some games i played recently
Oct. 3rd, 2013 06:23 pmlet me tell you about some video games
naya's quest (browser, free, a coupla hours i guess), terry cavanaugh's new puzzle game about reasoning about nonsensical* isometric 3-space. it has a fantastically just-vague-enough-to-be-spine-tingling little running narrative and a lovely crescendo of "OH MY GOD WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY BRAIN" at the end. (*well, there's a consistent logic to it, but it took me awhile to convince myself of that fact.)
868-HACK (iOS, $6, infinity time, but maybe 15-30 mins to get a grasp on what you're supposed to do) - this game has such a great combination of roguelikeish randomness and predictable, strategically defeasible behavior. manages to create that oh-shit-oh-shit feeling of timed games (specifically tower defense style games) while being turn based, so allowing you to be as contemplative or as reckless as you want. i play this regularly now as comforting downtime.
imposter syndrome (browser, free, 5-10 minutes) - the only IFcomp game i've played so far, definitely kind of heartbreaking/triggering (TW public speaking nightmares, internet harassment, sexism) - what i liked mostly was (1) the multiple endings (2) the scifi elements of it are kind of the dystopian inevitability of something like this short story i wrote once.
naya's quest (browser, free, a coupla hours i guess), terry cavanaugh's new puzzle game about reasoning about nonsensical* isometric 3-space. it has a fantastically just-vague-enough-to-be-spine-tingling little running narrative and a lovely crescendo of "OH MY GOD WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY BRAIN" at the end. (*well, there's a consistent logic to it, but it took me awhile to convince myself of that fact.)
868-HACK (iOS, $6, infinity time, but maybe 15-30 mins to get a grasp on what you're supposed to do) - this game has such a great combination of roguelikeish randomness and predictable, strategically defeasible behavior. manages to create that oh-shit-oh-shit feeling of timed games (specifically tower defense style games) while being turn based, so allowing you to be as contemplative or as reckless as you want. i play this regularly now as comforting downtime.
imposter syndrome (browser, free, 5-10 minutes) - the only IFcomp game i've played so far, definitely kind of heartbreaking/triggering (TW public speaking nightmares, internet harassment, sexism) - what i liked mostly was (1) the multiple endings (2) the scifi elements of it are kind of the dystopian inevitability of something like this short story i wrote once.