Soulstone Survivors has quickly become my favorite horde survival game. There's a vast variety of skills, many of which can be useful in different builds. With all the different characters and skill types, you can eventually reach a point where you could play differently each time you play. I like that when you complete a round you have the option of either stopping there or continuing in one of two other modes, depending on how confident you are in your current build. The upgrade tree offers plenty of chances to improve, alongside runes which alter your gameplay and weapons you can craft that switch that character's affinity and starting skills. I recommend getting the uprade that gives you your first runes as soon as possible so you can grab the one that starts you out with your special skill unlocked. Overall the game feels well balanced, especially satisfying once you start activating the difficulty modifiers you can attach to a level once you've beaten it once. When I get a good build going I get that great feeling like nobody can stop me. I'm also a huge fan of the ability to turn down the prominance of your own attack effects as one thing that keeps me from playing the original Vampire Survivors more often is how much the effects melt my brain late-game. This makes it so that doesn't have to happen and you can focus on avoiding enemy damage zones (enemies don't damage you when you touch them directly). I'm so glad I finally got to play this game. I've been putting a run in every day lately. I highly recommend it.
This is the best visual novels I've played in years. The story isn't complete yet, but what's here is excellent, with fun characters, a fascinating world with interesting lore and monsters, and a perfect blend of horror and humor. The game had me hooked from very early on, and when I reached the end of what's out so far I was hungry for more. The music and artwork are really good and combine to make a gripping atmosphere. Characters are well drawn and expressive, changing their expressions in reaction to things being said and things happening around them. I feel really attached to Stella and Gretchen, her dog. There are five characters you can pursue a romantic relationship with, each with their own likes and dislikes. Which brings us to traits and choice. At the beginning of the game, you pick two traits, and they change what options you have at your disposal when it comes time to make the many choices you'll be making, which also changes what other characters think about you. All of the different traits are useful at different times. This customization and these choices mean there's a lot of replay value, even when all the chapters aren't out yet. On my first playthrough, I selected to be able to talk to animals, and this led to some funny interactions. Speaking of character customization, among the genders you can choose at the start, the game lets you play as a nonbinary character, being one of very few games I've found with that option. There's also a NB character you can romance, which is also quite rare. Overall, I highly recommend Scarlet Hollow. You can tell from even just the first few minutes of the game that a lot of time, effort, and love was put into this project. If you're still on the fence, download the first chapter for free and give it a try. You'll almost certainly be hooked.
