Civilization VI Expansion (Gathering Storm and Rise & Fall)

Like other Yakuza games, this one is somehow both a solid 5/5 and a heavily qualified one. What shines here are the main plot, for a change, and Kamurocho, as always. Yagami is in such a good position to meet everyone, and that really brings the neighborhood to life. I very much enjoyed the range of people he meets, from shopkeepers to performers, mystery writers and white ninjas. The downside is the filler, particularly the Kehin gang. By now, the inability to hit an "off" switch on that kind of thing has gotten stale. While the penultimate sidequest addresses this (and is a blast!), it's not great that even once that's done Yagami can't go 100 steps without setting off extra aggro squads throughout the neighborhood. Likewise, I'm irritated that with every substory and the main plot completed, I was still far from having the required XP to unlock some of the last skills. It doesn't make sense to me that I could have completed all of the main content of the game, substories included, and still not have enough for Yagami's full potential. The series needs a shakeup, and I suppose I have that to look forward to once I get around to Like a Dragon.

More than a few things about Paratopic stand out. I'm always interested in games that deploy jump cuts, and this one matches them with Twin-Peaks-Red-Room style audio, deliciously grimy textures and lighting, and quality sound and music design to good effect. The range of interactivity is also above average for a game of this style and length, with dialogue, driving, a camera, a gun, and VHS tapes all situationally deployed. Some dialogue is hit-and-miss, and some cuts are questionable, but the game largely comes together and builds to a climax at the end. While I think there are hints that the game involves three characters (as described on its itch.io storefront page) with three partial perspectives on its plot and settings, there's room for some deeper characterization. On the one hand, I like how the audio, visuals, and cutting technique conveys a kind of depersonalizing effect. There's not a lot of comprehension or agency available to players or characters. And little slices of characterization are present in dialog options, possible actions, and differences in setting. Even more so than the plot, however, I think I'd point to character as the component where the incompleteness of perspectives masks a little too much. It starts to come off as convenience to the writer/director rather than something necessary for the themes and atmosphere of the game. Altogether, there's plenty here. I'd certainly recommend setting 35-50 mins apart to play through Paratopic - its designers show a thoughtfulness about the medium that's rare, at least as that is expressed by playing the game. It's not to be slept on fans of atmospheric horror.

https://www.gamerswithglasses.com/gwg-recommends/indiepocalypse-picks1

https://www.gamerswithglasses.com/gwg-recommends/indiepocalypse-picks1

https://www.tay2.org/optionals-2021-game-diary-pt-1-tetrageddon/

This is a beautiful game in art, music, and story. It can also be a very frustrating one, and it insists that players take it on its own terms. Physics are consistent and so are all the movements of the solar system. That can be pretty unforgiving, but it also can lead to some great emergent moments for the player's story. Outer Wilds is a very open space adventure game, with a mystery that wraps around the player. It's full of surprises and moments of revelation, which makes it a rare gem.

https://www.gamerswithglasses.com/gwg-recommends/indiepocalypse-picks1