Another belated report, this time for July.

So I got some games on the tale end of the sale, and I gotta report I for once have played a bunch of them, namely:

• Goblin and Coins: This caught my attention before knowing the developer was so dedicated, and I have to report it is a joyful little title. It’s not perfect, but it’s dirt cheap and it oozes charm. Really looking forward to seeing how the sequel turns out. Beat it.
• Destroy Space Aliens: A Gameboyesque game 2D shooter, apparently it gets somewhat Metroidvania-y later. It’s tough but I guess it’s fair even if it’s of the old school philosophy of facing you with lots of enemies, if you’re simply smart as to when you should engage them or not. Bosses were enjoyable even if a bit tanky. Just played four levels and I should go back to it.
• Spooky Ghosts Dot Com: Another rather short Metroidvania. It’s flawed in many ways (it does have some cool ideas, including the general concept of the bosses, even if they’re not the best implementations), but it coasts on “cutesy charm” appeal.
• Bone Appetit: Any lovers of mid-budget Metroidvanias (mid-budget by genre standards, it’s $8 and gets super discounted during sales) should pick this up. Lots of focus on exploring the relatively small but absolutely packed mapped with no “true” way forward (I guess there’s technically a critical path, just that you’re constantly going elsewhere for other items and powerups). Beat it, but there’s tons of secrets I couldn’t find or figure out, so there’ll be eventually a “round two”.
• The Inner Darkness: This was a relatively good if simple and short puzzle platformer. What left it as a bad taste in my mouth is how it was very story focused and the resolution of it was bad, so I feel retroactively it’s a bit of a meh game. Not terrible by any means, but less than the sum of its parts.
• Starman: Played the first couple areas of this on the last moments of GMT July, so this got lumped with August on the whole, where I’ve advanced a bit more. It’s a very chill puzzle game which plays around with physics, mini-games, and a bit of lateral thinking. Got interested in it when browsing for another game I saw on SteamDB, and I can’t complain. It’s pace makes it better for short bursts, though; they’re relaxing bursts nonetheless.

Month was once again topped in terms of gameplay hours by Hollow Knight, where I advanced a bit towards the true ending and did some endgame quests. I’m not the best at it so I am very unsure if I’ll 100% the achievements or even the ingame counter (neither of which even include some of the toughest challenges), but it’s fun seeing how far I can get.

Next up in major players of the month (which weren’t part of the sale), I had:

• Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper: It was a chill experience, just not one I’m terribly pressed to finish. It’s decently written and voice acted, and progress is generally logical (a few times I did need the interactable object highlighter), it’s just that it isn’t quite gripping enough to have had me pining for the conclusion (I am not even sure how long until I get there).
• Underhero: This runs rather poorly in my computer, but I am planning to finish it or at least try to do so because it’s a rather charming RPG with Mario RPG-ish combat (tons of active commands). It does show its low-budget roots at some points due to how empty the levels feel (okay, maybe the framerate is making it feel longer than it should), but I think the characters and general situations are good enough to make me push for the ending. I got until close to the first chapter boss (I think, the game does have some semi-convoluted scenarios).
• Wooden Sen’SeY: It’s fun but the levels are very long with many branches where you are unsure which is the path forward which are optional, and every now and then there are long stretches which need more checkpoints. It’s a middling game, but I do hope to complete it (unfortunately during my last sessions I kept getting softlocking at some points of the level I was on, which wasn’t hard but it did feature one of those long checkpointless stretches, to add insult to injury).
• BLACKHOLE: I got until the first “boss” level during the month and would have ragequit right then and there if it wasn’t a Playing Appreciated game. The levels are actually well thought out, but the physics are janky and the controls are inconsistent, thus not apt for the precision platformer it wants to be. It’s got ice with its corresponding physics as part of the very first world, for crying out loud.
• A Case of Distrust: Finally finished this one. It’s a real gem. While I wish it had more reactions than what it does (it does contain a fair bit of non-essential ones), it’s still a great “chat ‘em up” detective game. Good artwork, killer soundtrack, interesting characters.
• Devil Daggers: Finally tried this one due to the event. It’s fun, even if my best time was kind terrible. I’ll try again later, but I feel this is the kind of game you want to keep in check because it absolutely runs on “just on more try” (even if said tries are usually very short).
• Peregrin: Another slow puzzle game, not entirely sure if just due to my current computer or it it’s meant to be like that. It’s got some great atmosphere and even if I don’t play it as consistently as I should (I started it over a year ago, but had to pause due to my monitor back then being terrible for displaying low-contrast areas), I do think the plot is engrossing enough. Puzzles are so-so with tons of busywork and “find the right spot” between actual thinking, but there’s definitely enough to keep one interested. Completed roughly two chapter’s worth of content this time.

Now, the odds and ends:

• Egg Returns Home: Re-installed, almost ragequit, ended up advancing a few levels. It’s one of those intentionally awkward controls games, though there is a method to its madness.
• SIMULACRA: Started, played a bit, but it was late and I’ll be lying if I say I was super hooked. Expected something more in line with a higher budget Replica (not necessarily with the same themes), got text conversation simulator with spoopy backdrop and occasional bizarre mini-game. I’ll continue and see a couple of routes, but I am quite unsure if I’ll 100% it.
• Almost There: The Platformer: Completed a few more levels, beat old highscores of others. This game has zero plot and I am quite unsure if I’ll be able to keep up with the later levels, which get rather tough in terms of obstacles and pressure over “long” (tens of seconds) stretches. So it’s probably gonna get played in short disconnected play sessions over time.
• 10 Second Ninja X: Replayed a few old levels to get more stars, got semi-shamed of not actually finishing its plot, but not enough to actually re-pick it up.
• Reventure: Got a couple more of its endings. It’s still fun, but I think I did get past the major discovery/exploration phase. Might be rather wrong given the number of missing endings (other half of them still), but I’ll need to pick up some steam again to go at it properly.