I can't recommend this enough. From the art style, the writing, the themes, and of course the painting, everything falls perfectly into place with this game. Some of the jumping and color mechanics are a little fussy but those are minor in comparison to the joy of the full experience. Learn about the history of the Brush, the Wielders, and your hero Chicory in this most comfiest of romps that'll have you picking up litter, finding lost children, decorating sweets, and more!

A delightful, quick Metroidvania that pulls no crazy punches. Much like other Devolver style releases, this game has sharp pixel art with multiple color palettes that the player can collect and unlock. Controls can feel slightly floaty and/or slide-y to some, but the general game feel is fantastic, the map layout is very straightforward and easy to explore, and you never quite feel out of place or lost. While it is short, it feels like a great way to enter into speedrunning, and there are still the previously mentioned collectables that may only add aesthetic changes, but, can add just a pinch of challenge for completionists. Can't recommend it enough for fans of the genre, and for others looking to get into the genre, this is also a good launching point.

You serve alcohol to a bunch of cute waifus. The dialogue is actually nice and organic and the small details of the world get fleshed out if you choose to look into it all. The soundtrack has plenty of grooves to keep you going and the personal drama of the storytelling can be fun, can be tragically relatable, and can be just downright silly. If you're up for a decent visual novel, cause honestly this is all that this is, pick it up!

The fact that this game is completely free detracts from any complaints about polish and other minor issues. It looks great and draws from very interesting, and from a video game design sense, fresh ideas/mythology that will keep you reading through the short gameplay.

Can't hurt to give it a try!

I must state before all else that I have yet to finish this game, so I cannot completely discuss whether or not I am justified in what I'm about to say.


With that said, it is true what many are saying about this game. While I do have my own fun with carrying out missions, sneaking around, listening to tapes and calling snipe points out on the map...This is not the Metal Gear that many were expecting and wishing it to be.

The problem stems from a multitude of demands not ONLY from the fanbase, but from a market demand and any designer/producer involved that carried expectations from previous MGS games into this one. Not to say that this game isn't large in a certain scope, but the rampant need to explain much of Big Boss' backstory only set up Konami/Kojima Productions up for failure.

While the game, I believe, is mechanically sound, I can understand that the mission structure from Peace Walker was unfavorable to most and only served to break up much of the storytelling, which destroys much of the backbone of what this franchise was built upon. Truth be told, I'm not even sure anyone even asked for an explanation as to why Big Boss was the way he was, why things were set in motion for Shadow Moses and other major events of the MGS storyline. It almost feels like it truly is a cash-in on the popularity that was MGS3 and how the story presented itself as a more redeeming factor of Big Boss.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain simply feels like someone, whoever they may be, took some of the soul away from what made the MGS story/lore fun and mysterious, and said, "You don't need to speculate and have fun, we'll make an overly complicated production of it that only raises more unimportant questions."

Sure, it plays smooth, it has multiplayer, and is riddled with cutscenes...but what does that really give the player? Seems to me like all it gives is a semi-open world steath game that uses a Metal Gear coating to try and sell. I love MGS, and I had mixed feelings about this and GZ before it, but I didn't want that to put a damper on my enjoyment of the games. The problem was that this game told a story no one cared about. It didn't truly flesh out characters, it explained hardly anything, and now with Kojima having been fired from Konami, it feels like an open door that could have been shut a long time ago with MGS4.

It is always astounding when a crowd funded game that promises more than what is status quo actually delivers. With Undertale, you are confronted with a very reflective choice on whether or not you wish to play the game as standard RPG fare or...if you are DETERMINED, you don't have to harm a soul.

Graphically, the game can be quite...lacking, but for all intents and purposes, the graphics barely hold any weight when in comparison to the writing that shines brightly amongst all else.

The story, again, is our bread and butter. A meta-beyond-meta is approached when expecting to try for all dialogue and story branch options, and characters feel like they have more importance than a typical jRPG. Whether they can be combated or not does not take away from the fact that the simple interactions you have with them shape what your journey may become.

Controls are simple, as they should be. No unnecessary gimmicks to try and differentiate from other indie RPGs (except for the bullet hell dodging, which isn't overly obnoxious.), all while keeping a player engaged in the spikes of difficulty, whether in combat or understanding the puzzles that are the different branching stories. Full directional movement, three interaction keys, and menus galore. Its really all you need.

My god, can we talk about the sound design though? While throughout the game you may see a blend of genre and musical mediums, there is a theme that lasts throughout many of the songs along the soundtrack. It creates a very fulfilling atmosphere in any situation, and honestly, it bears more weight than just some simple retro blips and beeps you may come to assume about a game such as this. Composition is fantastic, and I feel like there is a balance of melody that can't be compared when listening to AAA symphonic orchestral soundtracks.

In closing, there may be some stigma to what this game was built upon (Kickstarter, a Homestuck composer, the supposed furry fandom of the game's characters, etc.), but don't let those detract from the actual meat of the product. The character interactions, the silly dialogue, determination, and a compulsion to see what is beyond a typical jRPG playstyle of just save scumming and going on murderous rampages. At 6+ hours of initial gameplay, for the price that it is, I believe the game is totally worth just the first playthrough alone. This is a simple RPG with a lot to observe, and plenty of smart design choices which freshen up a muddled genre. Comparisons to Mother 3/Earthbound be damned, this is a game that can truly stand on its own.