End of 2023 Report!
Better late than never. I beat 30 Steam Games this year. It’s less than last year but I have lots of plans to tackle my backlock in 2024!
Here are some games I’ve beaten in December:
Sticky Business is a simple and cute game where you start your own online sticker shop. You design different stickers using the designs that the game provides you. Make a sticker, add it to your shop and the customers will buy them from you. Then use the in-game currency to buy more designs, packing materials, etc. The game is relaxing and you can move at your own pace. It's a good game if you enjoy art and general creativity.
Sticker Business does get very repetitive after a while. They are consistently updating the game with new stickers, but the overall gameplay mechanic got boring to me towards the end of the game. I would still highly recommend this game if it sounds like something you'd like. It's just so darn adorable and we need more wholesome games that help you unwind after a long day.
Choice of Life is a medieval Choose-Your-Own-Adventure game. It starts when you are born and provides you with two different choices throughout the game. The choices you make will either branch to another path in the game or lead to your demise. It's a simple VN with a good amount of variety.I bought it for $1 and it was fun. It's a short game. I got most of the endings in less than 2 hours. If you like those choose-your-own adventure books, then I'd recommend this one. Especially on sale.
Choice of Life: Middle Ages 2
2.6 hours, 6 of 22 achievements
6/10 a notable improvement from the original
More
Choice of Life: Middle Ages 2 is similar to the first. A choose-your-own-adventure story that branches to several different paths. This sequel improves on the first by adding more choices, more branching paths, and more endings. In this game, you play the Prince of the Kingdom, and you have to choose how to rule the kingdom and keep yourself alive. The gameplay is the same. It's a VN where you read text and make a choice. You get more variety in the locations you want to visit, which branches the story even more. It's still a short game but its a lot longer than the first one. It's about triple the time if you get all the endings for both.
Overall, if you like choose-your-own adventure books, I recommend this game, especially on sale!
I just wanted to say, thank you all for the wonderful year. I’ve loved reading all of your reviews, even if I haven’t commented on most of them (which i want to do more). BLAEO has gotten me through some tough times and this year has not been an exception. I can’t wait to continue this backlock defeating journey! And with that, here are some–
end of the year stats 🥳
Favorite Game Beaten This Year:
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DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT
I loved everything about this game, flaws and all. I know its hit or miss for people, but its a truly unique experience that gave me everything I was looking for in a game.
Favorite Runner Up!
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Inscryption
I didnt quite understand the story, but the rest was chefs kiss. The animation, the gameplay, the variety of levels, and the clever fourth wall breaks.
Least Favorite Game Beaten This Year:
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Suits: A Business RPG
“Inspired” by the game OFF but with no clear intention. A bunch of random = funny humor and an annoying game-breaking bug that involved messing with the files to fix.
Biggest Surprise:
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Anglerfish
4.8 hours playtime
no achievements
Never heard of this game before getting it on heavy discount. Such a unique, strange, and unpredictable experience. A surprise in all the right ways.
Biggest Disappointment
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Tell Me Why
I was between this and Afterparty, but the more I thought about this one the more disappointed I was. I enjoyed the idea behind the story, but the execution was just so boring. I can understand why people like it, but I think games like Life is Strange did much better with the narrative. Also I bought this full price and it became free after.
Hope everyone has a Happy 2024!
BLAEO has gotten me through some tough times and this year has not been an exception.
Wha– ?!?
I’m more nostalgic for LiS just because of how long ago I first played it (even though I played it three times by now…), but I would say Tell Me Why is almost on the same level to me, just that it deals with all kinds of different things. I think I mentioned this in my post after I played it, but the ending where Alyson decides to live in the family home despite everything that unraveled over the course of the game appealed to me personally, as someone who’s just a little too afraid of major life changes. Also, sorry that you’ve missed out on the Pride Month deal :( It’s been going free in June for a few years now…
What did you not like about Afterparty? I’ve been excited about it ever since I learned it was made by the studio behind Oxenfree, but because that refuses to run on my laptop for some reason, I’ve been keeping myself as unspoiled as possible…
Yeah Tell Me Why was not a bad game, I guess I just didn’t connect to it as strongly.
For Afterparty, It was just very boring and the characters aren’t as likable. The hook is great, but it never lives up to it. I got to a point in the middle where I thought I was going to get to the meat of the story. Instead, it told me I had to do this, get that, and take it to this, and do that, and this…. etc. Felt more like a chore. Lots of fetch quests and the story isn’t as strong. I didn’t hate the game though! Just didn’t live up to Oxenfree for me. I hope you’ll still like it since every has different taste in games
Aiiee, it’s painful when you’re just having a good time playing a game and suddenly you catch yourself thinking that it’s all just a long string of back-and-forth fetch quests, and then the whole idea behind playing games in the first place comes undone, ‘cause in the end it’s like nothing humans do for enjoyment’s sake matters anyway. …welp, that was dark! Hopefully I’m not the only one that happens to every once in a while >.>
But yeah, I’m not discouraged! (Not that I think you want me to be.) I enjoy being free to try out the thing for myself even after learning what other people think about it :D
Death Stranding! <3