Recent reviews by Jala-chan

Interesting murder mystery game with well-written and complex mini-narratives aside from the main plot. Fun to engage in and unique among murder mystery experiences. The art direction is great, and the gameplay easy to pick up. Worth a few play throughs to see as many of the passenger narratives as you can.

This is one of my favorite indie games. I'd best liken it to a surreal Gone Home - it's a walking sim that explores the relationships and lives of people dwelling in several neighboring apartments. This is strongly experiential and emotive, with an artistic and innovative storytelling method that uses text as a way to draw your eye around the spaces you explore as well as almost an object in the world. The writing, music and art are all fantastic, and the minimalist 'overworld' style keeps the focus on the more inward nature of the stories being told. This game is about 2 hours long, which is the perfect length for it as it doesn't overstay its welcome but likewise doesn't feel rushed. You're looking into snapshots of peoples' lives and memories. Some have a resolution to them while others do not, just like in life. This is a creative and engaging little game that I'd recommend to people who love strong character-driven focus and experimental narrative style.

A cross between a QTE-driven adventure game and a visual novel, this game has a fun story that holds true to the source material, a nice mix of narrative and action, and a great sense of empowerment as your character develops. The soundtrack is wonderful and the level of complexity is greater than your average visual novel or adventure game but not so detailed as to bog down play. It certainly has a high replay value in my mind given the branching paths and flexibility allowing you to solve problems by a variety of means depending on how you have built your character. A definite recommend for anyone who enjoys games such as Sorcery! or Telltale narrative-based titles.

Leviathan is a dark, episodic visual novel/adventure game. Your mother was murdered and you were adopted by the killer. Seeking to punish your guardian, you investigate the circumstances around the death and uncover much more than you first anticipated - including your own complex feelings related to the man who both killed your parent and lovingly raised you.

The world of this game is intricate and richly developed, with a history that is both enigmatic and unique. It is dark fantasy with cyberpunk and even alien elements. The art stands out as both familiar and distinct, with animations which often make antagonists seem appropriately more grotesque. Though there are few tracks, the music is enjoyable and memorable. The characters are familiar personality types, yet as the story progresses you reveal new facets, emotions, and convictions. Many characters are not simply "good" or "evil" but rather a mixture of the two. The society in which this story takes place is filled with corruption, classism, racism, and politics. You commit crimes during your quest, even in selecting the most virtuous path you are offered. The writing depicts realistic situations, which are always a shade of grey (rather than black and white) and more difficult to suss out than is reflected in entertainment media. There are also reminders of your character's age (flirting, going drinking with friends) even as he is working on his investigation. I feel this is not a drawback to the story but rather enhances it, giving the protagonists a more human feel.

The only issue that some players will encounter is the translation in terms of localization and a few grammatical issues. The story is still very much intelligible and therefore this does not detract from the game to any great extent. Furthermore, Lostwood has advised that a professional translator will be hired after the release of episode 5 to proofread everything. This will likely be released as an update when episode 5 is available in English, or shortly thereafter.

I definitely recommend this game. It is quite easy to see the love and dedication put into this game and I absolutely want to see more of this world - and more work from Lostwood.

A charming and relaxed puzzle platformer, Contrast features engaging characters and enjoyable gameplay. The story is broken up into three acts of roughly equal length, and is well-paced. While there are some interesting puzzles, the game doesn't feel overly difficult and thus the interactive elements won't disturb your enjoyment of the environment and narrative. The driving force of the game is definitely the characters and their relationships with each other. Overall this is a great experience and a solid, short game that I have already suggested to several people. The soundtrack and visuals are distinct and memorable.

Were you around for the 80s and/or early 90s? If so this game will instill arcade nostalgia, poke fun at some of the stereotypical tidbits from that era and provide entertaining gameplay at the same time. There are a few instances where parts were broken and glitched out, but overall this is a great co-op experience. Classic beat 'em up, reskinned and updated.

This game has a fun co-op campaign mode, as well as a survival mode ("Escalation") and online multiplayer. It's an enjoyable, straightforward third-person shooter that facilitates transformation between vehicle and humanoid forms. The Decepticons in particular have some fun missions, and the two air missions (Decepticon and Autobot respectively) are both fun, too.