From Review

Dollmare Spiel

It’s yet another horror game from yesteryear with a ‘find an anomaly’ mechanic. However, Dollmare is less an anomaly game than more a job simulator game. Job simulator is a subgenre which focuses on “simulating” real life job — in this game, a doll inspector. The premise of the game is rather straightforward. The protagonist…

Indigo Park: Chapter 1 Spiel

With the release for Chapter 2 finally set for coming December, I believe it’s a great time to revisit the mascot horror that went viral last year. Indigo Park: Chapter 1 is technically in playable teaser state, where the first chapter only debriefs the premises of the game. It is relatively short and free to…

Who’s at the door? Spiel Pt. 2

Who’s at the door? shows what is possible with AI generated contents in Exit 8-likes, and to discuss how the game used the AI contents, it’s bound to touch on some of the spoiler territories. If you want a spoiler-free review, there is a separate piece for it. This one, on the other hand, I…

Who’s at the door? Spiel

After I had played the demo version of Who’s at the door?, I wanted to see for myself how much more could the game offer for an indie horror game. The demo, the decision which I personally appreciate not to abuse Early Access on Steam, had shown different take on Exit 8-likes as a horror-centric…

The Cabin Factory Spiel

I had been waiting for The Cabin Factory and other The Exit 8-likes for console release, as many indie games have made it over to consoles; small developers working on console release sound impossible, but it is the new norm. But I thought to jump aboard early from the traditional Steam side, as there were…

Nobody Wants to Die Spiel

Personally, I’m not a fan of ‘the promising technology had a hidden drawback’ trope in sci-fi. It lets in loopholes in world-building, let alone a big backtrack from the previous statement that the said technology is well established and understood. Perhaps I’m too old to remember when the cellphone popularized and how it unfolded; aviation…

Poppy Playtime: Chapter 4 Spiel

Poppy Playtime: Chapter 4 is finally available for consoles. I had assumed the franchise has gained enough traction to release day-one cross platform, and I stand corrected. It does appear the developers wishes to err on the side of indie; irregardless of how big it has become since the Chapter 1. Due to the nature…

Still Wakes the Deep: Siren’s Rest Spiel

The lovecraftian horror game from yesteryear has a story DLC set in 1986, 11 years past since the events of the Still Wakes the Deep. Because of the time it is set in, this piece will inevitably have some spoilers, though I’ll try my best to avoid it. In Siren’s Rest, you are playing as…

Alone in the Dark (2024) Spiel

As I have said about other classical franchises, the reboot of the franchise offers a great opportunity for newcomers to join. Alone in the Dark was a franchise I have only heard of and read of, and haven’t dared to try to play it. Even after the announcement of the reboot, I had thought only…

MX Mechanical Mini Spiel

I had used full-sized MX Mechanical for a while. As much as I appreciated how it met most of my demands, there was always the lingering sense of doubt in myself — wouldn’t a smaller keyboard have fared better on desk. After all, desk space is always a prime real estate for me. I prefer…

Home Safety Hotline Spiel

There is a saying, I was told, in horror community, nobody cares if it’s a mystery, a thriller, a supernatural — they are all scary, therefore horror. I am reminded of it once again, as I found the Home Safety Hotline was labeled a horror and puzzle game; latter of which is certainly true. Home…

Unicorn Overlord Spiel

There was a JRPG that’s been sitting on a back burner for a while. Unicorn Overlord is a strategy-JRPG, which tried its own unique blend of turn-based combat. In fact, I would go so far to argue it is a strategy game in a JRPG interface. What drew me in was its clever take on…

Inscryption Spiel: How Much Game Should Reveal Itself?

Spoiler alert for the game ahead. The game Inscryption was released in 2021, and I suspect most of the hypes and attentions it had once received have settled down since. Back in 2021, I ended up postponing writing a piece for the game, as I believed the game was technically being played out and discussed…

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Spiel Pt. 2

Spoilers ahead of the game. I did a spiel on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 recently, and I wanted to elaborate on the subject. If you haven’t read it already, that one does not have any major narrative spoilers and primarily focused on the gameplay aspect. And for this particular piece, much of it relies on…

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Spiel

I think I can comfortably say most readers have already seen the beautifully rendered trailers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 one way or the other. The premise that anyone older than the number on the giant monolith would die is simple, yet convincing, enough to get a world of live-action JRPG rolling. The number is…