Game reviews by Brandon, Elizabeth, Justine, Kristin, and Stacy.
Hello everyone! To celebrate the start of the new year, we hope you’ll enjoy these reviews of our favorite games we played throughout the weird year that was 2020!
Our favorite games of 2020 – not limited to games released in 2020, but games we played in 2020!
Final Fantasy VII and Fall Guys
"Promise has been made; they are coming back" When the ominous narrator announced this at the E3 teaser trailer in 2015, I immediately became both excited and terrified. One of the most influential games of my childhood was being remade. How could they possibly meet my expectations? Well, not only did they meet my expectations, but they far surpassed them. A fast-paced combat system acts as a brilliant reinvention of the battles we know and love. Phenomenal graphics showcase Midgar just as you remembered it from the days of the PS1. Most importantly though, the story acts as a loveletter to fans of the original, while also bringing meaningful twists that make for a compelling story once again, over 20 years later. Now excuse me while I put on “One-Winged Angel” for the one hundred and ninth time.
I’ve made it no secret that I’m a huge fan of games with a strong storyline and a great single player campaign. However, I find myself listing a multiplayer game with no story whatsoever, as my second favorite game of the year. You ever see those game shows with people dodging ridiculous obstacles and trying to make it to the end of the course? Well, imagine that, only with 59 other players at the same time, and everyone is some kind of weird jellybean...thing. You could also call this Endorphin Rush: The Game. The vibrant graphics and groovy music will hook you right from the get go, and the zany gameplay will keep you hooked. There is technically an option to pay for additional in game currency, but all of the best rewards are locked behind gameplay achievements, which is very refreshing to see. Survive each round and you will truly become, top jellybean...thing. - Brandon
Hades by SuperGiant Games
Zagreus, the protagonist of Hades, looks like he’s going to be moody or mean. He’s all fire and brimstone, with flaming feet and a skull on his shoulder. Nope! He’s not mean at all! Zagreus is just a teenager who likes petting his three-headed dog, talking to friends, and escaping from hell while fighting various terrifying creatures.
Hades is a roguelike game: try to escape, die, start over, rinse, repeat. In Hades, though, every time you die, you get more story: you can help heartbroken couples reunite, bond with your family, make friends, and even romance a few characters should you so choose, all while solving the mystery of Zagreus’s past. That’s why my brother has beaten this game multiple times, while I get to gloat because I know plot secrets. Plus, there’s a God Mode if you really get fed up, so you can enjoy the story without all of the pain of dying again and again. (And pet Cerberus, of course! The bestest boy.) - Elizabeth
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
For most, the Fire Emblem franchise might be a little annoying because they’ve only ever known it as that series of characters in Smash Bros. Ultimate that takes up half the roster. For diehard fans like myself, the JRPG series so much more than that, and I spent this year reliving my childhood by replaying one of my old favorites and playing its predecessor for the first time. Two ultra rare Nintendo games, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance for the GameCube and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn for the Wii are fan favorites for those who were lucky enough to get their hands on them back in 2005 and 2007 respectively. Nowadays, most people end up having to enjoy them on emulators or shell out hundreds on eBay to get their hands on them due to their limited availability, which leads me to the hope that one day the Switch will get a port or a remake so everyone can enjoy them as much as I do!
Path of Radiance was a true delight for me as a first time player. While I basically knew the story and have replayed its sequel, Radiant Dawn, to the point of wearing out my copy, I had never gotten to play the first game in the series until this year. It was incredibly satisfying to hear the GameCube theme as I booted up the ancient little box. The endorphins were flowing before the game even loaded! Unlike current installments, Path of Radiance features “perma-death,” meaning if any of your units die in battle, they stay dead unless you reset. There’s also no way to save your progress before making a move mid-battle, so strategy is paramount. I found the game extremely difficult even on the easiest mode, but the challenge was welcome. The thrill of winning a battle without losing any of my favorite characters was unparalleled. Seeing the main protagonist Ike as a teenager, as many know him from Smash Bros., gave me a new appreciation for the character. In the sequel he’s powerful and sure of himself from years of being a mercenary, but in Path of Radiance he lacks confidence and has to be babied on the battlefield until he’s strong enough to fend for himself. Charting his growth as a character was a joy!
Radiant Dawn for me is a safe refuge, like coming home. I’ve replayed the game so many times that I have my strategies mapped out to a science and I can practically play in my sleep. I have so many fond memories of playing the game with my brothers and comparing strategies, and some not-so-fond ones of them accidentally saving over my save file and having to start over. The nostalgia hit me harder than ever as I replayed the game, enjoying the story as much as I did the first time and finally understanding references to Path of Radiance that didn’t make sense to me before. Perhaps I have rose-tinted glasses on when it comes to Radiant Dawn, but despite its flaws it remains one of my favorite games of all time and it’s always there for me when I need respite from the stresses of real life. It’s a wonderful end to Ike’s story and without it, we’d never have Ike in Smash Bros.! What a sad day that’d be. - Justine
Overwatch
Welp, I started a bunch of games this year and finished almost none of them. Hades was neat, but Elizabeth covered that. I finally got into The Witcher III, but I have so much content left it doesn't seem fair to review it yet. Ori and the Will of the Wisps was everything I hoped for, minus the dark level which was--augh. Why do games still have dark levels? They're never fun. The new Pokemon expansions were neat (overworld following!), though short. I picked up the Fire Emblem Pop Star game (?) over the Thanksgiving sale and it's surprisingly well-done. Phasmophobia is hands-down the best play-with-friends game I've found in ages.
Overall, though, if I had to review the one game I liked best this year-- based on play time alone, consistently, all year-- it'd have to be Overwatch.
I just never seem to get bored with this game. I have over 275 hours on Ana and I still love playing at least a few nights a week. The games are fast-paced, unlike the hide-and-wait style of games like Valorant. The roster of 32 characters with unique powers and abilities also feels so much more dynamic and vibrant in contrast to standard military shooters. There are, after all, a talking gorilla and hamster on cast. I love the emphasis on team dynamics and coordinated gameplay, and the focus on narrow tightly-tuned maps instead of sprawling battle royale expanses. You're meant to always know where your allies are and to work closely with them, and the combos feel very rewarding to pull off.
I never really understood the draw of watching sports before this, but Overwatch is an eSport I could actively follow-- especially a support streamer like mL7. This must be what little kids feel like watching NBA games and then playing on the neighborhood basketball hoop. I watch matches played by a top-tier Ana player then jump into a game myself and try to emulate him-- with an overall very average level of play, true, but every now and then I get lucky and pull off a pro move and get that feeling like, "--and the crowd goes wild aaaaaaa." This game is endlessly fun and I love it. -Kristin
The Cat Lady and The Longest Journey
2020 should have been the year of completing my backlog of video games – what, with the outside world shutting down and then there was that whole being locked inside for a good few months out of the year. Yet – despite the extra time being home, I recall only completing maybe three games out of the large handful of games I started; Final Fantasy VII, Sonic Generations, and The Cat Lady. Of course, it would be easy to go on and on about the new Final Fantasy VII remake or my nostalgic love for Sonic Generations - but instead I am going to talk about The Cat Lady.
Mature Content Warning: The Cat Lady is a puzzle-based indie psychological horror and is not a game for children. Developed by Harvester Games and released in 2009 The Cat Lady follows Susan Ashworth, a chronically depressed, middle-aged woman with no friends, as she returns to the land of living with the new power of immortality to rid the world of five evil psychopaths. One thing I reallyreally liked about this game was how easy the controls ended up being – you need nothing more than the arrow keys on your keyboard, and escape to exit/pullup the start menu. This allows the player to fully immerse in the game and the story that it’s characters are laying out. The other thing I really liked about this game were the topics it hit on. Unlike most video games that focus on big picture items such as saving the world/the human race, this game deals with topics that are a bit more personal and harder to swallow. Some of the themes of this game include depression, suicide, murder, and cancer. If you’re looking for a game that will make this year feel less of a depressing garbage fire, probably look again. This game was immensely triggering and hard to get through – but it hit on topics that I personally feel are important to explore in a way that is engaging, interesting, and meaningful.
Earlier this month I finally picked up and started playing the 1999 game, The Longest Journey developed by Funcom. This is a game that has been on my list for the past 10+ years and only now do I finally own a laptop capable of running older PC games. I was a huge fan of the sequel Dreamfall: The Longest Journey when that was originally released back in 2006, and I helped support and kickstart the third and final installment, Dreamfall Chapters, a couple of years ago. I am looking forward to being able to start 2021 with The Longest Journey and I’m very excited to use 2021 to play through and finish the entire series! - Stacy
What games did you start, finish, or set aside in 2020? What games are you looking forward to the most in 2021?
Game reviews by Kristin, Brandon, and Stacy
Hello everyone! We hope you’ll enjoy these reviews for free games to amuse, or frustrate, you! These are a all browser games and none of them will cost you anything to play.
Games that make you go AAAAUGH
QWOP
A browser-based game available here
The premise is simple—on your keyboard, the letters Q & W extend the runner’s thigh muscles, and O & P control his calves. What results is the most uncoordinated, undignified series of face-plants you could possibly imagine. What’s particularly great is, when you’re making even a teeny bit of progress, the music picks up like in an inspiring sports movie. Pro strat: If you get in a kneeling position you can wiggle your way a good distance… until you hit the first hurdle. And yes, if anyone recognized the style, this game was created by the same designer who created Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy. -Kristin
This game broke me as a human. Not only did QWOP go splat, but so did my pride - Brandon
Fly Sui
A browser-based game available here
This infuriating game is about catching flies with chopsticks. Each fly you catch gives you more time. Catching them is nearly impossible. In college, some friends and I got really competitive and played this for days, posting screenshots of each new high score. After a while, you get into a meditative trance. You don’t just see the fly, you see where the fly will be, like seeing through the Matrix. You don’t just catch the fly, you are the fly. Best score we saw was 11. -Kristin
I refuse to believe anybody can score in this game. I chop, but they don’t stop! The constant buzzing, I can’t escape it. I just wanted to catch one fly! - Brandon
Wow. This game. I didn’t think there could be a game more frustrating than QWOP until this. My inability to catch flies with one mouse click it somehow stings more than the confusing controls of QWOP and other like “I Am Bread.” - Stacy
High scores: (after 10 minutes)
Kristin – 4
Brandon – 0
Stacy – 2
Winnie the Pooh’s Home Run Derby
A browser-based game available here
If you haven’t heard of this game, buckle in for some internet history. This game became a viral hit back in 2013 due to its insane difficulty. The controls are slow, it requires preternatural reflexes and when you get to higher levels the pitchers cheat with things like invisible or warping balls. The final boss is Christopher Robin, who was difficult enough to inspire dozens of memes depicting him as an Eldritch horror. Pro strat: Click the ‘Status’ button on the home screen to upgrade your abilities, such as Contact to make it easier to hit the ball. I only learned you could do this while writing this review, so no wonder I couldn’t get past Piglet the first time around. -Kristin
This game, I remember this game. It lures you into such a false sense of security. Pleasant music, vibrant colors, and the frame rate seems to hold up! The menu is very responsive, and it’s natural to think you are in a for a good time. The true nature of this game begins to reveal itself in about five minutes in. The hit detection is way off, the music repeats constantly with no variety and worst of all, the pitchers all just stare at you, with their cold eyes. They challenge you, they dare you to take them on. Are you up for the challenge? (No, no you are not. I’m lucky I tied with Kristin) - Brandon
Probably if I had known about the updates, I would have gotten farther than Piglet! But alas, Piglet was where my skills ended. I find the only way I could get home runs was if I blocked out the music and unfocused my eyes and only focused on the sounds of the pitcher throwing. Even then, it was a chance if I actually got a hit! - Stacy
High scores: (after 10 minutes)
Kristin – 11/12 vs. Kanga
Brandon – 11/12 vs Kanga
Stacy – 5/5 vs Lumpy
Shatter one of our records? Let us know! Post your victories (or defeats) in the comments, we love to hear about it.
Game reviews by Elizabeth, Justine, and Tessy.
Hello everyone! If you’re looking for games that are longer in length, heavy with plot, and driven by story – these games are for you! These games are our all-time favorite story driven games; we hope you’ll enjoy these reviews and recommendations!
Story-Drive Role-Playing Video Games
Dragon Age
Available on Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Microsoft Windows, OS X, and iOS
If you love story-based fantasy games, and you haven’t yet stumbled across Bioware’s Dragon Age series, I recommend it will all of my heart. Let’s give this review a bit of perspective with a game of “Would you rather?”. If someone asked me if I had to choose between two video game series, Witcher and Dragon Age, and the one I didn’t pick would be wiped off my computer and mysteriously crash every time I every tried to install it again... I would choose to keep Dragon Age. Without hesitation. Pausing for the gasp of shock, how could I denigrate one of the mostly highly rated game from the past few years that is a book series and a TV show? Yes I’m still holding to my decision. Both games are a three part series moving from bad graphics to gorgeous, with ever elevating game-play, complexity, and just all around awesomeness. Both have lore so expansive I could build them libraries, with a dash of fluff (or not so fluff) romance, and elements of the ever sought after “your-choices-matter-somewhat"". But where Dragon Age pulls ahead is their character customization and game companions. You are the gruff and grizzled warrior Warden, the flirty and light-footed Carta rogue, or the crusading Vashoth Qunari mage. And (unless you cheat via Wiki) that character is only grudgingly aiding you in your quest while that one adores you, but that one over there holds a secret that might ruin your entire mission. That sense of emersion and personal stakes is a necessary element to a story-based RPG that you’ll be investing hours and hours of your life into, and is the only reason why you won’t fling your keyboard/controller away in disgust at all of the side missions (that both of them have an abundance of).
Now that I’ve hopefully intrigued you, here are a few basics. Bioware’s Dragon Age series currently has three games, with rumors of the fourth game having been confirmed at Gamescom 2020 with early production teasers. The game series takes place in the fantasy world of Thedas full of rich history and magic, and if you gave me this entire blog post I would outline the lay of the land for you with a color-coded map and a lot of arrows and doodles. Suffice to say, in the first game, the stakes are pretty clear. You are the accidental hero tasked with gathering your team and uniting the kingdom of Ferelden (in Thedas) against a tainted evil, the darkspawn. What are darkspawn? Where did they come from? How do we kill them? Well the first game will involve lots of the latter and fans are hoping Dragon Age 4 will clear up the first two questions. After a variety of endings where evil is still vanquished (for now), we move on to Dragon Age 2. For those familiar with Bioware’s other story-based RPG, Mass Effect (also amazing but with spaceships), Dragon Age is a bit different since each story has its own main character, probably because your choices can lead to your death. So, in Dragon Age 2 you get stuck as a human (a mistake Bioware hasn’t made again), and fleeing with the aid of a dragon from the darkspawn invasion from the first game, you start your life anew in Kirkwall, a former slave city, and hope the giant statues outside the docks aren’t an ominous foreshadowing of your future (they are). From there, you’ll inevitably get involved in epic plotlines, even though you’re just trying to ensure that your family and found-family survives (good luck with that). A chain-reaction is sparked (you contribute) and a war breaks out that sweeps you right into Dragon Age 3, where once again you are an accidental hero tasked with saving all of Thedas, but this time from demons. At least you get a castle where you can stand on the ramparts and think heavy leadership thoughts this time. In the first game I tried it with the pond, and it just didn’t have the same effect. This is all a gross oversimplification of an amazing game series (And I didn’t even get to mention the romances! That would be an entirely separate blog post!), but I hope its enough that when the series goes on sale as Dragon Age 4 looms on the horizon, you’ll give it a chance, and end up loving the series just as much as I do. – Tessy
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Available on Nintendo Switch
Fire Emblem: Three Houses for the Nintendo Switch isn’t just a game. It’s an experience. It’s easily in my top 5 favorite video games of all time and is a must-have if you’re a Switch owner looking for an adventure worth your time and money. You play as Byleth, a professor at an Officers Academy called Garreg Mach Monastery where you must choose between teaching one of three houses: the Black Eagles, the Blue Lions, or my personal favorite, the Golden Deer. Each house consists of 8 students you train in combat, taking them on monthly missions to face off against bandits, those who oppose the monastery, and even monsters! Your objective is to keep your students alive and build bonds with them as you lecture, host tea parties, give them gifts, and most importantly strategize well in turn-based battles. With so much to do, you can easily sink 80 hours into the game before completion, and with such amazing re-playability, you can spend weeks or months playing without tiring of it. Each of the 4 routes is unique, containing completely different storylines and characters, and you’ll want to experience them all for a whopping total of 320+ hours of gameplay! For me, Fire Emblem is an easy 5/5. The art direction is phenomenal, the gameplay is addictive, and the story and characters are unforgettable. You won’t be able to put it down or play it fast enough, and you’ll have a hard time finding a game that will measure up. - Justine
Eliza
Available on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Nintendo Switch.
Hey, you can't talk story games without visual novels. Visual novels are the ultimate story games: instead of jumping, fighting, shooting, or solving puzzles, you read paragraphs of text, occasionally making choices and influencing the story along the way. Visual novels have a bad rap for being all dating games: (a) dating games are fabulous, I have no shame and (b) that's about as silly as calling every book in the library a textbook.
Eliza, a 2019 visual novel by Zachtronics, is a game all about dialogue, but there's no dating here. You play as Evelyn, a young woman in a grey hoodie with exhaustion permanently etched on her face. Once, tech genius Evelyn created a virtual counseling AI named Eliza. Then, she burned out, quit her job, and vanished for 3 years. Now ELIZA is everywhere, and Evelyn has returned to her old company to work on the lowest rung on the corporate ladder. As an ELIZA proxy, Evelyn sits in a room with desperate people and reads ELIZA's therapy script -- and only her script -- as words appear on screen. She's a human face for an AI assistant. When bosses and friends realize Evelyn is back in town, they start offering her paths forward: advanced work on ELIZA, developing an alternate AI, or abandoning the tech industry completely. Is ELIZA making the world better or worse, and what will you as Evelyn do to shape the future? Eliza is a thoughtful story with no easy answers, and it's even more relevant this year than last (thanks, 2020). It's currently available on Windows, mac, and Linux, and will be available on Nintendo Switch in October. - Elizabeth
Know of any games we missed? Let us know in the comments!
Game reviews by Brandon, Elizabeth, Kristin, and Stacy
Hello everyone! We hope you’ll enjoy these recommendations. These are games we all found soothing for stressful and difficult times. These games cost money and/or require consoles, so they’re for more serious gamers than our last free game review. We hope you enjoy them!
Relaxing games to help you de-stress.
Journey
A $19.99 game on the Playstation Store
Get ready for this one, because this is my favorite piece of media of all time. That includes books, movies, shows, and other games. Some games are made to put us against each other. You must beat your opponent! Long have we been tasked in video games to look out for only ourselves, and to beat our games as fast as possible. What if a company decided to oppose these ideals? How about a game that is created for the sake of helping one another, and to journey together as a team, and not to fight against each other as enemies? Let the game be the journey itself, let the game be the reward, not just the finality of it, and enrich the whole experience. ThatGameCompany reached for the stars with this goal and have succeeded reached true ascension, as players who play the fantastic PSN title “Journey” will discover.
In Journey you awake a stranger, cloaked in red. The Controls are simple, yet somehow refined and feel natural, almost as if they were an extension of your body. You guide the camera with the gyroscope in your controller and you move forward with the left analog stick. The circle button acts a little chirp or call that changes tone depending on how hard and fast you press the button. The use for this is not made immediately known, but it is revealed very soon. You walk up a slight cliff, to see a massive mountain. This mountain is both tremendous in size, and intimidating. “What awaits me up there, and will I like what I discover?” It is shortly after you discover your scarf. Glyphs are scattered around the game and if you find them you will increase the length of your scarf, allowing you to fly for short durations of time with the X button.
These gameplay mechanics, while great on their own, take a backseat to the gorgeous environment of the game. This game’s setting is a character in itself. Waterfalls of golden sand cascade behind you as the game suddenly transitions into 2D seamlessly showing you the warm backdrop of the sun from afar. Did I just name an old dream of yours? That will happen to you, as Journey is a game that you do not stop thinking about when you put the controller down. This is thanks to the multiplayer and the effect it will have on you,
The Multiplayer of Journey is Unique in two amazing and innovative ways. The first being that, the guy on the screen with you, he’s your friend, and by the end of the game, you will do anything possible to make sure they finish their journey with you. I honestly do believe that if more individuals play this game, they will find peace with themselves and perhaps find a deeper appreciation for the loved ones in their lives. Feelings are warm and close, and never rude or obtuse thanks to the second innovative factor of Journey.
You cannot converse with your fellow player in any language you may have learned throughout your life. Yes, the game strips usernames away (until after the credits) and gives you only the option of chirping to communicate with the other player. After playing this game at least over 25 times, it seems that the Journey members are starting to form their own language as I find myself having a easier time understanding my new friends every time I play.
ThatGameCompany have created their masterpiece. They have not created a game, but an experience. Ever since finishing Journey I have found a new appreciation for the ones I hold dear to me in my life, and I think every day about how I want to live my Journey and who I want to accompany me on my Journey. Give this game a shot, as I guarantee you will watch the ending of this game unfold and find yourself feeling something very different from your usual video game; at peace. -Brandon
Fez
A $10 game (give or take) available for purchase on the Playstation Store, Xbox via the Microsoft store, Windows and Mac via Steam.
Fez follows the story of player-character Gomez after he is mysteriously gifted a red fez and watches as his cozy 2D way of life is ripped apart by a tear in the fabric of space and time, revealing to him a previously unknown 3rd dimension. Now you with your mystical red fez must explore this new 3D world with the goal of restoring the universe by collecting shards of cube fragments. Released in 2012 by indie game companies Trapdoor and Polytron Corporation, this is a game that has remained very dear to me for it’s bright and memorable aesthetics, it’s unique gameplay mechanics, and it’s overall unforgettable experience!
A “stop and smell the roses” type of game that is less focused on plot and instead promotes relaxed exploration and puzzle solving. Fez encourages it’s players to explore each world to its fullest by offering a unique rotation mechanic that moves the player’s camera around the seemingly 2D plane, often revealing new pathways and exposing access to previously inaccessible platforms and items. To further promote relaxed exploration, Fez has no enemies, no bosses, or even hard consequences – when the player dies, typically by falling, they are respawned and able to continue the level freely.
I was originally drawn to this game by it’s pixelated game design and chill electronica music, but stayed for it’s compelling world and calming atmosphere! The protagonist is a small marshmallow man with a bright red fez – his minimal design allows for maximum engagement with the worlds which are ultimately the real draw towards a game like Fez. Each world vibes similarly with one another – they are easy on the eyes with soft colors and reflect the same upwards gameplay movement. However, each world is unique both in looks and experience, while following the same foundational structure: ultimately each it’s own large puzzle comprised of four different 2D planes that connect and respond with one another as you travel up through the world!
I highly recommended this game upon it’s release nearly a decade ago and I continue to highly recommend it to this day! It’s such a favorable experience and well executed game, definitely worth the time and commitment. - Stacy
Fe
A $20 game available on Switch, PS4, XBox and PC.
Fe is an exploration-based open world adventure starring a spiky little forest creature who can sing to other forest animals to learn their powers. The world has a dark and blocky aesthetic that works for it, casting things in stark shadow and light and highlighting spaces with splashes of vivid colors. It’s relaxing and not particularly linear, challenging you with some moderate puzzle-solving and lots of climbing and exploring. The sounds are immersive—the music comes and goes for emphasis, similar to Breath of the Wild, but the game is typically filled with deep chimes or strings, animal calls, rushing water, and rustling trees. It’s very soothing to play.
As you progress, you quickly gain new powers that give you an incredible freedom to explore right off the bat. Unlike many platformers, you get a glide ability fairly early and much of the game design is based on using it. There’s no combat in Fe, but there are stealth sections which can be a bit tense. There aren’t heavy penalties for failure, though, and dying merely sets you back to an earlier physical location as a checkpoint. If you ever get stuck, you can call a bird to show you where to go next.
Overall, Fe is a very relaxing and rewarding game to play. The frustrations are minimal, every secret can be discovered without a guide, and it’s hard to ever get completely stuck. It’s a shame that the coolest power is only unlocked after there are no more objectives, but it’s definitely a reward worth earning. Fe also has one section in particular that makes the game worth buying all by itself. I won’t spoil it, but between the visuals, the challenge, and the swelling music, it was full of the same awe-inspiring wonder I experienced playing Shadow of the Colossus for the first time. I definitely recommend it. -Kristin
Everything
Available on PS4, Switch, and Steam for PC and Mac [here]
Sometimes, you just want to do absolutely nothing. A game with goals? Exhausting. TV and a plot? No thanks. Sometimes, you just want to float around in a polygon world while listening to calm music and the drone of a philosophy lecture. Don’t worry! When you really, really need to relax, the game Everything can help.
In the game Everything, you can be, well, everything: a pig, a planet, a twig, a tree, and everything in between. You can talk to everything, too. Try listening to a narcissistic dragonfly or a con artist blade of grass (“come on! I’ll give you 1%! Okay, 2%!”). One pinecone in my game lamented that it couldn’t whistle, while a horse informed me it was mad at the sun and would stay mad until the weather changed.
Mostly, though, you just roll around: getting smaller or bigger, switching between species and things as the mood strikes. Sometimes you sing, and nearby creatures sing with you; sometimes, you join a crowd, or leave a crowd, or dance. I left some raspberries whirling in circles around my screen for a bit, adding a new one every so often until the whole screen was covered in fruit. You can even leave the game on autoplay and come back to wonder why you’re suddenly two rattlesnakes exploring the desert.
There’s an encyclopedia to fill out, but that’s not really the point. I’m not sure what the point is: that philosophy lecture, probably, but I’m tuning that out. I’m too busy dancing. - Elizabeth
What are your comfort food games? Did you buddy up and explore the vast world of Journey or enjoy a few hours being everything and anything in Everything? Let us know in the comments!
Pop Culture Den: Coffee Talk
with Stacy & Elizabeth
In today's episode of Pop Culture Den, Aurora Public Library librarians Stacy and Elizabeth discuss the game Coffee Talk. They think it's a "comfort food game," but what are comfort food games? What needs do they address, and, most importantly -- is this one fun? Tune in to find out!
Referenced article: "Slouching toward relevant video games" by Brie Code
Want to check out "Coffee Talk" for yourself? Check it out on Nintendo and Steam!
Aurora Public Library's Pop Culture Den series focuses on all things pop culture. Literacy and stories go beyond books: they're in games, movies, and more! Once a month, we'll analyze our favorite works of media and talk tropes, genres, and the bits and pieces that make stories so successful. Be sure to tune in!
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