Recent reviews by Densetsu

Kind Words 1 asked the question 'What if social media wasn't designed to be toxic and materialist?' By creating a space where you could post your concerns anonymously, receive anonymous replies, but NOT reply to a reply, it disincentivized trolls in a way rarely seen in our modern day. For its fans, Kind Words 1 seemed a perfect antidote to our modern condition, and it was strange to think that it could be improved.

Lo(fi) and behold, we have arrived at Kind Words 2, a game which finds ways to fix things you may not have even thought were broken, and promises to grow into something even more wholesome and incredible. If you're sold on the concept of 'more Kind Words', I honestly just recommend you buy without a second thought; this kind of game should be encouraged by everyone. But if you want a deeper dive into why Kind Words 2 improves on KW1, continue on~

One of the main issues, if you could call it that, with Kind Words 1 is that it had one single avenue of communication, and encouraged its users to pour out their emotions if need be. While this was cathartic for many and you could receive plenty of good vibes and help when you needed (in the YEARS I played, I think I got a single message which was of debatable sincerity), it could also be taxing. Reading through a series of letters from people in tough circumstances, or going through things which triggered you specifically could be very taxing. At the time I'd viewed it as an unavoidable consequence of the circumstances.

Kind Words 2 seeks to solve this issue in a truly inclusive and open-ended way. Now, the entirety of Kind Words 1 is contained inside a room, which you are able to leave, exploring a whole collection of setpieces representing different parts of your town. The different areas offer different activities which play with the core conceit of Kind Words - anonymous collaborative spaces with a positive vibe. There's a cafe where you can write poetry or give prompts for others to write to. A record store where you can solicit or give recommendations. Even a plaza where you can give out names or descriptions for hypothetical cats. The common thread here is that all these activities carry forth the positive vibes of Kind Words but tend to lack the emotional weight. That space is still there if you need it, but you need not be tied to it.

Most sequels add more of what people liked in their first go around - Kind Words does add more collectable stickers, more locations, more activities and there's the promise to add much more than this. The developer Popcannibal maintains a discord attentively, and is constantly entertaining changes and quality of life fixes. I have every faith that as lovely as KW2 is now, it will be even more of a fantastic piece in a year.

But that's not advice to wait; in this world of countless indie games, when a voice springs out that really deserves to be heard, every purchase and recommendation counts. It won't be for everyone - you won't have an awful lot of goals or action in this game - if you like what you're hearing, I implore you to give Kind Words 2 a chance. The words you'll find in this town are sure to stick with you.

Odds are you know if you'll love Balatro.
Even if you don't, you can catch on very quickly.
Drawing on most of our shared experience with playing cards, the game's mechanics are highly intuitive - make big poker hands.
Flush away all the things one dislikes about poker, for example by giving the player a hand of 10 cards to make a hand with, and allowing you to discard and redraw repeatedly turns the game into a joy.
Pair that with everything compelling about the roguelike deckbuilder genre and you have a bonifide classic.
To pair all the different enjoyable parts of card games, getting new cards - making sets of them - crafting a deck, and upgrading the cards you have, it's absolutely phenomenal.
Heart to Heart, though, some elements of the game are a little unintuitive, like how the hands you play don't need to have 5 cards in them, but the journey of discovering these little quirks of the game is part of the game.
Straight up, any fan of poker, slay the spire, monster train, Inscryption, magic the gathering, and roguelikes generally needs to have this game.
And that's no Joker.

There are some easy ways to determine if you are likely to become a devoted fiend for the phenomenal Monster Train. The easiest is to ask if you like 2018's cult classic Slay the Spire - if yes, purchase Monster Train with no reservations. If you're a fan of the indie-darling Roguelike genre and/or of staple-card game Magic the Gathering or its many derivations, you are quite likely to enjoy the unique blend of gameplay Monster Train serves up. But if none of that means anything to you, hop aboard as we attempt to ponder whether this is in fact your Train. (Summary at Bottom)

Monster Train is significant in that it's become the second tentpole entry into the fast-growing Roguelike Deck Builder genre which Slay the Spire started. A roguelike deckbuilder is a game in which a given playthrough consists of several fights of a card-game-like nature (as in your character's attacks and defences are represented as unique cards you draw, play and discard). Between fights, you're given options which add and remove cards to your deck. Every playthrough begins from scratch with a new deck and randomly determines which cards, enemies, and other rewards are available. The reward of this genre derives not just from winning a game, but from developing a deck full of cards with synergistic effects, a feeling which is satisfying creatively, strategically, and probabilistically, as you can never quite rule out the effects of lady luck's highs and lows in a given run. And all of this plays out to a rapturous soundtrack by Jordan Chin, whose music will worm its way into your list of the most hummable, energetic, iconic game soundtracks out there.

So if this is your introduction to the genre and you're reading these descriptions with excitement, or if you're a player with strategy and creation on the mind, you're likely already feeling that you're in the target audience for Monster Train. Who, then, is not?

Well the genre doesn't have the best history with polished visuals, and Monster Train continues this regrettable trend. Many have remarked that some of its monster designs, while by no means unprofessional, feel at times uninspired. Some have been put off to the point of calling it 'mobile-game-like'. As an artist myself, I find the color choices for the environment and the titular monsters very by-the-book. The most iconic object in the game, the eponymous Monster Train, looks unique, but even it isn't seen very often and some of the concept art in the game depicting it is slightly inconsistent. In short, looks were not a priority in this game's creation.

This sadly blends into the game's story. While implied background and lore abound, quantity does not quality make, and in my opinion, the writing is serviceable at best. Even if Slay the Spire's world was occasionally rough looking around the edges, it had a unique character which Monster Train never quite attains. And this is just the aesthetic angle.

While I found the game intuitive, there are a variety of rules to learn, particularly for someone new to card games of this type. While I haven't focused on the differences between MT and Slay the Spire, they are numerous and create an experience which is arguably deeper but a little more intimidating at the outset. When you just glance at the game, and see a 3 story train, many people are literally dumbstruck and don't know what's going on. And furthermore, if you're the kind of player who favors quick reactions or execution based gameplay, you'll not find that here.

The last reason you might consider not getting the game, and the only one which is probably not worth entertaining is that you already have Slay the Spire and enjoy it. Perhaps you wonder if Monster Train is an inferior product or is in fact too derivative. Here all the things which make it hard to recommend for the newcomer become positives; its 3 level structure introduces the idea of planning for the next turn. Its custom card upgrade system encourages you to view every card not just for what it is or is destined to become, but what you could conceivably turn it into. In an almost indescribable way, it allows for combos which seem digustingly broken to the point where you can't imagine how this can't be a bug in the game that you're taking advantage of with a huge smile. But even its difficulty curve seems better tuned than Slay the Spire, easier at first, but ramping up gradually into a true mountain of challenge to conquer.

So while Monster Train may not be for everyone, there's a large group which will absolutely revel in its depth and its gameplay. True newcomers to the genre may wish to start with Slay the Spire first, but once you step on board that rail, you're going to arrive here eventually. And for those who are stepping on just now, you're in for a HELL of a trip.

+Incredible creative strategic depth which builds on the genre conventions established by Slay the Spire
+Surprisingly intuitive and well-tuned, featuring insane combos and ever-increasing challenge
+Easily over 50-100+ hours of replayable content through roguelike random content
-Generic uninspired aesthetic
-Gameplay unavoidably involves cards and strategy which may be unintuitive or uninteresting for some
-Newcomers to the genre may find game overcomplicated and want to play Slay the Spire first

Train Steward (with Advanced Prototype Upgrade)/10

If Va11hallA and Persona hooked up in the cafe from the anime Time of Eve, their lovechild would be Necrobarista. If that means something to you, then you'll be doing yourself a favor to buy this game immediately, as for a certain set of people, including me, it is truly a singular and sublime story experience. [Summary at bottom]

If you're on the fence, you have good reason to be - this game won't be for everyone. It would be accurate to call it a visual novel, and not a terribly non-linear one at that. Seekers of intense action gameplay or a deep, lengthy playthrough may be disappointed, as the game is around a 5-7 hour trip without a lot of player choices, and the entire experience oozes anime. So if those things sound like dealbreakers, I wouldn't blame you for passing.

But I'd go so far as to call Necrobarista my favorite game of the summer, if not the year.

The story of Necrobarista is by far a highlight. It follows the exploits of Maddy, owner of a cafe in Melborne which carries the unique distinction of housing patrons who are recently deceased. The supernatural is intertwined with the mundane in a way that always feels touchingly human, often hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking. It's sufficiently indie enough for many a player to go in completely blind, at least for now, and if you're prepared for an emotional journey through life, death, and yes, Melborne, you can do no better than this.

It helps that the journey is gorgeous. Necrobarista is one of very few games where you can feel the influence not only of an art director, but a cinematographer, who wields its camera to produce shot after shot of iconic vistas, all within one truly iconic cafe. It's the kind of game I can't help but take screenshots of, not because of any strange bug or wild moment, but because it presents a world that resounds with beauty. Its music also leaps to the task, serving up the kind of chill you might want to download and play in your own cafe. It is truly a feast for the senses.

So Necrobarista, like any hole-in-the-wall cafe, won't be for everyone. It has rough edges, and makes no attempt to satisfy every gamer who may encounter it. But those who are looking for what Necrobarista offers will find it singularly spectacular - a bespoke experience you'll remember for years to come. By the end, my greatest critique of the game, as if by design, seemed to reflect the wants of its characters - I just wanted one more day in the Terminal Cafe.

+ Dramatic, Hilarious, Heart-wrenching story in a unique setting
+ Iconic, Beautiful Anime Aesthetic
+ Top Notch Music
- Unavoidable Prominent Anime Aesthetic
- Highly Linear, Little Replay Value
- Mildly short

Chocolate Lamington/10

Kind Words is one of the most wholesome and beautiful experiences of the last decade. It is essential playing for anyone interested in the possibilities of game design for change, for anyone looking for a heartwarming and unique experience, or anyone feeling lost and worried that they're alone.

In Kind Words, you send out letters anonymously via a friendly mail-deer telling real people about your problems or thoughts. Anonymous players will write you back with their sympathy and advice. And you can give advice to others. And miraculously, it's all good. There is essentially no trolling because there's no way to reply to a reply you've received. This means that prospective trolls will never be able to see the reactions to hypothetical bad-faith letters, and combined with an active report and moderation system, in 21 hours, I've seen maybe 1 or 2 messages which were at worst, questionable.

The end result is a space that's safe and supportive, and a little magical. Some of the replies I've gotten have truly drawn tears and lifted me up from times I was down. It's worth saying that there are some days when the particular requests in the queue might get you down too, but you never have to answer anything, and more than that, it's a community that's here for each other. Here to let you know that even in the worst of times, you're not alone.

Highly, highly recommended.

You should know from the trailer whether you're going to like A Short Hike. If 'Animal Crossing but as a short adventure' sounds like your jam, you won't be disappointed. What I didn't expect was how completely this game would brighten up my night and become one of my favorite little vignettes - a truly enrapturing, uplifting little piece that feels like everything I wanted it to be.

The game is simple - reach the top of the island peak - get there at your own pace, in your own way. And along that way, there's a whole little world at your fingertips full of little collectables to satisfy your curiosity, and a variety of animal residents written with suberb wit, memorable character, and the occasional bit of heartful charm that's so easy to mess up, but this game pulls off gracefully. It's all rendered in a charming low-poly art style which oozes personality and evokes the carefree days of the ps1. What may not be obvious from the trailers is the freedom you feel in exploring. As a bird you're able to leap and glide, and since the whole world is an island, you'll only ever fall into the water. The physics never make you feel as if you've missed a jump, rather than simply sliding into a healthy splash. It really feels joyous to explore, and it's a place you just wanna live in.

The game's greatest shortcoming is right in its title - by gaming standards it is a 'short' hike. It's not challenging, it's not particularly deep. But it isn't meant to be. And I want to emphasize - while I could technically return this game because I finished it so quickly, I have zero intention of doing so. I loved every single second in its world, from the pure wholesome of its residents, to an unexpectedly emotional ending. There will be those who do not enjoy this game. I imagine you know who you are, and this thing isn't going to convert you.

But if you think this game might be for you, you could be on the verge of discovering something magical. And I hope you take the plunge and start out on your own short hike!

Say you're a new player to XCOM, and you've watched on youtube, get the basics, like what you see, and try this DLC at the same time you start up the game.


It adds new, difficult enemies, and that would seem to be fine if you're ready for that. If you're not, there's an option to turn off the DLC in the menu. But get this - turning off the DLC (as long as it's still installed) removes the story mission which explains the presence of the difficult enemies and the weapons almost necessary to kill them, but THE DIFFICULT ENEMIES CAN STILL APPEAR AT RANDOM IN YOUR GAMEPLAY. For the unexpecting new player, these are devastating and nearly impossible to beat, especially if they should occur early in your campaign, as they did in mine.


Even if you were to encounter them on later playthroughs, there are only 3 enemies and one story mission, and fancy gear aside, that seems like scant little content for a price of $10. Only for the hardest of hardcore fans who want to support Firaxis; I for one am highly annoyed at the false promises of the DLC activation at the menu, and do not recommend the DLC.

Like the eponymous bar the game takes place in, this is a game that's flying under most people's radars, but is highly deserving of a look, if you're a certain kind of person.

Make no mistake, by and large, this game resembles a visual novel; it emphasizes writing and aesthetics, and goes so far as to do away with dialogue choices, long seen as a staple of interactivity in an otherwise linear genre. But don't take that to mean that this game has no element of non-linearity or choice - merely that it resides in mechanics which aren't usually seen that way. The gameplay is not meant to be challenging, but the writing is stimulating and compelling in ways rarely seen in this medium. Anime fans will savor the references, which can get mind numbingly obscure and are often gut-bustingly funny. Fans of story will find characters with an uncanny balance of quirks, flaws, hopes and stand-out moments that stick with you. An incredible amount of care was put into the environments and people that you meet here.

There are people who won't enjoy this game - anyone who's turned off my the anime aesthetic, or anyone looking for more cyberpunk action than cyberpunk bartending. But for those looking for a story they hadn't heard before, this is a diamond in the rough. It's about 10 hours, it has replay value and a good amount of secrets, and most importantly, it's got a personality all its own. Recommend.