Recent reviews by pipsqueak

There's really nothing I can say that hasn't already been said. This is truly one of the best games from the past decade and so far it's aging quite well.

Why aren't there more wholesome animal dating simulators? Full disclosure: I am definitely a furry.

When I first heard of this game, I was hesitant to buy it because I worried it might not live up to the hype. I'm not usually one for platformers, either. Eventually I gave in and bought it to see what it was all about. Once I started playing, I couldn't put it down. I was surprised to find that it's mostly story-driven. I found myself noticing parallels between the game and my own experiences in life - coming of age, and finding the world isn't anything like what you were promised as a child. Coming to terms with your mistakes and failures, reconnecting with old friends.

I've nominated Night In The Woods for the "Game Of The Year" award. I can't quite put into words how this game made me feel. It was powerful, enthralling, and hit me hard. I won't deny I cried a couple of times. Fantastic storytelling, interesting visuals, and fun gameplay make this a solid choice for the game of the year.

I've played real-time strategy games my whole life. I started out with titles like Age Of Empires and Age Of Mythology, but I could never really get the hang of the gameplay. Tooth and Tail isn't like other real-time strategy games, though. While it has familiar elements, such as capturing bases and raising armies, it strays from the traditional formula in a number of ways.

Think of Tooth and Tail as real-time strategy distilled. I say "distilled" because it does more than offer a simplified version of the gameplay you might find in other popular titles of the genre. Sure, it does away with most of the micromanagement, but don't let that fool you into thinking this game won't offer you a challenge. Gameplay is fast-paced and highly dynamic, and focuses on a "leader" character which the player controls directly. Food is the only resource you have to worry about, and is generated in Grist Mills scattered around the map, which players must capture and build farms around. These structures extend your territory (the area in which you can build) for as long as they are owned, but the farms will eventually fallow, forcing you to capture more as the game progresses. The only structures available are devensive installations such as artillery and machineguns, and warrens, which consume food to produce new units for your army. You have no direct control over your army, and must instead lead them yourself to move them around the map.

These gameplay elements may seem simple, but when combined they create a unique experience that is well refined, hectic, and immensely satisfying. For people who have played strategy games before, Tooth and Tail offers something new and different that breaks the mold and keeps you on your toes. Even if you're not usually a fan of the genre, though, I highly recommend giving the game a try as it's quite unlike anything I've ever played.