Recent reviews by bungus

they gave one single status effect like 5 different variations and the entire basis of team comps built around it is a guy hitting people with a giant toad hammer. this game is peak

I can't even elaborate on why I love this game so much without spoiling the experience. Just play it blind, and don't trust anyone but yourself.

Made me laugh out loud, feel unspeakable dread and anxiety, and brought me to the brink of tears, all multiple times over. Best execution of a time-loop story I've ever seen. HIGHLY recommend (unless you absolutely hate repetition)

extremely incredibly tooth-rottingly cute. i love yuri

Instructions unclear, gnorped everywhere

sobbed so heard i gave myself a headache because of this game. playing the original and knowing the ending will NOT save you. 10/10

One of the best visual novels I've ever played, which should come as no surprise from the director of the Zero Escape trilogy. Compared to those games, the characters in AI are fantastic (not that Zero Escape's cast is bad) and they feel right at home in this bizarre murder mystery plot. In fact, I'd argue they're one of this game's strongest points - even side characters get a chance to shine, with one of them taking the crown for funniest recurring joke in the game.

The story is another strong point, creating a gripping mystery with plenty of red herrings, twists and turns to keep you guessing. AI has five main endings, each one giving its own unique perspective on the mystery as well as placing the spotlight on certain members of the supporting cast. Getting every ending feels like you're assembling a puzzle, and it's incredibly satisfying to put the pieces of the story together. It also provides plenty of game time - it took me roughly 24 hours to complete every ending.

Aside from the obvious visual novel gameplay of clicking through text boxes, AI's main gimmick is Psyncing - a unique way of getting information from people by going directly into their dreams. While the Psync sections are very creative and have some of the best music in the game (kudos to composer Keisuke Ito), they're often not too difficult - although managing your time and optimising puzzle completion can be fun, it often boils down to trial and error and picking the right option first try means you might miss out on some of the comedic interactions other options provide.
There are also quick time events - though there aren't too many of them and they don't take too long to finish, thankfully.

Also, this was my game of the year in 2019.

kaine

Over the years, I've played many roguelikes - Enter the Gungeon, both Risk of Rain titles, Dead Cells and several others. However, none of them have quite managed to beat the longevity and sheer size of this game. Along with its DLCs, which are all great in their own right (especially Repentance, which might as well be an entirely new game with how much it adds), Rebirth has over 600 achievements. Almost all of these provide unlocks in-game - items, pickups, new floors, and so on. It makes for an incredibly replayable experience, and one that still proves challenging and fun.

As with all roguelikes, the loot is at the heart of the experience - picking up items and growing stronger over the course of a run. Some synergies are completely ridiculous (e.g. Lachryphagy tears spraying endlessly from the tip of a Technology 2 laser), while others are more simple yet still useful. Playing different characters also impacts the way your run will go, and I've found enjoyment with almost all of them. Except the Lost. Never again.

Overall, one of the most complete, polished and enjoyable roguelike experiences ever.
10/10

You can play as Bandit.

10/10