Slay the Princess

A visual novel style horror “sequence” very much in the vein of “The Stanley Parable” (with a bit of “Doki Doki” thrown in). The art by Abby Howard steals the show, in what is more a non-linear experience, rather than a story. I kept trying to find hidden loops, but as far as I can tell, the story is a straight fanout with narrative building on iterations through the story. Solid game if you’re a fan of the prior art.

6/10

Neva lets you pet, play, scratch, cuddle, and fight with the dog (and tears were definitely shed in the process). Gris is a better game and I prefer the puzzle platforming versus the combat in Neva, but the mechanics are tight and ultimately satisfying.

8/10

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Improved Persona-esque mechanics with a more complex and flexible combat/upgrade system. The story didn’t quite resonate with me (felt very one note) and while the OST is good, it’s not Persona.

7/10

Steam Deck

Holy shit! This thing is awesome! The OLED screen makes all the difference.

Thoughts on Final Fantasy 16

My lukewarm thoughts on the latest installment in the Final Fantasy franchise