Games I Played in May 2025

Games

Due to travel and other distractions, it was a slow gaming month, and I didn’t have a chance to get back to finishing the last few The Last of Us 2, which I’m excited to do. There were a couple of other smaller games that I finished, however.

An algorithmically crafted poem in Wayfinder. | screenshot by me

Wayfinder is a lovely little game created by Matt DesLauriers to evoke respect for the beauty of nature. The player takes the form of a red-robed figure wandering through pastel landscapes in different seasons, with the sounds of wind, soft soft rustling leaves, and chirping birds providing an relaxing soundscape. Exploring allows the player to discover tokens that unlock words that come together to unfold small haiku-like poetry. It’s a short (five minutes or so), but soul-soothing experience — and since the visuals and poetry are procedurally assembled, the game is able to create a unique experience for each player.

Games I Played in March 2024

Games
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals (screenshot by me)

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals (Night School Studio) is a narrative adventure game about Riley, a 32-year old woman who returns to her home town to work on a local project to monitor signals in the area. Partnered with Jacob Summers, she is tasked with placing transmitters at strategic points in the remote hillsides. Planting the first transmitter results in a sudden burst of light and launches the characters into a deep mystery full of ghosts, a local cult, and inter-dimensional time travel.

Lost Signals expands on the mechanics from the first game. As before, the player can use the radio tuner to tune into strange frequencies and interact with supernatural elements, but they can also use the radio throughout the night to listen to news and music on various stations, which might provide helpful information. In addition, the player can use a walkie talkie to connect with various people, learn about them and their lives, and receive and give aide.

Games I Played in February 2024

Games

Horror stories have a long history of paralleling raw, painful human experiences, and Silent Hill: The Short Message, the latest release in a franchise known for exploring the dark depths of the human soul, leans heavily into such subject matter. Co-developed by Konami Digital Entertainment and HexaDrive and released for free on PS5 at the end of January, The Short Message explores potentially triggering subjects, such as suicide, depression, bullying, and child abuse and neglect.