Recent reviews by Luc Ienn

A really good game. Immensely satisfying to drive up and down the snowy mountains, with perfectly tuned driving physics and tight handling. The setting and environment is top notch, an unsettling but cozy atmosphere that feels at odds with itself at times while still being a seamless blend of the two moods. The cold is harsh and unforgiving, but the inside of my little Kei truck is safe and warm. Speeding through the snow with an important delivery with some lo-fi beats or breakbeat jams is just impeccable. I love finding my own routes through zones to deliver stuff faster, but sometimes the long winding route is the best choice when I want a simple easy drive. Managing basic survival stats is also pretty spot on, there's a sudden but exhilarating stress when I'm low on fuel and energy and desperately hope I'll make it around the bend to the gas station in time for a full tank and a can of EZ Energy. I'm glad this game exists, there's not a lot like it, at least not in the ways this game exceeds its premise. One of the best games of the year for sure!

An excellent throwback survival horror gem that should be checked out by fans of the genre for sure. The story deals in some interesting themes. At first it may seem a bit on the nose with its premise, but as the game progresses the themes layer expertly into a thorough and nuanced read on what it handles. The horror exists much more psychologically here than anything, but it still can leave a pit in the stomach when processing the deeper fears.

I am extremely fond of the graphical style: aside from the timeless polygonal retro look, there is a unique filter on the environment that makes all camera angles appear to be pre-rendered like you'd find on older hardware. But there's a trick: when you change camera perspective using the in-game camera item, suddenly the curtain is pulled back to reveal that the game comprises of fully 3D detailed environments. Once you exit camera mode, the illusion is magically restored as if you hadn't seen the truth already. This never failed to entertain me.

I got a bit stuck on just two parts, but overall this game has satisfying and logical puzzles. Level design is pretty well done, although there is occasionally a bit of uncertainty of what to do. I recommend making good use of your light source to reveal anything that might be hiding.

For a first full game, this is a phenomenal creation, and I am glad that I could enjoy it. I have been chewing on some of the final thoughts this game gave me since I finished, and I think it's left me inspired. Well done.

This is a game that had me sucked in with its atmosphere and the dark horrific creatures that stalked these molding halls and collapsed chambers. A tense combat system with plenty of options to use, always fun finding a new weapon and learning how it works. Great level design with desperate exploration, hoping to get the most you can out of the environment.

Some puzzles were a little vague, usually of the "find an item and put it here" variety. Most of them made sense.

I sort of wish the game was just a little bit longer! I got a lot out of my time with the game but I sort of wish I had maybe an hour or two longer with it. Great game nonetheless. For dungeon crawler action RPG fans that like to feel strapped for resources like it's a survival horror game. May you get your revenge.

Immersive sim games have the potential to be absolutely hilarious and very few capitalize on the inherent goofy potential these games hold. This game is a shining gem of options and "a-ha!" moments, that turn into "ahahaha!!" moments. The game is great at giving you the best tools for success, and all of these tools can also be your downfall.

This game is a great package of level by level design that embraces arcade-like bites of action, with memorable levels that rapidly introduce new ideas that encourage fun tricks. You never know what situation you'll find yourself in, and what situations they are!

A fantastic little game that takes place in a phenomenally massive world, one that you will get a taste of in this perfectly paced campaign. Lots of optional but rewarding exploration to be had, with great depths to delve into. Gunplay is simple but satisfying, combat encounters are tough enough to put the heat down on Normal mode, with enough options to let you try different playstyles if you'd like. As promised, the game is focused and brief. I found much of, if not all, what there is to see in my 2 and a half hour playthrough and it was fulfilling to do.

I am a brutalist megastructure freak fan and I think this is one of the best in the genre there is. This is a small game set in a world that is too large to comprehend, a world that you can feel the weight of, and a story that will sit with you when you finish. Well worth the $6 I spent. Fun to play, fun to explore, and "fun" (terrifying) to ponder.

A wonderful little incremental game that'll hook you for a nice little time, running through the fields as a woofo pup friend. The game gets a little messy with the framerate the more things going across the screen but overall it runs "fine", but I wouldn't worry about the visual performance anyways as it does not interfere with playing it, just makes the visuals choppy.

We should all aspire to be a woofo frolicking through the fields

I really enjoyed this experience. There is a lot to explore and a lot to see, some places hidden around the corner you didn't check yet but forgot about a while ago. The main "goal" of the game is to explore, but you have the opportunity to tilt the balance of nature of this world. I like that I have the ability to climb so much in the game, where just about every diagonal surface (no matter how steep it appears) can be climbed. The setting is fascinating, a really interesting idea for a megastructure world that represents something much more than you would expect it to. I think that while plenty of players are looking to get the endings and achievements, we are just scratching the surface of how much is hidden in these marble and gold worlds. Might also be a fun game to speedrun for some people.

I love fantasy-brutalism and megastructure worlds in games and media, and there is not much that gives that experience. This game scratches that itch very well. If you have been looking for games to feed the hunger after having played games like NaissanceE, Lorn's Lure and Kairo, you'll be at home with this one. If you are new to these sorts of worlds in games and this looks appealing to you, please give it a shot! The price for this game is well worth it for the journey it provides.

Unreal Engine 5 can be a little demanding on older PCs these days. I have a GTX 1700 card and it manages to run mostly okay on my PC at low graphics settings. I am lucky that it does not mar my experience with the game.

Thanks for this wonderful experience! I have a lot of the achievements and I think I'll try to get them all.

Review edit: the logo is changed to something so much more appealing and now this game has everything it needs!

Really glad I checked out this game! The gameplay is a blast, you have methodical and messy antics, chaotic and careful shenanigans. Physics really makes this game stand out, you are in a full fight with your environment while avoiding hazards from meddlesome and murderous creatures. I'm definitely looking forward to more from this game.

I am glad I picked this game up, but I hope more people can try it out too. These profit-extraction style horror games have gotten popular, and this one is a standout in the crowd.

A great narrative game with incredible art and fantastic music. Plays simply, explore and interact with the world with some light puzzles to solve. While a fairly linear game, the narrative itself has many ways it can be experienced. How do you interact with your world? What is your role in it? Are you merely an observer, someone looking in from the outside? What happens when you've gone such a long time observing that you end up being thrust into the middle of everything you've never seen before? The surface only tells you so much, and the depths are never simple. You may lose yourself in the process. What if others are lost in it too? What can you do then?

I see many people that believe this game ends in an unfulfilling way, I disagree wholeheartedly. I liked where this story went and it makes sense to me from a thematic and narrative standpoint. The story pacing feels exact, precise. I don't want to say more, but believe me when I say I think it does what it needs to do as a story. There is a connecting narrative thread that links everything very well I think. Perhaps you may see it yourself. The surface does not tell the whole story.

What do you do for love? What does love do for you? Do you know why you love or why you want it? Does everyone want to be loved, even when they might not know what it is or what it's like?

I know I love this game. The story, writing, characters, setting, visuals, and music are incredible. This game is oozing style and polish, a top notch success with striking art direction and excellent design. The game plays great too: while it's more dialogue-driven than I thought it would be, I am engaged with the story at every line. The action is great too. Tense but satisfying to master, combat with hell creatures goes well as you try to determine how to handle varying scenarios and tight quarters. Sometimes you don't have the option to finish a foe off, so choosing when to expend resources still comes into play. I've finished roughly 1/4 of it so far I think, so I have yet to see how the combat develops, but what I've had so far has been great. Puzzles so far are not extremely complex, mostly finding what you need and bringing it where it goes, but there have been some interesting riddles to solve that serve side objectives. Some of these side objectives matter less, just getting some nice bonuses, but others are more important. Choices matter too, and while I can't say where my choices lead yet, I feel the weight of every major decision I make with Michelle. She's got a lot going on, and it'll be up to you to decide what she wants from her life. Choose what you want, or choose what you need.

Please play this game. Sorry We're Closed is quickly ending up on my GOTY list and I feel confident that it will handle difficult topics with deftness and nuance, as well as take me on an unforgettable ride through the Underworld. And again, amazing music. I'm sad I beat the first major fight before the music really went off, I did it too well!!