Recent reviews by Iron Failure :(

I remember reading the reviews for this game, and that being the final decider in buying it, so here's my review - having only played almost 5 hrs so far. I've been wanting to play a game like this for a while, I sought something similar before - my other review.

Most of my gaming experience, is fast, FPS, multiplayer games that require a lot of attention, communication, quick thinking and time, while also being a source of frustration and burnout from gaming overall. Playing this game, is almost the inverse of that. It's peaceful, potent with emotion. The time it takes for things to happen, is long but meaningful, you can leave and come, whenever you wish. You are not tied to a moment in time, to quick decisions, to mistakes. You seek to be fulfilled in your time, just like the lil guy.

Personally, I never like to leave him out in the halls/caves. I feel obligated to make sure he's back, sitting, reading, drawing.. doing something, before I go. Recently I met a tiny spider on a web, and it was a very compelling moment for me watching the lil guy be happy to meet another living creature in the cave and call the tiny spider, his friend. He has been alone up to this point, and certainly felt sad . It's moments like that, that stick with me personally.

I can't wait to see how his story pans out and what more I find and gather. It is so peaceful, meaningful and such a well crafted game. More people should play it, we all get too lost in the sauce sometimes. Slowing down, making peace with time passing and the journey we're all on, is what's important.

I bought this game because I resonated with living alone, not the old lady part but feeling old on the days when things felt overwhelming to get done. What it captures, is the pressing need to do daily chores, while being surrounded by serene peacefulness and beauty.

I imagine it isn't a game for everyone, in fact, most people I know wouldn't like this game. It may be considered boring at times and it was. However, I don't believe it ever intended not to be boring, it embraces the mundane in a way many game developers are scared to embrace, because of the premise, games have to be fun and take away boredom. It made me sit and think about my time, how I use it and the way we connect with others. There is one element, that personally annoyed me, is not getting everything done in the day. It felt like so little time to do things, I felt mental pressure when this happened but that could be just a me thing.

The ending of the game made me tear up, the story dragged in pace but that is to be expected with how they tried to make the game work. It was wholesome, wise and therapeutic while also being a bit boring and frustrating. Definitely recommend if you struggle with being alone, it can be scary but it makes you self-reflect or at least it made me self-reflect.