polsdestrella
June. The calm before the storm. The month that will be remembered in the history of months as the one that my - for now - baby library passed the 200 items. Trying to keep things under control (ah, that sweet - and fake - illusion of control). If we focus on the positive, then the good thing about June is that I finished more games than the ones I added to the library this month, so in theory I'm not chewing more than I can bite (in contrast of what will happen in July, after I go wild at the sales... but that will make for a different story).
June general stats:
All reviews are free of spoilers
A CREEPY TALE
It's kind of sad to think about what this game could have been, but it's not. Visually, the game offers an atmospheric environment that really works when it comes to build up the creepiness that the title promises, and the soundtrack that goes with it also helps as a goosebumps provider. But all the potential mystery gets spoiled with a pretty tedious gameplay that quickly gets more frustrating than challenging.
The story is pretty simple - two brothers go to pick mushrooms, and end up experiencing the true dangers of the forest. You advance through the scenarios with a pretty simple point and click mechanic, that lacks of intuitive elements at some points, and in others gets frustrating because you need to click at the exact right spot if you want an object to respond. Because of this, you're going to die - a lot. The positive side about it is that when you die, you're going to restart at the exact same place where you finished, so you can keep trying without falling into desperation, at least if the game is being cooperative and you happen to be lucky enough to click on the 1mm space where the object is supposed to react. Sometimes it happens, but a lot of times, it does not.
That being said, is not a bad game. It's frustrating at parts, it's a bit dull and illogical in others, but if you're into creepy atmospheric stories, you're going to enjoy it. Overall, I did. My only recommendation is to buy it on sales, because you're going to be done in two hours. Yes, that fast. Basically, it's one of those games that it will take you the same time to finish it, that to forget about it.
Aprox. gameplay time: 2 h.
The best: The atmospheric and creepy environment
The worse: The point and click tedious dynamics
Rating: 3/5 stars
HIGURASHI WHEN THEY CRY HOU - CH. 7 MINAGOROSHI
First, a warning. This review will lack of any kind of objectivity, as I am a worshiper of the whole series and not a bad word would scape my mouth about anything related with Higurashi. And chapter 7 is not an exception.
While - in my humble opinion - this is not the best chapter of the series, is the most emotional, and also the one that answers some of the most vital questions we've all been asking ourselves, so for both of these things, I loved it. As usual, the pace is good, starting pretty peaceful and then falling into a hole of craziness and wtfuckery all together. You might need psych help after finishing with it, but at this point, if you survived the previous six chapters, you're probably used (and also kind of addicted) to any disturbing content the story will bring. I know I am.
Aprox. gameplay time: 8,5h.
The best: How the story unveils with the answers we get
The worse: It's Higurashi, there's not such a thing as "the worse" :p
Rating: 5/5 stars
MISSED MESSAGES
A beautiful and sad short visual novel about communication - about what we communicate, but also about what we miss when we're communicating.
I'm always positively surprised when a free game provides such a deep insight into a story. Maybe because nothing is really free anymore, or maybe because free stuff always come with a price to pay. In this case, the price to pay is the intensity of the story, and the pressure that comes with the four different ends that you can get, according to the choices you make. Because that's what life is about - choices. Depending on the choices you make along the story, your friend is going to open up to you, or she won't.
The art style of the game is gorgeous and the graphics are full of tiny details that help you getting into what is going on. Actually, the illustrations look so sweet and are colored in such a cheerful way, that if it wasn't for the content warning at the beginning of the game you would think that the whole game is going to be a walk in the fields on a sunny day. But quickly it gets clear that this is a game about mental health, and if that is a trigger for you, then this is a game you should stay away from. Dialogues feel natural and real, and so does your bedroom, which for a few minutes, while laying there on that cozy illustrated bed, it makes you feel at home.
A love/horror story in times of technology, when we can get so absorved about the information that we've available online, that we're missing what we have around.
Aprox gameplay time: 25 mins.
The best: The graphics, and then symbolic meaning behind the story.
The worse: The feeling of emptiness at the end of it.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Monthly Stats #1: June 2020
June. The calm before the storm. The month that will be remembered in the history of months as the one that my - for now - baby library passed the 200 items. Trying to keep things under control (ah, that sweet - and fake - illusion of control). If we focus on the positive, then the good thing about June is that I finished more games than the ones I added to the library this month, so in theory I'm not chewing more than I can bite (in contrast of what will happen in July, after I go wild at the sales... but that will make for a different story).
June general stats:
Played  |
Finished  |
Completed  |
Added  |
Achievements  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 66 |
| Finished | Status | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|
| |
Completed (13/13 achievements) |  |
|
Completed (14/14 achievement) | |
|
Completed (4/4 achievements) | |
It's kind of sad to think about what this game could have been, but it's not. Visually, the game offers an atmospheric environment that really works when it comes to build up the creepiness that the title promises, and the soundtrack that goes with it also helps as a goosebumps provider. But all the potential mystery gets spoiled with a pretty tedious gameplay that quickly gets more frustrating than challenging.
The story is pretty simple - two brothers go to pick mushrooms, and end up experiencing the true dangers of the forest. You advance through the scenarios with a pretty simple point and click mechanic, that lacks of intuitive elements at some points, and in others gets frustrating because you need to click at the exact right spot if you want an object to respond. Because of this, you're going to die - a lot. The positive side about it is that when you die, you're going to restart at the exact same place where you finished, so you can keep trying without falling into desperation, at least if the game is being cooperative and you happen to be lucky enough to click on the 1mm space where the object is supposed to react. Sometimes it happens, but a lot of times, it does not.
That being said, is not a bad game. It's frustrating at parts, it's a bit dull and illogical in others, but if you're into creepy atmospheric stories, you're going to enjoy it. Overall, I did. My only recommendation is to buy it on sales, because you're going to be done in two hours. Yes, that fast. Basically, it's one of those games that it will take you the same time to finish it, that to forget about it.
Aprox. gameplay time: 2 h.
The best: The atmospheric and creepy environment
The worse: The point and click tedious dynamics
Rating: 3/5 stars
First, a warning. This review will lack of any kind of objectivity, as I am a worshiper of the whole series and not a bad word would scape my mouth about anything related with Higurashi. And chapter 7 is not an exception.
While - in my humble opinion - this is not the best chapter of the series, is the most emotional, and also the one that answers some of the most vital questions we've all been asking ourselves, so for both of these things, I loved it. As usual, the pace is good, starting pretty peaceful and then falling into a hole of craziness and wtfuckery all together. You might need psych help after finishing with it, but at this point, if you survived the previous six chapters, you're probably used (and also kind of addicted) to any disturbing content the story will bring. I know I am.
Aprox. gameplay time: 8,5h.
The best: How the story unveils with the answers we get
The worse: It's Higurashi, there's not such a thing as "the worse" :p
Rating: 5/5 stars
A beautiful and sad short visual novel about communication - about what we communicate, but also about what we miss when we're communicating.
I'm always positively surprised when a free game provides such a deep insight into a story. Maybe because nothing is really free anymore, or maybe because free stuff always come with a price to pay. In this case, the price to pay is the intensity of the story, and the pressure that comes with the four different ends that you can get, according to the choices you make. Because that's what life is about - choices. Depending on the choices you make along the story, your friend is going to open up to you, or she won't.
The art style of the game is gorgeous and the graphics are full of tiny details that help you getting into what is going on. Actually, the illustrations look so sweet and are colored in such a cheerful way, that if it wasn't for the content warning at the beginning of the game you would think that the whole game is going to be a walk in the fields on a sunny day. But quickly it gets clear that this is a game about mental health, and if that is a trigger for you, then this is a game you should stay away from. Dialogues feel natural and real, and so does your bedroom, which for a few minutes, while laying there on that cozy illustrated bed, it makes you feel at home.
A love/horror story in times of technology, when we can get so absorved about the information that we've available online, that we're missing what we have around.
Aprox gameplay time: 25 mins.
The best: The graphics, and then symbolic meaning behind the story.
The worse: The feeling of emptiness at the end of it.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Kaleith
after I go wild at the sales
One of us. One of us.
polsdestrella
Slowly getting there :p
EvilBlackSheep
And by go wild she means she’ll buy one short game…
polsdestrella
Wildness takes time
EvilBlackSheep
Welcome to BLAEO !
Congrats on keeping that balance positive this month I’m gonna have to sabotage your backlog somehow :sweat:
Missed Messages looks really adorable, I’m gonna have to look into this.
polsdestrella
Thanks!! Well, I blame you for my library getting out of control already, so there’s that.
I think you’d like it :)
EvilBlackSheep
I’m an innocent sheep :sweat:
LeoTurambar
Nice report, I really love the icons you chose! :D
polsdestrella
Thanks so much!
I really like the icons you’ve used for your general stats!
What do you think of Flood of Light?
Thanks for your comment :) (My first!).
I’m halfway through the game now, and I’m really loving it. It’s a very nice puzzle, with a very simple dynamic, but that it gets challenging as the game progreses. It also has an interesting backstory to it, and the graphics are gorgeous. Definitely, I love it so far, and I’m sure I’ll love it once I finish it as well.
You’re welcome!
I’ll add it to my wishlist then. Thanks! It looks like my kind of game but I wasn’t sure after The Stillness of the Wind. (That one tricked me really good haha.)
Yes…. The Stillness of the Wind tricked us all ;) Nothing to do with that one, if you like puzzles, you’ll like it.
You also didn’t like it?
I knew it. We’re kindred souls lol.
I didn’t!