READ A LITTLE DREAM FOR ME – LC ‘Plays’ A Winter’s Daydream

 

I haven’t been reviewing games for long, but bringing together three of my passions, one can see there’s no question why I love it so much.

1. I get to write.  I have always loved writing, it is something I have done since I was a small child.
2.  I get to express my opinion.  Those who know me well are already aware how much I like to discuss, dissect, and decide on all matter of topics.
3.  I get to play video games.

And in addition to number 3, a little subscript can be added – I get to try out genres which I never would consider.

I had never even heard the term ‘Visual Novel’ before as a game genre.  Sure, I have played a few point-and-click story games, where drawings are accompanied with written text, however those have an element of choice and/or discovery added.  Roam your mouse/controller to explore and find clues.   Choose between dialogue/action bubbles on what the character is going to do next.  Visual Novels are to be judged by their cover, they are stories, no choices, no searching, just a gamer’s edition of a Read Along book.

And I can think of no better way to try one out than with A Winter’s Daydream.  With it’s simple anime style, wonderful soundtrack, and mesmerising story, this was an absolute delight to play.

We start out as Yuu, a young Japanese man on a contemplative train journey from his University home of Tokyo to visit his family in their northern small town during the winter holidays.

We then meet his family at their house; his father, always ready to tell the obligatory dad-jokes at the drop of a hat, his mother who would seem to want to make a career out of doting on her son, and then Otoko, his beautiful but bratty younger sister.

We learn about his past through their personalities, and the story really takes you in at this point – anyone who has had any sort of family can relate to at least a few of the dynamics of domestic life this family presents.

However, because of his strained relationship with his sister, he decides to visit his grandmother who lives in an even smaller, traditional town.  He lets his parents know that it is mainly because she is getting quite old, however the reader realises it is to get away from his not-so-nice sister.

When he arrives in her village, his grandmother of course looks after him well, recalling stories about their visits when he was a young boy stuck in place that had little for a youngster to do.  They also discuss his grandfather who had passed away nearly a year before, how they met, what he taught Yuu about Astronomy, and how much both grandparents adored each other.

It is during this visit, however, that something very magical occurs, which takes the reader on a twist of happenings that is truly wonderful.  Of course I shall not spoil this, as I would leave that for you to be as surprised as I was.  And there is an even bigger surprise after the full story is completed, when you read the author’s inspiration for the story!

The story itself can be completed in roughly 3-4 hours.  A 100% Achievement/Trophy score is guaranteed as long as you go through to the end.  It gives a lovely glimpse of Japanese family life, and that sound, not just the enchanting music but the actual sound effects are really astounding.   And to keep us gamers even more interested, there are several gaming references throughout.

If you don’t mind taking a back seat and letting a game play for you, this is ideal.  An absolute dream to play.

A Winter’s Daydream will be available on Xbox One, PS4, PSVita, and Nintendo Switch on 8th October 2019, PC version available now.  Developed by ebi-hime and console versions published by Sometimes You.

A ’95 WINDOWS OF THE GAMING WORLD – LC Plays Back In 1995

I am a bit of a latecomer when it comes to gaming. Rather than cutting my teeth in the arcades and mini-byte home consoles in the early days, I discovered my passion with a second-hand grey PlayStation and a stack of pre-owned games. Hardly retro, however this was before it became the PSOne, so maybe PSemi-Retro.

*Disclaimer: not my actual collection

Because of this, I have a certain fondness for the pixelated 32-bit games, particularly if they are 3D with D-pad controls……ahhhhh, those simpler days and days and DAYS of eventually mastering movements while hitting the directional control just right!

So when the opportunity came up to play and review BACK IN 1995, I pressed ∆ o x □ and jumped at the chance.

The game is very reminiscent of early survival horror; tank-ish controls, unexpected enemies, limited resources, plus those pixelated graphics. As a recent convert to the Resident Evil series, this game was practically screaming at me.

Not so retro was my impression from the title screen, which is a lone beacon shining out from a tall structure. This had a definite Bioshock vibe to it which although I knew was not the gaming style in any way, it still left a pleasant feeling which carried through my entire playthrough of the game.

To give the game a true experience of the times, there is a ‘CRT Effect’ that can be turned on in the Options screen, which adds low-res fuzzy lines to the graphics, however I chose not to enable this feature as I needed to experience it with my vision as clear as possible. But it is a very cool feature which I may try on another playthrough. There was one other choice in Options, a language setting, but nothing more, reflective of a simpler time when you enjoyed a game just as it was presented.

We begin with the simple goal of getting to the aforementioned tower with the glowing beam, but as we’re not entirely aware of why and how we ended up here we would have to use our exploration skills and uncover the story with clues found.

As mentioned before, the character is moved with tank controls, very slow and somewhat frustrating to get used to, but that is part of the genius of this game, it forces you to rethink your strategy after you’ve perished yet another time, as the dangers are (thankfully!) in the same spots. There is no run option, just a slow, steady gait, but the enemies aren’t very fast either. I tended to die mostly from the sheer panic of encountering every new ‘WTF?’ creature.

Speaking of, I am still not sure what the enemies really are, the first ones looked to me like pickled walnuts, but with arms that would scrape at you until you succumbed to their nutty way of killing. The later enemies were just as bizarre, each new one being more deadly than the previous and requiring more powerful weaponry. Your first line of defense is a simple yet effective pipe wrench, however as the tougher enemies are also faster, that doesn’t really cut the mustard so either the pistol or shotgun would get you through – thank goodness for auto-aim!

Save points are not plentiful, but thoughtfully rendered blocky computers of the day. The stat menu is plainly set up, you can see your items and health very clearly. And just like the survival horror of the day, there are clues and items to be found and utilised, and this may require some backtracking, but this is the absolute charm about this game. It truly is a homage to that genre.

I played the PS4 version of the game, and I instantly got a Trophy for starting the story. Other trophies were very easy to come by and the end result was my very first Platinum on that platform.
If you are into old school 3D games of the mid 90s, this game is definitely for you. It isn’t very long, the graphics, movements, and build-up are true to the source of inspiration. And the ending, now that was a real surprise and I would recommend this game solely to see this.

Back In 1995 is available on Xbox One, PS4, PSVita, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Developed by one-man team Ichijo Takaaki at Throw The Warped Code Out. Console versions published by Ratalaika Games.

UNDER THERE……..UNDER WHERE? – LC Plays Pantsu Hunter: Back To The 90s

Would you play a game that opens up with a warning such as this?

You’re a gamer, of course you would!

Pantsu Hunter advises you to proceed with caution, however I felt it might have needed two types of warnings. One for the pending frustration you might encounter as you play. The second for the subject matter.

You see, the premise is all in the name, P-a-n-t-s-u Hunter. As in the Japanese term for ladies undergarments. Yes, this game is a virtual panty raid. After the initial shock over the subject matter, I proceeded to give the game a go as it is a point-and-click investigating style game, a genre I’ve recently discovered which I’ve found I really love.

The protagonist is Kenji, a university student who supports himself as a jack-of-all-trades who feels he is missing out as he wants to find the love of his life. He has decided that one can only find the true nature of a girl through her choice of panties. Thankfully these would not be the ones they are wearing, rather ones that they own and found in the places they live. And with his handyman skills, he has the opportunity to meet girls in their dwellings, and access their panties.

Background information is presented in a dialogue box style, as is the communication between characters,. There is voice acting for the girls, but not for Kenji. But that’s a minor point. When you look at each girl’s story chapters, you can see that there would be several endings available, including a True Ending. There are also a number of panties to collect, however as with the endings, not all are necessary to proceed to the next chapter. You will, however, need a set amount of panties to collect to end the chapter.

The game play is easy, just point and click looking for clues/panties. However, if you click the wrong item/area the game ends and you have to start the chapter again. This is where the warning comes into play. It may be frustrating, however you do open up the alternative endings mentioned before and you get to use your deduction skills to play it better next time around. Plus, with the slight comedic tone, it can be funny to see the different consequences to your actions.

The artwork is beautiful, as the title says, 90s style anime. There are some issues with the Japanese to English translations however this is a minor point, you know exactly how the script was meant to be read as so it really isn’t a problem.

One thing I found out when I streamed this, it works very well as an audience participation game online. There are several choices to make, and playing along with viewers was quite fun and engaging. Of course you don’t have to do this, however if you are a content creator, it’s ideal.

If you are a fan of Japanese anime, storybook style games, point-and-click, and slight humour, then this game is definitely for you. Have fun. Just don’t get your knickers in a twist about the less than politically correct subject matter.

Pantsu Hunter: Back to the 90s is available now on PS4, PSVita, PC, Mac, and Linux. Developed and published by Ascension Dreams, PlayStation version ported by Sometimes You

A-BUNNY AND IVORY – LC Plays Bunny Mahjo

Ever since I read the The Joy Luck Club, I had a desire to play mahjong, the Chinese tile game that is central to the story.  I believe it may have been the way that author Amy Tan described the look, feel, and sound of the (presumably ivory) tiles that had a bit to do with this.

So when the opportunity to play mahjong on my beloved Xbox One came up, I was more than happy to try it out.  And not only play mahjong, but play with an adorable cartoon rabbit.  Welcome to BUNNY MAHJO!

The premise of the game is easy, play mahjong by controlling an animated rabbit to hop on the tiles.  Since I had never learned the rules of the game I didn’t think there’d be any problem learning as most video games have a tutorial of sorts.  Unfortunately there were no instructions on how to play in this game’s options, so I ended up having a forlorn and lost looking bunny (well, in my head anyway) as I didn’t have a clue what to do with it.  Off to the internet for some mahjong lessons I went.

The rules as it turns out are pretty easy – match tiles in pairs to clear a board.  With this newfound knowledge I smugly went back to the console intending to conquer this game with Mr Bunny.

So, we make the bunny hop across the many Chinese-symbolled tiles to find the ones that light up pale green.  But wait, I have to remember where I saw that other lit tile with the 3 lines.  Where was it?  This is a new dimension, I have to use my memory to master this game!

And what’s that at the top of the screen?  A timer.  Okay, I have to make the bunny hop around finding lit up tiles, I have to remember which ones match, and I have a timer recording how long this whole process is taking.

Once you clear a board, a new one unlocks, with a higher difficulty.  This continues until you unlock all the boards.  Then you can play against your own time.

I notice that there are ‘Hint’ and ‘Shuffle’ buttons on screen in case I get stuck.  Which did happen a few times.  I never used the former, however I did use the latter an average of 5 times during games.  Because the lit up tiles are set by location – I presumed those on the edges and those underneath other tiles get the literal green light – sometimes you get to a point where you can’t match anymore and a shuffle is needed to progress.  But of course, both these help buttons end up adding time to your game, so if you’re of the competitive mindset, it’s best not to use these unless absolutely necessary.

Because, yes, there is an element of competition with this sweet little game.  It actually has global Leaderboards.  Now I’m not sure how those top players solved the puzzles in the times stated, but if you do want to compete against them there is certainly the opportunity.

I myself am quite happy to compete with myself, bettering my time can be quite satisfying (note: there is also a 2-person local co-op mode).  But really, I just enjoy the feeling of clearing the board regardless of how long it takes.  I expect nothing less than an element of Feng shui in an ancient Chinese game.

One nice little touch which may or may not appeal is the ability to change your rabbit’s colouring.  And it’s done in a completely simple way, too.  Just hop your little friend into the room at the back and you’ll see a myriad of coloured tiles on the floor.  And just hop onto your chosen colour, your bunny instantly matches it.  No complicated colour wheel to navigate, so ‘Are you sure you want to save this?’ button, he changes instantly with no fuss.

Although lacking instructions on how to play, Bunny Mahjo is a nice little title to keep in your library when you just want a relaxing game to play by yourself.  Harmony achieved in a simple but satisfying way.

Bunny Mahjo is available now on Xbox One and PC.  Developed and published by Dilly Frame Games.

GETTING TO GRIPS WHILE TRYING TO STAY ON TRACK – LC Plays GRIDD: Retroenhanced

In case you weren’t aware from my blog photo and moniker, I am definitely a big fan of the Action/Adventure genre in gaming, this is where I feel most comfortable.  I do try to explore other areas, sometimes with success as in my growing confidence with First Person Shooters, or mastering my fear of both the tank controls and horror aspect of the Resident Evil series.  Other times not so much – side-scrolling platformers will always be the bane of my existence.  Like most gamers, I will give anything a go, as you never know what may become your next favourite game.  Though GRIDD: Retroenhanced wasn’t destined to become my next fave game, it turned out that I can enjoy this type of game despite my inexperience.   Or warning from the game itself.

GRIDD: Retroenhanced is classed as an arcade shooter, and with it’s pulsating music and stylish neon graphics, it takes you right back to the 1980s.  This is what drew me to play it.  Now I knew I was never really going to master this one.  My history with fast moving games is pretty dismal – unless it’s a cart racer, I have little hope in hell of even passing the training mode of most racers.  But the look and sound of this was intriguing, I really wanted to have a go on it.

The premise is pretty easy to follow; you speed on a track and shoot the obstacles to gain more points.  Avoid the obstacles.  You try to get to the end by beating the bosses.  And then you try again apparently.  I’m only speculating on the last bit, as I wasn’t skilled enough to quite get to the end.

As for the controls, there is no acceleration nor a forward one.  You move left/right, up/down with the left stick and press a controller button on the right to shoot.  There is a very short tutorial clip to explain this, but that wasn’t necessary in my case for once.

Thankfully the obstacles are always in the same place, and do the same thing, so with a bit of practice I could predict where to shoot and dodge.  In theory.  In practice, my reflexes aren’t always that responsive and what should be a clean, easy run just was never to be.  But not that I didn’t enjoy trying.  This game is fun.

As I stated above, I was never able to finish the whole circuit, although I did come very close.  I ended up playing it at least 20 times and it was satisfying seeing my score slowly improve after each play, and I will be returning to try to get to that final boss.

This game was clearly made for the retro arcade shooter crowd.  But even though will never likely to be one of those hallowed gamer-types, I still had fun with it and will keep it installed for some light diversion.

GRIDD: Retroenhanced is available now on Xbox One and PC.  Developed by Antab Studios, published by Kongregate

griddgame.com