Braid: Anniversary Edition (Thekla, Inc.) is a classic indie puzzle-platformer known for its innovative time-based gameplay, in which the player rewinds time to solve puzzles. These puzzles often require a combination intuition and precise button timing to accomplish. Since I’m not great at platforming and suck at precise time-based actions, some of these sections were a challenge for me. In other cases, I could manage the platforming, but struggled with the puzzle, so I unabashedly looked up hints as needed.
Most of the narrative is presented at the beginning of each level through a series of pedestals holding books. As the player passes each one a passage opens, revealing pieces of the story. It’s a lot of text up front, and I can imagine some players skipping most of it. However, I like the way the gameplay elements (specifically time manipulation) reflect the game’s overall themes regarding memory, regret, and the desire to do things differently. The final level — essentially a boss fight — also provides a twist on expectations, demonstrating the unreliable narration of the player-character up until this point.
I can’t say that I loved Braid, but I’m glad I played it. It’s such a classic, and I’ve heard it discussed often. So, I’m glad I now better understand what this game is and how it was designed.
Horizon: Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games) is my comfort game these days. So, even though I had already finished it, I jumped back in and decided to complete some more tasks (such as killing six fireclaws), and that led me to working through the various achievements. So, I 100%-ed the achievements, getting my first platinum trophy — something of which I’m rather proud.
All I have left is to New Game+ on ultra-hard mode, which I’m not quite prepared to do. But I still find myself jumping into this beautiful world. One time, I found a mount and rode around, randomly exploring the beautiful landscapes. Another time, I battled some machines just for the hell of it. I could attempt to find all the data messages in the world (certainly an immense task). Or, I could just restart the story.
I have so many other games left half-played that I want to get back into and have even more games waiting in my backlog. And yet, I find myself reluctant to leave Aloy’s world.
One of the many delightful things on my recent trip to visit family was how excited my niece and nephew were to play video games with me. Each have their own favorite multiplayer game (that they’ve put hundreds of hours into), and each of them, in their own way, carried me though the experience. It meant so much that they didn’t care how good I was at the game — they just wanted me to play with them.
My niece is in love with Sky: Children of the Light, developed by Thatgamecompany, who also made Journey (one of my favorite games). Sky feels thematically and stylistically connected to Journey. It focuses on the restoration or light and the healing of spirits in the world, with some levels presenting a looming darkness.
I had fun exploring this world with my niece, who talked me through what to do and how to explore the game. At certain points, the game allowed me to even hold her hand, so that she could lead me through. On many of the darker, more dangerous levels, she literally carried me, hauling my character along with ease. She led me through the entire story to the end of the game. Thanks to playing through the whole story so quickly (thanks to her guidance), I’m not entirely sure about the full details of the game regarding story or even gameplay. But ultimately, the joy of it was her joy in sharing this experience with me.
My nephew is a huge fan of Fortnite (Epic Games) and we played round after round in the Blitz Royale mode. Blitz is a fast-paced, 32-player mode that can be completed in around five minutes. It’s super fun running around with my nephew, and mostly watching him annihilate other players, while I was lucky to get a single kill. He was very sweet about my skill level, always talking me up and telling me that I was getting better. All of the crown wins I have are entirely thanks to him, and I’m okay with that.
The communion of play, the joy of collaboration is a beautiful thing about game experiences. And I’m glad when I get to share it with loved one.
Since I took part in the Neo-Twiny Jam last month, I wanted to play as many of the games by other creators as I could. Here are the ones that stood out for me:
- “So, you want to be a vtuber?” by Lapys Aoneeris – Explore the sad and disturbing realities of being a vtuber.
- “Her Name Was” by star☆sapphire – An immortal tries to remember lost loves.
- “The City Leaving Your Eyes” by star☆sapphire – An attempt to find hope in the face of apocalypse.
- “Petrichor” by abby blenk – A poetic walk in the rain
- “Crowned in Vermilion” by halcyyyon – Explore the dark corridors of a castle to kill the king.
- “Nihilist Syndrome” by crotovane – A strange and haunting story, with beautifully unsettling art.
- “The Tightrope” by toothinajar – Ride the tightrope… chicken out, commit, or fall.
- “Cassandra” by manonamora – An interactive exploration of a classic myth.
I also really enjoyed Koway’s “A Dying Snake,” which uses the classic snake game to explore the ephemerality of life.
If you’d also like to know about the books and movies that I enjoyed recently, you can check out my Culture Consumption for June.