Recent reviews by Silencio o Rebeldía

A puzzle game, hidden in strategy game, hidden in a turn-based game.

Quite brilliant. I wonder if the devs had one of those in mind but as the game was created, it took a life of its own. That’s how it feels to play it. You are constantly learning about interactions, weapons secondary effects, buildings that don’t crumble, damage done over time, and the random arrival of time pods that can make or break a playthrough.

In one of my most celebrated forays into the final Volcanic Hive, there I stood with my rusty, trusted mechs hanging on to dear life with 1 hp left on the last turn. Completely surrounded, I did what I could to minimize the damage. All Veks were neutralized or incapacitated, but as I cheered one last hurray, I saw a cheeky Beetle hanging out at the edge of the map. I could neither reach him nor attack him from afar, and so all hope was lost.

But that was until he charged, and - by the grace of the Gods, the building held and the Renfield bomb did its duty by blowing up the hive to smithereens.

What a great feeling, what a great victory and what a great game.

After finishing the game, I can say that the only blemish was the “Boss rush mode” because (ironically) it felt rushed and more like punishment; you are stripped of all the upgrades for damage, health and arrows gained throughout the main story, to be given a few every time you beat a boss… and in hard mode, it becomes entirely irritating to realize how 10 hours of gameplay were undercut for an unnecessary extra mode… but the things we do for achievements, eh?

Honestly, without it, the game was fine. Short but to the point. It was made by two brothers, so that’s awesome. Although a little easy at times, it was super charming and overall, a joy to play.

As a show of appreciation, I already bought Crypt Custodian, so that the brothers can keep tweaking and improving the excellent foundation they have for video-game-making shown in Islets.

For a game called Loot River, it makes the cardinal sin of not having enough loot in the river.

Most of the weapons, armor and spells you unlock as you progress will never be seen in-game, which is a baffling decision from the devs.

The people who finished the game clock it at 10 hours… but, in my defense, I was playing with the High Stakes modifier which didn’t really give more loot but definitely buffed the enemies. I died often to hits that took half my health. Once I got rid of it, I beat it in one try.

I think it’s a good game, bar one glaring shortcoming; the gameplay loop is boring. Now, you only notice this once you pass the 10 hours… so most people shouldn’t encounter it (stupid modifier).

Now what I mean by boring gameplay loop is that the lack of loot makes every run feel the same, that you’re going through the motions, that you’ve seen all that there is to see AND STILL, the game withholds juicy, juicy loot from you. And that’s the whole point of dungeon crawlers… otherwise why in god’s name, would you face the dangers and darkness of the dungeon?

The platform movement gimmick is awesome and many of the puzzles were satisfying to complete.

Consider this a mixed review because although I enjoyed the first 10 hours, it became a bore thereafter.

edit: What this games is REALLY all about is deity corruption; what they want is not your worship, but your money! Good life lesson ;D

Alongside the original Binding of Issac and the first Mount and Blade, Coin Crypt carried me through garbage computers, melancholic times and many long nights. The fact that I could run the trifecta above on an old windows XP laptop meant I could game on a toaster that lagged with Word.

Nevertheless, this is a great game with tons of replayability, many classes that force you (in a good way) to experiment with your build and an addictive formula for gameplay; easy to learn, hard to master. You have to be quick on your feet to know when to attack, defend or heal – and as the game progresses, the coins build a complex ecosystem within those three basic functions.

The first achievements I got are from 2015, and soon my relationship with Coin Crypt will reach a decade. I still come back to this gem to see if I can get farther than before, and I always do. As I’m reaching the end of the achievements, a part of me feels sad that I must move on to greener pastures soon – but know this, Coin Crypt will always hold a special place in my heart.

Thanks, Mr. Lobanov

A new twist on an old game.

Didn't think I'd like it this much, but I 100% it. Bithell games continues to thrive within the indie scene with titles such as Thomas Was Alone and Volume... and you can add this short game to the mix.

Whenever I see their studio name behind a title; I recommend, and this one is no different.

Listen here, you primitive clayborne…

Perhaps you’ve heard of the complaints about the combat and the parry system... but fear not – they both evolve as the game goes on. It is unfortunate but also not unheard of for metroidvanias to withhold skills and abilities until you get stronger… therefore dying repeatedly in the beginning is not a sign of poor design but rather lack of progression.

I finished the story twice and got all the achievements. At the end, even the most difficult enemies were a joy to parry, and parry you must for they are too strong for you to tank through them.

In an interesting story of creation, degradation and damnation, Grey Irma seeks to find the Sculptor and bring closure to a broken, cruel world.

This is a simple game, no doubt, but the beautiful thing is that it forces us to see things in a different light, as optical illusions and whimsical puzzles abound.

I think it is healthy to challenge reason and rational thought every once in a while, for not everything is designed by its laws.

So step into Monument Valley and open a path for the silent princess on her way to redemption.

It feels like I played for a lifetime when it was only 50 minutes…

There were almost tears, little laughs, lovely feelings and a whole lot of inspiration.

It’s games like this that show the power of the medium; that you do not need thousands of dollars, hundreds of employees and a far-reaching brand to create an experience for the audience.

Seeing Florence from her tender 7 years to her boring 25 was an exercise in self-reflection; indeed, many times did her story resonate with me and took me back to the past.

Now, if only all of us could find the painter within and leave the accountant behind…

Prince Zuko Simulator 2023

Fulfill your lifelong desire to become the fire avatar!
But only for 3 hours :(

The movement was fire, the enemies were fire and the combat was fire (pun totally intended) – well, EVERYTHING (corpses, flags and even bushes) was on fire and yet my pyromania wasn’t completely satisfied.

Indeed, the best part of the game was when the fire sword burnt with unlimited capacity, without a need for torches or shrines to be recharged… yet that period came and went far too fast.

The story was interesting; between fighting the water nation (blue-clad people) and the Mist spawn (shadowy enemies) there’s enough potential here for DLC or even a sequel explaining and expanding the lore.

Overall, it’s a good game and I hope to see more in the future.

If you had a chance to kill a god, would you deny it?

If you had a chance to kill a god and gain his powers, would you think about it?

If you had a chance to kill many gods and save your people, would you do it?

Nikandreos has a bloody answer for all those questions; doesn’t matter if its hoplites, agora residents, nymphs, satyrs, mermans, half-beast men, walking stone statues, regenerative hades skeleton soldiers, or Zeus the sexual deviant himself standing in his way.

More than Humanity’s last hope, you are actually leading a coup état against Zeus organized by his disgruntled wife, Hera. Near the end, she even lists the name of all of Zeus’s concubines; mortal or godly, willing or not, as a show that it’s not just humanity's impending doom driving her but rather a little personal spouse-on-spouse violence.

The combat, I will admit, feels like an afterthought – understandable when the original idea is so good. I mean, a whole Greek tragedy told through ancient pottery art? Sign me up.

Just for the art alone the game gets a pass. Its sucks that after all the fighting, you finally get your hands on Zeus trusty lightning bolts only for the game to end. I was having fun destroying everything, acting with the impunity of a god.

Maybe, just maybe, being a mortal isn’t so bad after all.