Recent reviews by funewchie

This was a beautiful story.
With a fully voiced narration, and with a plot not easily seen through.

The game is a sort of Choose Your Own Adventure, where you acquire certain Key Words that can alter the flow of the story, leading to new outcomes. As you slowly progress to the golden ending.
There are dark chapters, and ominous moments... kinda like Choose Your Own Adventure, come to think of it. But overall, it's a wholesome story.

This is not a difficult game, not by any stretch. It's not that kind of game.
This is more of an interactive story, like a book you curl up and enjoy.

The music is excellent (the soundtrack is worth a buy, FYI, in my opinion), the dialogue is sweet, the character designs are top notch (the art book is also a good buy, in my opinion. But do not look at the artbook until you've fully completed the game!)
Be sure to avoid spoilers.

By the end of the game, you will be amazed, and will likely have the warm fuzzy feeling from enjoying a really good book.
That said, like a lot of these kinds of games, you're only going to get one excellent full playthrough, but it'll be amazing.

Is it worth it?
$20 is a bit steep for my taste (I got it during a sale), but that's for you to decide.
But, regardless: Yes, I approve of this game.

So, pop quiz: What's the number one issue with all those other mystery games?
A: It's the fact once you've solved it, there's no more mystery to it. You forever know who did it.

This game, however, is one of the only games I've seen that solves that issue.
Shadows of Doubt is procedurally-generated film noir, so the dark gritty city will be different for each player.
And... the cases/mysteries, too, are continuously Randomly Generated!

The game literally picks an NPC at times (of the dozens that are generated in your city), and will make them a murderer and has them kill another.
As a private investigator, you will have to figure it out each time. No guides, no YT videos, no forum will have the ability to tell you who did it, as it will always be different.
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That said, your character is not a cop.
You aren't allowed to just walk into a crime scene. You'll have to use your head to think of ways to sneak in and investigate. You'll need to find clever ways to figure out whose prints it is, or what their connection to the victim was, or calculate the trajectory of the sniper round that the victim died to, etc.
Figuring it out, and submitting the paperwork to the authorities, who will make the full arrest and reward you (if you're correct).

The cases are surprisingly tricky to solve. Some leads are dead ends, some will go cold, you will always be looking for your next hot clue, waiting for the serial killer to slip up on their next victim.
The game gives you a virtual corkboard for each case, allowing you to have a "string theory on a corkboard", which you WILL need to solve mysteries. Anything can be pinned, allowing you refer back to it at any time.

Besides murder cases, you can also earn cash and prestige on the side by solving minor cases, such as helping the cops to locate and arrest a wanted criminal. Or investigating someone's cheating spouse, and learn who their lover is. Or helping someone to find a lost ring. And so on.

The city is alive and always moving, the NPCs have simulated lives that are independent of the player.
In the end, your goal is to earn both enough money and enough "social credit" in this corporation-owned dystopia to earn the right to retire in a beautiful community.
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How tough is this game?
Let me put it to you this way: As of this review, I have 27 hours in this game.... and I've only solved 3 murders, and 1 minor case (which was literally just "throw a pie in this one guy's face to humiliate him") in all that time.
(And 2 of those murders were a fluke that my paranoid hunches paid off on. I had very little evidence, and just was suspicious of the NPC. Yeah, I somehow eventually solved two cases through actual IRL instincts.)

This game is Early Access, so be advised of that if you're worried about those.
However, these developers are very active in updates and fixes for this game. (In fact the "sniper murder" cases were just recently added to the game)
At the rate they're going, this game is shaping up to be a solid contender, a real sneaky good game.

So, yes, I do recommend it.

So, are you wanting to get into Digimon, but you know nothing about it, and just want to get the "definitive" experience?
Well, look no further, friend!

So, for those new to this franchise (and probably visiting from the Pokemon series): Digimon debuted around the same time as Pokemon, conceived by the makers of Tamagotchi as a sort of "Tamagotchi for guys".
It started as toy-like devices where one would raise monsters, who eventually would evolve into stronger forms.
In 1999, this same concept was made into a Playstation 1 game called Digimon World, where they added a story adventure to it (which was just before the various anime REALLY took the idea and ran with it).

This series comes in all kinds of tones and genres. Lately, it's done turn-based RPG (Cyber Sleuth) and visual novel (Survive). Some with a story that's light-hearted, and some that's surprisingly dark.

But this game... is basically Digimon re-visiting its roots. And paying homage to where it came from.
And it is wonderful, sort of coming home.
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Q: "Lore-wise, how are Digimon different from Pokemon?"

A: Digimon are fully sentient, with almost all of them able to speak.
They generally have the same level of intelligence as humans, as well.

They benefit from tamers, by naturally receiving energy from them, which can unlock greater strength and allow them to evolve quicker than in the wild. So humans are basically Chaos Emeralds to partner Digimon.

Gameplay-wise, Digimon also have branched evolutions (unlike the more linear ones in Pokemon). And many evolutions even re-converge.
To put it in Pokemon terms: imagine a Pichu choosing to evolve into an Abra, then evolves into Charmeleon, and then finally evolves back into a Raichu. Complete with a flow chart in-game that even shows what else it could have become.

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Returning to the game: Your character raises now two digimon at the same time. Due to a strange event, your character gets digitized and pulled into the Digital World, the mysterious homeworld of Digimon, where you are met by your two partners.

In this strange world, you operate out of a dilapidated hub city that you must help rebuild, serving as your HQ. You'll help to uncover the strange events going on that are messing with the Digital World.

You continue to train and feed your partners (plus maintain their health, and make sure they have needed bathroom breaks) as the three of you explore.
It's not easy at first, but as you recruit certain NPC digimon, they'll unlock features that make things easier, like a farm to grow food, an item shop, a hospital, etc.
At one point you even have a gym that helps to stat train.

Your digimon will over time grow up, and evolve into stronger forms.
But beware - they also have limited lifespans, and will eventually grow old and die.
Thankfully, digimon never truly die, and your partners will reincarnate as hatching eggs, ready to resume their training.
As a tamer, you too earn EXP, and can acquire skills that assist you in raising your digimon (such as one that allows your partners to keep 10% of their stats when they reincarnate, allowing them to be even stronger their next life)

As for exploring and story, your progress is only really limited by how strong your digimon are. They stronger they are, the farther you can safely travel.

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The graphics are very nice, the camera is excellent.
(Especially for those coming from Cyber Sleuth, this camera is a full 360 degrees. And the world is lovely terrains (grasslands, deserts, volcanoes, etc))

And the menus are very nice, especially compared to the original Digimon World.
In general, it's a lovely new(ish) game based on the style of the old games.

If you're a fan of Digimon: you should get this game.
If Cyber Sleuth's story and missions (and limited setting, and fixed camera) weren't your taste: then you might well love this game.
If you're new to Digimon, and want to try a "definitive Digimon experience": then this is probably what you're after, a series returning to its roots.

And yes, I recommend it.

This was a surprisingly fun novel-type mystery game, that came out of nowhere.
The story was awesome, and it handled nice.
They nailed the cast and their personalities.

(For those (like me) worried about a jumpscare or prank, due to it being an April Fools game... Don't worry, it is a real game and has none of that. It was a good treat to play. (It's release date is pretty much the only April Fools thing it ever does))

Honestly, I legit hope Sega makes more like this, not as a replacement for the main games, of course, but maybe more as little side games?

Do I recommend it?
It's free, and it's a good Sonic novel game.
Of course I recommend it!

At long last, the classic niche monster raising games return, for a new generation (and old generation) to enjoy!
I've long considered this series one of the "Big 3" of Monster Raising Games (i.e. Pokemon, Digimon, and Monster Rancher).

So...for those who've never heard of these game(s), in the original PS1 game, you would insert your own music or game CDs, the game would read them, and generate a monster to raise.
At your ranch, you feed the monster, train it, battle with it, and enter it in tournaments.

That said, I will warn you -- These games are famed for their difficulty.
Monsters have a limited lifespan, and your actions can shorten that if you push the monster too hard. They can get stressed and fatigued (both of which are semi-hidden stats).
If totally outmatched in a battle, to the point of getting one-hit KO'ed, they can be injured or even outright die.

But, these games are charming in their own way, it's always a treat to see what a CD will generate.
Now, for this DX remaster, since most PCs (and the Switch) don't have CD drives, Koei-Tecmo have instead included a database of metadata for over 600,000 CDs (including a few important PS1 games).
Search for an artist and album you want, and see what comes of it.

Sure the graphics are from the PS1-era, but honestly, they hold up surprisingly well in this day and age, especially the monsters themselves.
If you want fun games, two games that won't hold your hand and actually will give you a challenge, then this game bundle is for you.
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Q: "I've played Pokemon. How does this compare to that?"

A: "I like Pokemon, too. So... imagine a Pokemon game where you own a ranch.
Instead of walking around and catching what you find, you go to a shrine and pick a CD, and are handed the monster inside.
You train the monster through drills, and have unlimited tournaments/battles for money and items.
Oh, and the monster will eventually grow old and die, leading to you generating a new one. (Assuming you don't combine two monsters into a new hybrid).
And instead of a gym challenge, there's no hard endgoal.

This will be somewhat easy in some regards...but that disguises the true difficulty. It's not hard to get to a meager C rank. But to get to the world-class S Rank (where the endgoals are)... that's gonna take true skill from you.
So imagine a Pokemon game where beating the first few gyms is fairly simple... and then the kid gloves come off and the game gets brutal, to the point facing the champion requires tons of effort and tears, after dozens of hours of work.
And lastly, instead of separately buying two versions of the same game...here, you instead are buying the game, and its sequel, in one neat package."
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As I said, these two games are difficult, but fun, and rather unique, in my opinion.
Very important to remember: This includes TWO GAMES in one.
So for $30, that effectively makes both games $15. And each game has dozens of hours of things to do. Well worth their price tags, even for these older games.

So, do you like a game that you definitely are not going to blast through in a week (or even a month)?
Do you like getting two long games for a mere $15 a piece?
Do you like a game that's not afraid to kick your rear and punish you for making bad choices?
Do you just want to enjoy a fine slice of monster-raising history, maybe even raise an adorable Moochi?

If you said yes to any of these, then yes, I definitely recommend this game.

An excellent remake of the NES classic.

While it has many similarities to the original, it also has a lot of new, overhauled stage design, giving it enough of a distinction that it won't just feel like you're playing the old game. In a lot of ways, it feels like a new game.
(Let's just say: Looking at walkthrough of the NES game will NOT help you in this one, not in the slightest)

The game also includes fully voiced cutscenes, which doesn't interfere with the game too much, and makes it feel like a proper episode of the show.
(Plus, it's nice hearing Alan Young as Scrooge McDuck and June Foray as Magic DeSpell for one last time before the actors deaths)

The controls feel nice and tight.
The game is overall not full of nonsense, and handles like one would expect.

Is this a game that will take ages to get through? Not in the slightest.
You'll likely complete the main story within a few hours.
This isn't an RPG, it's not meant to be an epic, lengthy game. It's meant to be something you enjoy in an afternoon, and come back to for a casual run now and then.

Overall, it's a fine love letter to both the 1987 DuckTales show and the original NES game.
If you've played the original game, you'll like the improvements.
If you're fan of the 1987 cartoon, you'll smile a lot at the memories.
If you like platformers with secret collectables, you'll get a good after noon out of it.

So, sure, go for it.

This has been an interesting game to play.
I will say, off the bat, despite it claiming that "Your Choices will have Major Consequences!!" ... in reality, the main plot follows the same path, with your choice only affecting a few things in the ending.

This is realistically more like a kinetic novel.
Mind you, it's a very good kinetic novel, with an amazing story and great characters, and more than a few plot twists that will tug at your emotions. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be filled with rage.

You do have to manage resources during play, to ensure you don't get your game ended too early. You will need to make sure you have gold and food, while keeping people happy. Overall, this is not too intense, compared to other management games.
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Is this worth $20?
Honestly... I'd say wait for a sale.
You likely will only get one or two playthroughs of this game.
Don't get me wrong, they'll be very good playthroughs, especially the first one, but still... as I said, think of this game as being like a kinetic novel.
I'd say it's worth a sale price.

The legendary story creation game, well deserving of it's "Overwhelmingly Postive" rating.
You'll likely spend hours taking part in your colony's story as it comes, through the good times and bad.

In a lot of ways, this is like a Tabletop Roleplaying game, for single player.
At the start, you select the starting scenario (often a crashed spaceship), then choose one of three GameMasters (each with their own level of cruelty and amounts of "killer DM'ing" ), who will generate events and for traveling pawns, the encounters.

From there, it's up to you how the story is going to go, you steer the colonists towards their goal, and endure unexpected events - which WILL happen, the amount depending on the GM you choose.
(Protip: Don't pick Randy, unless you like unfair Killer DMs... or you're the type that looks at a game and says "BRING IT ALL ON!!").
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Generally speaking, the end goal is to get your colonists/pawns to escape the planet.
That said... that will likely take you AGES to achieve.
Just like Tabletop RPGs, the story will take place over long periods of time and many, many sessions.

Your pawns will have to build buildings, bedrooms, etc to live in, farms to grow crops and textiles, train their skills, craft items, travel the land, and fight back against raiders, slavers, and barbarians.
All the while, they must keep up their moods, attend to their needs, and take care of their bodies (injuries can and will happen. Some permanent.)
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Does it have longevity and replay value, you ask?

Let me put it you this way: As of this review, I have 70+ hours into this game... and I still haven't finished my first playthrough. And yet, it stays fun throughout, each day brings a new challenge or quest (or new recruit, or raiders, or disaster, or....))

It's like a faster, more streamlined version of The Sims, with more of an actual goal.
Excellent for those seeking to make a story, and want randomness to it.
Maybe the story will end triumphant and happy, or maybe it ends in "rocks fall, everyone dies".
Either way, you'll feel the entire journey will have been worth it.

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Okay, now for the downside, that might bother some people: The price tag.

The devs have made it clear, this game will NOT go on sale, ever.
So I'll tell you now - don't bother waiting for a sale.

Is it worth $35?
Honestly... I can only speak for myself, but I believe if you're the type that spends hours playing The Sims or Minecraft, like me, I think you'd enjoy it.
The storytelling is fun, guiding the pawns to goals doesn't get old.
I decided to take the plunge and spend the $35, and I can say I have no regrets.
I feel it was worth the price.

Only you can decide if it's for you.
Try just the base game if you're not sure.
The DLC is truly just that, extra content on top of a fully made game. It's not needed, but is nice to add later on.

All 4 packs have their charm.
Admittedly, Packs 3 & 4 are likely going to be more notable to most users, with a new map theme (a train), and pack 4 is really useful if you want to create children characters in the character generator.

Packs 1 & 2 are nice if you've played with RPG Maker 2000 and/or 2003.
It's nice to see the old gang of characters back in action, and now with updated graphics and side battler sprites if you like using that mode.
The music is also now updated to be more modern.
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If you're worried about the 82 negative reviews, bear in mind quite a lot of them were from before Packs 3 & 4 came out.
Apparently, some of them thought this was only going to be just RPG Maker 2000/2003 content, felt tricked, and gave negative reviews.
In truth, the pass has useful content.

I'd still recommend waiting for a sale, unless you're really fond of the 2000/2003 heroes (plus the train tilesets and child generator parts) and want them all now.

(Or look for a good bundle that makes this an even sweeter deal)

This is a very streamlined version of the game, and is actually fun to play.
I also recommend the DLC Season Pass if you like a nice change of venue, but the game is still perfectly functional (i.e. complete) without it.

The clue sheet is very nice and easy to work with, and will assist you in marking off players who don't have a card. Doesn't sound like much, but it's a tremendous help in longer sessions. Yet, you can still make adjustments manually as you wish.
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Now, to address something from the perspective of someone who hadn't played Clue in many years: I had absolutely no idea the actual board game had changed it's rules in recent years to speed up the game and make sessions better paced.
I'll admit, I very much like this new change.
(And yes, this version of the board game uses the new design and rules)

No more "Roll one dice per turn. Takes at least 2-4 turns just to reach one room. Don't bother going to the Kitchen or Study, you'll never make it".
There are now two dice, and the map is designed to be more compact. Almost every turn you'll make it to a room (maybe not the one you want for that turn, but a room nonetheless).

The game still has all the mystery elements that make it fun, but now there's noticeably a lot less time wasted in the outside corridors trying to get to a room to make one guess. (Though this can still rarely happen from time to time with a bad roll)

Much less frustration and dependency on luck. You now can focus more on the strategy side of things, of deducing clues (not always having to depend on someone showing you a card).

This makes the game much quicker and more fun.
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Overall, this adaptation is a fun game.
It offers online multiplayer, either against random players (quite fun and challenging), or in a private match with your friends.
Do your friends not have a copy?
No problem, as host you can set this up to be played in the style of Jackbox Party games, on one screen. You and your friends use the free companion app to control your character and cluesheets via tablets or smartphones.

Overall, if you like Clue (Cluedo), this is an excellent version of it.
I'd say go for it!
(I also suggest, if you get the game and you like it, you might consider getting the Season Pass. The extra content is not required, but is rather nice)