tldr videogame curation
melbourne, australia

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Seemingly simple, but absolutely delightful and just as dense as it needs to be. Lead a group of adorable creatures through beautiful landscapes amongst its charming visuals and super chill soundtrack. The controls are simple, and the gameplay is engaging, making it perfect for a lazy - dare I say cosy - Sunday.

Ohhh, so Outersloth wanna publish weird shit! I’m here for it. Despite its absurd, stupid surface, a thought-provoking and unsettling game marked by ambiguity and authenticity: the character is right in front of us, but distant and twisted. In a world of games vying for our attention, here’s a unique, memorable and ridiculous experience. *click*

It’s another survival horror MMO set in a post-apocalyptic world infested with monstrous creatures! Once Human has something, though - the world is wonderfully creative and its crafting and base-building are intuitive and satisfying. Great visuals and an atmospheric setting, but it feels typically grindy and repetitive over time. Definitely worth checking out for fans of the genre.

[Early access] The Rogue Prince of Persia revitalises the classic with a fresh roguelike twist, brought to you by Evil Empire of Dead Cells fame. Procedurally generated levels keep runs exciting, and the fluid parkour and combat stay true to the franchise’s roots while making use of modern sensibilities. Gorgeous visuals and challenging gameplay make it a promising early access title, but we’ll see how the roadmap progresses…

HoYo’s latest gacha has all the tropes and systems you’d expect, this time in a retrofuture urban setting and excelling in presentation, fast-paced combat and quality-of-life improvements. The combat is fluid, satisfying and addictive (albeit never particularly challenging), the story isn’t the deepest but has its moments (even if the pacing could use some work), and the whole thing has great visual design, sound design and music. Smaller than Genshin, its minor flaws are easy to overlook if you’re willing to ignore or accept the predatory gacha foundation.

PvE Super Auto Pets roguelike. Super simple to pick up, immediately addictive, and very easy to break - in the best possible way. Cleverly executed and extremely fairly priced. If you’re into autobattlers, deckbuilding, synergies, etc. - just get it!

Every now and then a game comes along with a narrow but succinct concept, so confident and well-executed that it immediately, effortlessly captures your attention til the credits roll. Arctic Eggs could have just been a silly little browser game (especially considering it was born of a gamejam), but pairing its singular mechanic with an unbelievably cool art style, interesting world and genuinely hilarious writing was a masterstroke that makes it something else entirely. It feels ridiculous to write so glowingly about a short egg-flipping game, but it’s a testament to how refreshing games with small scopes and a solid vision can be.

Ever wondered what Wordle would be like if it was a dark, absurd and funny dungeon-crawler? Look no further! What a strange little game. Evokes a tonne of nostalgia, but capitalises on modern game sensibilities. Great music, excellent voice acting (and a crazy amount thereof!) and chock-full of charm. Won’t be for everyone just by virtue of being so different, but absolute worth checking out.

If you love when a game tells you nothing, has exploration, puzzles and secrets - all your Christmases have come at once with Animal Well. Its intricate art and wordless storytelling make for a unique and immersive atmosphere. The puzzles are varied and rewarding. Crafting and sustaining this level of intrigue in a metroidvania without combat is an impressive feat. Above all, Animal Well is full of surprises, and the fact that it was all created by one person is remarkable.

Cute! Duck Detective is a delightful and tightly designed deduction game that won’t have you sweating over a scrawly notepad like Golden Idol or Obra Dinn, but I think that’s the point. There’s one case made up of charming and funny characters, everything is voiced, the art and music are terrific. If you’re into detective games, you’ll finish it in a few hours and have a great time… quacking the case.