind because I am one of the few that thinks Man of Medan is much better people give it credit for. As always, I will go into this one with an open mind and enjoy the inevitably bloody ride!

More details here.

6th December – Kynseed – Pixelcount Studios

This game has been in Early Access for a long time and I have had it on my Wishlist forever. It recently released in full and I must play it. I have a huge soft spot for cosy games but I am equally hit and miss with them. I love experiencing different applications of them and analysing what made one more successful to me over another, and this one looks like its own unique take worth some time.

You can buy it here.

If you would like to see a more extensive list, I’ve got you. Click here for a list of (at the time of writing) 51 games that have my attention. I will be keeping this up to date so if some of them have vanished I do apologise. That does however mean that I am making my way through the backlog so that is a win. Thanks to Game Pass I am able to dive into some of these right away, what an exciting time!

Top 10 games I must play from other years

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Noob’s Top 10 Games Experienced in 2022

The year is almost over! Since I don’t make a habit of playing many brand new games on release I don’t often have a lot to add to the Game of the Year conversation. I do however track all of the games that I play within a given year. Since I missed so many titles throughout my life, I am very fortunate to experience many amazing games for the first time all year around. I want to celebrate that, so here are my Top 10 Games from this year!

Here is a chart of the release year of all the games I experienced this year!

10. AI: The Somnium Files (2019)

It was very difficult narrowing this list down. I have played so many good games this year that could make my top 10 for so many different reasons. After much back and forth, I have chosen AI: The Somnium Files as number 10. Despite not enjoying everything about it, I have to acknowledge that I loved the core mystery. Not only did the game deliver a murder mystery that kept me guessing with so many wild yet somehow plausible theories, it managed to bring it all together to a satisfying conclusion. When an ending falls flat it can often dampen my memory of the rest of the experience and that could very easily happen with a story so full of twists and turns. Thankfully, they nailed it!

If you would like to hear more about my mixed feelings on this crazy game, you can read my review here.

9. God of War (2018)

God of War felt like my first delve into the best that cinematic gaming has to offer. I felt like I was playing a blockbuster and because that is so rare to me, it was pretty damn awe-inspiring. I think the reason that this game doesn’t make it further up the list is becasue when something shines so much, the rough edges feel a little rougher. Slight issues with pacing, invisible walls and certain character arcs occasionally took me out of the experience and stopped this from being up there with my favourites. However, the fight choreography, the mythology and the characters themselves were so much fun, it was overall a fantastic experience.

8. Yes, Your Grace (2020)

I almost missed this one so I am so glad that I got to play it before it left Game Pass. The tough choices every day, the looming threat and the never knowing whether we would get through the next week created an extremely stressful and melancholic atmosphere in which I personally felt the weight of the kingdom on my shoulders. Yet somehow that is not all I remember. I remember the charm of every character being recognisable despite their pixel forms. I remember the nerves when someone returned to the palace, and the joy when they were saying thank you (and bringing me supplies). I remember the shenanigans of my daughters that elevated the game from a management sim to a life sim. It can be sad, it can be stressful, it can be buggy, but it is very worth playing.

7. Astrologaster (2019)

Having zero expectations helped as I discovered how much of a total delight Astrologaster really is. The music, the history, the choices, the relationships, the consequences – that is what the game is all about. It is all delivered with a sense of humour that couldn’t be nailed by just anyone. The passion and heart from the devs is palpable. If you are having a bad day, I couldn’t recommend this enough to get at least a few giggles. For how simple the game is moment to moment, the production value shines and makes this a stand out indie title.

6. Zero Time Dilemma (2016)

Finishing the Zero Escape series was the end of an era for me. I played the entire series for YouTube and each one was as wild as the next in their own way. It took me a while to adjust to the third and final game having such a new style, but once I got used to it I grew to love it. The janky animations added character as much as anything else, and the new flow of gameplay made a lot of sense in terms of the story. As I reflect, this game and Virtues Last Reward keep trading places for my favourite in the series, and that was very unexpected considering how much I enjoyed VLR.

If you would like to hear more of my feelings on this game, not only can you watch my series in the video above but I guested on the Left Behind Game Club podcast where we talked in a lot of depth. You can find more information about that here.

5. Elden Ring (2022)

One one hand, it almost feels wrong to put Elden Ring on this list as I am not even sure I am half way through yet. On the other hand, I HAD to put Elden Ring on this list. I have quietly enjoyed the souls games from a distance for a few years, but never thought I could actually play them. I wanted that sense of exploration but I don’t have the patience required for the combat. Then Elden Ring came along. It is like Dark Souls had a child with.. well.. me. Every change they made and feature they added feels tailored to my enjoyment and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the game so far, knowing I have many more hours of joy, discovery, fear and fascination to go. This was my onlyday one gaming splurge this year and I am so glad that I did it.

4. Guardians of the Galaxy (2021)

I am not entirely sure why it took me so long to play Guardians of the Galaxy. I had access to it for a while but the timing never felt quite right. Now that I think back, it is like it was for a reason. In an extremely stressful time in my life, this game gave me a wonderful place of respite. It is another that felt designed for me on a few different levels. The character interactions and small details were fantastic and the levels were very fun to explore. I even enjoyed the combat which isn’t usual for me. The only hype I really heard about this game were the few who were championing it saying it is underrated, and I whole-heartedly agree. I always hope for more people to play it because I’m sure there will be many that have as much love for it as I do. It is funny, colourful, bold, emotional, and so worth your time.

3. Stray (2022)

Stray was everything I needed it to be and more. To this day I see people calling it ‘that cat game’ but that feels so reductive to me. In my review I went into detail about why I believe this game worked so well, so instead of rehashing that, I will leave a link here. What I do want to say is while this game will not be for everyone, I am so happy that there is a space for games like these to be made. Not everything has to be a blockbuster, but I do believe games need some sort of substance. This is a short game that is bursting with atmosphere, gorgeous visuals, small moments, world building, and feelings; perhaps even more impressive considering all of the characters are animals and robots.

2. Persona 5 (2016)

This game took over my life in a way that I didn’t expect. At a time when I was creating a schedule – forcing in some mandatory yet reluctant rest time – P5 became part of my evening routine. Having never played a story based JRPG before (unless Pokemon counts) I wasn’t even sure what to expect, let alone whether I would like it. But after playing the first couple of hours I was completely sold. It was a totally new experience and I was entirely on board. The further in I got, the more I loved the characters and the more excitement I got from new mechanics, new story beats or discovering new elements of the game. This game is a masterclass in style and I couldn’t get enough. I lulled in the middle which isn’t unusual for me during a long game, but overall, Persona 5 took a place in my heart. Maybe even stole it? A hugely enjoyable experience that I will remember for a long time.

1. Return of the Obra Dinn (2018)

The award for favourite game that I have played this year goes to – Return of the Obra Dinn! All I knew going into this game was that there might be murder mysteries and puzzles, and that I was slightly off-put by the art style. It is so interesting how thoughts like that can 180 so hard that it becomes one of your favourite game experiences to date. As soon as I felt the game in motion I knew I had it wrong. This game is art in every sense. Not only the visual aesthetic, but the music, the audio design, the pacing of every reveal, the setting, the characters, the story, the clues, the unravelling. It is crafted to perfection.

In puzzle books my favourite pages are the logic grid puzzles. I had no idea this game would basically be a huge, sprawling version of those. Except for a couple of tiny niggles, this game ‘hit’ on every level for me. My only regret is not being able to experience it for the first time again.

Looking back over my list and writing this post is pretty magical. These games are outstanding and were one of the saving graces of a tough personal year for me. And the best part? I know there are 1000s more where they came from, just waiting to give more fantastic, wild, emotional, challenging, thoughtful, hilarious, *insert all other adjectives here* experiences, and the library just grows and grows.

For anyone else like me – people who want to experience everything there is, Indie and AAA alike – we will never be able to play all of the games that we would like to before we die. There literally aren’t enough hours. On one hand, that could be a reason to be super selective. On the other, how many games have clicked with you on a level that you never expected or could not have predicted? For me, that number is pretty high. The conclusion – be adventurous. Go with your gut. Listen to others, but not too closely. Curious about something? Give it a go! Not really feeling anything? Try absolutely anything! Games are more accessible than they have ever been, what better way to celebrate that then.. well.. playing games.

If you would like to see more of what I played this year, I have a Twitter thread with initial thoughts of every game I played here. I also have a more concise visual list on GGApp that you can view here.

Happy gaming and all the best for 2023!

top 10 games experienced in Other years

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A Noob’s Review – AI: The Somnium Files

I went into this expecting a visual novel akin to the Zero Escape series, a series that I have covered to completion on my channel. What I found was that the similarities are few and far between, and I think that if this is a visual novel, then it is on the very border of the definition of the genre. That is by no means a complaint. While a lot of the mechanical differences didn’t hit for me, the story (which has to be core of any game that identifies as a visual novel) succeeds in telling a thrilling murder mystery, in a world where the gritty, shocking atmosphere doesn’t get bogged down by the sci fi elements, but is rather enhanced by them.

+ The Story

Something that I think is important to note is that everyone may get a very different experience of the story depending on the choices you make. The game has a flowchart structure where you follow a route to completion, then go back and change your choice to see what happens in different scenarios. By the end, you will have the same information as anyone else, but the journey in which you got there could be vastly different. I personally believe I got all of the endings in an order that was specifically curated for my tastes (anticlockwise around the flowchart for anyone that is curious) and feel very lucky for doing so. Following this route, the story ramped up very far very quickly and I was hooked. The mysteries had me desperate to see what was going to be around the next corner.

Looking back, it must be some good story telling that it had me guessing so many theories. Some were close, some were mildly correct, and some were way off. Allowing you to have this variety of thoughts, and yet the actual answers being satisfying too is a credit to the writers. I think my favourite thing about this developer is the ability to allow your imagination to go wild, misguide you and leave you asking questions right to the end. They did that well in the Zero Escape series and they were successful here too.

+/- The Writing

While I was praising the writing of the story above, the writing of dialogue can go from great, to so annoying that I don’t even know why I am playing. The player character is a man named Date. Don’t get me wrong, Date isn’t the only one guilty of this. But obviously that doesn’t make it any better. It makes it worse, because you don’t only have to endure it from him but others too. I do like his character sometimes but it gets overshadow by how perverted he is. The occasional lewd joke, sure, why not. But every scene has something. Some have multiple, and it is just not funny. It comes across as juvenile to me and makes me grateful that I didn’t stream or record this game. That way, I could just roll my eyes and move on instead of having to take in what was being said.

+/- The Characters

The Characters are such a mixed bag for me. Some of them feel very over the top to be almost caricature-ish. It is impossible to explain why without spoiling the game so I won’t go too deeply into it, but Mizuki and Mayumi were great to me. Iris and Ota not so much.

+ AI

AI, Eye, Aiba. I had no idea what this game was about when I started. All I knew is that it had a title that made no sense to me. The game very quickly explains the deal with AI and I was into it instantly. I am very attached to my eyes – something happening to them is probably one of my biggest bodily fears – but I do think I would give one up if it meant I could have an AI. Also, her physical form is frickin adorable.

– The Somnium Puzzle Sections

Where the Zero Escape series had novel sections and escape room sections, AI has a little more variety. The bulk of the puzzle sections though are the Somnium puzzles. In these sections you are exploring various dreamscapes, investigating for clues and progress by interacting with objects. So far this sounds like something I would love, but it is completely ruined by the time mechanics. Every Somnium has a 6 minute time limit. Every action you do costs a certain amount of time. Some interactions give you modifiers that you can choose when to use (for example one modifier might make an interaction take exactly 30 seconds, another might make it take an eighth as long as it was going to). If you happen to get a bad modifier then your next action will take double time or more. At first I thought this could be neat. It is something new that I hadn’t seen before. But actually playing it doesn’t work on so many levels. Firstly, if I am in a dreamscape, that is super interesting! I want to be able to explore without consequence. Secondly, it is not intuitive which actions are going to help you progress, sometimes its something completely unexpected. Thirdly, what if I want to try out all of the silly interactions? Well if that’s the case then be prepared have to go through the convoluted retry system or start again from the beginning. If you do need to restart you can fast forward text, but that is no fun to me. In the end I gave each Somnium one try, then as I was running out of time I would pull up a guide because I found replaying so tedius. Finally, these puzzle sections are where the story branches happen. The trouble is that there is no way of knowing what interaction you make is going to take you down what path. Like I stated before, I am very lucky that I got the story in the perfect order for me, but that was literally just luck becasue I had no idea what direction I was taking things. In the Zero Escape series you make blind choices that lead to different paths, but at least in that game you can base your decisions on who you would like to spend more time with. In this one, you don’t even necessarily know you are making a choice till you have commited by interacting with a random object.

+/- The Other Mechanics

As I mentioned before, this game is more interactive than many other visual novels. What would often be a novel section in other games can almost be a point and click section in this one. You can look around your environment, clicking on everything and hearing comments from your own character as well as others around you. I really enjoyed this to start with, but it gets repetitive. I bet by the end most people are no longer clicking on the background objects. The problem is, they do throw in some new lines every now and again, but you never know when. So you either go through the tedium of clicking on every object due to fear of missing out, or you miss out on some character quirks and jokes. This section is also used to ask characters questions which I enjoyed.

There are some other sections too. This game contains action. And with action comes quick time events. These were fine. If anything I think I would have preferred to just watch the action rather than doing the QTEs. I am not sure what happens if you miss them so I can’t comment on that, but if you have to start the section again that would suck, it would ruin the pacing just as much as replaying a somnium does.

Finally, since you are a detective, there are interrogation sections. Unfortunatly there arent much to them, but I did like them none the less. You will be presented with a question and a few clues and you have to pick out the relevant answers. It is simple but it is nice while you are in the process of putting things together. If you choose the wrong one then Aiba will tell you, so there is no failstate.

+/- The Audio

As mixed as I have been with everything else, I am also mixed on this too. I don’t find the soundtrack very memorable. They did reuse some sound effects from the Zero Escape series which took me out of the game a little bit. There are occasions where you have to sit through an extended section of pop music and I was sat there like ‘oh my god, is this still going’. The best part of the audio though is that it is fully voice acted, and I think the majority of the actors did a great job. I enjoy hearing what each character sounds like as it gives them their own personality, more so than if I was just reading all of their lines.  

I have tried to be as spoiler free as possible because the less you know the better, but also I believe knowing the caveats in advance can help set expectations and should hopefully improve the experience for anyone reading. Despite all of the problems I had, I still recommend this game if you have the patience, because the mystery was great and I really enjoyed the story. I am curious if any of my problems have been improved upon in the sequel! 

+ The Story

+/- The Writing

+/- The Characters

+ AI

– The Somnium Puzzle Sections

+/- The Other Mechanics

+/- The Audio

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Review – Murdered: Soul Suspect – PS4

Murdered: Soul Suspect is a homicide detective game with a twist, developed by Airtight Games. You are actually the murder victim and you have to solve your own death. As someone who enjoys solving a good mystery it was a no brainer for me to pick this game up. That, and I was completely intrigued by the whole concept. You play as cop, Ronan O’Conner, in the haunted town of Salem. The whole game takes place over the night of your murder, bringing with it the spooky atmosphere of a night in a town with a haunting history. The experience is elevated again when you remember that Salem is a real town in Massachusetts, well known for its history of Witch Trials.

Murdered: Soul Suspect_20170402220454

I found the atmosphere of this game to be absolutely perfect. Walking around in a different plane, you see not only the present but also ghosts of the past. The way the town is now and the way used to be. It is eerie and honestly very creepy sometimes, but it is also fascinating and it didn’t put me off exploring the world. Well, not at first anyway. Add this to the noir, mystery vibe and I honestly think they nailed it. I would say there are definitely horror themes. Pretend you are in a horror movie and list everywhere that you don’t want to go. I dare bet that most of the places on your list are places that you will visit in this game. But it isn’t a horror game. I seriously don’t do horror, but I managed to get through it. Only just, mind you, but I’ll come back to that a bit later.

Murdered: Soul Suspect_20170402204511

The story is divided into chapters where you enter an area (most of the time only available for that mission) to progress the story, then between the missions you will have access to the semi open world of the town. Most missions consist of getting from A-B safely, and investigating. I LOVED investigating. I love finding clues then putting them together. I loved exploring and finding hidden secrets. If that was solely what this game was about then I would have adored it. I loved the collectibles in this game, they really gave a purpose to exploring. Almost everywhere that you can go there are collectibles and sometimes there were even puzzles to get to them. Not only that but the collectibles were interesting. Each unlocking a piece of history of your character, or other characters, or the town itself. It’s one of the first games that I have actively gone hunting for collectibles without a guide and thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course, there is a downside though. If you don’t get all of the collectibles as you go then you will have to play the whole game again. This particularly annoyed me because in almost every section I had missed ONE collectible. I thought to myself ‘I’ll go back and get it later’… only you can’t go back and get it later, unless it is in the main town. Even then, once you have finished the final mission the game is over. On the bright side, your collectibles transfer over to your second play-through. So, even though you have to play the whole game again, you don’t have to re-find every single one, only the ones you missed. I personally would have no hesitation to play through a second time if it wasn’t for one thing that almost spoiled the whole game for me. Demons.

Murdered: Soul Suspect_20170403135702

You learn pretty early on that demons can be found roaming around the ghost world, and if they see you they are a bitch to escape. The aim is to sneak up behind them and execute them but that is sometimes easier said than done. To be honest, they were an annoyance at best, at worst they almost made me quit the game. It is not like they are that difficult, but they completely ruined my mindset while playing this game. When there were no demons I thoroughly enjoyed searching every nook and cranny for collectables. However, when you hear that awful scream you know they are there and you are going to have to spend some time getting rid of them. As I mentioned above, I did not buy this game to kill demons and I did not buy this game for any kind of horror. I bought it because I wanted to play a detective game and solve a mystery. If they didn’t exist I would have finished and platinumed the game months ago, but I honestly never want to deal with those demons again. It is very annoying because I really do want to see the rest of the ghost stories. I wish they had never implemented them into the game, it would have been better off without them, they just weren’t fun.

Murdered: Soul Suspect_20170402204027

The technical side of this game is where it is let down in my opinion. If you enter the clues menu, it tells you your current objective. Till the very end of the game, my objective was stuck on one of the first. I was afraid that when I turned the game off that the autosave may not have worked but it did, although the objective never updated. That was just a minor issue I had. The game is very buggy. One time it froze and I was just about to force my PS4 off but it started working again. Sometimes collectibles weren’t registering and the prompt to kill the demons wasn’t appearing. Also, whenever I came back to the game after turning it off, it gave me the tutorial messages for the menu features every single time. It does get quite annoying if you are playing through a lot of sittings.

Murdered: Soul Suspect_20170402210933

I enjoyed the story of this game very much. From the opening scene, showing us Romans past, I thought it was beautifully done and I was sold. Throughout the game I kept going back and forth in my mind who I thought the killer was, then in the end it still surprised me which is something I value so much in a story. I thought the characters were all interesting and I just really enjoyed the direction the story went. The ONE issue I had was I wish the Epilogue scene was slightly longer, but that doesn’t matter too much since I can still use my imagination. It is a really nice mystery and I urge everyone who enjoys detective games to play, despite its flaws.

Murdered: Soul Suspect_20170403150221

Overall, this game is all about exploring and investigating, uncovering mysteries and helping people, with some stealth involved, all in a supernatural yet realistic setting. If that sounds up your ally then I urge you to play. Especially since this game often goes on sale for £5 or less, you can’t go wrong.

Have you played? Did you enjoy it? Did you guess the killer? Did you hate the demons as much as I did?

Review – Heavy Rain – PS3

Heavy Rain is an interactive drama game in which your decisions affect the outcome. The story is about the Origami Killer, A serial killer who targets young boys and always leaves them with an origami figure in their hand and an orchid on their chest. The story unfolds as you play from the point of view of four different people. Ethan Mars – a troubled dad. Scott Shelby – an asthmatic private detective. Norman Jayden – a drug addicted FBI profiler. And Madison Paige – an insomniac photographer.

FullSizeRender
The screenshot feature didn’t exist on PS3

The game starts with a normal day in the life of Ethan to allow you to get used to the controls and then things start to heat up from there. It was so engaging, I really grew to care about the characters and was rooting for a happy ending! Some parts were intense, some parts were emotional and some parts were bad ass! I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next.

I strongly suggest playing this game through without reading anymore information than that. Don’t look up the best outcome, don’t read any spoilers, I wouldn’t even google the name. I googled a couple of things while I was playing and I’m so pleased I didn’t accidentally spoil it for myself. Use your instincts, make your own decisions and see how it ends for you.

IMG_2366
I played with a regular DS3, the game does have some motion control sections

The game is a set story, you are free to do what you want within reason but whatever you do, the story will keep flowing. You can’t choose the character you are playing, you will play the character whos story you are focused on at that time. You can walk around, hear the characters thoughts and interact with the environment if there is a prompt to do so. It is very much like an interactive movie. The camera angles are set, you can’t manually move them but you can alternate between different views to see different areas of the room you are in. This did remind me a tad bit of the original Resident Evil.

There are three difficulty settings. I thought mine was on moderate but when I had a look it was on hard so I have no idea, you can always go into options and change it if it’s too hard/easy for you. You must stay alert throughout the game. It is played with prompts that appear on-screen telling you what to press and how to press it. Sometimes it’s fast, sometimes it’s slow, some times it’s tap it and sometimes it’s hold it. Sometimes you will get options of what to ask or how to reply to someone in a conversation. Read them as fast as possible and choose one because if you aren’t quick enough the game will sometimes choose for you. Speed and accuracy aren’t my best skills when playing games so I spent most of the fights screaming and hitting the wrong buttons but it is all part of the fun. There was one particular part that I really struggled with the controls, crawling through some tunnels and could I get him to go in the direction I wanted? Could I heck. That was the biggest flaw in the game for me.

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You can tell how new I was to gaming, the thing I am describing above is QTE’s

The music was brilliant, it really set the tone. It got the emotions going at some points and the adrenaline going at others. It was so on point, brilliant. The game wasn’t too long either and kept me hooked the entire time. It took me three good sessions to complete, but once you’ve finished you will probably want to play through again while making different choices than the first time. You can also chapter select to play them out differently and extend the game even further. As far as I know there are 18 endings to find and once you’ve unlocked them all you will win a trophy.

I bought my game second-hand, the box was the normal version but the disk was actually the Move version. I panicked a bit at first as I don’t have a Move controller but once the game had installed (which took a LONG time) I found that it gives you the option between the move and the standard controller.

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Overall, it’s different, it’s haunting, it’s unique and I hope they make many more like it, in the same structure but with different, equally great stories to tell. I love it when a game makes you think long after you stop playing and I am still thinking about it so it has definitely stuck a chord with me somehow!

Only read on if you have completed the game.. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

Continue reading “Review – Heavy Rain – PS3”