Recent reviews by almtzd

a beautiful, clever game that allows the player feel like a genius and a hero all at once. highly recommend.

can't stop pizzaing

sweet. relatable. not too easy, and just hard enough to be a fun challenge without being frustrating. highly recommend this lil gem.

When I first played Oxenfree in 2016, I couldn't shut up about it. I told everyone I knew about this awesome game with the unique dynamic dialogue and the fascinating plot and maddening endings. Hell, I even got my mom to play it, which is seriously a heroic feat.

When Oxenfree II finally came out, I played the whole thing in a day and a half. And then I played it again. It's a strong story and some of the new mechanics were great; I particularly loved the walkie talkie system, and getting to know all the stories from people on the other end. The dynamic dialogue that threads seamlessly into exploration continues to impress. And while I'm not sure it captures the same lightning in a bottle that the first one did, I still loved it. I would've liked to have seen the crossover taken a bit farther, but I enjoyed the way they brought the two stories together and gave a new perspective. That ride on the boat over, when the tower looms for the first time in the background...shivers.

Leave. Is. Possible.

genuinely heartfelt, funny, and entertaining.

i love this game. i've played it on PC and iOS and there are still dozens of paths i've never taken. i pick this back up every now and then and try a new route, and i'm always pleasantly surprised.

someone take this game away from me please, i cannot believe how many hours i've lost to flipping digital houses lol

Dangerously addicting. Play at your own risk.

Short. Sweet. Soooo satisfying. Great set of completionist achievements. Definitely recommend.

I bought this in a steam sale thinking it looked right up my alley: creepy mystery, maybe some dark drama, walking sim, clue-finding, Firewatch-esque. And in some ways it is...some of those things.

What this game also is, however, is really messed up. And I don't just mean the content, cause I'm fine with some disturbing storytelling. As this unfolded little by little it just became more sick-- the entire story is woven with misogynist, grooming, adultifying language when it comes to young girls and one child's particular sexual relationship with a man 30 years her senior. And it feels intentional that these things are never really commented on as a bad thing and, in fact, are referred to as "a love like no other." In fact, other than praise, the issues are somehow sidestepped while also being the main focus? Sigh. This story is so misguided and I honestly hate that I ever paid for this game. I hope the writers have learned a few things about trauma and child sexual assault and who's really at fault in that scenario (the adult) since they wrote this.

A great video essay here covering the issues in detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZhWWcxlJdA

Really f*cking concerning.