https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles daily 0.75 2025-08-28 https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles/resident-evil monthly 0.5 2025-08-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/e3a1bd78-dc7f-4297-a648-6cd2a619746c/vgl6ftd1dxz61.webp Articles - Resident Evil : A Franchise Wearing Many Hats - Resident Evil is a franchise that needs no introduction. Since its debut in March 1996 on the original PlayStation, it has stood as the flagship of the survival horror genre, spawning 12 mainline entries and countless spin-offs such as the Outbreak and Gun Survivor series. For nearly 30 years, fans have had no shortage of content to dive into, but depending on when you first discovered the series, your idea of the “traditional” Resident Evil experience may differ. With the 13th installment, Requiem, set to release this coming February, I encourage all who plan to review it to keep one thing in mind... From the “veterans” who insist tank controls are essential to the fear factor, to the Resident Evil 4 purists who swear by its perfect blend of action, horror, and B-movie camp, all the way to the newcomers who joined with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and see the grounded, first-person approach as the fresh air the series desperately needed—every generation of fans carries a different vision of what Resident Evil should be. Some see evolution as betrayal, while others see it as survival, and that ongoing tug-of-war is what keeps the franchise so fascinating nearly three decades later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/2ca452ab-2b7c-4cc2-b590-08d42501021e/STARS_GROUP_PIC.webp Articles - Resident Evil : A Franchise Wearing Many Hats - But the horror didn’t just come from the environment. Players took control of the S.T.A.R.S. Alpha team— six of Raccoon City’s top officers—sent to investigate the Arklay Mountains. They arrived armed with the best weapons available, flown in by expert helicopter pilot Brad Vickers, only to find themselves outnumbered, under-equipped, and trapped in a living nightmare. The mansion was a madhouse, filled with vicious monsters, deadly traps, and death around every corner. Guns alone were never enough. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/22d61268-4404-494e-9936-854355bbdc75/RE4_Salvador%2B5.webp Articles - Resident Evil : A Franchise Wearing Many Hats - Resident Evil 4 (2005), a GameCube exclusive—go ahead, get your laughs out now—redefined the franchise in several ways. The most important change was an overhaul of combat: tank controls were gone, replaced with an over-the-shoulder camera and laser sights for every projectile, including grenades, so even throwing explosives felt precise. This shift was justified. You now had a choice of 26 different weapons, a vastly expanded arsenal—but the enemies also received an upgrade. Standard zombies were replaced by Las Plagas, highly resilient humanoids capable of dodging, ducking, and countering your attacks—sometimes with their own “laser sights” for added flair. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1e5dd18e-c7f0-4ba5-8798-1b5888357182/images.jfif Articles - Resident Evil : A Franchise Wearing Many Hats - The series’ trademark campiness is also present, from obvious Evil Dead nods during the chainsaw battle to moments that swing between horror and absurdity—like Jack Baker joyriding in a car and shooting himself in the face, just to show Ethan the stakes. Classic elements return as well: save spots are back, now in the form of tape recorders; Metroidvania- style puzzles gradually unlock and expand the map; and varied enemy designs keep you constantly strategizing which weapons to bring. In every way, Biohazard and Village embody the spirit of traditional Resident Evil, blending tension, survival, and just enough dark humor to make the horror memorable. And then you meet Lucas... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/27e84374-9035-4b00-b697-e121edaa7efb/Viking.jpg Articles - Resident Evil : A Franchise Wearing Many Hats https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles/mages-of-mystralia monthly 0.5 2025-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1755464996619-WGXEXINCS8NKV6M9XMYW/Mages+of+Mystralia+Title+Card.png Articles - Discovering the Magic of Mages of Mystralia - Have you ever played a game and wished you could change how an attack or ability worked? If you’ve ever thought that might be fun, then let me tell you about a game you might find very interesting. Mages of Mystralia was developed by Borealys Games, a small Canadian studio founded by former Ubisoft developers. This was their frist major project that was released in 2017 and while it didn’t make a huge splash at launch, over time it’s earned a reputation for its creativity. On the surface, it looks like a colorful, Zelda-inspired adventure, but its uniqueness lies in the core mechanic: you can alter the attributes and behavior of your spells. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/86ae84eb-7465-46b8-8f00-34c14ec6d97d/MoM+Zia.png Articles - Discovering the Magic of Mages of Mystralia - You play as Zia, a young girl whose magical power awakens in a kingdom where sorcery has been strictly outlawed. When her abilities first manifest, she accidentally sets fire to her home which results in her being exiled from the village. Alone in the forest, she meets a man known only as mentor who aims to help her learn to control her newfound powers. From there, her journey leads to uncovering the truth behind the land’s history and why spellcraft was banned in the first place. It follows the classic hero’s journey which is rather simple to follow, but for me, discovering how it unfolded was still satisfying. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/66e0e398-088a-40d3-a053-081b957909a0/MoM+Spellbook.png Articles - Discovering the Magic of Mages of Mystralia - At its core, Mages of Mystralia is an action-adventure game. You explore villages, forests, tombs, and dungeons while solving puzzles, collecting upgrades, and battling monsters. The structure is familiar, but the details are what set it apart from other games. As you progress, you unlock more magical abilities. But instead of just learning fixed abilities, you can collect runes that let you modify how your spells behave. You start with the usual basics: a fireball, a shield, and a movement spell. But once you start arranging runes on your spell grid, things get interesting. Maybe you shoot three fireballs that curve in a circle, explode on impact, and freeze enemies. Or perhaps you summon an ice storm that also deals electrical damage. The combinations can get pretty wild, and half the fun is experimenting to see what kind of effects you can create. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/5c354f8b-8c7f-47a8-b1e8-7b5b9ef73a20/MoM+Puzzle.png Articles - Discovering the Magic of Mages of Mystralia - This is where the game truly shines, as it makes you feel like you’re inventing your own spells instead of just spamming pre-programmed abilities. It also makes you think, due to some puzzles that can only be solved with the right spell combination. In some cases there may even be multiple solutions, though certain hint-givers in the game will tell you if you’re missing a crucial ability. Either way, the puzzle-solving and exploration feel all the more rewarding when you finally figure out how to reach a place you couldn’t before. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/a4927f6c-53fe-4f49-a6eb-36886dca7499/MoM+Mage+Trials.png Articles - Discovering the Magic of Mages of Mystralia - The combat starts out pretty straightforward and most enemies early on can be handled with basic spells, but as the game progresses, things get more complicated. Some enemies are only weak to certain elements, which forces you to adapt. Thankfully, you can set multiple spells to hotkeys and swap between them fairly easily, though sometimes in the heat of battle it can still be a challenge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/14373e94-4c74-44f6-b6d2-af7b4341db1e/Mom+Lava+Bug+Boss.png Articles - Discovering the Magic of Mages of Mystralia - The boss fights are where the game really tests you. Many bosses can only be damaged at specific times, and finding the best spell setup often turns them into a sort of puzzle as well. I found these fights very enjoyable, with the difficulty ramping up naturally as the game went on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1a0f10eb-d8ae-4658-bcca-27f7fc9d9b4b/MoM+haven+view.png Articles - Discovering the Magic of Mages of Mystralia - While it may not have topped anyone’s wishlist back in 2017, I’d definately call Mages of Mystralia a hidden gem. I only played it myself earlier this year, never having heard of it before, and to me it stood out as one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever played. I think the spell crafting system should make you consider checking the game out for yourself, but overall it was a thrilling experience. So, if you're tired of every fantasy RPG giving you the same basic abilities, this game invites you to explore and use your own spell combinations, all while making you truly feel like a mage discovering your own magic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/c5e2d4ad-b9f8-4f1e-9b03-1f792aefe461/MoM+Steam.png Articles - Discovering the Magic of Mages of Mystralia - Get the game from Steam: Mages of Mystralia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/3573abd9-3b31-45e1-b981-d2b0cb48fd9c/Nhraege+V2+Logo.png Articles - Discovering the Magic of Mages of Mystralia https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles/palworld monthly 0.5 2025-08-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/e2f53683-3486-47c4-82d0-cd75bf27737e/22a267699325a8e7b579c0265a5e6920.jpg Articles - Palworld vs The Competition: A Creature Collector Comparison - For 20 years, there has been one dominating empire in the genre of games known as creature collectors (I would know, it’s only about 10 months older than I am), and there have been copious different emulations and iterations of the same idea, but only one is known for standing its ground in the same playing field. Released in early access in 2021 by Pocketpair Inc., Palworld has taken the gaming world by storm with its unique take on the creature collector style, as well as some copyright conspiracy that has much of the gaming world picking sides between “inspired by” and “100% copied”. With this game making such a stir, is it even worth the time to play? Let’s discuss. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/42804a64-053f-4800-8582-2fbb87d7819d/palworld+character+creator.webp Articles - Palworld vs The Competition: A Creature Collector Comparison - Before you can open the game, you must design your avatar, and while other, more popular creature collectors can be rather restrictive in this category, Palworld… isn’t much better, unfortunately. Having pink or purple skin color is more than what has been on offer in other games, but avatar options are still limited across the board. Of course, avatar creation doesn’t have as much effect on whether a game is good or not, but if immersion is the goal, then more options would be helpful for players to achieve a representation of self that players can be happy with. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/795924a3-9390-49ee-af7c-c6d728cfa1cb/Palworld+Journal.jpg Articles - Palworld vs The Competition: A Creature Collector Comparison - There is a story to the game through found journal entries from a previous explorer, but I have been playing this game for 216 hours, and I haven’t found many of these, and the ones I have found are very sporadic in sequence. The story isn’t exactly important in order to play the game, but as I said previously, if immersion is the goal, then I would think developers would want the player to read what they spent time writing and having the journals scattered across an open world landscape in the hopes that players MAY find them during exploration isn’t the best way forward in my opinion. Given the wide expanse of the game, it may prove better to have the journals pop into your inventory as the player levels up, but that’s only my opinion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/89de5bf2-77e9-49f6-ad6a-30f49cc78cd7/palworld+flying+mount.jpg Articles - Palworld vs The Competition: A Creature Collector Comparison - The game controls well on the whole, but there is a bit of finger-twisting on PC when riding a flying mount, as moving forward, up/downward, and sprinting are all in the same area. That is the only specific instance of this control issue. Riding, swimming, and running mounts work well and with little issue. Similarly, just running around as the player does well, and I highly suggest leveling up stamina if running and climbing as a significant part of your exploration of the world as a whole. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/dcc2eaa6-6c5b-4c42-ad00-e8bf551b4eec/palworld+base.jpg Articles - Palworld vs The Competition: A Creature Collector Comparison - The base system works nicely, too. Having a storage to go through the pals you have collected does well, and the farming mechanic is smooth. There is one issue that I keep having on my play-through, and that is when there are a bunch of pals deployed at base, one or two will get “stuck” in place and will starve until redeployed from the palbox, but otherwise, the base building is on point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/f01e31db-9ec6-46f7-843a-24cc2820947c/palworld+chillet.jpg Articles - Palworld vs The Competition: A Creature Collector Comparison - The pals themselves are unique, with some similarities to another popular creature-collector game, but such comparison would be nit-pick y. There are currently 187 in total to collect, with some reskins that change typing, but overall are unique across the game. I am one to read the entries on these kinds of games and found several that made me giggle, some that made me a little horrified, but overall, they add depth and history to the game (more so than the journals that are hidden in plain sight, in my opinion). I also enjoy the fact that they can help you with tasks at base and have specific animations for such. There are even places in the world with chests that can ONLY be opened by the pal with that kind of task. And, yes, I do know about giving the pals guns, but currently in my play-through of the game, I don’t see the reasoning for giving the pals guns other than just because. Butchering of pals for parts is also in the game, and it's not that its not beneficial to do so (pal organs of specific typing are used in crafting recipes) I just don’t like to acknowledge it and choose to think that if I hunt down pals for specific organs, that I’m causing them to go unconscious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/31d8d962-0e5d-430c-8edc-374e886b2dcb/palworld+sphere.jpg Articles - Palworld vs The Competition: A Creature Collector Comparison - So, now comes the part where I give my opinion on whether the game is worth the time or not. I’ll be honest, it can go either way. There are pros and cons to both Palworld and the other creature collector game I have been strongly alluding to throughout this article. Yes, one tends to have more polish and appeals to my animal-loving nature, especially given the fact that I literally grew up immersed in the different media of that particular game (games, trading cards, TV shows, etc.). On the other hand, however, I definitely had more fun with the multiplayer aspect in Palworld and the idea of building something with friends, as the only multiplayer aspect of other, more popular creature collectors is fighting our creatures to find the superior collector of creatures. The more popular creature collector did have cool mechanics when trading creatures, but it's not something you get to experience when you play alone, as I did when I grew up playing the more popular creature collector. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/88d8a078-e632-4bbe-9785-8c4de3a96de0/palworld+image.jpg Articles - Palworld vs The Competition: A Creature Collector Comparison - To summarize, there are definitely reasons to try different creature collector games as they all have unique and individual game mechanics and great art styles, but Palworld is definitely one to try out, and it's not even out of early access yet, so it could be entirely different as time passes. I can only hope it ages like wine instead of like milk, but seeing as it’s currently on sale for $23.99 at the time of me writing this, where’s the harm in giving it a spin? If you like the game, please show love to the developers who work so hard and deserve appreciation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/b21738a9-58eb-458d-bf43-63fc85a14e23/palworld+on+steam.png Articles - Palworld vs The Competition: A Creature Collector Comparison - Get the game from Steam: Palworld https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/b4c9f28d-1a53-4682-ad0e-0b6e58a489d4/logo_design.png Articles - Palworld vs The Competition: A Creature Collector Comparison https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles/chernobylite monthly 0.5 2025-08-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1754154170657-CR7X5NI7N70ABV40RIT8/EGS_Chernobylite_Farm51_S1_2560x1440-17834fb6a45fba9d926ae2e28170984f.jpg Articles - Chernobylite: A Haunting Descent into the Heart of the Zone - In the radioactive stillness of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, time unravels and memory twists like smoke. Here, amid the ruins of Pripyat and the skeletal husk of Reactor No. 4, unfolds Chernobylite — a survival horror RPG that explores grief, obsession, and the unnatural forces that bloom in humanity’s darkest experiments. Developed by The Farm 51, Chernobylite is far more than a post-apocalyptic shooter. It’s a science fiction survival horror experience rooted in psychological torment and quantum uncertainty. Set in a hyper-realistic 3D recreation of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, meticulously scanned and rendered using real-world data, the game immerses players in a world where history, hallucination, and heartbreak collide. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/976dadd2-d128-4411-be42-33c64bab76a8/tatyana.png Articles - Chernobylite: A Haunting Descent into the Heart of the Zone - The Story: A Love Lost in Radiation You play as Igor Khymynyuk, a former physicist at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, returning decades after the 1986 disaster to search for his missing fiancée, Tatyana. But this personal mission quickly unravels into something far stranger. The Zone has changed, warped by a mysterious, glowing substance called Chernobylite, a fictional element created by the disaster itself. As Igor searches for the truth, he is drawn deeper into conspiracies, memories, and alternate realities. The Zone becomes not just a setting, but a living entity—twisting timelines, eroding sanity, and hiding impossible horrors. A Tale of Love, Lies, and Loops At its core, Chernobylite is a love story, one buried under layers of paranoia, existential dread, and radioactive ash. Igor’s obsession with Tatyana is the emotional tether anchoring him to reality, even as everything around him dissolves into nightmares. But the game constantly asks: how far would you go to find someone who might not even exist anymore? Flashbacks and hallucinations blur the truth, forcing players to question whether they’re chasing closure or feeding a deeper madness. The result is a narrative that feels deeply human, even as it spirals into the cosmic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/6663f465-6001-4716-b8ce-b46624153fe5/cherno.png Articles - Chernobylite: A Haunting Descent into the Heart of the Zone - Survival in the Shadows Chernobylite is not a traditional shooter. Survival demands stealth, resource management, and constant adaptation. Enemy patrols, supernatural threats, and radiation hazards are constant dangers. Resources are scarce, and every choice carries weight: should you engage the enemy or avoid them? Will you scavenge for food or craft ammunition? Companions can be recruited, each with unique skills and personalities, but they must be kept fed, armed, and mentally stable. Trust is fragile in the Zone. Morale can break, alliances can fracture, and one wrong move could mean death for you or your team. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/c5a8ad7e-96fa-4f86-9b48-3e8e2b23dbbf/cherno+enemies.png Articles - Chernobylite: A Haunting Descent into the Heart of the Zone - The Chernobylite Itself At the heart of the mystery is Chernobylite, a radioactive compound born from the fictional fusion of melted nuclear material and unknown chemical elements. It has reality-warping properties that allow Igor to bend time and space, and even rewrite past decisions using the Memory Room mechanic. This nonlinear narrative system lets players revisit pivotal moments and change the story’s outcome, but at a cost. Time in Chernobylite is a loop, and nothing is ever truly over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/635a502c-f14e-43bf-843e-c6d221af3161/cherno+base+building.png Articles - Chernobylite: A Haunting Descent into the Heart of the Zone - Gameplay Systems The game features a range of interconnected mechanics that elevate it beyond typical survival horror: Base Building & Crafting: Construct a safe haven from which to launch operations. Craft traps, weapons, and tools using found materials. Team & Resource Management: Assign missions to companions, allocate resources, and keep your team alive and loyal. Stealth & Combat: Choose whether to sneak past enemies or confront them directly. Stealth is often safer, but riskier in the long run. Dynamic, Nonlinear Storytelling: Each play-through is different. Your choices affect the world, characters, and even the ending. A Fusion of Genres Chernobylite is as much about psychological unraveling as it is about exploration. It blends: Survival Horror – Constant tension, supernatural threats, and brutal consequences. Science Fiction – Quantum mechanics, temporal anomalies, and government conspiracies. RPG Mechanics – Skill trees, choices, branching narratives, and companion dynamics. Historical Realism – An authentic, 3D-scanned recreation of Chernobyl’s haunting landscape. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/7902a412-e819-4ee8-94d7-62cab90242a1/cherno+time+loop.png Articles - Chernobylite: A Haunting Descent into the Heart of the Zone - Soundscapes of the Zone The music and sound design in Chernobylite are as crucial to the experience as its visual fidelity . Composed by Mikolai Stroinski (known for work on The Witcher 3 and bee simulator), the soundtrack fuses ambient dread with mournful melodies, evoking a sense of both beauty and decay. Each track is meticulously tuned to the Zone’s shifting moods—quiet introspection in abandoned apartments, growing tension in hostile territory, and full-on dread when supernatural entities close in. It’s a soundscape that doesn’t just accompany the game, but wraps around it like a fog. Final Thoughts: Welcome to the Zone Chernobylite isn’t a power fantasy, it’s a slow, haunting meditation on loss, obsession, and the collapse of logic in the face of trauma. With its nonlinear narrative, intense atmosphere, and philosophical undertones, it lingers long after the final decision has been made. For players who prefer dread over explosions and consequences over carnage, Chernobylite is a chilling, must-play descent into the unknown. Watch your Geiger counter. And your conscience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/0dd63c0f-1335-46f4-a82e-24e23fdb5e18/steam+chernobylite.png Articles - Chernobylite: A Haunting Descent into the Heart of the Zone - Get the game from Steam: Chernobylite https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/83ead2ee-39b4-480c-8e32-b3cbd99b60c0/radknight_logo2.jpg Articles - Chernobylite: A Haunting Descent into the Heart of the Zone https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles/vampire-therapist monthly 0.5 2025-08-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1748303732000-TDIVN022BX7FLYY3ADVB/vampire+therapist.png Articles - Emotional Stakes: A Review of Vampire Therapist - One thing about games is you really don’t have an end to the creative wellspring there is available. There are ideas you think would work but don’t, and then the most wild idea that sounds insane coming out of your mouth but is absolutely amazing in practice. So, you can imagine my surprise when the visual novel about a vampire cowboy therapist is one of the really good ideas, it sounds like when I try to explain the plot of Rocky Horror Picture Show to someone who hasn’t ever seen it and then they look at me funny (granted, I’m used to funny looks, I tend to get a lot of those). This visual novel style game follows Sam Walls, a cowboy turned vampire who, after a time doing the typical vampire things (killing and feasting on innocents and being labelled as a horrible killer for it), left his vampire “gang” and , after finding a group of mortals who treated him with immense kindness, walked through nature for 90 years and discovered that the way vampires think is pretty universal as far as the problems they have. Sam started to recognize what later gets classified as “cognitive distortions” and decided he wanted to better the vampires around him with this knowledge and sought out help from Andromachos, a 3,000-year-old Mediterranean vampire who Sam thought might know more. Andromachos invited Sam to his German nightclub where humans willingly give their blood to vampires (with consent) and the vampires can get comfortable without worry (as long as they behave) and had Sam set up as a proper therapist for vampires, giving him proper clients from all over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/3a750a25-01a3-4f73-b174-ee9fde63ffd8/vampire+therapist+steam.png Articles - Emotional Stakes: A Review of Vampire Therapist https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/88147c9d-1c66-4781-b938-dc1d7297b934/Pryo+Logo.png Articles - Emotional Stakes: A Review of Vampire Therapist https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles/deepest-sword monthly 0.5 2025-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1748301703939-00VI1H47NKPHUDB1NDCS/deepest+sword.jpg Articles - Plunge and Repeat: A Review of Deepest Sword - “Venture deep into the Cavern of Longing. Plunge your sword deep into the dragon's heart! How deep is your resolve?” I am 100% willing to admit that I have the sense of humor of a 13-year-old boy, so I tend to catch people on the “that’s what she said” quite often. So, as you can imagine, Deepest Sword sure had me tickled. Made by Cosmic Adventure Squad for a 48-hour game jam, it does well for the time spent on it! The game opens to you, a knight, with a very short (some men may say that it’s a good size, I’m sure) sword and a blacksmith urging you to “venture deep into the Cavern of Longing”. The sword you carry is a method of level traversal as swinging the sword helps you over small ledges you come across. A traveler warns of Long, the dragon, who resides in the cave atop her hoard. Once you reach her, you are tasked with plunging your sword deep into her heart. Given that your sword is not very long, she insults your length and burns you up. The game then loops, your sword becoming longer each time as well as the cavern. With each loop, your sword also gains more weight and becomes that much more difficult to handle (so size does matter, huh?) with the overall goal of plunging your blade deep into her heart (are we so sure its her heart at this point?) and securing your cat and the hoard! While the game has a very simple premise, the art is on point. This game also even encourages speed-running as there is a timer going for your playtime. A very good, fun, not so serious game that is free to play. Please be sure to give good ratings if you enjoy playing as much as I did, these creators definitely deserve it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/e747c362-75fd-425a-88ff-1092b7201e87/deepest+sword+steam.png Articles - Plunge and Repeat: A Review of Deepest Sword - Get the Game from STEAM: Deepest Sword Follow the Creator - Cosmic Adventure Squad: Itch.io Twitter (X) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/88147c9d-1c66-4781-b938-dc1d7297b934/Pryo+Logo.png Articles - Plunge and Repeat: A Review of Deepest Sword https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles/eldritch-review monthly 0.5 2025-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1748278922749-IZOMYP1NAJQFVTYRMYTX/Eldritch.png Articles - Guarding the Labyrinth: A Review of Eldritch H. P. Lovecraft has done well to inspire a whole new world of storytelling by enlightening us to nightmares we could have never possibly been able to comprehend that could ever exist. Minor Key Games has tapped into this wellspring by giving us Eldrich, a rogue-like wherein you face cultists and creatures beyond comprehension…. literally! When you open the game, you find yourself in a library surrounded by open books that tell the story of this world, a world almost overtaken by eldritch creatures until a ritual was performed to keep the Old Ones in a labyrinthine prison. Thousands of years passed, and a group of archeologists (of course, it’s the archeologists, they just can’t keep their hands to themselves, can they?) found the ritual site and awoke the Old Ones so that they could again wreak havoc upon the world. The rite is performed again, naming the Librarian as the one to be inside the labyrinth to keep things from getting shaken up again from the inside. Someone fudged the ritual a bit, though, and now the mind of the librarian protector and their memories went kaput. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/0d756a89-00d2-4738-8c10-1ce727b70feb/itchio.png Articles - Guarding the Labyrinth: A Review of Eldritch - Get the Game from ITCH.IO: Eldritch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/88147c9d-1c66-4781-b938-dc1d7297b934/Pryo+Logo.png Articles - Guarding the Labyrinth: A Review of Eldritch - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles/gaming-history-wizardry monthly 0.5 2025-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/131d4575-ae0c-45fb-9369-5bf7f4355e79/Wizardry+01.png Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series It began in 1981 with Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, which released for the Apple II. This dungeon-crawling RPG, developed by Sir-Tech, was revolutionary and set the stage for future dungeon crawlers and becoming one of the pioneers of the RPG genre. Imagine a dark labyrinth where every turn could bring monsters, treasure, or death. For many, this was their first taste of role-playing games, and its influence on future RPGs cannot be overstated. The game was later ported to numerous platforms, including the Commodore 64, NES, and PC, and it’s still available today on GOG and Steam." With its immersive dungeon exploration and party-based combat, Wizardry became a timeless classic that would influence the future generations of RPG developers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/41d010d4-edb4-46c5-a88b-c306d7319235/Wizardry+02.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series After the success of the original game , Wizardry II: The Knight of Diamonds was released the following year in 1982. This sequel expanded the world and allowed players to continue their adventures using saved data from the first game, introducing one of the defining features of the series—seamless progression from one game to the next. The sequel offered new labyrinths filled with dangerous enemies, building on the formula that made the original game a hit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1aafa61c-9174-4909-b615-2fe1a4340a07/Wizardry+03.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series In 1983, Wizardry III: Legacy of Llylgamyn came along, sending players on a quest to recover a mystical orb guarded by a dragon. The Wizardry series was known for its tough challenges, but it was also one of the first games to integrate a rich lore and unique quests. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/5d2149de-d398-4d1c-a1cc-3d602eaedf86/Wizardry+04.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series Fans of the series didn't see a new release until December of 1987 when Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna flipped the script, making players take on the role of Werdna, the villain from the first title, as he tried to escape the labyrinth. This was a unique twist that defied RPG conventions and gave the series a darker, more complex narrative. The game originally released for the Apple II but over the years has been available on multiple platforms, including the first Playstation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/199c877b-e4f4-4b38-bef3-d52afea94fa1/Wizardry+06.png Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series As the series evolved, so did its ambition. The 1990’s brought us Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge which marked a significant turning point for the series by introducing science fiction elements that would become a staple of later Wizardry titles. With this, the series started blending fantasy and sci-fi in a way that few other games had ever attempted before. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/d947a5bd-3032-48fc-8585-c12d3dab0754/Wizardry+05.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series And in 1988, Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom introduced the first NPC conversations, adding depth to the world and giving players more interactive choices. It also expanded the game world to a new level, increasing the challenge and scope of the adventure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/390d23e7-8102-4736-81e5-c19c4d7d22f2/Wizardry+07.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series This shift continued in Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant which released in 1992, it continued the story from the previous game, taking players on an epic quest through space and time, cementing the Wizardry series’s place in the sci-fi RPG genre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/7b530fe7-7740-48ac-bb05-900ad9ccd63d/Gaiden+01.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series - Released in 1991 Wizardry: The First Episode Suffering of the Queen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/314e6380-91ae-43c5-9b40-0f621d7e36b8/Gaiden+03.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series - Released in 1993 Wizardry: The Third Episode Scripture of the Dark https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/aad2c84b-e15b-4769-8c8c-03d0963a695b/Gaiden+02.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series - Released in 1992 Wizardry: The Second Episode Curse of the Ancient Emperor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/bd67a181-f606-4009-a2ec-b74cbe616263/Demon+Heart.png Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series - Released in 1996 Wizardry: The Final Episode Throb of the Demon’s Heart https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/605e9a86-f15c-4eb6-af8e-07a94cd653bf/Empire+01.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series - Fast forward to the late '90s and early 2000s, and we see the Wizardry Empire series. These games, which debuted on the Game Boy Color, were dungeon crawlers that closely followed the classic Wizardry gameplay style but introduced new elements for a fresh experience. Wizardry Empire: Princess of the ancient released exclusively in Japan in 1999, this title brought the Wizardry series to the Game Boy Color, with gameplay closely following the Gaiden titles but adding more features from Bane of the Cosmic Forge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/f846e757-27be-4e5e-a415-4af0f042b717/Empire+02.png Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series Released in 2002, Wizardry Empire II: Legacy of the Princess was a direct sequel that continued the Empire series' tradition of dungeon exploration, this title expanded on the first game’s systems. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1cdc2981-fc78-45d3-ae5a-de56f72679da/Empire+03.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series Wizardry Empire III: Ancestry of the Emperor was the third and final title in the Empire series, further refining the core gameplay mechanics and bringing the story to a close with it’s release in 2003. The Wizardry Empire games helped keep the franchise alive on portable platforms, offering players new challenges while maintaining the traditional Wizardry experience. Like the Gaiden series, they offered fans more ways to explore the world of Wizardry while still retaining that dungeon-crawling magic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/89347b61-a6bd-4df8-8280-baef64b3bcf8/Wizardry-08.png Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series With the arrival of the 21st century, the Wizardry series expanded into new platforms and genres. In 2001, Wizardry VIII was released as the final numbered title in the main series, integrating exploration and combat systems into a unique gameplay experience that set it apart from its predecessors. It serves as the final game in the Dark Savant Trilogy, which include the two previous main titles, Wizardry VI and VII. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/7ff6cce9-6a55-400f-9a38-763ff73a5473/labyrinth+of+lost+souls.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series The years following saw several more spin-offs, reboots, and mobile adaptations. In 2009, Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls was released, a challenging title known for its unforgiving dungeons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/58e685b5-cd5f-4f87-bb79-fb2c8f2bb32c/lost+city.png Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series And in 2011, Wizardry: Prisoners of the Lost City continued the dungeon-crawling trend, offering a mysterious city shrouded in fog for players to explore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/eafef0cd-d006-4953-8616-ac6aace1f7dd/Wizardry-Online-Wallpaper.png Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series - Watch the awesome game trailer here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/45201277-ae4c-4962-9a01-4c6fc92a807c/Eternal+Crypt.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series - As we fast forward to 2024, the Wizardry franchise continues to innovate. Wizardry: Eternal Crypt was released as a blockchain game that challenges players to guide adventurers through treacherous dungeons in search of treasure, all while staying true to the series' legacy of dungeon-crawling adventures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/badc7bc0-c038-4045-b78d-729aca75c439/WizLite.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series And Wizlite: Everybod Loved RPGS, which released in December 18, 2024, is a fast-paced, 15-minute dungeon RPG that mixes classic command battles with roguelite gameplay. Though shorter in scope, it captures the essence of Wizardry’s tense battles, dungeon exploration, and spell management which is perfect for fans looking for a quick yet thrilling RPG experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/779b80bf-d4b4-47b9-a954-7c89450e3ea1/WVD.jpg Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series And finally we have Wizardry Variants Daphne which first released in August 2023 for mobile, and later became available for PC via Steam on March 6th of this year. This fresh entry in the series re-imagines the classic formula, offering new mechanics and story elements while honoring the franchise’s roots. With new labyrinths and challenges to explore, Daphne brings the Wizardry experience to an even wider audience, including myself and I especially enjoy seeing how the story is unfolding. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1510bf6f-5413-4db5-8496-608cddf158d5/Bonny+Shirt.png Articles - Gaming History: The Wizardry Series - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles/making-a-pie-by-crowprince monthly 0.5 2025-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/1745193387508-UGLLP2GPRMDCYMLGDIL1/Making+a+Pie+-+CrowPrince+-+itch.io.png Articles - Making a Pie: An Interactive RPG Seeing the evidence of someone’s first time making a game can be a rather rewarding experience, and this is no different. Making a Pie by crow_prince_ is the interactive part to a larger story that takes place in a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic alternate universe with the idea being that the element of honesty is “cast aside”. Much of this AU story is told in the form of Instagram posts made by the same user, which I’ve been following for some time, so I do hope to do the artist justice as I review their first step into the world of game creation. The Making a Pie story follows Pear Butter and her difficulties with raising Lil’ Mac, her infant child, with no help from Bright Mac. Eventually, she is invited to the Grand Galloping Gala by Cheesecake, who offers to help her get her pear butter making business off the ground by introducing her to someone at the Gala who can help finance her venture. The story itself, with dishonesty as the central theme, shows how Pear Butter struggles with sneaking off alongside Cheesecake without telling Bright Mac, who is too focused on work to notice his wife needing help and support. One of the first things about this artist is that they have an extremely unique art style, one that uses lots of bright colors and exaggerated features to their advantage. It really stands out, especially among other artists I tend to follow, and this art style moves into their game and cut-scenes with beautiful bright colors and fun characters. The scenery in the game itself reflects this style as well, as a loose interpretation of the cartoon version of the castle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/17266167-1896-40eb-946f-9bb54db1e151/Making+a+Pie+-+CrowPrince+-+itch.io2.png Articles - Making a Pie: An Interactive RPG The other thing most will notice is the artist’s mature writing style in the character dialogue and the more mature theme along with it. A common storytelling device used often is the ability to build from an already existing story to build a more diverse world in that medium. You almost have to see the original story and the new story as separate in order to give the new story the respect it deserves. This, in my opinion, saves the artist creating the story from having to create the world entirely from scratch and gives the writer/artist more availability to focus on the narrative they’re trying to write. This storytelling method has a right and wrong way to go about it, and I do believe this artist does so in the right way. The game play is simple but effective, placing greater emphasis on storytelling over complex mechanics. The creator uses an RPG maker game engine, and the creator uses this to their benefit. The only real downsides I found were that when character sprites moved, sometimes the bottom of the sprite cut off and moved to the top of their sprite, which is a bit odd. Additionally, towards the last half of the game, I was trying to make the main character leave and one of the NPCs was blocking the only exit, so I had to wait for the way to be clear in a moment where my only action was to leave via that particular exit. But, please remember, this is this creators first game so there was bound to be an error or two and neither one really took too much away from the overall story. To sum up, for a first time game maker, this extremely short experience was a positive one if you already follow the story on Instagram. This creator did well with what they had, and I enjoyed the experience! I do highly recommend looking into the artist’s other works, I personally am looking forward to more of their MLP infection AU as their unusual art style made that idea incredibly interesting. My dearest hope is that crow_prince_ takes this game as a stepping stone to make more interactive story games in the future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/0d756a89-00d2-4738-8c10-1ce727b70feb/itchio.png Articles - Making a Pie: An Interactive RPG - Get the Game from ITCH.IO: Making a Pie https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/88147c9d-1c66-4781-b938-dc1d7297b934/Pryo+Logo.png Articles - Making a Pie: An Interactive RPG - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.maelstromhold.com/articles/itchio-games-you-should-play monthly 0.5 2025-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/c00c7e1c-5f52-4b9c-8f1d-cc7f19f10f0b/chonkers.jpg Articles - Six Games From ITCH.IO You Should Play - Article One: Chonkers “Adopt the cutest fur balls and watch them ramp up the chonk scale as you play with them. Find them a new family. They’ll pay A LOT for your hefty chonker!” As someone whose day job involves working with animals, pet health is important to me. Anyone who knows me personally knows I don’t mind giving my two cents on pet diet and treat information—after all, I just want to help. This game challenges that a bit. Chonkers is an idle game I found on Steam, and the goal is to collect all the cat types. You can get toys to play with the cats and level them up (can someone please explain why it costs $250 to go from a dirty sock to a clean one? Since when does it cost that much to wash clothes?), buy litterboxes for extra rewards, and buy food to increase your “chonker chance.” There are four categories to collect in, with four special types of cats to collect (cats, “chonkers,” space cats, and space “chonkers”), plus two collection categories to help fill out what you’ve missed in your cat pulls. The cats you hold onto (or sell) earn you in-game money, which you can use to pull from different cat categories, symbolized by film rolls with different patterns and names. You choose one from three kitten options and gain experience by playing with them until they’re full-grown, earning you more income. The most important thing to remember is that this is a game designed to be left and returned to after a brief check-in, so those who need collection satisfaction fast might not enjoy this unless they can overlook that need for instant closure. Overall, I did and continue to enjoy this game. It offers nice ambient lo-fi music to enjoy while playing and relaxing scenery. The game costs $4.99, but there are a couple of bundles that include Chonkers, one of which I find similarly delightful and tend to keep on while I work during the day. I plan to give this game a good review, as I recommend you do if you found the experience as enjoyable as I did! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/2c30186e-15d4-421f-b593-6fbb788289d8/elevator.jpg Articles - Six Games From ITCH.IO You Should Play - Article Two: Elevator Hitch “The story of two co-workers suddenly finding themselves stuck together in a ‘Perfectly Normal’ 70s office elevator.” Surreal-style horror games can be so much fun, and Elevator Hitch is certainly no exception. This 2.5D visual novel surreal horror game, found on Itch.io and made by racheldrawthis, plays like an escape room game, accumulating items to use in different locations to reach a destination. It really is a lot of fun. The story begins with your character entering a building for an interview, only to be ignored by the reception staff. Left with no guidance, he steps into a random elevator, soon joined by a tall blonde coworker (who introduces himself inconsistently as Bryce Stryker and Clayton Cox). Unfortunately, the lights flicker, and the top floor—your destination—becomes inaccessible, as does the first floor. Now, you must navigate different floors of the building, solving puzzles in these bizarre liminal spaces while dealing with an unhelpful companion who is more interested in bragging than assisting. To make matters worse, some floors are dangerous if you aren’t careful or properly equipped. And at the end of all this nonsense, you still have an interview to pass! This game has a wonderful, bizarre nature, an awesome art style, and engaging in-game mechanics. Plus, with 15 endings to experience, there is plenty of replayability. The game is free, but if you enjoy it, consider donating to the developer. I am looking forward to playing their other games soon! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/aeafeb0b-b2c2-4962-a6f3-1ff9ffe724b2/sorrows.png Articles - Six Games From ITCH.IO You Should Play - Article Three: Exhibit of Sorrows “You arrive at a curious circus-themed exhibit. Music is playing faintly in the background. The exhibits are interactive. Explore, enjoy, and do not upset the clown.” I don’t like clowns. I used to be equally scared of people in mascot costumes, thanks to that one Dexter’s Lab episode where he gets snatched by a children’s play place mascot. However, Exhibit of Sorrows, a short horror game found on Itch.io made by adayofjoy, made me feel bad for the clowns. The game opens with a simple black screen with a white square outline reading “BEGIN.” Not exactly the colorful introduction I expected. After a moment of unease, a brightly lit marquee welcomes you to the Exhibit of Smiles (wait, that’s not what this game is called…). A creepy music box plays “Entry of the Gladiators,” setting the tone for what’s to come. As you explore the exhibit, you interact with charming clown characters, completing small tasks that play into their whimsical names. For example, Mr. Floaty has a pump so you can inflate him like a balloon. Each clown rewards you with a key. But one clown remains nameless, sitting in an ornate frame with a simple request: honk his nose. Eventually, the game takes a sinister turn. The lights go out, and you must retrace your steps in darkness with only a flashlight, undoing the tasks you previously completed. Pay close attention—things start to change as you move back. Pictures shift when you aren’t looking. The environment grows more unsettling. When you finally turn the lights back on and prepare to leave, one clown urges you to go through the exhibit again. Perhaps he just wants you to honk his nose one more time... This game is a masterclass in unsettling atmosphere, relying on dread rather than cheap jump scares. Despite playing it during my lunch break at work in a brightly lit room, I found myself leaning away from the screen, expecting something terrifying at any moment. If a 45-minute experience can make me that anxious, it’s doing something right. Exhibit of Sorrows is free, but I highly recommend donating to the developer. I’d love to see more from them in the future! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/7c6a10de-57a2-4c0b-9fb4-f4d51f7c5e1f/duck.jpg Articles - Six Games From ITCH.IO You Should Play - Article Four: Placid Plastic Duck Simulator Normally, I like to play games with a story. A game that basically becomes an interactive book, with crazy details and hidden meanings and contrived plots with crazy narration or controls and amazing sound design and music. Today will not be normal. Today, we will talk about ducks. Placid Plastic Duck Simulator is a game I found on Steam and is made by turbolento games and does not have any crazy controls or over the top stories. It is literally only about toy ducks. I had this game running for a whole day and was in absolute bliss. In this game, you choose a setting and (if you have any DLC purchased) the different duck packs. Then, a duck spawns for you. When you click the mouse, the duck quacks. There are even some ducks that have different quacks or do different things. For instance, there’s a shark duck that will go under the water, only the shark fin visible, and when you click the duck quacks the Jaws theme. Theres one that looks like a member of the band, KISS, and plays guitar riffs. My favorite, however, is the twisted balloon duck that sounds like a balloon being rubbed together. You can name the ducks, as well, so there’s even a level of personalization to it. The settings play a role in entertainment too. I started on a map that looked like it took place in space (because spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace) and there’s a couple of vacuum tubes and slides and there’s a zero-gravity tube that leads into a spaceship that then drops the ducks onto what looks like a pinball table. I am aware that most people like a game where you do something, but I think every once in a while, you really should make a cup of hot tea, pull up a book, and watch some ducks float around. This game is perfect for just that. For $1.99 you can enjoy some fun little ducks (not including DLC) and relax in these crazy times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/6e9aea40-915d-4190-b47f-ece6b5be89ce/teeth+of+glass.jpg Articles - Six Games From ITCH.IO You Should Play - Article Five: Teeth of Glass “It begins with one cut.” Point and clicks are among some of my personal favorite kinds of games. The perspectives, the settings, there aren’t many that I think don’t do well. Plus, you occasionally get some rather interesting mechanics added that show through. Teeth of Glass is a short game found on Itch.io and made by Beyond Booleans. They are authors to other games, but this was my introduction to their work. The game totes itself as a fever dream with two endings, and both statements are true. Bit of a bizarre trip start to finish, but for such a short experience this wasn’t to its detriment. The game starts with text dialogue between several people working in an ER at a hospital going over a rather strange patient, described as “an elderly male, very underweight, unknown age” with a gunshot wound to his chest. The (presumably EMT’s or nurses, they never do say which) discover that the patient has no pulse but is still breathing. Despite not finding a pulse, they rush to connect the patient to a monitor and get him to an operating room. As the main character and surgeon, Dr. Hagstrom, begins the first incision to remove the bullet, you get your first look at this patient and find several odd things in his abdominal cavity (don’t worry if you get squeamish at the site of blood as one of the observations of note is that everything is “abnormally dry” for being inside the abdomen of a living person). Just as your character removes the bullet, a strange black inky substance shoots out from the bullet hole (you’d be surprised how often fluids just come shooting out of living things when you work in the medical field, and they do somehow always go for the face every time, there is no escaping it). This fluid seeps into Dr. Hagstrom’s facial orifices and he blacks out. When he wakes up, he is alone in the OR and the operating table has what I can only call a black carcass, dripping a black sludge (it looks like the drips are going up instead of down, but with this game outwardly calling itself a fever dream and being that it’s pixelated in style, I don’t really know if its resolution, part of the fever dream, or a mistake). From here, it plays like an escape room game. You find various items and use them on items and parts of the environment to progress until you come to an important choice: knowledge or love. While I enjoyed playing the game itself, it felt a little scattered to me. Nothing quite makes sense and, while the title doesn’t necessarily have to be literal or tied into the game itself, the only thing relating to the game name comes up after one of the choices as the very last image you see. I guess if you take into account something you can click on in the first interactive sequence of the game, it could tie into that a little bit, but I didn’t actually clock on that until I restarted the game solely to help me write this article so I could quote the game directly, and I only investigated to see if it was even something I could look at or if the game was going to force me to make the first incision given the fact that the patient was coming in for a gunshot and most surgeries have to be done with a certain expediency. There are also certain game elements that don’t tie together in a way that makes any sense. I guess that could be part of the “fever dream” aspect of the game’s story itself. But this does not mean the game was not enjoyable. It was creepy and had me watching every corner to see what was creeping up behind me. Not every game needs the story spelled out plainly, and if the creator wants to leave the ending vague and mysterious, or it’s even entirely possible that there was something I missed during playing (which is entirely possible, though I do try to be thorough when I play games so that I don’t miss important story stuff). The credits do say “This is not the end” so I personally do hope they hold themselves to this promise as I would love to play more! The experience as a whole only took about 30-45 minutes and was free, but please show the creator some appreciation if you enjoyed the experience as much as I did. I do plan to go through their other games so expect more from me! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66018f28ab63750f5d58f7bc/a7381390-b725-451c-a8d2-1db04eef325f/dark+queen.png Articles - Six Games From ITCH.IO You Should Play - Article Six: The Dark Queen of Mortholme “You are the Dark Queen—the most powerful being of your entire universe. Your lair is breached by an aspiring hero—a pitiful thing, easily crushed. Except they keep coming back.” Role reversal tends to bring about new ways of thinking, challenging past beliefs in ways we don’t often consider. In a world where stories are often told and retold, a new perspective is a breath of fresh air. I personally love games that challenge thinking, fresh perspectives are what hold my attention. The Dark Queen of Mortholme presents that new perspective, found on Itch.io and created by Mosu. This game is described as an anti-game, and it is true to that genre since in this game you play as the final boss standing in the way of the hero, whose goal is to defeat you and end your evil reign. The game starts as a henchman from your army warns you of a breach in the castle right before they die and fade away. Then, in bursts the hero, swearing to end your evil then and there. And then you obliterate them. Unfortunately, as you get back to your throne the hero bursts in again to challenge you again, and again, and again. This would make the game sound incredibly boring, but this is where the unique story comes into play. Being that you play the final boss, your gameplay doesn’t really change. You get the same move sets, the same health amount, the same weaponry. However, your ever-persistent hero adapts. They come back with new weaponry, additional health, and even new knowledge on how to get around your attacks. The hero adapts to your move sets and adjusts to how you play. Sure, the game sounds challenging, but where does the story come into play? Well, in between each fight the hero and the Queen banter and converse. Through this banter, we learn new things about the Queen and her surroundings, as you can only go back and forth in her throne room. The two adversaries through the game start to go from enemies to rivals as they each challenge each other’s thinking. The Queen even begins to relent on her idea that fighting the nature of things results in failure, and she begins to consider that maybe change can be a good thing. This pixelated-style game has a wonderful story idea that’s executed flawlessly with beautiful art style and great music. I believe this game is worth the play, especially since it comes at no cost to the player. 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