tldr videogame curation
melbourne, australia

Genre: Adventure

Bloody hell. This feels like Super Monkey Ball crashed into a kaleidoscope on acid - the form-shifting puzzles are very clever, and the visuals might melt your eyes (and brain). It’s messy, trippy, and oddly brilliant - an unforgettable sensory overload that may be the very definition of “not for everyone”.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle captures the spirit of the franchise with gorgeous and detailed environments, solid puzzles, and engaging first-person exploration. While stealth mechanics feel a bit basic, it’s fine, and overall this is a faithful, at times thrilling tribute to the series.

Caves of Qud is a deep, richly imaginative roguelike seemingly built on the foundations of Dwarf Fortress; embracing systemic - almost unimaginable - depth, emergent storytelling, and fantastic worldbuilding. Its dense systems and open-ended design are incredible - ambition and creativity unmatched. It’s a game I deeply admire, but its steep learning curve and sheer complexity mostly keep me at arm’s length personally. I wish I had the brain for it, but for now I’ll enjoy hearing others stories that come out of it.

A worthy sequel to the original, expanding its oppressive, atmospheric world with stunning detail. Slow, deliberate pacing rewards careful exploration and strategy. A love letter to fans of the series, blending nostalgia with modern mechanics for a deeply immersive survival shooter. Not free of jank, but if you’re up for its pacing, you’re set for dozens or even hundreds of hours of apocalyptic adventure.

Damn. Mouthwashing is a harrowing triumph of psychological horror, blending PS1-inspired visuals with an unnervingly muffled soundscape over its 2-3 hour playtime. Its non-linear narrative masterfully reveals layers of dread, humanity, and despair. A haunting, unforgettable existential exploration of responsibility and guilt through the darkest corners of the soul.

[Early access] Path of Exile 2 is a bold next step for the ARPG genre. With intricate - at times overwhelming - buildcrafting, refined combat, and a robust, creative endgame, it’s a rich, engrossing experience. Classes feel well defined, more deliberate combat is rewarding, and its dark atmosphere, boss fights and drive for one-more-map keep you hooked. It’s going to be great to watch this develop toward full release.

SULFUR is a roguelite extraction shooter that offers surprisingly tight gunplay, inventive weapon customisation and an awesome, striking artstyle. Though not everything fully clicks, it’s a fun, amusing and engaging experience that oozes passion and creativity. It’s just super cool.

PROXIMATE is a brilliant blend of cosmic horror, corporate satire and very clever gamedesign. The navigation mechanic ramps up the tension, complemented by sharp writing and immersive sound design. Short but impactful, it’s a funny, haunting experience that lingers.

A triumph for platforming fans, blending nostalgia with fresh and ridiculously creative mechanics. Team Asobi’s clever level design and charming PlayStation callbacks make for smile after smile. A polished, joyous, heartwarming adventure that’s hard to put down.

Lucas Pope’s Moida Mansion is a retro-inspired, hyper-stylistic, first-person adventure that’s free to play in your browser. Set in a spooky mansion, you must rescue friends while dodging a lurking “monsta.” It’s a massive throwback to my time growing up with LCD handheld games - that boot screen really took me back! It’s short but satisfyingly tense, offering a fresh spin on Pope’s knack for puzzle design - perfect for a quick escape around Halloween - even if it doesn’t reach the depth of his more substantial work.