If you want to play a whimsical adventure into a magical land with unicorns, move along. If you'd rather play a whimsical adventure into a magical land with unicorns starring a trickster sociopath out for revenge, this game is for you. Malcolm's Revenge is among my top 3 best adventure games ever, right after Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. This game features a surprisingly rich universe, many plot twists, hard-but-logical puzzles, an amazing interface, a non-frustrating death system, and even multiple solutions for some major puzzles. And of course, the star of the show is Malcolm himself, constantly spewing jokes around. Don't be surprised if you find yourself laughing out loud because of a mere sandwich. The only negatives I can think of for this game are the horribly designed maze level and a bug that prevents accessing an optional room near the end of the game. Everything else is pure joy. I highly recommend this masterpiece. Note that this game does not require playing the previous games in the series, although it helps understanding some of the jokes and references.
Kyrandia 1 wasn't trying to do much more than being a King's Quest clone, and at that it was highly successful, and even superior to the King's Quest series in my opinion thanks to gorgeous graphics, mystical setting, a good dose of humor and the verbless user-friendly interface. However, the game is riddled with flaws, including unforgiving deaths, frustrating trial & error puzzles, and mazes. Or worse, all three at the same time. Also, the main character is a complete idiot, which doesn't help. Those flaws are so huge in my opinion that if it was a standalone game, I would never recommend it. Still, if you plan to play the entire trilogy, I highly recommend checking it out. While the later games are immensely better, the first game sets the setting very well and is referenced multiple times in the later episodes, especially the 3rd one. It does have some memorable moments and characters too, so all those elements combined makes Kyrandia 1 a redeemable experience. Play it if you have the chance, and don't let it stop you from playing the sequels.
Papers, Please might sound like a cheap mobile game at first glance, but is really 2 amazing games perfectly merged into one, with a great atmosphere reminiscent of the USSR and the Berlin Wall. In the first game, you have to inspect travelers and verify that their paperwork does not contain discrepancies. Violate protocol too often, and you lose money. The goal is to be as efficient as possible to keep a sufficient income for your family, which is actually really hard, especially with the constant terrorist attacks, As each day pass, new regulations have to be enforced, and the space available to manage everything quickly gets filled up, so it is a constant and surprisingly fulfilling challenge. The second game is one of political thriller. As part of your work, you will encounter recurring characters, victims of fate, spies, corrupt officials, criminals and terrorists that all want your help, often in humorous, puzzling or murderous ways. Since doing so adds extra stuff to manage and may also violate protocol, it has a direct effect on your performance. But that only matters if you and your family can survive the month... The game takes a bit more than 4 hours to complete, with a lot of replay value to this game thanks to multiple endings and a challenge mode. Overall, the sheer quality of Paper, Please and its addictive nature is well worth paying full price for it. Highly recommended. Glory to Arstotzka.
