Recent reviews by MoskiDraws

Short version: It's a blessing it's only 7-8ish hours, because it was very, very addictive while it lasted.

While many Idle Games demand little attention from your end, so you can AFK and whatnot, TAEPYJ is more built towards efficiency, with middle to end game making you feel you're missing on a lot if you're not checking on stuff literally every 10 seconds. However, as a result, it also feels a lot more impactful.

From beginning to end, the game keeps unlocking stuff and the means to pay for more expensive things, so it's never a dull moment with it, hardly any moment feels like a slog, and it doesn't overstay its welcome. The system of unlocking new cards, and how to tweak them, keeps you thinking "just one more reroll". And soon, the 10-seconds loop keeps you engaged for over an hour. It's madly well crafted.

There's not much of replay value, and at some point one can even get confused when the cards start getting greek symbols or whatever, but for the time the game lasts, if you like numbers-go-up, this one does that in spades, clubs and hearts.

- I'd recommend it to fans of autoclickers that demand some attention, fans of improving efficiency in production, and anyone that wants a very casual idle experience but with a lot of interactivity.
- I do not recommend it if you want a long-lasting idle game you'll play for days, something that rewards you for coming back to it hours or days after closing it (a staple of the genre), or, well, if you're not a fan of idle games or autoclickers.

Another hit retro-PS game from Raptorsoft. It's always a treat to play these atmospheric tense/horror games, with Late Homework being perfect for an unsettling good time.

As a horror game, the game delivers in very unnerving visuals, dark tones, and anything you'd expect from a "monster horror flick". The game is presented as a fairly straightforward puzzle game where you need to figure out where to go and what items to use to open your path, while the ever-present monster is seemingly lurking a lot closer than you might expect. So yes, one can't help but feel vulnerable and unease, which is an immersion that's on-brand with this developer.

Aside from the setting, an additional source of worry comes from the limited lives that the player is given. Being reckless means losing them due to rushing and poor decisions, resulting in having to start the game from the entrance of the main location. However, as one gets familiar with the layout, getting your progression back is fast, as long as you learn to maneuver around your pursuer.

Since the game is very direct and to the point, it's a matter of time for the player to become very acquainted with the location and the mechanics of the game. Taking that in consideration, there game also tracks how long it takes the player to beat the game and also has a hard mode, so there's some replay value as well!

Some points that could make someone be on the fence when wanting to give this game a shot: Mechanic-wise, the game is very simple, with the puzzles requiring little more than knowing where to go after acquiring said item. The only "resource" to manage is stamina after running. Also, for people unfamiliar with "tank controllers", some players could get confused about how to move around. It's certainly an acquired taste.

Long story short:
- An atmospheric game with constant tension from an always-looming threat.
- Specially recommended for people who grew up with thriller games from the PS era, while those that didn't will find it quite novel and unique in presentation.
- Be mindful that, mechanic-wise, it's on the simple side, preferring to show and immerse the player over demanding quick inputs.
- Tank controls take a bit to adjust to. Game would clearly be more wonky without them, but games where the player moves like this are few and far between.

I wholeheartedly recommend this game for the retro horror thrills it provides. Late Homework is a game that does a fantastic job showing what it want. It made my Halloween considerably more memorable.

First impressions, it's a hilarious slapstick take on the open world sandbox genre, with a lot of conveniences to never be truly lost nor aimless. Drove my car into a mud puddle within 20 seconds yet I spawned it back at a convenient checkpoint.

Will update as I play more, but I'm having a fun time just driving around, smashing stuff and finding cool trinkets. It seems like a fun, casual, exploration-platformer that will make some people think of the best bits of A Short Hike or even Simpsons Hit & Run.

Update (around 6 hours played):
After several hours of playing, I want to point out some extra things that might not have been clear in my original review:
- Later levels do have enemies. But more often than not, they're the invincible kind. They can "damage" you and push you around, but not directly kill you (although they can drop you off cliffs). Think of them as obstacles rather than enemies. Despite there being no health bars, the game is far from mindless and easy, with some enemy ridden areas being quite tricky.
- Haven't reached the final stage there, but based on a menu and other reviews, the game is indeed on the short side, with one big Hub area and (at least) 3 detailed levels. While the first one felt small and cozy, second is awe inspiring and third is enormous.
- A later skill makes high-jumping easier, although a bit more clunky in closed environments.
- I'm still liking the game a lot, despite some minor jankiness in a few closed environments.
- CON: Someone pointed out there are no real resolution options. Can confirm, and as far as I can tell, the game doesn't save your settings for inverted controls or removing the Blut filter. Minor annoyances for me (game plays perfectly on Steam Deck), but I can believe that the lack of resolution options can be a deal-breaker.

Original review (around 2 hours played):
A retro 3D platformer that trims the fat and emphasizes the aspects that made so many people fall in love with the genre back in the day. Without arbitrary scattered enemies, health bars or lives, the game focuses on a vibrant world ripe with puzzles to solve and varied locations to explore.

Since it's a platforming game, the platforming better be good, right? Cavern of Dreams delivers, thanks to an inspired selection for a protagonist. As a small amphibious-like dragon, and as new skills are unlocked, the player can roll, glide, swim and walk underwater. Aside from the varied mobility tools, what I like the most is that, if you want to, the game allows for a lot of speedy maneuvers. While it can take a hot second to get used to rolling and Tail-Spinning the ground, once you get the hang of it, getting from one point to another takes no more than a few seconds.

So far, the levels have felt less like "big enormous areas to explore and go wild" and more like "small and personal locations dense with things to find". Collectibles boil down to eggs (the main McGuffins to collect to unlock skills and advance with the game), mushrooms (a few dozens of them per level, used to feed some of the eggs) and secret cards (just a fun thing to collect). With the size of maps and it's cozy intentions, this helps the game feel more streamlined and straight to the point rather than padded with forceful exploration. Also, some gimmicks available on each level, like throwing fruit that grow into trees or boots that allow for hovering, allow for fun and innovative puzzles.

If I have a complaint about the game it'd be the same that has haunted this genre for generations: The camera. For the most part, it's fine, but on some specific tight areas, it can get problematic. Not a deal breaker, but still needs to get pointed out.

For anyone that misses the era of mascot-based retro-platformers, this one is a great homeage to the likes ot Spyro and Banjo-Kazooie. Expecting it to be on the short side, but so far, it's been a blast. Even as a low-stakes game with no losing condition, it finds ways to innovate on its puzzles, spice the game with thrills, and keep one curious about what else is there to each world.

Update (Sept 30): The latest update removes a lot of the annoyances I had with the game. Mainly, Sacrifice (which added some risk to path taking, but was extremely difficult to work around) and enemies only reigniting once (since my main problem with the game was a boss that kept using that over and over, to the point I thought the game was bugged).

Update(Sept 24): Edited to write more about RNG in the game.

What you may like:
* Easy to pick up and to continue from where you left of. Very convenient game.
* A lot of Evolings, fusions and items to try, with room of plenty of strategies.
* Unlockable modifiers to add extra challenge to your runs.
* A short-scoped game that'll satisfy you without making you feel you'll need dozens of hours to get your fill.
* Very eye-catchy and charming.

Things to consider:
* Not much variation in events or enemies, which can make most runs feel like they have the same challenges.
* Bad streaks of non-support evolings or sacrifice events can leave a bad aftertaste.
* Not much plot, dialogue or meta-progression for those that prefer longer-lasting roguelikes.

As a fan of the genre, I've been waiting for this one to release for quite some time. And while it can be very tough and even unforgiving in some aspects, once you get it rolling, it's very thrilling.

Long story short, it's a "pick-a-path" turn based RPG roguelike with very little things to set up. Turn the game on, select a starting Evoling, and get onto it (There are modifiers later down the line). It's simple, yet effective. As pick-up-and-play as it gets.

I must say, when I started the game, I had a rollercoaster of opinions, ranging from feeling it was unfair, to quickly realizing how to stay alive, to finding difficulty spikes with bosses, to finding out very cool combos and combinations. As with any good games of the genre, a good part of the difficulty of the game knows from gaining knowledge to know what tools you can have at your disposal so you can prepare in advance (aka, learning what Evolings have what skills, which ones work best as a team, if the items you have can work with your set-ups, etc...)

While my initial runs were very tough as I faced the uncertainty without knowledge, on later ones I knew which Evolings had better survival chances, and given that you can choose between starting any round with some of your previous items, you can actually strategize and synergize to get farther and farther.

As any good roguelike, once you defeat the final boss or die, your progress is lost. Unlike other games like Hades or Dead Cells, you might not find enough meta-progression that makes every run slightly easier than the last one. However, the game is on the short side, so you might not really need an additional edge. Survival skills alone can carry you once you learn the items and tactics. Nonetheless, yeah, you can unlock stuff such as being able to choose new Evolings, and later, new modifiers. And even better, if you think you'll lose a run and happen to get a Box event, you can store a powerful Evoling to make a future run a lot easier.

The bosses are rough tho. There's one in particular that I thought it was bugged given how difficult it was, since my team was otherwise steamrolling every fight. I'd really like to see if that one gets patched. But otherwise, I really didn't find much to complaint about. While meta-progression doesn't directly improve every run, the dozens of Evolings, fusions, items and the various modifiers add a lot of replayability value.

Edit: RNG can be very unforgiving, specially in the first area of the game (which at least means that if you lose due to RNG, it'll likely be after only a few minutes). Getting a streak of no Evolings that can shield or heal, or getting the Sacrifice event can be run ending. During actual fights, there's little to no randomness, save for percentage based status effects and some enemies with chances of dodging. For the most part, you can plan properly.

In short: I liked the game a lot and recommend it if you'd like quick combat, simple yet varied fight mechanics and combinations, and are a fan of casually collecting a lot of things (in this case, Evolings, their fusions, items and modes). It's on the short side of frills (little to no narrative, enemies and routes are basically the same on each run, no meaningful meta-progression). I'd call it a densely small package rather than being short and lacking, but consider that if you'd prefer something with a lot more flair and content.

Disclosure: Key given to me by Super Rare Games (which is also our publisher), with a casual "here's a key, hope you like it, consider leaving a review". Otherwise, I'm completely unrelated to the devs and was offered no incentive to play or review this game by them or SRG. Was going to buy it on my own anyways, since I do like roguelikes.

Getting the comparison out of the way, I've held Hotline Miami (and Wrong Number) as some of my favorite indie games of all time for years. Naturally, with the retro-pixel top view gun-switching ultraviolent fast paced shooter action going here, this game had enormous shoes to fill. So my first few runs made me think "this is just fresh enough. Some good ideas, nice visuals... Yeah, this is good".

And then I got into a boss battle with a giant mecha snake with machineguns. In my 4th run. And that was awesome. "Hotline Miami, this is not".

So yeah, for anyone like me that might have been worried that this is "just bringing some decade old game with more modern considerations", I'm pleased to see that it differentiates itself positively and extremely early. With "bullet time" to slow down the massive amount of bullets on the screen, a fresh variety of enemies and bosses early on, and a generous healthbar that will likely deplete after strings of poor decisions and bad planning, each floor has a lot of adrenaline that doesn't reward "trial and error", but instead, planning how to approach each room.

Yeah, planning is rewarded... but so is keeping a high combo multiplier to get more money to make your run better. So there's a lot of high-risk high-reward decisions at every moment. Play too safe and you won't be able to afford upgrades, yet play too reckless and you'll end up surrounded with no "bullet time" to even the odds.

It's very good action, extremely fast paced, and while it can feel a bit clunky early on due to the unusual controls, waltzing in and painting this black and white mansion red is very gratifying.

So yeah, recommended if you like fast paced action, punishing but fair gameplay, are okay with its violent themes, and if you like roguelikes in general.

A casual non-demanding exploration game set in what feels like an anthology of diverse surreal scenarios that amaze, thrill and/or horrify the player at any turn.

Setting-wise, this game feels like an anthology of loosely-connected independant stories that range from finding the secrets in a mushroom forest to exploring a haunted house. Whether the location is trying to make you feel calm or unease, the effect is further accentuated by the retro style of the game, making it feel timeless. Even raw, but in a way where it feels like it has a purpose.

Gameplay-wise, what you see if what you get. You can walk around, do some simple platforming, seldom encounter a puzzle, and every now and then some gimmick that changes the pace. The experience of looking for new things is what keeps this talk-to-this-person-then-talk-to-that-person from growing stale. It is a very, very casual game, save for one or two optional areas. I'd say the gameplay serves the purpose just right, but your mileage might vary.

As it's about dreams and interpretations, the narrative of each scenario varies a lot. I had people that helped me figure out stuff I didn't understand on my own so I could connect the dots. The game does its best work when it lets you figure out the narrative with its visual clues rather than dumping exposition. While I was not exactly a fan of the greater game-encompassing story, all the individual stories were a delight. Expect to feel melancholy, mild joy and even horror, while always clinging to some semblance of hope.

TL;DR: If you enjoy casual exploration games, this one is among the best when it comes to unique setting and levels. Tame on the gameplay side, very rewarding for secret-hunters, not long enough as to overstay its welcome and not short enough as to feel incomplete. Be mindful of the horror areas of the game though, since they're played very straightforward.

I'm a fan of thought experiments (to the point that it has become an inside joke around my circle of friends). About a year ago, I played another game also based on the Trolley Problem, and found its scenarios to be funny and quirky, but in an otherwise shallow experience. Trolley Problem, Inc, on the other hand, goes into the opposite direction for the most part, trying to put an ethical and moral weight on most of its questions. When it succeeds, it can even get gut wrenching or give you a strong feeling of regret.

I'll get to the finer points of what I like and dislike of the game, but for short: The core gameplay of the game is reading an scenario and choosing between 2 possible outcomes for about 2 hours, with some light replay value to see if any choices change future situations. That's as bare bones as I can put it, but I don't think of it as a negative. If you get mileage for thought experiments and creative narrative, you're bound to have a great time with this.

Gameplay:
- You choose option A or option B for most of the game. There are slight variations tied to the narrative, but that's about it.
- You can think of it as Choose Your Own Adventure, since there are some scenarios that change, and there are collectibles. Odds are that you won't get them all on a single playthrough.
- That's about it, really. The meat of this game is not on its gameplay, but on it's presentation... and oh boy.

Presentation Spoiler free about plot details, but certain presentation aspects might hit best when explored first-hand:
- Be prepared. This game will scold you, a lot. This can be upsetting to some people, and I admit it was to me up to a point. But at its core, the original Trolley Problem is based on making a very difficult choice. The narrator, rather than highlighting the good that you did, tries to hammer down the idea of the negative consequences of your actions. Personally, I believe it helped highlight the gravity of each decision, rather than taking a more sarcastic or "washing-hands-off" approach.
- The game's UI tends to reflect the scenarios, and starts innocently enough. But as things grow more serious, it'll get more erratic and even unnerving to highlight the point it's trying to make. When it's at full speed, it can feel very, very tense.
- Trolley Problem, Inc is at its best when the puzzles make you wish you had more time to think about the answers (on default settings), and for me, there were a lot. In some cases, I even wished I had selected the other one right before I was told the outcome. Basically, the more polarizing the response, the most intense the problem. And the scenarios presented by the game, for the most part, were elegantly woven into a longer-lasting narrative, rather than independent, isolated cases.
- However, in my opinion, the game is at its worst when the results you obtain are independent of your choice, or feel ineffective, or the scenario is oddly convoluted. This happens more often at around the middle of the game. While there are some scenarios that play with some ideas and can be excused as experiments or fun variations, some just felt out of place or outright frustrating. For example, the bottom of the barrel was choosing to kill a terrorist along 5 civilians or let him go free to spare them. Choosing the former results in a different scenario, which I found very frustrating,
- Mentioning this out just as an opinion: The narrator will try to dissuade you from your choices, no matter which. And sometimes even bring in some extra context to the scenario. My opinion is that this is a test of resolve, to try to force your hand into choosing something else. Some others could think that not saying these upfront might skew their choices.
- Also, the game compares your answers with the average response to each case. That's a great detail.

Bottom line, I do recommend this game to anyone that wants an interesting narrative experience that digs into one's soul over trying to tell one specific story. It sort of does, but the original Trolley Problem is less about finding a solution and more about exploring what would you do and why. The game is less about itself and more about the one that's playing it. But that doesn't mean that you should just find the script and read them on your own. With its presentation and tense atmosphere, Trolley Problem, Inc helps experience these fascinating conundrums in a creative, immersive way that, when it does its magic, makes you feel the weight of your choices.

I'd describe this game as a menu-based lite-tycoon rng-driven game. It boils down the elements of other simulation games to just making enough money to not go into the red. And despite that simplicity, the sheer variety of items and their values is engaging, and selling an item for 3 times what you paid for - specially when that item goes beyond 5 digits - is a strong high.

I've played 7 hours in early access in normal, and I'm currently on a hard playthrough. Let me just go into quick bulletpoints to let you know what you're getting into.I do like this game a lot, but I can only recommend it by giving you a heads-up about some things that might turn you down.

Gameplay:

• The game's core mechanics are simple and straightforward enough. Buy cheap, sell expensive. Sell enough to buy upgrades, repeat. While there are events, auctions and so on, you'll do this from start to end manually several hundred times.
  
• The upgrades are not very straightforward, but are very impactful. The difference between early game and having some upgrades is night and day.
  
• There are a lot of events, and you can even plan for them by hiring people. This means that in early-game you'll have almost no say on how things unfold, but it's great to know what your options are for the future. (Note: On my early-game Hard playthrough, there were a lot of events in a row that got me into the red more than a few times. A patch allegedly has addressed this, so odds are that you'll find less hardships than I did)
  
• It's still a Clicker-game at heart. The only real-time interaction in the game are auctions. Everything else goes at your pace. That might be good or bad depending on what you're looking for.
  
• While progression remains stale gameplay-wise, it's very satisfying to go from barely scrapping by and worrying about a few dozen dollars of profit to hiring super expensive employees and haggling to sell a single item for a few more millions.
  
• There's a reputation system, which means that you can play by sticking to the rules or try to sell forgeries. I've only played straight and honest, so I can't tell if doing dirty business dramatically changes the pace of the game.

Presentation:

• It's very, very memetic. Since it's a pawn shop with hundreds of items, tons of pop-culture references are to be expected, and that's great. However, even the main characters, events and dialogue depend a lot on references and memes, which barely count as fleshed-up parodies. In my opinion, this is a crutch that stopped the opportunity of having unique writing, but your mileage might vary. You might find it funny if that's your style of comedy.
  
• The visuals are fine. Nothing is animated, everything is still, buttons are functional. It works perfectly and as intended, but can feel very bland in the long run. The art style is great for the most part (although your opinion about the randomly-generated customers might vary). It just feels like it could have done with a bit more of polish.
  
• Some sounds are a bit too repetitive.

TL;DR: Addicting, engaging, high-inducing, straightforward, simplistic loop of buying cheap, selling expensive while avoiding bankrupcy. Whatever you're doing in the early game, you'll be doing the exact same thing in the late game, but with bigger numbers. If you don't need many more mechanics or micromanagement from a business simulation game, then consider checking this one out.

To the devs: This game has been very inspiring to me, and it clearly shows a lot of affection and dedication. I may disagree with some of the ways that things were handled (mostly on the writing and the polish areas), but I ultimately want to applaud the team. As many nitpicks I might have, this game still feels very fresh and unique, and would really like to see how this genre develops. Looking forward for more! 👍

Can't go wrong with Quiplash. Except when it gets too dark, but I'd say that's a bonus.