Bought this back on release, played it a bit on my old computer but it ran quite bad so gave up. Decided to give it a go after feeling the urge for some train management. Wow, this game aged badly. It's quite clunky, not really clear how things works and tbh I don't even mind that because I can figure things out but... Transport Fever 1 and 2 exists which I assume are very much superior versions of to this game. Maybe I'll give it another try in another 7 years (doubtful) but for now it's missing too many QoL things to even be worth it.
In this game you commit tax evasion, playing as Turnip Boy. You also do a bunch of other stuff. This game reminds me of various games, from Ittle Dew to Binding of Isaac. It's very Zelda-like to say the least. The gameplay is smooth and responsive, however the peak is the odd story, the funny characters and the fact that you get to commit tax evasion! Something that is also great is that the game is very accessible for those players (me) that are less good at these types of games but yet want to try them out and play them. I had a great time with this game and who knows, maybe one day there will be a Turnip Boy 2. For now we'll have to enjoy upcoming hats and the daily challenges in the end game mode.
Lifeless Planet is a puzzle platformer with an interesting world and decent story. You can notice that the indie game is of high quality with good voice acting and fitting well-made soundtrack. The graphics holds up still today for what it is. The platforming feels good, sure sometimes the controls might feel a bit off but that's more an exception than a rule. The puzzles are on a good and balanced difficulty, nothing is too hard to find but it's not really simple either. Same goes for navigating around the various levels, while you can get lost it's not too hard to get back on track again. The story is interesting, with an alternative history take that in reality never changed the timeline in particular as it was a failure. But exploring the lifeless planet you land on, finding the various logs and trying to find a way to leave is truly an experience in this game. The flow is good, as you explore you ask the same questions as the main character - "What is this and what happened here?" I really recommend this game and I'm so excited for the upcoming game from the devs, Lifeless Moon. While it might not be a direct sequel, I'm pretty sure it will be as good if not better!
Rusty Lake Hotel is a unique and interesting, but also pretty messed up, game. With inspirations of their earlier Cube Escape games, Twin Peaks and the book classic And Then There Were None, you help out the host Mr Owl to serve dinner to the guests at the Rusty Lake Hotel. It's very much like their flash games in form of puzzle and graphics, making it a somewhat different game experience compared to other point n click games. The game never tries to be edgy or too much, it creates that perfect amount of unsettling feelings while playing it. If you are a fan of the Cube Escape games, this is definitely for you. I can't wait to continue playing more of their games!
Rusty Lake: Roots is really where the series shine in my opinion, it weaves the games together storywise as it continues on with the same (or at least similiar) gameplay. To follow the Vanderboom family through the late 1800s to early 1900s is definitely an interesting and unexplored concept (in a game that is), something I'd love to see more in other games. The puzzles and their difficulties varies, nothing really gets repetitive even if you play in the same house on the same plot of land over and over. The characters and their actions tells a story as you play through the game, giving you motivation to continue to see where this tragedy ends. This is a top game in the series, which I recommend is a must for any Rusty Lake fans.
The Cube Escape Collection is a collection of shorter mini games with various puzzles and gameplay elements. They're all different from eachother, telling several stories that in the end connects together. From what I understand these were originally released as Flash games, but were "saved" after the demise of Adobe Flash - made into this collection instead! As these are the original Cube Escape/Rusty Lake games, they built the path for the other games in the series. However there's a certain order you should play them (especially since some games have various codes and references to eachother), but I recommend you to look up that yourself. I love the Twin Peaks references, the soundtrack is great and the graphical design is really good for this type of game. Nothing feels forced or tedious, each mini game tells a unique story and you just want to know more after playing each one of them. I had a great time with these games and I truly recommend this as a good start for someone who is interested in playing the Cube Escape/Rusty Lake games.
Rusty Lake Paradise is another game in the Cube Escape/Rusty Lake series, and in this one you play out each of the ten plagues. You know, the ones from the old testament that you read about in the Bible. While this game holds up in most regards, it's probably the weakest link in the series so far. The puzzles are varied and fun, but unfortunately you often have to repeat the same kind of puzzle several times over which gets dull after a while. The storyline is... well it's tied to the previous games and it's full of references to them. You can follow it somewhat, but as with the games in general it's quite abstract. I definitely recommend to play this if you want to get deeper into the Cube Escape/Rusty Lake game series, but besides that this one can probably be skipped. Unless you're a really big fan of the ten plagues that is!
Tangle Tower is definitely a GOTY-worthy game in my book, while I loved and enjoyed Detective Grimoire this game really took the breath out of me. They truly perfected everything from the previous game, continuing with high-quality art design, story and voice-acting. It's a classic murder mystery with a kinda dysfunctional family and it brings my mind to an Agatha Christie novel despite Grimoire not being much of a Poirot. But it's also more than that, it's also uncovering the secrets of three families and the current family members staying in Tangle Tower. Each character is unique and has their own personality, which makes the game very enjoyable when interacting with them. I can't express how much I enjoyed this game other than recommending it to everyone! It's a bonus if you played Detective Grimoire first, but it is not mandatory to do so. This game is more of a stand-alone sequel than anything. I can't wait for the third upcoming one!
Freebird Games are good at visual storytelling and A Bird Story is not a let down when it comes to that.
