Transient (PC) Review

When the dice called up this game, I had no idea what I was getting into, but the concept intrigued me. Turns out it was for good reason: it's been a while since a developer got the concept of Lovecraft quite this well... come on in.

Silver Chains (PC) Review

This title has been a few years coming. During the big yearly sales I make a point to add titles that have been sitting in my wishlist for a while to my collection, and so I wound up with this in my library a few years ago. And while first impressions were absolutely amazing, I have to say as I put down my mouse, I am glad I got it at that steep discount. The bones are very pretty, pretty enough in fact to justify the game even with so little to it... at least until the very end.

Was It Worth It? (PC) Review

Usually when I pick up games during the infamous Summer or Winter sale, they tend to be cheaper titles I am interested in, but not so much I want to play right away. Rather they share the fate of falling into the ever growing pit known as my backlog. But sometimes games refuse to stay there long... and then we get things like we have today, a small indie title that refused to stay dormant about life's choices, a guide trying to figure out what yours were long ago, and the fun you can have pissing him off along the way. Come inside.

Dark Fracture: Prologue (PC) Review

Once again as I show off a new game each week for Extra-Life, we come across another freebie meant to be completed in a single session just sitting around on Steam and waiting to be played. This time, however, it was a title that had waited a lot longer in my backlog. In fact it's possible this one waited a few years. And even then, I can only hope based on what I played we get to see more come of it. There wasn't a lot here, but what was here was some really good atmospheric work and signs of a lot of talent I would hate to see go to waste.

FORGOTTEN: THE GAME (PC) Review

It seems we keep coming up with brief free games I could finish in a single sitting to review as of late on this site. That is not a complaint, by the way. The past few of these have hit the idea right out of the park (pun intended in one of their cases). This, however, would not be one of those games. It was a passion project sure, but sometimes, that isn't enough to make it something great.

Indigo Park: Chapter 1 (PC) Review

As per my tradition, I make a point every weekend to show off something new and interesting that you might see someone play for Extra Life during the big 24 hour marathon. However, this weekend it would play out a little different. Rather then let the dice decide, my buddy Max Powers convinced me to give this game a go... and I am glad he did!

Seybul Tech (PC) Review

As per my tradition, every weekend I pick a game from my backlog and show it off as something you might see on Extra Life. It's a variety hour to help sick kids if you will, and something I have continued to do for years now. But a backlog is a dangerous thing, and sometimes you show off gold, others you show of crap. This time we showed off (and in a single session finished)... a game. It wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either... and it definitely lived on it's atmosphere FAR more than anything else, which in it's own was actually really good. But was it enough? Step inside.

What Remains of Edith Finch (PC) Review

Ever since Epic has setup a store front, they've been trying to draw business by giving away a different game every week and if it struck me as interesting I would pick it up only for it to languish in my backlogs. This would be one of those games, so when I did my first dice roll in a long while (franchises took up a lot of my gaming time recently), this came up as the result. Interested, I installed and a few hours later, the credits were rolling. I have to say, it was a nice evening.

Wire Lips (PC) Review

As another week comes to an end, it was time to show off another game you might see played during the big Extra Life marathon. And once again the game selected was a smaller one I was able to finish up in one sitting. This time, we are much more homebound, however, as we wander the apartment while home alone. The doorbell may not be working, but that's ok. You are welcome anytime. Come on in.

Coldside (PC) Review

When I saw the trailer for this game, it had my attention. When I read further to find out it was inspired by the SCP project, I threw it on my wishlist in Steam. And last year as part of the winter sale, I picked it up for my backlog. And like The Old Man, it refused to stay contained for too long. And also like that creature, encountering it at first had me nervous that I had made a terrible mistake considering it doesn't have a real title screen (why there is no title picture for this review) and the menu's language selection using non-English characters. But unlike that particular SCP, this first impression proved very incorrect and I'm happy it visited my gaming time.

We Went Back (PC) Review

With the Extra Life marathon come and gone (and incidentally, they are still taking donations till the end of the year so if you want to help us heal sick kids, there is still time... and thank you VERY much), it was time to fill in the space a completed game during the marathon would open and the dice offered something fairly interesting this time: a free title offered on Steam featuring a time-loop of horror in space. How could I say no to that?

Implements of Hell (PC) Review

I usually make a point to pick up the cheaper games on my wishlist when the Steam Summer sale comes along and this was one of those games on sale for about as much as I might have spent in my childhood playing a few rounds at the arcades, only to put it in the backlog and forget about it. But the dice didn't forget and only a few short months later, brought it up front and center. I'm glad it did as this game pleasantly surprised me. I figured it would be interesting, but it genuinely was a creepy little experience.

Blair Witch (PC) Review

When I started this game, I honestly had little idea what to expect. I've enjoyed everything I've played from this developer in the past. But on the other hand, the movies have a terrible reputation as a bad set of films. So when Epic Games was giving it away for free, I picked it up because "why not"? In the same spirit when the dice picked this, I was far from against it. Now as I finish it up, I walk away pleasantly suprised. Come on in and see why.

The Park (PC) Review

 

Another game with some history with me, but not on the same level as other games. Rather it is through an MMO I need to get back to some day called The Secret World. This game was sold as a short story in it's universe, so of course I wanted in. And getting to play it as a show-off title to try to make more people away of Extra Life was an added bonus! But I finished it in a single session, and while I enjoyed it, this is probably for the best.

Layers of Fear (PC) Review

UPDATE: Since finishing this game I have also finished it’s DLC “Inheritance.” Since it is so brief, I have decided to include it as a BONUS section at the bottom of this review rather then write up a whole new one.

This is a game that had my curiosity from the moment I heard about it. Discovery mixed with creepy as hell horror is always a great combination for me, and in fact back in the day is why I had to have the 7th Guest for my 486. But this game had the unfortunate fate of coming out, while cheap for most games, still expensive enough that someone with a developing backlog might think twice… and so I did. Instead, I wound up with this game as part of a monthly humble-bundle package where it would join those other games just like I feared and saved my money because of.

However, this was not a game the dice selected for me. Rather, while talking to Spam of the Spam & Tex youtube channel I mentioned recently, he convinced me to pick this one up in the immediate future, so as soon as I was done with the disappointment that was Saints Row 2, I installed this game. And while I was very underwhelmed in what it asked me to do, it blew me away in ways I never saw coming. Step inside….