Quick Review: Recesses

You ever hear kids giving each other philosophy classes in the schoolyard? Nah, I usually just see them play children’s card games.

The start of an epic card game journey.

A creation of Sanjuny released on August 23rd, 2024, Recesses is a roguelite card game. Your character is a fifth grader, and your best friend Clair teaches you about this new awesome card game called Battaliens. Later, she goes missing, and everything points to this disappearance being linked to the game. You set out to investigate, challenging kids at recess in growing order of grade. One student per day, all week. Maybe, by Friday, you’ll have enough information to find Clair?

I should explain Battaliens, then; there's a lot.

Hey, you can even save up to 8 different decks! Good to
set up strategies against specific opponents.

-Battaliens are split into four types: Cute, Weird, Gross and Scary. Each type has one other type it's generally strong against, and a third it's generally weak against.

-Each Battalien has a value on the top right that counts as both its HP and attack power. When a round is played, both monsters attack at the same time, each deducting their attack from the other’s HP. A monster whose HP hits 0 as a result of battle gets sucked into a black hole, while a survivor returns to the shapeship (the deck) with its new, post-fight HP/attack.

All my remaining monsters have strengths and weaknesses.
Just hope you're lucky

-Most monsters have strengths and weaknesses, where their base attack/HP will be modified depending on the type of the creature they’re fighting. As an example, “Cute +1” means your card gains 1 HP/attack if it fights a cute creature. A monster doesn’t die if its HP reaches 0 from strengths/weaknesses/effects alone. (The cap for HP/attack is 9.) Most monsters also have a special ability that triggers at specific moments (at the start of a turn, when first played, when it wins a battle, or when it loses).

-Both players' “spaceships” can hold 8 cards. The player that sends all cards from the opponent’s spaceship to the black hole wins. (In Story Mode, a tie is considered a loss.)

-If both cards have effects that activate at the same time, a coin is tossed to figure out who goes first. Luck can screw you over here. You do not know which cards your opponent uses until they use them – which can make picking random targets a double-edged sword.

That’s the basics. You’ll figure it out as you play.

Beat that other kid up? Nah. When the core of the game is
about a competition (cards, monsters, etc.), I only desire to
punch those who deserve it. I call it the "Lysandre Rule".

The further in you go, the harder the enemies become. They
even have their own Egyptian God-level cards...

The story's format is a roguelite. Each day, you’ll battle another student. No matter the outcome of the duel, you get a booster pack with 8 extra cards, so you can build your “deck” from there. Opponents get tougher every day, so you’ll probably lose at some point – in which case, you start over on the next Monday. But! You later get access to tools that make the week more tolerable. The first is a friggin’ time machine (…don’t question it) that lets you skip to the day of the last opponent you’ve beaten. Which means that you’ll have to beat them again before accessing the next opponent, sure, but it helps. More stuff comes up over time. Perhaps more intriguing are this game’s bosses and their “Elder God” Battaliens…

I swear these fifth graders talk like university
philosophy students.

No, wait, even MORE intriguing is how all the opponents you beat have some spooky, borderline philosophical talk about life, the universe, and everything. Stuff no kids should be talking about, but apparently, there’s just something about Battaliens that opens their minds. Ehhhh, don’t question it.

The game started out with a lot of goodwill on my end; the concept was interesting, and the game's simple look hid its depth, which I discovered the longer I played. The story is engaging and the art style deliberately imitates the look of stuff drawn by elementary school kids. Even the difficulty feels fair for the first few opponents, but then the game takes a big swerve into Ultra Hard territory.

This opponent has TWO Elder Gods. And she's goddamn
unbeatable unless you literally cheese the battle by using
cards that specifically counter her big two. I HATED this fight.

You can hardly plan ahead due to the randomness aspect and the fact that even coin tosses can screw you over if you’re not lucky. Later opponents have downright unfair cards, and are so hard to beat they turn the game into an utter slog. Your only option is to tailor your spaceship to fight specifically what you know you’ll encounter (final opponents have randomized decks, aside from specific cards they always carry), and hope you'll be lucky with card interactions. For a game with so much strategy, that so much of it still boiled down to luck, and not enough to skill to my liking.

I think it says a lot that, after beating the game's final story
boss (not the girl here), I found out there were higher
difficulty levels and I instantly went, "Nope!"

You might still enjoy this one if you like card games and feel like trying to beat its roguelite format – all I can say is, good luck. There's even extra difficulty settings if you can beat the story a fist time.

Recesses is available on Steam for 4.99$ USD.

Quick Review: My Friendly Neighborhood

Something’s not quite right with the neighborhood.

Looks like I've got a welcome committee.

Developed by Joe and Evan Szymanski, published by DreadXP and released on July 18th, 2023, My Friendly Neighborhood is a fresh take on the “mascot horror” genre popularized by Five Nights at Freddy’s and its followers. You are Gordon O’Brian, a grumpy veteran who now works as a repairman. Local broadcasts are being interrupted by odd airings of an old children’s show, My Friendly Neighborhood (MFN), at increasing frequency. This began after the studio where the show was filmed lit up, and Gordon is tasked with heading in there and turning off its antenna. Gordon can't mess up, he needs that job. Though perhaps he should be worried with all the felt-people running around and spouting… uh… unfriendly lessons.

And for some reason, they're also in the sewers.

Our protagonist isn’t in top shape, a common thing for horror game protagonists; but he’s plenty good to do the job. The “monsters” are the puppets of MFN. Come close, and they’ll attack with a dangerous hug. That’s not euphemism; they hug so hard they hurt. Three hugs, and you’re dead. However, you can defend yourself with weapons found on the premises, like a pipe wrench or firearms.

This one isn't getting back up. Duct tape solves everything!

The first “gun” shoots steel sheets with letters on them. It was invented so it wouldn’t damage the puppets too much, while calming them down. Just gotta find magazines of letters to reload. Later weapons build upon the letter/text motif. Alongside new ammo, you can find Health-Lax bottles to regain HP, or rolls of tape – if a puppet annoys you, shoot them, and then mummify ‘em with tape, they won't move again. But use it wisely; tape rolls are rare.

I'm running out of room here!

Every once in a while, you'll see an inanimate puppet in an
area. The best horror trick this game pulls is to animate them
at the absolute worst moment for you. Oh, and did I mention
that they all take two to SEVEN hits to go down?

You should inspect every corner to ensure you don’t miss out on some item or document necessary for progress, or on some ammo or helpful thing. (I did get stuck once ‘cause I didn’t see something I needed.) However, space in your briefcase is very limited, so pack wisely – if you can’t put it in the briefcase, you can’t take it. Plot-relevant items take up room in there, too; classic horror inventory management. You’ll also find keys with colored shapes on them, which will be necessary to open doors bearing the corresponding symbols.

Finally some respite. Yeah, better not get hurt by the puppets
as soon as I leave this darn room.

Safe rooms contain machines allowing you to save the game or fully heal – each at the cost of a token, which can also be found while exploring. Tokens are VERY rare, so don't save too often! (Using them for health also feels like a waste. Though, you will find tokens for a free save in each new safe room.) Those rooms also contain toolboxes, allowing you to store items away. You can then take those items back from any other toolbox.

Nothing quite like running out of tokens and trying to survive as long as possible while desperately searching for new ones. Or worse even, having a few, but since the safe rooms are spread out, making a lot of progress through the game’s enigmas and puzzles, and then dying to a puppet before you get there. Or running out of letters and having to rely on the short-range wrench to fight.

Beware of the dogs - they're hungry. And they won't
friggin' stay down. Vicious things.

Maybe the solution to all this... is to teach lessons to the
puppets once again. Maybe, then, will they come back
to the way they used to be.

This was all about gameplay – as you can see, it’s strong, and even has a few surprises up its sleeve. Jump scares? Of course! And yet, the story is oddly… charming and sweet. Through found documents, you can piece together why the show went off the air andwhy the puppets went crazy. The "stars" can be unsettling, but there’s still that spark of a classic children’s program in them, if you can find it – and, in fact, perhaps you can reignite that flame yourself… So yeah, the story’s great too. (Not to mention, one of the major puppets, Ricky the sock, is voiced by YouTuber Arlo, who represents himself as a puppet on his channel.)

And now, an entire floor made of cardboard and
crayon drawings.

It’s not too scary, so I think it could be tolerable even for people who aren’t into horror gaming usually. The game includes a ton of cheat modes for fun, as well as a few difficulty settings and extra challenges that are unlocked after beating the game once, so if you loved exploring this twisted kids' show, you can do it again.

Hey! Hey! Get off me!

My Friendly Neighborhood is available on Steam for 29.99$ USD.

Quick Review: Iris and the Giant

Introspection is rarely this mythological.

I'd better deal with the archers, or they'll all attack. And then.
there's the minotaurs at the back...

Developed by Louis Rigaud, published by Goblinz Publishing, Maple Whispering Limited and Mugen Creations, and released on February 27th, 2020, Iris and the Giant tells the tale of Iris. She’s not doing well; bullied at school, emotionally shut down at home, barely finding joy in her pastimes of  creating card games or studying mythology. One day, at swim practice, she falls from the diving board into the water, and goes unconscious. This lands her into the world of her imagination, where her problems manifest as Greek mythology monsters, and she must fight with her own cards detailing various weapons and survival tools. The source of her inner turmoil is represented by a giant weeping at the top of a mountain, and it is only by confronting it and winning that she’ll return among the living.

Beware of boss enemies that can spur their troops to
attack twice each turn...

This is a roguelite deckbuilder. The game is split into floors, on which Iris plays her cards to fight enemies. Most cards are weapons that strike using different mechanics; swords (can use all the swords in your hand on the same turn), bows and arrows (attack backrows), whips, and so on. And then, magic such as bombs or fireballs. You'll find other special cards with effects, like Confidence, which restores Iris’ Will (her health), or a shield that protects from all attacks and negative effects for a few turns, and more to discover over time.

Soon enough, I'll reach the top. You just wait, Giant!

Fire everywhere, and Cerberus' three heads. Fun!
Now I just need an axe to kill all three at once.

Ther enemies appear in a grid pattern of 2 to 4 rows, and they attack after your turn has ended. Just like cards, enemies all have their own mechanics (as an example, archers and other spellcasters can attack from the back), and bosses having features that make them a lot harder to deal with. (I especially despised the boss based on Pandora’s Box…) The best you can do is attempt to adapt to whatever’s being put in front of you. The loadout also includes treasure chests, which allow you to grab extra card packs, all of which contain one or many cards of a specific type of weapon/spell/item. You can also pick up crystals on the floor.

If you no longer have the perfect cards to fight Pandora's
Box, you're pretty much done for. And it's a very late
boss in the first Path.

There are four "upgrade" systems to this game, two of which are used during a run, while the other two are accessed from the main menu, in-between runs. The two within a run involve crystals and stars. When you collect enough crystals, Iris gains a new ability for a specific weapon, allowing for different builds depending on what you find. Alternately, enemies grant stars when defeated, and after enough stars, other abilities can be unlocked to increase Iris’ base Will or regain some when doing specific actions, or perhaps influence her hand or other helpful things (like drawing extra cards each turn, or increasing shield durability, etc.).

During this adventure, Iris can find symbols pointing to events of her life, detailing all the issues that took her to this point. Reconnecting with herself grants Memory Points that can be used in their section on the main menu to unlock more perks. The other is Imaginary Friends, which must first be discovered, then unlocked by completing a side-quest. You can only have one at first, but with the right Memory perks, you can have up to 3.

The Memories tug at your heartstrings.

I need more good cards. Gimme gimme.

It’s a Roguelite, so the point is to keep trying as you learn all the mechanics, lose repeatedly until you know what you’re doing, then continue trying until you win. The game keeps track of everything you’ve discovered, so there’s something there to scratch that completionist itch. Even better, there are higher difficulties for those seeking a challenge, AND after beating the Path of the Giant, you unlock two more paths, for the Ferryman and Chronos, with new encounters in both.

The final challenge, time to confront the Giant.
Or rather, its apparent infinite sadness.

Great game, had me hooked for the couple days it took me to beat the first Path; I couldn’t try the rest due to time, but I certainly wouldn’t mind revisiting it later. I love its unique visual style, its tone, its story. A strong recommend for all roguelite/roguelike fans.

Iris and the Giant is available on Steam for 17.99$ USD.

Quick Review: The Inner World

An odd duo taking down a dictator!

The first screen of many. How can we get to that darn bird?
Maybe the shady guy in a trench coat has a solution.

Developed by Studio Fizbin, published by Headup and released on September 27th, 2013, The Inner World is a hand-drawn point & click game. Asposia exists within a planet rather than outside, and gets its air from large wind tunnels guarded by monks. All Asposians have pointy, striped noses, except Robert, whose nose instead has holes, allowing him to play it like a flute. He works as a disciple under Conroy, the only wind monk whose tunnel still works; Conroy elevated himself to spiritual leader of Asposia due to this. Worse even, large flying monsters called the Basilians often pop out of the tunnels, turning Asposians to stone with their stares. The story kicks off when a pigeon flies into Conroy’s home and steals a pendant, and Robert falls down the garbage chute chasing it, landing into Asposia's streets. He meets Laura, a sarcastic Asposian with plans of her own. Robert will learn that in this world, very little is as it seems…

Still not sure (yet) why the barmaid gave us a beverage that
feels like it could be more of a pipe degreaser than a drink.

I can use this funnel as a helmet now! And I should also
take back my doll from that creature.

Most of this point & click's gameplay goes through the mouse, selecting elements on the screen to observe or (try to) take them. Holding down the left button reveals  dots over every décor element that can be interacted with. You can combine items in your inventory, accessible at the bottom of the screen (ex. Putting together a reed and a hook to grab something from afar). You can also take combinations apart when their pieces are useful again later. Only a few items are carried between chapters, most notably a Conroy doll that gets destroyed over time (deservedly).

I saved this little mouse! It just took me putting three items
together! Now, little guy, you're going into an ear horn.

I could clean this shield... but only if the shield, and the rust
itself, are useful elsewhere afterwards!

You usually play as Robert, aside from one section where he is captured, and we play as Laura instead. The only difference is that Laura is snarkier (compared to the sheltered, naïve, sweet Robert), and she doesn’t have the flute nose, which you play to solve a few puzzles, through an option in the inventory. The flute nose has its own “mode”, a single mini-game accessible from the main menu. (Good luck getting a decent score on it.)

Flute-Nose Hero

Please ignore the openly propagandist messsaging of the 
"play" that Robert manipulates to find an open passage...

This game has the classics of a point & click: Puzzles with solutions that make marginal sense, even if you figure them out by yourself. A cast of silly characters with their own stories, and all sorts of shenanigans to inflict on them. Detailed scenes and backgrounds; if an area keeps being available once you’ve done everything, then you’ll have to go back for something else later. Just gotta figure out what. There’s even a hint system for players who get stuck, though there are achievements to unlock if you can play through the whole thing without them.

My favorite moment: Repeating to a sin confession machine
a sin heard from someone else, and it's so outrageous that
it instantly breaks the machine. Fuck, that was hilarious.

The story is rich and interesting, with tons of worldbuilding to find (and some puzzles hinge on utilizing knowledge gathered during the story). The tone is humorous, with some edge to be found in several gags; some of them get saucy, implications-wise. Our main characters form a fun team, and it’s great to see their relationship develop as they unearth their world's greatest secrets. Cutscenes and many puzzle solutions are fully animated.

The only true negative I have about this game is that, during a few sessions it tended to “break” in ways that forced a restart, during the pause menu or after combining items, with one specific instance being a total crash forcing a game restart.  But with that aside, all in all, good stuff, really.

The Inner World is available on Steam at a big discount till tomorrow at 1.49$ USD, usually 14.99$.

Quick Review: Human Resource Machine

The day I thought I was done delivering numbers in a factory, they pull me right back in!

Only one employee to do all this? Geez, big companies
and their stupid staff cuts...

A game by Tomorrow Corporation released on October 15th, 2015, Human Resource Machine can best be described as a “programming puzzle game”. You are not quite in control of your character; the crux of gameplay is setting up a series of commands, and then seeing whether they yield the desired result. Then, if the solution didn’t work: Extensively test each step, correct the bugs, make sure you don’t create ten more by accident (the joys of programming!), run, playtest and debug until you get the right combination of events to solve the puzzle.

In this game’s context, you start as a new employee in some nebulous delivery company, and you are tasked on each floor with delivering specific numbers from the Inbox area, and to the Outbox. The requirement changes every time. Your first commands are Inbox and Outbox, obviously, and starting at the second level you obtain the Jump command, which you can set after any other command and place the jump destination anywhere in the program, even at the very start, to skip steps or create a loop.

Still not sure why they added letters here, other than to make
your tasks even harder to deal with. Congrats to this game for
making me dread/hate letters, somehow.

If you think that's a lot of arrows going up and down
and all over the place in the command line... Ha. It gets
soooo much worse later on.

Past these are the Copyfrom and Copyto commands. Your worker can use the square tiles at the center of the room to set down numbers from the Inbox for later use, or copy a number already set there. Well… numbers, or letters. After which you can deliver to Outbox a copied number. After which, you get increasingly complex requests, such as Outboxing a set of two numbers in the reverse order (set the first on a square, deliver the second, pick up the first with Copyfrom, deliver it). After this? We get commands for addition and subtraction. And new Jump commands with conditions (jumping to other sets of commands if the number is 0, or negative).

Why the Hell does the program thinks letters count as a
zero anyway?? Shaking my damn head...

These add up on the command board, and it can turn into a complete mess of orders and arrows pointing up and down and everywhere, so the game later introduces the ability to leave notes along the command line, and a few levels later, the same for squares on the ground, “naming” them so you can remember their purpose. Great idea! Or, would be if you could actually type that text somehow, but instead all you have is your mouse, a large brush, and you can only draw the letters, so good luck fitting more than 7 characters on there. For the smaller print of the floor tiles, I can understand, but the notes within the program? Come on now.

"Mult"? ...I play too much Balatro...

Ugh! Management, never happy. Why do I still bother with
this when I could be working anywhere else...

And now, the mechanic that will make you go “Oh, this is a programming game”, something you might either love, or hate, or be divided on as I was: If you come up with a functional but imperfect solution for the set of numbers you were given, you’ll be told that it did work as intended… but then, your boss refuses the solution and gives you an Inbox sequence that will make your solution fail. By running the simulation, you can follow step by step and figure out where things go wrong – and you can rewind at will, but that’s not going to help if you can’t spot the error (or can’t figure out a way to solve it that doesn’t break something else)…

Oh hey, I finally did something right!

The system for this one is robust and complex, and there’s a bunch of decent mechanics and ideas to be found. The complexity increases as you’re tasked with tougher elements to deal with – stuff like multiplication, zero-terminated strings, Fibonacci sequences, and more. If you’re looking for a crash course puzzle game on programming, this is about as close as it gets, warts and all. It’s satisfying when your solution works for every number set, but it can be very hard to get there, and when it doesn't work, good luck figuring out where you went wrong. However, if you do love these, you can go for the extra challenges where you must reach a level's solution in the smallest amount of steps and/or moves (some levels have “best” solutions that can only be one or the other).

Not one I’d think I’d finish, but I can see why someone would love it enough to strive for its completion.

Human Resource Machine is available on Steam for 14.99$ USD.