Recent reviews by Arcielツ

107 Studios.. 6 years in development. Such a beautiful game. Looking forward to the Next Chapters
Japan once again putting the west in the dust.

In a period of broken releases and mediocrity, P3R reminds us that ATLUS remain the kings of JRPGs alongside Fromsoftware and Monolith and they do not Miss. Cannot wait for Metaphor, this hits harder than Ragnarok.

I've spent the majority of my teenage years playing osu! and other rhythm games like the Project Diva series, but I never played Rhythm Heaven. I wasn't too familiar with the source material apart from acknowledging its existence, but when I heard this game was inspired by it and had Lo-Fi music, as well as a clean hand-drawn artstyle, i couldn't help but give it a try. And its one of the most wholesome games I have ever played. My name's Angel and today we're taking a look at Melatonin.


“Your body produces melatonin naturally. It doesn’t make you sleep, but as melatonin levels rise in the evening it puts you into a state of quiet wakefulness that helps promote sleep,” - Luis F. Buenaver, Ph.D., C.B.S.M.

For those who don't know, "Melatonin" is the name of the hormone in the brain that helps you fall asleep. As such, the game naturally will have elements that are deliberately designed to make you feel relaxed and could potentially make you fall asleep. It is a short and concise story about a sleep deprived man who struggles with insomnia and the only way we can get through the night is to help him in his dream sequences.


Each level is smoothly hand-drawn with themes that match their dreamy visuals. From dreaming about food, to dreams about work, stress and other surprises. The game also has some pop culture references which I believe are a self-insert of the developer (like the Followers level where you see popular apps like YouTube, Twitch, Reddit, etc or in the Tech level where the character is seen playing VR with a PC Rig, accompanied by a PS5 and a PS4). As for the challenge, this is not a game that would ever be considered for that type of experience primarily. Although it is easy to follow with tutorials being straightforward and making Practice mode mandatory, there is a Hard Mode and Perfectionist options and achievements available for those who seek a challenge. But as for its main purpose, It is purely relaxing, which encourages you to chill out if you're having a bad day. I picked this game up when I was having a rough one and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome, as it became one of my favorite rhythm games I've ever played.

The gameplay consists of following sound cues and pressing the right keys/buttons on the beat, which play out like an interactive album with minigames. However, the way the game implements these cues is similar to that of the Rhythm Heaven franchise in everything but presentation. At the end of the level, you are awarded stars (or rings in hard mode or P's for Perfect) based on your performance. The better you do, the higher the score you get and thus more stars/rings. You have two kinds of levels in this game, for the sake of simplicity i'll name these Singles and Mashups. Single levels essentially play a song that is befitting of the theme. which can either speed up or slow down as it experiments with one consistent mechanic. There are 4 Singles each Chapter, while Mashups are a compilation of all the levels in that Chapter. In other words: Mashups are a combination of the 4 levels inside a chapter and each of them have their own individual song. The game runs smoothly without any bugs.


I feel like the soundtrack of this game has been scientifically approved by a doctor to be the most relaxing music you'll ever listen to, accompanied with its visuals. It is filled with tons of catchy tunes and melodies that will keep you hypnotized. With enough plays you'll practically memorize each of the songs and eventually come back to listen to them more. It's very reminiscent of its source material in a way, but stands out on itself and it is the kind of game that will have you listen to the soundtrack in your subconscious.



Melatonin helps us sleep, it is a much more needed reprieve that can aid us to continue a brand new day, and it is now a game that can help with both, whether in soundtrack or the gameplay. it is a must play for those who are a fan of rhythm games or looking for a game to chill out after a tough one.


8.5/10

There are many things I could say about videogames. They can be joyful, challenging, fun, but for NieR, I call it beautiful and it is best experienced by knowing as little of it as possible. If you're looking for that, then its best to stop reading now.


It's been about a month since I last beat Replicant, and although I never played the original, many modern NieR fans like myself became enamored by Automata. With that in mind, I went into this game with the mindset that I was gonna have the same experience.. It was phenomenal, from the very beginning it captivated me with its premise: A brother who wants to cure his sister from an evil curse, not too bad for your standard shounen anime, so I gave it a chance. At first, I didn't find the main character memorable until the game kept progressing, along with his companion Grimoire Weiss or even Kaine (Emil is already memorable lets be honest), who made a kickass intro. Kaine was a great contrast to your typical ally in videogames, she is a woman with her own purpose, her own ambitions and has a heart for revenge. Weiss was more than comedic relief in my opinion, his presence was very much important as it was with Kaine and Emil. And Emil is as kind and fun loving as he was in Automata, glad to see more of him. This cast of unique characters semented a place in my heart as the best protagonists of any game I've played. I won't get into specifics but the game goes wild. beyong expectations of Automata, but however.. its gameplay is kind of dated.


You swap from Hack and Slash to Bullet Hell in an instant, but its combat is very easy to exploit once you figure out the techniques, practically trivializing the difficulty. But I don't play NieR for its gameplay, but rather that It tells a story in a way that only a videogame would. truly a masterpiece. The game was revolutionary in its time from the amount of replayability the same way with Automata. One of the most fascinating aspects of the game is the music and the people who reworked the game from the ground up, changing its story even from the original slightly as well as the remastered soundtrack. In the original NieR, our protagonist was a dad, in search for a cure for his daughter, which raises the stakes even higher and makes it so much more personal, but in Replicant, you are a brother instead. The original NieR is called NieR or NieR:Gestalt. This has very important implications later in the story.


The soundtrack is the best my ears have been blessed with hearing. I'm sure I wasn't the only one that listened to the Song of Ancients and instantly gave the game a 10 for the track alone. But is the game a one trick pony with its soundtrack? not at all. The game features the most diverse songs and music you'll ever hear in any game. Each place you visit in the game, from the adventurous Plains of the North, to the Junk Pit to the East, or The Seaside from the West, the Atelier, The Desert or even the Boss Fights, they all invoke that special feeling you can get in games with such a stellar score.

The story is very upsetting. from its premise, the setting and the state of the world we live in as well as its characters. Nobody Wins in this Game. Even at the end, I didn't feel like I won, it felt like I just finished a long lasting battle.. one hopefully I can tell everyone interested in seeing games as art.

I wholeheartedly believe I didn't deserve to witness this game, it had the same effect I had with the Persona series and its one of my top games of all time.

10/10

Animal platformers were something I grew up with ever since Spyro became a gaming icon, but when I heard a Cat-simulator set in a cyberpunk futuristic post-apocalyptic setting was coming out, who could say no to that? well, I didn't, I did what any kitty-lover would do and bought this game on launch. To my surprise, It was amazing, B-12 have made an outstanding looking world, more than most AAA companies could probably do nowadays. However, I ran this game using an RTX 3070, and even that didn't save it from poor optimization issues. but enough about that, lets talk about the game.

B-12 have made an outstanding looking game, but it is less than desirable in terms of gameplay. I will be criticizing this game rather than hoping onto the bandwagon of making this one of the most "meowsterful" games out there.

Our cute fluffer is descended into a dark pit on a quest to return back to his pack, We find monitors and lights trying to lead us to the Slums, a post-apocalyptic society where Robots have become its inhabitants under a sealed city. Before arrival, our catagonist encounters their new Robo-Companion "B-12" (The Studio's Name), an Amnesic Robot who gives us a Strap to put on our cat and is commited to help us get back to the Outside as well as help him retrieve his memories.


There are sim elements, cats, parkour, meowing, scratching, and other mechanics, but the ones that caught my eye more were the Stealth, Baiting, Escape Sequence and the Defluxor. As expected, there are cat-related achievements like "meow 100 times" "ruin a mahjong match" and other cute, but pointless achievements, so lets talk about the Sneaking/Baiting.

The game revolves around the concepts of Cat and Mouse, but reversed. You are the mouse. You have to avoid being seen and move to a location without getting spotted for too long. If you are, you'll get tranquilized.

Baiting is a constant theme running with this game, you'll reach sections where you have to juke out your enemies or button-mash if you get caught.

Escape Sequences were phenomenal, but unfortunately it's just a hold forward kind of thing. there's nothing interesting except you listening to some awesome music and watching things unfold as you run, but you don't really feel like you're doing much.

The Utilization of B-12 as a Translator was a genius move to tell a story with a setting where Robots can speak to the catagonist. But I would've prefered if you couldn't understand the robots, as it would feel more organic and use signs or cat-like insticts to guide you through the game.

Though I did enjoy parts where B-12 was not present, such as in the Jail

The movement is very constricted as well, sometimes you want to be nimble, but animations will snap sometimes instead of having a smooth transition.


I gotta be real, aside from one part in the game, the game is very easy, considering I beat it in just 5 hours ad beat it again just for the sake of it. Nothing will take you too long, if you understand the core mechanics of this game, which are Jumping and grabbing.. that's it. Oh and don't forget about the Box (which mitigates any difficulty out of the game)



I found most of the potential of this game to be unitilized gameplay-wise, because while they did make a very compelling setting, im not really attached to the gameplay itself, most encounters with the enemies can be made with one way only, and that is to run. I would've loved to see more enemy variety seeing as the Zurks are parasites, why not introduce other sorts of critters as well?

Optimization was all over the place, some areas the game would run fine and others not as much even with top of the line GPU. That being said, you might need a beefy computer to run this game properly at Max Settings.

AI is easily exploited, I found myself accidentally cheesing 1 or 2 sections in the game without looking up any sort of guide, just pure, fundamental logic, like when you can crush the Zurks with the barrel. they'll lock onto the position of the player, but if the player is inside the barrel, instead of the enemies moving around to get inside the barrel, they don't really do much except hop into their deaths


The Levels are Beautiful, however, this posed a very challenging question to the designers "How do we distinguish where the player needs to go so that they don't feel lost?" Well, they actually hinted the player on where to go using Bright, distinguishable orange lights. Form Neon signs, to lines, Monitors etc. It was very well executed.

The soundtrack is some of the best i've heard in a cyberpunk setting. It fits very well with the theme without coming off as generic, which makes for my first impressions of the game that much more great.

Jail is my favorite level. It boasts all of the studios creativity in a setting where the player does not rely on B-12 and is left to understand the situation by themselves, after rescuing Clementine


It's hard to say whether I like Stray or not, on one hand, it is one of the most visually stunning games to date, but on the other, its AI, Gameplay mechanics and characters are being underutilized to the point I became frustrated. I wanted this game to be more, but while I did get a compelling story, I didn't find myself too invested in its characters. It felt like shallow, underutilized potential gameplay-wise, but in terms of looks and sound, the best probably out there in today's standards, they even used a Cat Rig to make the animations for the cat, which is extra organic detail that I appreciate. But they really should've taken the ABZU route and tell a story without a single line of dialogue

8/10 Meow

Ever since I saw that pawn scale when I watched a youtuber play it, I needed to check this out. As Expected, the game had me invested from beginning to end with all through the power of Perception and dreams. It made me realize that im grateful for my perceptive skills and how the game approaches the player with these challenges in not just visual aspects, but also mechanically. The game allows you to manipulate perception in such ways that you may not be thinking about real life by the time your journey with it is over. It was phenomenal, from well, thought out puzzles, to deception of mindbreaking gameplay, Its a test to how perceptive you are with the problems you face in life. A testament to how looking through the lens of another can be possible if you look hard enough. In fact, the game has taught me a very valuable lesson in terms of how to approach my problems: to think about them from another perspective. It reminded me of Portal, but within a Dreamscape inside Stanley's Parable. a bold comparison, sure, but thats what I thought of it, thats how real it was to me. The music was top tier piano Jazz.

In the game, you play as an Unknown subject who is testing somno-technology. after your brief introduction to the mechanics and the initial dream phase, your goal is to wake up through the layers of the mind using an elevator at the end of each level. However after many multiple failed attempts, you find yourself lost within your own mind, struggling to find the connection between the dreamworld and reality. But not everything is what it seems..

Honestly, this has been one of the best medias I had ever experienced and I thank my mother for giving me such a brain to make way for the challenges that await me in life. And I hope that Pillow Castle can continue to make gems like these.
10/10

Often than not, I think to myself if videogames would ever be as compelling and educative as a storybook or a novel or art would. I found the answer within INSIDE. A smart, compelling story that followed with silky smooth gameplay, but it is filled with an immersive atmosphere; a lot left to the imagination. The story within the game is interpretive as no dialogue is present, its just you and the game. a game of cat and mouse as you escape from an unknown group of people and scientists that attempt to brainwash the population in the name of science.

While I have not played much of LIMBO, Playdead had given me an unforgettable experience in just 3 hours, much to my delight. I always wondered what was I doing and how it impacted the atmosphere. even with no music, the game spoke to me clearly, that I was in a very vulnerable position. I really appreciate the minimalist approach to the art style and the design of the puzzles. They more mostly based on common sense, reaction time, and being a follower for the most part.

I have very little complaints as every bit of the game was as polished as it could be. there were moments were it had me tense, times where i would just wonder what had just happened, and the setting really helped communicate all my emotions with this game. I love this game. I feel like this was the rightful innovative experience I was looking for, even though it was similar to the Little Nightmares Franchise, which I hold dear to my heart, but Inside wasn't as horror focused as that, which i dont believe it was the intention to begin with. It felt more like suspense, thrill and mystery, which laid the foundation of the game's atmosphere.

This game's ending is by far one of the most bizarre experiences i have ever witnessed. It is ART.
10/10

For a 20 Minute game, it impressed me on how fun the fast paced combat would be if there was more enemy variety. I went into this with a bit of a pessimistic mind at first, but i was astonished on how simple, stylistic and straightforward the game presents itself. I found myself enjoying the showcase of the mechanics and the final boss had a few little simple quirks from any other indie developed game, the time stop mechanic was brilliant and executed beautifully, although it is easily abusable since the cooldowns of the game are short, I wouldnt go to say that this is a prototype, but it really was a short experience that i enjoyed nonetheless. I loved the character design, the voice acting (although i may not understand it, the accent puts the world into setting.) I hope that this project can expand into something greater, because this is the definition of a good example for an indie developed game: straight to the point with a beginning and a clear end.

What does it mean? That's the first thing i wondered before diving into the game. This is ABZU, developed by Giant Squid and an accomplishment for its time, for what seemed to be just a normal Aquatic Journey game, it enthralled me with its scoring and atmosphere, while it also being made by the Art Director of Journey. Now, why is this such a masterpiece according to every single person I have heard this from? The better question is why did i not play this sooner, when i needed it the most.


the gameplay takes a major focus in underwater light puzzle elements and swiftly swim controls, never once did i complain about the game's feel or control, in fact, i found myself spinning the camera often to soak in on the astonishing environment built by these talented people. On top of that, the game is really simple: You Swim, You Ride, you Walk and You Dash. Never have i felt so relaxed from a game so calming besides Journey, that i never felt pressured during the playthrough, In fact, it is a short game, but one you should come back to if you're having a bad day. You also interact by emitting Sonar Signs much like in Journey, this can be to release creatures sealed in certain plant life or maybe some corals scattered around. There is also a dedicated Meditation Mechanic which you could probably use as a screensaver if you have depression, you can even witness the animals interacting with eachother and with doing so, following the food chain and swap between each animal and look at their models. Additionally, when you ride certain sea creatures, you can see their names at the bottom, in case you felt like a curious cat and wanted to ride every animal to learn about the Elasmosaurus.



It was a charm to see my computer being able to run this seamlessly without much load pressure, except in the swarms for tiny fish, but the temperature's never exceeded past 53°C. On top of that, the game's atmosphere is smartly rendered so it doesn't really stress out your specs, you shouldn't have a problem running this on a GTX 1050 and if you do, maybe adjust these settings to your PC's tolerated settings. Some fish are really big in this game, just saying. Happily to report that there were no issues, except for the yanky walk controls, but since the game is primarily built on the purpose of swimming, they balanced out the land/ water parts while sticking to the premise of the game.


I can only describe this as the following:

Originally posted by Tsuki:

If I were to swap out ANY Pixar related film for the ENTIRE soundtrack of ABZÛ, I wouldn't even notice the difference.

There is just a mind numbing thing about the score for it that just made me feel like i was at peace from the difficulties of everyday life, it made me feel nostalgic for some reason, and yet so calm. They have composed some of the most naturally crafted music i have ever listened to, there's also the sounds of the animals, which which are quite accurate


Like I said, you play as a swimmer who is exploring around the deep ocean in search to know about the ancient prophecies and stop a robotic entity from capturing the sea creatures that dwell in the sea. (hence the name ABZÛ). While you explore, you discover you are part of a certain group of scions that would experiment with the element of water, in which fish were born, in an utopian society where underwater life would coexist with them, but there was an obsession for that knowledge, that drove them to capture the creatures and in some cases kill them, which as the last remaining "person" alive, you must free their spirits into the ever vast sea. There is no narration in this game.


The Ending was very emotionally captivated which reminded me of Journey's ending, saving all the creatures from being used as possible test subjects to test their newfound technology. I can finally see why this game has its reputation for being one of the most relaxing gaming experiences i have ever witnessed.

If you ever feel down, or that the world is coming to a complete end, just know that ABZÛ exists, and it wants to educate you and help you see the beauty of underwater life and what its awe inspiring capabilities are.

I give this a solid

When this game was announced around 2017, I was hesitant to buy it, that was until I gained the motivation and the person who would encourage me to play this, my girlfriend, had me enthralled in the first few hours of the game. I had never tried any of the Tarsier Studio games, but I'm glad I started with this one. The idea of a game being oppressive while you are so small, would be the main center of focus in my experience with the game, to be short, it was amazing, and you should definitely try it out.


The game's way of speaking about atmosphere would be like grabbing a baby and putting them on a cradle, with the most eerie soundtrack I've heard in a while. Not only that, but while its dark and the themes of the game itself are morbid, it does a good job of portraying the sense of dread in each encounter. The lighting is one of its many achievements, and having run this with no performance loss was pretty outstanding for a game that utilizes vantage points and light shafts as well as the reflections using the UE4 engine.


I never heard such a traumatizing soundtrack, heavy in its delivery and outright terrifying at the right moments. It was a good listen, even when having played this on full volume. it wasn't too loud all the time, but when it was, i felt my blood grow close to cold. The audio cues are also a grand forte, as you will have to rely on these to know what kind of move you'll do next, whether its to hide, run, or stay still. Also, every important to know that surfaces also play a good part in knowing what you're stepping on, as it will also make sounds, along with every mesh that is destructible.


It is beatable if you know what you're up against. its a game that plays with your fears. Paranoia, Anxiety, Dread, and Infuriation. these elements were what I felt when I was playing Little Nightmares, And it felt different than watching someone playing a horror game. I honestly thought i'd give in to my fears, but I was persistent enough to conquer them. The game takes influence or has similar gameplay elements from other small puzzle/platformers like Little Big Planet, The Swapper, and others alike. its a 2.5D Horror Puzzle Solver that has clever use for its mechanics, while also remaining simple. The game is ambitious in its own way visually. There were Escape Sequences, Boss Fights, and honestly, most of the horror came from outside the horror encounters. Some of the encounters could be considered annoying, but it could just be like how i was at first, rushing through everything, to get the least amount of pain, but as I delved into the world of Six, I understood it a bit better. The Ending is an enigma for me, but it felt as terrifying as the game itself, including the near end as well.


Regardless, I believe Little Nightmares deserved the awards that it did and I can now appreciate not only the game, bit also its fandom and the amount of effort that went into creating this spooky little masterpiece, it is a coming of age horror puzzle solver that I will always remember as my first horror experience...

10/10