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August 32
(Yesterday at 23:55) |
September already! I have been making progress on a video, but also enjoying the summer and a little travel, and also in one of those traps where the project is *almost* good enough, but still takes like 3 years to run. Very easy to get in an Optimization Hole in that kind of situation. Filmed some live-action stuff outside today.
The best game I played this month (perhaps this year) is Derelict Star. This is a an exploration-based precision platformer and it asks a lot of the player, but it's just my kind of game. Fundamentally you have a strange physics engine with precise (but mysterious) feedback, and all of your progression comes from understanding its nuances. It's a big game with lots to explore, and an impressive variety of puzzles and challenges given the seemingly small rule set. Some of the puzzles are incredibly elegant (I'm thinking of the green key rooms). Sometimes you will know what you need to do but spend 45 minutes grinding it out! I got all the power cells without any hints or assists. I'm not above using an external map or hint, but I do admire when a game can be self-contained but still feel like you're discovering a lot. I think this game might be too hard for people who aren't really into platformers, but I loved it and would recommend it if that sounds like your jam.
I also finally finished Unbeatable, which is a ... well I'm not even sure what. It is ostensibly a rhythm game, but the story mode is mostly an anime-like walking simulator? The game is super buggy and has a lot of confusing rough edges, like sometimes it'll just rapid-fire show you a bunch of background scenes and then roll the credits, which is especially confusing since the story is disjointed. It must sound like I didn't like this game, but I actually did: Some of it is quite funny; it's got a lot of good original music, and the rough edges mostly come across as "punk rock" more than cutting corners.
I also played through Olija, an adventure platformer (vaguely reminiscent of the far superior Another World). It had some good art and some mediocre art, but mostly it was pretty mid. I usually like Devolver games more! Along similar lines I played Primal Planet, which is more explorey and did have generally quite good art, but the combat and platforming was a bit too clunky. I finished both but I would not particularly recommend them.
I saved writing this blog post until it was too late, having forgot that August does not have 32 days, and now I'm in danger of losing points! |  |
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