Recent reviews by Kranst

Presented as a condensed role-playing adventure, Cat Quest delivers non-stop fun, only hindered by a lack of polish. The stylistic world packaged with simple but quickly paced progression and combat makes for an enjoyable experience. However, the negatives become increasingly noticeable as you continue. Dialogue that starts as witty eventually becomes irritatingly standard. Equipment rewards go from exciting to frustrating when you realize they are random, often useless, and out of your control to level. And while the first playthrough valued time, “Mew Game” serves only as padding, requiring four additional challenge runs for completion. Worth playing through once, but do not recommend continuing afterward.

A simple deck-building strategy game that succeeded in creating a good foundation with some added charm. While most of the mechanics in the game remained familiar with little deviation from the formula, the degree of polish easily made up for the lack of innovation. There was enough depth in each core deck in addition to your card selections to make interesting choices. And the charm of the art and dialogue sufficed as well. However, the real strength of Floppy Knights lies in its understanding of simplicity and quality. Progression and completion are straightforward, objectives are creative but easy to grasp, and achievements are implemented well.

In having a good understanding of simplicity and project scope, inbento succeeds in delivering a compact yet thoughtful puzzle experience. The story is told through wholesome single-slide illustrations involving cats and food. Heavy emphasis was placed on creating a fun chill vibe partnered with excellent accessibility options for those who need it. The game is not very long, which works in its favor and is extremely easy to achieve full completion. There are some challenging levels towards the end that combine every previously learned mechanic, but if you find yourself struggling, the answers are readily available online and only takes seconds to input the solution.

The first game created by Supergiant Games has aged phenomenally. Bastion has every bit of charm now from when it was initially released. The narration is truly top-notch. Not only is the story, characters, and the world described through it, but subtle information regarding the direction of progression, enemies, and hazards are as well if you pay enough attention. How the player interacts with the level materializing around them is fantastic. The music is stellar and the combat is engaging. Decision-making in the form of upgrades, difficulty modifiers, and stage choices has importance, yet nothing is missable. Superbly designed and cannot recommend this experience enough!

The passion of the developers to creatively push the boundaries in unique game design still holds up today. In addition, FEZ continued to one-up itself in delivering unique and interesting puzzles and constantly making the player shift their perspective. Multiple layers allow the player to experience as much of the main game, collectibles, and secrets as they want however they want. There are good achievements, no missables, and is excellent for those who enjoy completion. Some of the final puzzles are quite difficult without assistance, and some large portions of the game can be easily missed, but this does not detract from the overall experience.

My favorite part is when you go from seeing experience gems when you close your eyes in the beginning to flashing lights at the end because there is too much on-screen. All jokes aside, Vampire Survivors is a simple game that delivers a high-quality product. The experience can be tailored to the individual, all the way from optional content to plenty of options and accessibility! The game is designed to appeal to those who enjoy completion and is both welcoming and rewarding for completionists. This is some of the most easy to pick up and most affordable fun that anyone can enjoy! No vampires though...

Visually interesting photography adventure that has a lot of heart. You can tell that the developers put a lot of care into this project. The meticulously handcrafted experience of TOEM is what stands out, presenting a simple and charming design packed with little details. There is no wasted time here. Players quickly move from one concept to the next. Even in repetition, there is constant variation and a personal touch to each moment. Moreover, full completion is satisfying and achievable without needing to devote needless extra time. The quality of life alone garners high praise. Greatly looking forward to whatever their next project might be!

Pleasantly relaxing and heavy on the vibes, A Short Hike is a nice way to spend a few evening game sessions. There is something to be said regarding the cozy atmosphere presented. The artistic style, welcoming soundtrack, and simple but endearing character writing are wonderful. The developer knew exactly what they wanted to convey and how to pass that feeling off to the player. Moreover, there was particular attention to detail in terms of the option menu and customization. And the fluid mechanics accomplish a feat that I love, encouraging experimentation while leaving the player with room for error. Also, there is a fishing minigame...

The unique adventure that Tunic provides can only be described as special. It can never be experienced the same way again. The charm and passion here run deep, with particular attention given to presentation. Discovering the world and mechanics is so rewarding. Furthermore, your intelligence is respected, encouraging you to experiment and problem-solve, which is often missed in modern titles. The developers admired and were inspired by classic experiences like The Legend of Zelda. I highly encourage you to be persistent despite challenges. If you need help, there are wonderful guides that include thoughtful hints without diminishing the accomplishment. Please give this game a chance!

A delightfully short and simple adventure that has cute pixel art and a cozy atmosphere. Garden Story does not excel in any one category but has a solid enough foundation here to provide an entertaining experience. There are, however, some minor negatives that while not a deal breaker, should be acknowledged. Gathering materials and fulfilling board requests is mundane and repetitive, there is a lot of back and forth, and almost everything outside the main content is padded filler. It also feels like a small quality of life update is missing, especially with various small errors, minor bugs, and the lack of Steam Cloud support.