tldr videogame curation
melbourne, australia

Reviews

What a huge step forward since the first one! The dual world concept is fantastic and executed really well - transitioning between realities feels fresh, and exploration is way better this time. Difficulty feels a bit artificial at times and I questioned balance more than once. Combat is varied, flexible & satisfying (if a little bit floaty). Boss battles are often really artistic and often memorable. Mixed feelings linger, but it’s definitely worth a play.

Definitely a cool game - love the atmosphere, styling and general foundation. I can see this becoming something great over time, but currently the loop and endgame are a little underwhelming. Even with that though, the game is fun, fairly priced and an enjoyable little romp.

A silly but compelling gamejam entry from Mega Crit of Slay the Spire fame, Dancing Duelists is a deckbuilding autobattler with a dance-off theme. Understandably doesn’t have the same depth as StS given its jam roots, but it’s already a neat idea which proves to be fun and addictive. Absolutely worth a go.

The latest from Jeppe Carlsen, lead gameplay designer of LIMBO and INSIDE - COCOON is just as intriguing, creative and moreish. The puzzles are really nice, and all a good level of challenge. Everything else, from the visual and sound design to each little interaction wouldn’t be misplaced in a ‘Satisfying Aesthetic ASMR Compilation’ video. Really cool.

As far as non-FromSoft soulslikes go, this is the real deal. It’s not doing anything revolutionary, but it has enough compelling new ideas, and a level of polish that elevates it beyond its otherwise decent contemporaries. It also commits so hard to Timothée Chalamet Pinocchio Bloodborne that you kind of forget how silly that actually is.

Really clever deduction point-n-click puzzler that has you deciphering languages across a pretty world for around seven hours. Not a new concept, but manages to strike a simple, satisfying balance between intuitive and challenging. Wish it didn’t give away so much sometimes, but still very cool.

Simple but charming & chaotic party game with warm, wonderful graphics and characters. Could have easily been a derivative Gang Beasts or Fall Guys clone, but its creative maps and modes quashes that immediately to forge a uniquely endearing identity of its own.

The fundamental mechanic is clever and jaw-droppingly pulled off. The visuals are lovely, puzzles mostly fun, never too challenging and satisfying to complete. It doesn’t matter much, but the characters & story aren’t particularly memorable (unless you count some pretty cringey dialog). Overall a pleasant and worthwhile experience.

Experimental food sandbox with ridiculous graphics and a focus on a e s t h e t i c s. The lack of significant objectives, and at times unintuitive controls certainly won’t be for everyone, but if you’re up for messing around, it’s a satisfying & delightful time.

Let’s get it out of the way: the game has fun moments. The visual and sound design are great, the music is really nice, and of course there’s lots to do. Unfortunately… none of it is revolutionary - far from it - and it has many, many problems (not helped by Todd still telling sweet little lies). I wish the experience was more freeform and seamless, because the overshadowing of dated systems & what it could have been are hard to look past.