Author: AndresPlays

Terry’s Terraforming is a VR adventure that combines a deeply satisfying planet terraforming system with smart educational elements. Science is such an astounding field. It has given us electricity, satellites, the Internet. Manipulating materials to our will with impressive results, it is no wonder some people dedicate their lives to this natural study. Yet, others go on about their lives, never even wondering how it is that with a simple flick of a switch we get light. As much a relaxing adventure as an educational tool to spark curiosity, Terry’s Terraforming is an insightful experience. Taking advantage of virtual reality…

Well Dweller is the latest metroidvania by Kyle Thompson, and it embodies a pitch-perfect dark whimsy like no other game before it. Away from the pompous fanfare of AAA games, what with their million-dollar budgets in marketing and cutting-edge graphics, there are a myriad of independent developers doing interesting things. One of them who has been able to release a solid game consistently every two years (no small feat in this landscape) since 2020 is Kyle Thompson. Someone who simply introduces himself as “Hi! I’m Kyle, and I make Metroidvanias” on his Steam page, you’d think his games could be…

Bioware is officially shutting down. Struggling with the closure of a beloved studio, here are some words of its lasting impact. I still remember the day Daft Punk announced they were breaking up. February 22nd, 2021. Sure, they had not released a new album since their forward-thinking 2013 opus Random Access Memories, but as a fan, you always hold on to hope. A new single, tour, or maybe even remasters of their old work. But that never came. Without much fanfare, they just… stopped existing. Their music had helped me come out of my cocoon as an introvert and connect…

As we get flooded with endless amounts of AI content slop, some developers try to be cheeky about it, to shameful results. At this point, we all know of the dangers of generative AI. It can cause cognitive atrophy, psychosis, and even death. But large language models have also made massive advancements in the world of programming. A difficult craft to master, coding for video games has benefitted greatly from it. Most recently, cases like the decompilation of software to make it run in hardware it was never intended to work on have surfaced online. Even with all these seemingly…

Penguin Colony takes ample creative freedom in creating one of H.P. Lovecraft’s most authentic adaptations of his work, while you play as a stocky penguin. For all intents and purposes, Penguin Colony is, indeed, a video game. You control a character in a digital sandbox. There is a main quest, which proves elusive, as it is initially not clear. You collect shiny orbs scattered across a desolate Antarctica along the way. So, from the outset, it might seem like simply another regular release in the ever-crowded schedule. “What will I play tonight?” You may ask yourself. “That absurd game where…

Hokko Spaces is a laidback sandbox where players adorn gorgeous dioramas with adorable characters. It is launching on October 29. Published by Team17 and developed by Wonderscope Games, Hokko Spaces is coming this October 29. Sharing the same colorful aesthetic of Animal Crossing-inspired Hokko Life, this new adventure does away with daily chores for maximum comfort. Players will be given the tools to adorn beautiful dioramas in small spaces to then invite cute critters to hang out in. From yoga classes to brunch settings, this design-first approach lends players the space to create to their heart’s content without the stress…

EbiTapes is a quirky adventure with light music production elements about a frog trying to save a festival and a town’s joy. Music is the one thing I cannot live without. If I’m having a bad day, or if life proves too stressful, listening to either Rage Against The Machine or Claude Debussy will rebalance my mood like magic. It is no surprise then, that it has always been a part of me. When I lived in Dublin over ten years ago, I took DJing classes, and the first day, by mistake, I entered a music production class instead. Because…

Leaning into box-pushing Sokoban-style puzzles, Isles of Sea and Sky presents consistently clever ideas that fans of puzzle games will love. When I look back at my love for puzzles, I can vaguely remember what was the first one that set me on this quest to train my brain. It all boils down to the inimitable feeling when you just stare at a screen for a couple of seconds—or minutes—to then hurriedly try a different approach. And that is when it happens: you solve it. The coveted Eureka moment that every great puzzle game wants to make you feel. You…

Silver Pines takes the best of the horror genre to create one of the most memorable adventures in recent years, in no small part due to its effective metroidvania design. When a piece of media borrows from well-known classics of a genre, it can become a bit difficult to discern where the homage stops and the original work begins. Especially when honoring among the most recognized icons, their shadow can loom large. This is why Silver Pines should be recognized as not only a modern classic of the survival horror genre but also of supernatural fiction at large. Deliberately taking…

Truckful is a delivery set game set in a sentient valley that decides who leaves and who stays. Driving an old truck around has just the right amount of friction. Nowadays, a whole genre in which you are tasked with delivering a range of packages from life-saving medical equipment to more trivial toys has found its audience. Popularized in part by Death Stranding, the idea of having to fight against the terrain, weather, and maybe sometimes paranormal entities is one that revels in friction against the player. If you lose your package halfway through, it usually means game over and…