Well, the store description tells you most of what you need to know about Fossil Echo - I can't say that I'm that mesmerized by the soundtrack but it works and the cutscenes are nice despite the story not saying very much. It's a boy, sneaking past a band of thugs with Spider symbols on their jackets while climbing a big tower. That's it. The platforming is indeed challenging and it took me almost 2 hours to beat Fossil Echo since I decided to actually master all the optional challenges where I spent a good part on 2 sections where I got stuck and almost stopped playing. The platforming can be really frustrating and feel cheap when the margins of error are practically zero in the most challenging parts but when you finally land them, the satisfaction is complete. What I am critical of however is that most of these have ledges and platforms that are destroyed after a few seconds to force you to move with speed but if you fail an attempt and land on a solid platform mid-section, these temporary platforms don't respawn like they do in other games, forcing you to jump to your death in order to restart the entire section. That honestly feels more like a design flaw than an 'extra challenge' but besides that, I'm happy with my experience!
So I just finished ElecHead but truth be told, I did check a walkthrough video twice - once with a puzzle and once regarding where to go next. The core gameplay in EH is great and the satisfaction when you solve the puzzles is immense but the game can be somewhat confusing regarding when it comes to navigation towards the end of a short but exciting experience. I really loved the music which brings back fond memories of classic games from the 8-bit generation.
So I just finished playing the Mafia Remake (MR) on Xbox and maybe certain issues aren't affecting the PC version but I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. I have fond memories of the original Mafia game and was excited about this remake but playing it wasn't as impressive as you'd think from the screenshots. Sure, it's a modern AAA(?) game with most of the bells and whistles and if you've never played the first mafia game it's a good romp but some differences gives the game a very different vibe. Protagonist Tommy comes off as rather dopey in the original while the remake (partially thanks to better voice actors) makes him a much more sly and typical shady mafioso. The remake is of course a lot less janky than the original and this too gives it a different vibe. What does bother me however is how extremly linear the game feels as all side missions from the original game (which to be fair where timed fetch quests) that would let you unlock new cars have all been removed and there is absolutely nothing to to in the city of Lost Haven besides following mission markers. The system with cop chases are also very stiff and usually the police will give up chasing you if they can't spot you for more than a few seconds - even at higher difficulties. I really wished that Mafie: definitive edition would give you reasons to feel more invested in its world than it currently does but it's stilla fun gaming experience for the most parts.
I just finished FLS after a few hours (I played it on Nintendo Switch) and I enjoyed the experience. As evident from the images, this game lets you commandeer a sort of steam-powered vechicle through desolate landscapes. You control a small character (possibly a child) and your only goal is to traverse the post-apocaylptic world in search of, well, something. While the game is rich with atmosphere, it doesn't have much of a story. Game mechanics are easy enough to master: you walk, jump, pick up things (mostly fuel to power your engine) and the vechicle itself has certain controls to operate, such as the engine, a handbreak and a water hose to use if some parts of the machinery catches fire. As the game proceeds your vechicle gets various upgrades that somewhat eases your traveling but the game seldomly lets you just charge forward for more than a minute or two before a new obstacle blocks your path. You frequently leave the vechicle to engage in an easy puzzle or two (usually by pressing a red button or so) and while these can sometimes be mildly confusing, most players will surely get by with some trial-and-error tactics. The soundtrack is definitely the highlight of the show and if you decide to pick FLS up, make sure to get the OST as well!
I just finished up the campaign and sure, PF have some good things going for it - the core gunplay is fun and the retro-style graphics works pretty well but it really feels like playing the beta version of a game. The game is obviously inspired by both Duke Nukem, Deus Ex and Half Life (in no particular order) and when everything works as it should, the game really is a great homage to the giants of yesterday but all too often, it fails to maintain the same pace. The level design leaves a lot to be desired - I got stuck a dozen or so times since the game is just bad at communicating what it wants you to do. Enemies frequently gets stuck themselves in the enviroment and while they usually can hit you with frightening accuracy, sometimes they will just stand around staring into the sunset, waiting for you to put them out of their misery. Other bugs are worse - I had to restart the level on two occasions as the game didn't allow me to proceed and certain weapons effect, like the pistols alt-fire (the stun gun) stopped working half the time, so did the SMG when I wanted to dual wield them. Throwing your bowling grenades can sometimes work wonders and sometimes they will bounce off invisible walls and go in another direction. Then of course we have the actual story. I have no idea what the story was about. It was so poorly told I honestly don't know why the characters did what they did. I don't know if the devs just ran out of money mid development or something because it just feels unfinished. Not a bad game but a very unpolished one. Buy at your own risk.
I finished playing through The Pedestrian on my PS5 a while ago. Although I already owned it on GOG I wanted to play the game with a controller and that would be my only gripe with this release - the controller support was lacking when I tried it. I thoroughly enjoyed it otherwise - pretty visuals, awesome jazzy soundtrack and fairly challenging puzzles. Give it a go and don't forget to pick up the OST!
If you have a specific urge for an LGBT-themed walking sim then Gone Home might be a good pick but otherwise I'd advice against it. Sure, the bigoted rants in other reviews might inspire to buy it just to spite that crowd but really, Gone Home is not much more than a a couple of hours walking through a house, pilfering collectibles and the occasional 90s-themed item such as a casette for a walkman. It's short and unimpressive in most regards - there are a ton of walking sims out there nowadays and there are simply so many other games that do the same thing as Gone Home but better and usually a lot cheaper as well.
I've played Dredge on my Nintendo Switch but will definitely pick it up on GOG as well when it's on sale. This game is awesome but I didn't pay much attention to it until I saw Yahtzee Crowshaws positive review and realised that it probably was a game for me. I love the cozy/eerie atmosphere in the game and the puzzle challenge of filling up your cargo with whatever you manage to pull up from the water. The gameplay is simple yet so satisfying and, truth be told, pretty darn addictive. I can't remember last time I played a game that got me intrigued that fast and the initial 45-ish minutes I had set aside for gaming turned into 6 hour stretch where I cruised the waves, eager to sell my catches so I could afford the next neat upgrade for my trusted tub. Sure, after a while the monsters that harasses you kinda feels more like a nuisanse than a threat but I still found the game to be super enjoyable and I look forward to giving the DLC a go!
