PC Games

The Invincible

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Publisher: 11 bit studios
Developer: Starward Industries
Year: 2023
Platform: Windows, PS5, Xbox Series

Rating: 5

Based on the 1963 hard science fiction novel by Polish writer Stanislaw Lem, The Invincible is the first game by Polish indie developer Starward Industries. A walking simulator with eleven possible endings based on choices you make, this game does a fine job at honoring the spirit of hard science fiction, while unfortunately allowing the game to be slower-paced than actually reading the novel.

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PC Games

Primordia

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Publisher: Wadjet Eye
Developer: Wormwood Studios
Year: 2012
Platform: Windows, Mac Linux, Switch, iOS

Rating: 6

I get a bit nervous playing narrative games where none of the characters are humans, even when they’re heavily anthropomorphized. When there’s no human character, it can be difficult to ground the story into something relatable. Primordia, the first adventure by Wormwood Studios, mostly succeeds in overcoming this potential pitfall despite every character being a robot. Some dastardly puzzles do get in the way, as well as some uneven characterizations , but it’s still a worthy play for those who like steampunk sci-fi.

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PC Games

The Silent Sky: Part I

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Publisher: KAPA
Developer: KAPA
Year: 2022
Platform: Windows

Rating: 2

Half of an ambitious solo project from first-time Estonian game designer KAPA, The Silent Sky is a wonderfully hand-drawn and animated game about a boy who finds a portal in the woods behind his country home. Unfortunately, great animation is about all that it has going for it. Poor localization, poor dialogue, poor character development, and mediocre puzzles make it difficult to recommend.

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PC Games

The Painscreek Killings

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Publisher: EQ Studios
Developer: EQ Studios
Year: 2017
Platform: Windows

Rating: 7

The abandoned mansion/abandoned asylum/abandoned town plot device is beyond overdone. I get why, as having no other characters in your game is a lot easier and cheaper to program. But it still feels amateurish and thus I was hesitant to dive into the first game by indie developer EQ Studios. I needn’t have worried. Rather than going for spooks, The Painscreek Killings goes pure detective mode and does not disappoint.

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PC Games

Soma

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Publisher: Frictional Games
Developer: Frictional Games
Year: 2015
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series

Rating: 8

The older I get the less I can tolerate the horror genre. Perhaps it’s the state of the world right now, or maybe I’m just getting old, but my nerves are already wound up enough without artificially tightening them further. For example, Frictional Games is most famous for their Amnesia series. I’ve attempted that, and despite enjoying it, have not been able to get through it due to my anxiety.

Yet they catered to me with Soma, adding an optional setting that more or less prevents you from dying at all. At first I worried that the horror would be dampened by eliminating the risk, but then I remembered that I still enjoy reading a Stephen King book even though I know I’m not going to die then either. Soma’s atmosphere is incredibly intense, risk or not, and the story is strong enough that it’s easily one of the best horror games I’ve played.

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PC Games

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

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Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Deck Nine
Year: 2017
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One

Rating: 7

Coming out two years after the hit smash Life is Strange, Before the Storm attempts to recapture the magic with a prequel detailing the beginning of Chloe Price’s relationship with Rachel Amber, her dear friend who is missing at the beginning of the original game. While essentially (and disappointingly) puzzleless with an unfortunate number of plot holes, I still very much enjoyed my time hanging out with Chloe for a few more days in this emotional roller coaster of a game.

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PC Games

Bad Mojo

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Publisher: Acclaim
Developer: Pulse
Year: 1996
Platform: Windows, Mac

Rating: 5

I just got done playing as a cockroach!

One of the grossest adventure games I’ve played, Bad Mojo flaunts a ten out of ten concept, using photorealism to depict the adventure of a cockroach, allowing the player to only do things a cockroach would be physically capable of doing. Sadly, while learning to utilize the roach in this context is always fun, the concept is dragged down by a confusing plot, laughable acting, and some frustrating moon logic.

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PC Games

Gateway II: Homeworld

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Publisher: Legend
Developer: Legend
Year: 1993
Platform: DOS

Rating: 6

A direct sequel to Gateway, I was psyched to finally sit down and play one of the more heralded games by Legend about Frederick Pohl’s Heechee Saga. While it’s a well built game and has several high moments, I was overall disappointed, only because it failed to be as excellent as its predecessor.

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