Recent reviews by 🦌 Deer Guy Danny

A very difficult challenge, but as always, from Software saves their best bosses, coolest items and most profound storytelling in their dlc.

Unlike the base game, you have to learn how to fight, rather than steamrolling every enemy by just grinding levels like some people choose to do. A lot of the complaints I've seen is the difficulty spike, however, should you play these games as attempting to learn the combat and the flow of its respective dance, you will find this DLC to be some of from softwares best work. This is not a DLC if you sleepwalked through the base game by just exploiting bosses and using broken strats and spamming one weapon art to death, this is something you have to actually try to improve at.

As with every DLC it has its issues and it's flaws, but overall I am very thoroughly impressed with this and can't wait to see what from softwares next project will be.

The rough but conceptual groundwork for many subsequent creations, fingerbones stands as the first game in what I would consider "The Szymanski anthology"

To briefly explain, the Szymanski anthology is my catch all term for the series of indie horror games developed by game creator David Szymanski. While these games not be directly related to one another, they share a common DNA which ties each one together in unique artistic web. The three of the major characteristics of a proper Szymanski title are the use of lowPoly graphics, a stark use of more realistic lighting and a traditionally dark and somewhat uncomfortable story.

My first experience In regards to fingerbones was back in 2015, in which I had watched the playthrough of fingerbones through a small YouTuber whose name I have since forgotten. It was not until 2017 but I had played this game for myself, though the experience was relatively the same.

To put It bluntly, fingerbones is the story of an awful man who has done awful things, taking one last trip to the site of his greatest atrocity to relish in it one last time. The games story is generally a bit on the nose and not completely fleshed out, though for a 15 to 20 minutes experience It's not bad by any measure. While generally I consider this Szymanski's weakest title , it is his first published, so perhaps it need not be judged based on the merits of its successors. Fingerbones feels like the first step in a long line of improvements on the road to be coming a great developer, And while I would consider it a title worthy of skipping compared to his other horror games, I occasionally still come back to fingerbones just to see It's rough and unsculpted foundation, as a stark reminder of the improvement of artists work overtime.

My first experience With the creator of this Game, David Szymanski was back when Finger-bones had first came out, over seven years ago (i believe) at this point. It was one of my first experiences in horror, and while i didn't think much of it, i thought David had potential, and that one day he could make something great. His name then escaped my mind, as well as Finger-bones until Halloween of 2020. I was reminded of their existence by a friend who heavily recommended i played "Dusk" off of the merit that it and the type of art i produced were very tonally similar. Needless to say i immediately fell in love with Dusk and gained a massive level of respect for its creator.

Two years later and Here i sit after playing Iron Lung, and I cant even begin to explain how much i love this game. DO NOT let its low poly aesthetic fool you, this game is an incredible short horror game. The Low Poly art-style is something which Szymanski has Mastered to its fullest, and it works wonders to the aesthetic of iron Lung. The game is unique and has an interesting set of mechanics behind it, ones which you will have to learn over the hour experience but also ones which are stressful and work to the games advantage without overstaying their welcome. Its hard to even describe what i like about this game simply because it would take too long, and would involve a multitude of spoilers

To put it as briefly as i can It's clever and combined use of low poly aesthetics, a dark claustrophobic environment, an incredible audio mixing and oppressive droning soundtrack creates a uniquely uncomfortable and claustrophobic experience, it truly makes you feel like you are on a hostile planet, one which is alive and breathing and hates you for having set foot upon it. If you are considering even for a second getting this game DO IT. The game may be short, but it is worth the price of admission. I can see myself at some point going back to play this game multiple times, it's probably one of my favorite immersive horror games, and I believe personally that David Szymanski has finally done what I had hoped he could do so long ago. He has created a stressful dark yet simple immersive simulation.

Incredible Atmosphere, Incredible Music, Unique Mechanics, Short and oh so Wonderfully Bitter-Sweet, This Receives 10 Alien-Bloodmoons out of 5 Enslaved-Convicts for me.