reflections on vidyagaems


reviewing games i play so i have a reason to play them

rusty's retirement [link]

i like cozy games that sit at the bottom or the side of my screen while i read things, and i like little cute games. i'm pretty sure this one was my first.

i swear i still love rusty, but it was triggering some very ocd habits so i had to uninstall for a little while. just a little while.

tiny pasture [link]

adorable. low-stress, almost but not quite an idler. doesn't interfere with other open applications.

i like to watch the animals run around at the bottom of my screen.

so far i have collected every coat colour of rabbit up to ✧✧

baldur's gate 3 [link]

well this isn't low-stress. i have rage-quit chapter 3 more times than i can count.

i don't know how to review this game without either giving spoilers or overusing sentences you can and will find in contemporary media.

i just think it's gorgeous and the replayability is up there.

loddlenaut [link]

speaking of cute games, here's another one. it's controller-friendly, which means i can play it on my laptop from the couch, and i love the moral of cleaning the environment and making life better for our nonhuman neighbours.

the invincible [link]

psychological horror and thrillers are my jam. right up until i can't save everyone.

it does get a bit walking sim at times, but the atmosphere of dread kind of makes that okay.

my little life [link]

another bottom-of-screen idler with the sweetest pixel graphics and little critters just living their lives. what can i say, i need company when i write.

i thought i was going to have a different relationship with this game, but it turns out my hesitations were early-launch bugs, that have been stomped.

the turning point for me was the zones update. at launch, zoning was a bit clunky and characters could only have one continuous zone to themselves, so no share housing or workplace/home separation which i imagine sucked for them simulated people as well as making my game experience less relaxing. but! since then, zones now can be placed in any configuration. it seems like a smallish change but it's huge, it's made me excited to open up my workspace so i can watch the tiny folks going about their pixel lives.