Recent reviews by IFIYGD

Seriously intense. The most intense game of solitaire I ever played.
The retro look and feel was perfect for me- Elder Gen X, remembering what games were like back in the 90s.

The story was wild, really well done. It had some twists and unexpected turns that made me want to keep playing to find out what the heck was going on.

It is dark, very dark, and some of the story may be disturbing to some people.
Suicide and gruesome deaths, horrifying monsters, and a twisted cult.

***Flashing lights and some graphics effects that may make it unsuitable for people with photo-sensitive conditions like epilepsy or photo-sensitive headaches and certain vision/eye conditions.***

6-6 1/2 hours for my first playthrough to get to one ending. Some replayability thanks to RNG in the shop, the jokers you unlock, and picking up missed achievements. And of course, replayability if you just really like solitaire with a different look and feel to it- the difficulty progression is really well done, with Boss Fights adding a difficulty spike at certain story moments. And that was well done too- the Boss Fights get harder as you go in a similar progression style. You lose, it's not permadeath- you can retry any hand you lose until the RNG gods smile on you and give you the cards you need or want.

Well worth it. And yeah, I'll be replaying to pick up a few missed achievements. And I'll probably come back to it after that just for the unique vibe, and to get my "retro-gaming" fix.

No bugs or performance issues for me- not attaching system specs, since I played on several different machines, from a low-end older (non-gaming) laptop, a mid-range older gaming desktop, and a much newer beefy gaming desktop. All running Windows 10 22H2, so I can't say how it'll run on bloatware packed Windows 11.

Still fairly early on in this (what I call) Active Idler.
Absolutely lovely pixel graphics- get over the fact that the ducks are big enough to eat *you* for lunch, lol.
The Bait Store dude is a decent guy- tip him well. His coffee and advice are both good. :)

Yes, it's an idler, but yes, some things need you to be actively playing. For example- there is no catch & release in Idle Mode, and one achievement requires catch & release.

Just a chill fishing game- catch fish, sell them, make money to buy new lures, new boats, and upgrade your rods and boats. Dogs need to go out or the kids need fed and homework needs checked? Put it in Idle Mode for a bit and let the game make you some money while you deal with Real Life.
There are settings for Idle Mode to change what the game allows- No Restrictions, No Trophy Fish can be caught, No Legendary Fish can be caught, Full Restrictions- Screensaver only.

It's not high action, it's just a slow lazy day or night of fishing. Get the Supporter Pack so you can have the Cat or the Big Doggo ride in the boat with you. The gaming industry is going through a reset right now, gamers are being real dorks on forums and review bombing small indie games studios out of existence. Chill out peeps- they're humans too, who need to buy groceries and take care of their families. Them not putting out Dev Diaries or updates every week or month- let them cook, they may have IRL stuff going on that has to be dealt with too.

Honestly, I am looking forward to what's on the roadmap, but if it never happens- this is still the calm, cozy, quiet bit of relaxation I needed right now. And it's letting me remember days and nights out fishing with Dad many decades ago.
I miss you Dad-I'll catch every fish in your memory and remember those days as a kid putting worms on hooks to see if we could catch dinner for everyone at camp.

Recommended with caveats.
If you enjoyed any or all of the other Jewel Match Solitaire games, you'll probably like this one.

If you have never played any of the other Jewel Match Solitaire games you need to know-
You. Will. Repeat. Levels.
A lot.
No way around it- no one has enough good luck to be dealt a perfect hand every time. This is always a thing in Jewel Match Solitaire games- you will have some very easy levels, and some that hit you like a 10 ten truck that you will have to replay over and over and over.
If you hate repeating levels- you'll probably want to avoid this game, and all of the other Jewel Match Solitaire games. They are all very similar, with differences in the theme of the gme and the scenes you build.

Bonus games in this one are Mahjong, which I do enjoy. The tile design however was less than spectacular in this game. Black arrows and dots and musical notes on white tiles, with some butterflies thrown in. No other tiles sets that you can swap them out for. I found them hard to look at, hard to tell apart, hard to read the tiny numbers, and was glad there is no achievement for playing all bonus games. The tiles don't thematically match the theme of "L'Amour" in any way, either- no love for the tiles, though again, I usually really enjoy mahjong.

Most of the Jewel Match games match their title theme better too. The only L'Amour is a male/female couple who gets thrown into the scenes you build at some point. The scenes are pretty, but not really a "Love/Valentine's Day" match.

Like I said- if you;ve enjoyed other Jewel Match Solitaire games, you know what you are in for with this one- but expect even less of a story than the others have, and don't expect the theme of the hands or the scenes to really match the game's name.

One nice thing is that there are 200 levels with 3 stars for each perfect hand- so you can quit without having to play all levels or not worry about getting a perfect 3 stars on each one to unlock all achievements. 2 achievements unlocked at odd times for me- Fanatic (play for 5 hours total) did not unlock for me until I had played almost 10 hours, and Thrifty (earn 5000 gold cumulatively) did not unlock until I had earned well over 7500 gold. The other achievements seemed to unlock as expected.

Still fine if you really enjoy solitaire games, but best to get on sale. This was not the best Jewel Match game Suricate/Grey Alien have made (more like one of the worst?). Felt thrown together without any cohesive design thoughts.

Absolutely cozy and cute survival-crafting game, possibly a great introduction for kids or folks who have never played a survival game of any sort before.

The art style is amazingly good, cartoony, but detailed and quite fitting for the story and the character you play. I like it, a lot- if you want "photo-realistic", it's not likely to be your cuppa tea.

Basic survival mechanics- monitor and maintain HP, warmth, stamina, and hunger. You start off with nothing- your first days of trying to collect resources to repair things in your dilapidated burrow are going to be very short, and you will get cold and tired very quickly. Once you have these things repaired you can start crafting better clothing and cooking foods that may provide temporary buffs, so you can wander a bit further to look for materials.

You will be following a story with quests you must complete to unlock new crafting recipes and earn rewards, as well as finding helpful items and secrets out in the wilds. The story is quite sad at the beginning, and you begin to understand why you felt the need to come back to the woodlands and find your way. Each quest has its own storyline, and you begin to understand the other characters you meet and deal with along the way.

There is combat, most can be avoided, and what can't is not complicated. And at times you need to kill insects to get meat for cooking recipes that give better buffs than just plant-based recipes. Some critters are hostile from the get, some are docile and leave you alone unless you attack them. Pretty basic stuff.

Don't overthink the quests- if an NPC asks you for specific items, you bring them the specific items in your backpack. If they send you to specific locations to find items- you have to find your way to that location and be prepared for what you may find there. It's not a complicated game, but it does leave some things just vague enough to encourage you to explore and reveal more of the world map so you know where certain resources can be found when needed, and where certain enemies may be hanging out. And resources do respawn over time, so you will not run out of things you need if you aren't trying to rush through the story. Take your time, relax, explore, look for secrets and loot. Being a loot goblin will be tough- your backpack inventory is very limited until you unlock recipes to upgrade it, and even then you can only carry so much. So for first time survival game players- you'll learn how to manage inventory- don't grab everything- focus on what you absolutely need to progress. Survival games often require some amount of puzzle-solving on the player's part, and these aren't like annoying mini-game puzzles. Just "How do I make this work, and make it work for me?" type of puzzles.

Not sure about reviews saying the game is "too short"- I'm 8 hours in and probably only halfway done. And enjoying exploring everywhere I can to see what I find. My only gripe is the unsortable infinite stash inventory back at the burrow- infinite is nice, but not being able to sort by item type without having to manually move everything around. Not game-ending, just a tad annoying at times. Devs seem to be aware of the issue and have said they are looking into how to deal with it. It's a new game, and games often grow over time as better ways of doing things are found. I'm willing to deal with it- I am really enjoying my time in the woodlands.

If you're looking for The Long Dark or Project Zomboid levels of challenge- look elsewhere. This isn't going to scratch that masochistic itch. If you're looking for cozy, basic, relaxed, with a decent story to follow- this might be it. If you aren't sure- try the demo first to see how it feels.

The game does play better with a controller, but is perfectly playable with kb/m controls, though kb/m is a tad clunky at times. If you choose to use a controller, disable Steam Input to get away from some of the Steam Deck/BPM changes and shenanigans Valve keeps doing lately. Plays really well with a generic XBox controller, not sure if it works with PS4/5 controllers as the game is not available on PS 4/5 right now- so it may not be set up for them. Don't have one to test, sorry- using a PowerA Advantage XBox controller, and with Steam Input disabled it works as expected.

(quick eidt to fix a few typos and add the bit about kb/m vs., controllers at the end)

Charming yet sad, inspiring yet a tad confusing.

This is a story of someone who lost herself and now has to find herself again. Maybe by helping others, maybe by helping herself. Both. Both works.

Grow the plants, make the teas, talk to Boro, talk to Nana, talk to customers- who may or may not want teas. Learn how to make each type of plant to get seeds or to get fruit. Trim weeds, move plants around and decorate the glade, sweep up piles of leave, take photos and put them in frames in the shop, collect tea leaves to dry for tea balls. Drink the teas- you need to drink the teas. And give some to the Pluffins.

Not a high action game, if that's what you are looking for, Very slow, very chill - good for winding down after a hard day at work. The story can be sad, frustrating, confounding, and revelatory- all at once. But you need to do tasks and talk to Boro and others to reveal it.

You can play using kb/m just fine, though using a controller feels much smoother and less finicky.

Editing after checking Accessibility Options
Accessibility- There are options for different forms of colorblindness, and a "Dyslexia Friendly Font" (though it says "Not all languages are supported for the dyslexia friendly font). Font scaling- Subtitles options of Small/ Medium/ Large.
There is a "Motion Sickness Dot", though I am not sure how effective it is (not an issue I suffer with).
No precisely timed movements or inputs are needed, but you will need to take care with selecting things from your inventory- it tends to slide and you may end up accidentally cutting down a plant you wanted to keep, or wasting water, and so on. None are game-ending- the game is pretty good at making sure you have what you need to progress. People with different forms of ASD/ ADHD/ ADD may have trouble due to the large amount of reading, need to stay focused n a single task while a million things distract you and you have a ton of things you can do- not everyone will have issues with it, but some may. Probably best to try the Demo before buying and have someone with you to guide you if needed.
Alta does have voice-over (and it's good, so good...) but all dialogue is delivered via text as well, so it's probably okay for Deaf gamers though there are a few things you'll miss out on (the noises the Pluffins make, the huge Gramophone and selecting music n it correctly by hearing it, the phone-ringing audio cue to tell you a new task is available).

I see lots of people upset over the sad parts of the story, but the game seems to be all about thinking you know who and what you are, then something happening to change that, and you have to find your way back to who you really are (not who you insist you must be). Overcoming adversity, discovering things you didn't remember or didn't want to remember, dealing with sometimes frustrating people in your life. If you're up for finding out more about the character *and* yourself- get it. If you need constant action and hate reading- don't.

But I recommend it for anyone looking for something chill, and with time to waste- because the game will happily let you waste time if you want to. It doesn't hold your hand and guide you along in a linear fashion- you will have to figure things out on your own- but everything you need to know or learn is there in the game if you read the Field Manual and talk to the NPCs. I'm just over 10 hours in and am going to just take my time mucking around a bit. :)

***Please note this review was edited after checking Accessibility Options- please check that section of this review again if you have any concern over what is available.***

Recommended for only certain types of players.

You gotta love psychological and physical horror.
You gotta love retro graphics and controls.
Good reflexes are needed for some parts- still doable for old farts like me with slow reflexes and arthritis, but it may take several attempts to complete the scenes.
You gotta be okay with not getting all achievements on your first playthrough if you aren't using a detailed step-by-step guide- you need to figure things out on your own for a lot of puzzles (the game does not hold your hand and tell you how to do everything).
You gotta be in a good mental place- there are a lot of subjects including suicide and violence against others that come up, quite frequently.
You gotta be okay with gore and graphic scenes (no nudity- gory stuff and blood).

***Accessibility***
Not a great game for anyone with photosensitive seizure disorders there are a lot of flashing lights and sudden bright scene transitions.
Absolutely not good for HoH and Deaf players- there are a ton of audio cues and clues you need to be able to hear to guide you through scenes and puzzles, and no sound will take away a ton of context and immersion.
Tough for people like me with slow reflexes or RSIs- you need to be fast on some things and you will click a lot and press keys or controller buttons and paddles a lot.

Very few Accessibility options in the menu- very few. Head bob, invert camera, and subtitles (which I didn't really see much Accessibility value to, IMHO). Basic audio controls, that's it.

But I did enjoy it, and enjoyed having to use my brain to figure out how things worked. Not sure I'll replay it to get all achievements, though. It's dark, very very very dark. And right now might not be the best time to see if my own MH can stand up to replaying it multiple times. If you anger easily or are dealing with depression or MH issues- maybe hold off for now. This game will take you to some very dark places.

I did pay full price, and for what it's worth- if you are into horror games with some jump scares and serious psychological horrors- worth it. Otherwise, wait and maybe get it on sale later. This isn't a "great for everyone!" type of game- you will either love it or want throw your computer or TV out the window.

(quick edit to fix a few typos I missed before)

If you enjoyed the first 3 game,s you'll likely enjoy this one too.
The puzzles are a bit more challenging, but there are options that allow you to make it as easy or challenging as you want, with a few more challenging achievements if you are an Achievement Hunter.

The art is amazingly good, as always. The music is calm and relaxing, not overpowering, just chill background ambiance,

Well worth full price for me- a nice relaxing lunch break or wind-down before bed. If you choose to play with more difficult settings, your time will be likely longer than mine- I played a few games on Hard Mode, and it is aptly named, Relaxed Mode using the Stained Glass Mode goes much more quickly.

Not much else to say- if you never played any of the other Glass Masquerade puzzle game,s check out reviews (mine and others) for more information- ignore the "political" rants, but read both positive and negative reviews that point out flaws and strengths- what does not bother me may bother you or other people.

Still- $5 USD for this gem feels too cheap.

Yes.
Just... yes.
I bounced hard off of Stardew Valley, and kinda sorta enjoyed My Time at Portia, and Wylde Flowers. I will go back someday and give Stardew another go.
But for now- this is an amazingly chill and cozy farming/ romance game that for some reason I do not feel the same stress I felt when playing Stardew.
Usually I like achievements, but I feel like this game not having any, taking away that feeling of "must grind for cheevos!" away- a big plus.

Yes, it is still in Early Access, but it feels very well built and balanced, no bugs or perf issues for me. Some areas do feel unfinished right now, hopefully the devs have plans for them in te future.
For now, I can kick back and play short session- the length of day is very short- y only real gripe. Even with the Accessibility option to make the day "Longest", it still feels like it goes by too fast while doing your morning farm chores, leaving little time to forage and fish for stuff to sell for upgrades and seeds and farm animals- some things are getting very expensive now that I am in Year 2. But the game also just lets you go at your own pace- you can do as little or as much as yu want to, to progress or just putz along while you try to figure out how to make your romantic interest(s) love you.

I did pay full price, and don't regret it for a second.

The enoji faces the NPCs make... pure dopmine hits when it happens.

Playing on kb/m controls feels a little clunky, controller feels a bit better. But you can play it either way. Decent Acccessibility options to change length of day, turn off camera shake and similar. The dialogues are all delivered in text- the font isn't the greatest if you have vision issues (not bold enough or big enough.Seen some of the usual snowflakes freaking out, saying the game is "woke" because it has racially diverse characters, you can choose your pronouns, and same sex romance is okay. No politics, no lewd or suggestive stuff. Customizing your character is easy, can be done at any time, and as you unlock new clothing- there are some really cute and fun combos you can put together.

I like it. I also like hack & slash aRPGs and hardcore survival games- so I am amazed at how much I am enjoying this game. It's just... cozy and a great stress reliever (something I really need right now- after a long night of work, playing this for a bit just takes the edge ff so nicely.

Did I mention the adorbs emoji faces the characters make?
Yeah- that too. Dopamine delivery game. :)

Absolutely recommended- even unfinished in Early Access.

I like the idea of the game, but the graphics are dated, and in the very short amount of time I played the demo, I experiences a number of graphical bugs, like flickering graphics, open seams, and odd audio when picking up or dropping items.
The kb/m controls are not great- L Shift to control the hand instead of sprint just feels odd. Maybe it's better with a controller (didn't try it with my XBox controller because it was being used by a family member to play an XBox game...). Kb/m controls were just clunky, and trying to position the camera to be able to interact with things was very finicky.

The puzzles feel very unintuitive, with little guidance and a feeling of "If I do things out of order, even though the game doesn't really indicate what order they need to be done in- I bet I get softlocked.".

Not sure what else to say. If you like PS2 graphics and odd controls- maybe you'll like it, but I noped out after a very short amount of time. It just didn't click with me. Maybe you'll like it more than I did. It just didn't click for me.

Wishing the devs well, but I can't recommend something I had a less-than-meh experience with.

Got this game as a gift from a dear friend.
It's not a game i would have bought for myself, to be honest.
But I have actually really enjoyed it si far (just starting Nightmare Mode right now- so we'll see?).

Pretty gory and gruesome, with a very dark story. But the story is engaging enough that I want to know more.

Seems to be obviously inspired by the Viscera Clean-up games, but with some unique twists and much better story.
You will grind, a lot.
Explore everything, everywhere. Try everything, and then try it again.
Yes, you have to solve puzzles to clear each map completely, and there are secrets to find.

Enjoying this much more than I expected to- thanks tran_fors! It was a really good gift!