Recente recensies door BaronessRomanova

We are back for Space Pilgrim Episode 2, with out heroine Gail Pilgrim of the star ship Quicksilver. Once again this is an RPGMaker point and click adventure set in space, this time in a different part of the galaxy.

A year since the last adventure and Captain Gail Pilgrim, of the cargo and people transporter Quicksilver, is once more ferrying 3 new passengers to the planet Eiocha within the Epsilon Indi system. With her is the new co-pilot Sabina, who has upgraded the ship with a new A.I and updated Gail's look with a new matching outfit. All was going well with this voyage, until Gail's ship was intercepted by a J.A.C class D ship, searching for a known fugitive. Now Gail must come to the aid of her passengers once more, with the brains of Sabina behind her and face this new challenge.

The game's mechanics remain the same, point and click to select items and either use them or combine them with something else. Later in the game some challenges appear which add a bit more difficulty to the game. Characters and dialogue have improved since the last game, both the personality is there and the exchanges between characters doesn't feel as flat as it occasionally did in the previous episode.
Lore wise, this game explores much more about the galaxy and what has been going on in the distant future. The game even provides as year which the setting is in and neatly brings in hints from the previous game. I like how the developers have used the previous episode as a springboard for world building and reference what happened in the previous adventure, it nice bit of continuity.

This is a longer game and is more fleshed out than the previous episode, plus it is a clear continuation from the previous game. If you liked Episode 1 then I think you might also enjoy this one.

Space Pilgrim Episode 1 is a short point and click adventure game set in space. An obvious RPGMaker game, with a sci-fi setting and a straightforward plot.

The story begins on Union Space Station, orbiting the planet Brahman and 6.6 light years away from Earth. Our plucky young protagonist, Gail Pilgrim, is tasked with transporting 3 passengers on her ship Quicksilver to planet Adroa in Alpha Centauri - a simple job which soon goes sideways when a stowaway is revealed to taken over piloting the ship to a new destination. Now Gail must deal with the threat on her ship and whatever is at the new location her ship has been diverted to.

As it is a point and click game, the game works by clicking on items in the game or your inventory and then selecting what you want to do with, and as expected you will need to combine items to advance past some obstacles. The puzzles are easy and not really much of a challenge, giving the impression of a prologue episode. The additional of a journal to keep track of the missions is handy, I found it easy to get lost in exploring the world and forget which order steps needed to be taken in.
There are some nice little touches which give some life to the game. When speaking with people you can get a little more information about the setting, being able to see a message from your father and the option of using the restroom is an interesting addition. The dialogue can feel a little flat in some places, but each character has their own mannerisms and distinct personality, plus there are a couple of tasteful references to sex.

Art wise, the characters all have a distinctive look and each sprite is each to recognise in game. The background is suitably drab in parts and vibrant in others, depending on which location Gail is in. It adds to the impression of a busy bar or small spaceship, the details in the overview of the Quicksilver is well done and makes it stand out against the inky blackness of space.
For the music, a couple of licenses have been obtains to play some already existing music, which has been carefully selected to fit in to the sci-fi setting and adds a little bit of atmosphere.

It is a short game, easy to complete in about an hour and a bit generic, though it could be forgiven as this is the opening episode introducing us to our protagonist. I am happy to give this a thumbs up as the game knows what it is and focuses on it, I am hopeful the later episodes are longer and a bit more complex.

A dark interactive story where you are residing in your cabin, trying to work out what happened between you and the love of your life Serena. Short but eerie, this story heavy tale explores the relationship from the perspective of your unnamed character.
You point and click to interact with objects located around the cabin to learn more about how they met and how things progressed between them; a lot of attention is paid to both the objects within the cabin and the dialogue exposition, no tiny thing is overlooked in bringing this story to life. These high level details really flesh out the relationship and craft the two personalities really well - it feels like these people are real and the interactions between them are realistic. I do like the allegories dotted around and how well the foreshadow the events.

The lighting and sound are expertly used in slowly building the tension and creeping dread. The gently music and warm light at the start give a soft and airy feel, a normal day within a cabin, and contrasts well with the more mournful and louder music as you progress. Silence is used to great effect, it gives a sense that something is off and adds to the slowly building horror. The dimming of the light as things progress really alter the atmosphere and enhance the negative emotions swirling around the central character.

The dialogue is exceptional, you can clearly hear the wide range of emotions within the characters voice - the anger, hurt, confusion and happy reminiscing over fond memories. The narrative crafts some complex and slightly dubious characters, things are vague enough to make the narrator unreliable and yet there is enough information for a strong and compelling tale.

Overall this is a fantastic game, it is a good horror story revolving around two morally grey people and the decline of their relationship.

A steampunk dyspotia where you get to play as a machine, it is a nice take on the apocalypse which isn't focused on how human survived.
Definitely a great Indie game

A super short little Indie puzzle game and straight to the point, it is easy to complete in 10 minutes and nice if you want a quick linear game to take a break with. Currently there have been no additions to this game, so it feels a little out of place - I am wondering if Red Dwarf Games are going to add later episodes to show more about this adventure or if this is a standalone creation. I certain would be interested in more instalments and to learn more about who this alien is and where it comes from.

You are a cute little alien critter who wakes up and explores the Old Tree, at whose roots you have been residing in an underground lair - awaiting the moment when you will hatch. Along with the way you meet with the other denizens which call this tree home, in your ascent upwards. As you being your climb upwards, you encounter obstacles you need to over come.

The puzzles are fairly simple and fit in with the sense of mystery you get as you explore the tree; who is this cook and why does it seem to be a hotel of some kind? Why is there electricity and a working elevator?
You only need to click on the puzzles to solve them, so its very straight forward mechanically. In addition your little critter will just keep moving until you hit an obstacle, which keeps with the relaxed vibe of the game.

The artwork is mostly shades of grey, with pops of colour once in a while to highlight something about the tree or the other creatures residing there. The use of black and dark greys help create a feeling of wandering around the inside of a huge, old tree at night.
The design of the characters and environment are minimalist and are drawn in a way to help give the impression you just how small you are in comparison to the world around you. The details of each location world builds well and shows a tree teeming with life.

I would recommend if you are in the mood for a more cinematic experience in your gaming.

It is nice to see a visual novel tackling some tougher issues, this one covers terminal illness and the stay within a hospital. It is also nice to see that parts one and two are of the same character but at different points in her life.

Adapted by the author of the original story into a game, the 5 characters backstories are explored in a morality tale. Some of the characters have been altered from the original story, Benny's homosexuality is no longer included (which is such a shame as it would have been a big topic to explore), but despite this the game is still dark, gritty and hard hitting. The world has been hollowed out to create 3 super computers, hich are now all merged into 1 - AM.
Following the same dystopian story, where in the future AM gains awareness and driven by its hatred of humanity wipes out all but 5 humans, the game starts after 109 years of torture and each character is subjected to their own personal psychodrama in order to face their pasts and potentially earn metaphorical redemption. The game candidly explores sex, philandering, romance, rape, mental illness, torture, Nazi experiments and general lack of compassion, whilst the characters are trapped among computer carcasses, broken and rusted metal, giant eroded circuitry and a dilapidated and hopeless landscape.

The graphics are clearly from the 1990s, but are still as legible as ever and have aged well - there is still a feeling of overwhelming horror and the existential dread of being ruled by an chaotic and despotic machine which despises you clings to all the locations you explore. Clearly the game relies on psychological horror in order to compensate for the limit graphical capabilities of the time and I think it has achieved this well by creating such a surrealist world.
The dialogue is good, you get distinct personalities and emotions from the various characters and the options do fit with what a character might do. It does seem a bit obvious which are the better options to take, so it seems easy to take the 'good' path. The point and click puzzles are logical, though there are a few which do seem obscure and can be a bit frustrating when you have to randomly click and hope you stumble upon the solution (or google the answer).

The music is simple and repetitive, but it does fit well the different locations and help give an unsettling feeling to the game. The voice over work does make up for the simplistic music, it is of a good quality and I do like how the author voices AM in the game - it is a lovely touch.

Overall this is a well made horror game, with a lot of effort put in to make it fit in with the original story. Definitely an original and chilling experience though some of the puzzles are a bit frustrating, it can be divisive with the subject matter used and the exploration of morality - definitely a marmite game.

Built in RPGMaker, this little indie game is sold as a mystery game with some body hopping intrigue. Unfortunately it misses the mark for me.

The main character is setup to move to the next door village of Greyfox; a sleepy little retirement town with a much slower pace of life and the hopes of our protagonist for a better life......... Just because the game demands it. I can understand wanting to leave a town and office job for a different life, but going on a whim isn't really endearing for a character we barely know. There is nothing about them which suggests they have a real motive for a quiet life in Greyfox. The controls are simple enough and make it easy to navigate travelling from the town you are in to Greyfox, around Greyfox and interacting with the environment.

From here the town doesn't really warm us up to the protagonist or setting, though there is clearly a great concept lurking under the forced 'moody' encounters with the ageing citizens who reside in the village. The statue gives a good hint at what is to come in the story, though is rather stand alone and feels so loosely tied to a couple of the characters you encounter in Greyfox. If there had been more time to interact with these 2 characters and had some more hints to uncover about the mysterious secrets nestled in the village, I think it would have been a stronger setup for the body hopping which starts to take place.
I did enjoy the time you spent as other inhabitants in the village and learning about life from their perspective, it really does help you empathise with the older versions you first encountered in the village and help you understand the way there are. I wish we had had more time with each of them as there were glints of interesting characters which I would loved to have learnt more about.

I wanted to like this idea, but the execution really doesn't do this concept justice. It feels a little too short, slightly weird pacing and seems to contain forced vulgarity to justify mean choices. I wish there had been a little move love in the creation of this game as it had a lot of potential and could have been a really fascinating insight into other people's life decisions.

The story of a girl setting out to save a woman who is an important part of her life. A refreshing change to the usual man sets out to save the damsel in distress as both women are capable of standing on their own.
Lovely game made with RPG maker and an intersting story. Definitely worth giving a go if you like Indie games.

Interesting premise for a visual novel; mediators from a Utopian planet travel to others to assist them with whatever problems are plaguing them, and help manage the chaos they are facing.

You are Winter Harrison, a student mediator on your second planet, and are accompanying your mentor Cyrus Addington - a well travelled mediator who certainly doesn't have a squeaky clear record. Young and inexperienced in both life and the cultures of other worlds, your Utopian upbringing shows strongly in how dry and awkward you are at interacting with people from other worlds, however there is a desire to learn and grow as a mediator.
The planet Brighton will bring challenges and require you to step outside of your comfort zone, in order to learn more about who you are as a person and a mediator.

With this being a visual novel you will spend most of you time reading and clicking to get the next batch of text, which can be a little cringe at times - I can see a 14 year old, from a sheltered life making similar comments and getting lost in her own thoughts. I do like how the writing brings out so much detail about Winter, her childhood and the Utopian world she lives on, and you can clearly see how all of those things shapes her view of the universe she is in, how she feels about the mediator job, governance and her clashes with both the rumours about and methods of her mentor. I think the writing is of a superb quality and I really get the personality clearly: a slightly hard-headed introvert, with a strong moral compass and a huge love of reading, if her words choices are anything to go by.
The menu bar bar on the bottom of the screen makes accessing the in game options super quick and easy, plus the Codex feature gives you access to the mediator files Winter read before the mission and helps you keep track of all the new information you learn about the planet you are currently on. The down side is you barely get to use the codex as it is a game on the shorter side, I assume the plan was to use it more often in bigger episodes later on.

The art and music has been produced by the studio and is of a high quality; the attention to detail and timing of both the art and sound is well done. The colour palettes for each location you find yourself in is consistent and you do feel you are visiting various locations in Brighton, while the campus where thy study is much more vibrant and reflects people living in a much easier life - as expected on a Utopia.
I have really enjoyed the lack of background music and most of the focus being on standard sounds you would find in a game, such as footsteps, doors opening and closing, as knocking. It is simple things but these are often sparingly used, if at all, in visual novels and it adds a bit more to a game than having a soundtrack.

Unfortunately, and it feels criminal to say this, but I cannot recommend this game; whilst is has great potential, I believe the develops have abandoned this project and there will be no more future episodes. Which is a shame as there is a lot of potential in this game and I would have loved to be able to explore other worlds and see how Winter grows as a mediator and how this mission impacts her in the future. The writing, artwork and soundtrack is of a stunning quality for this small studio, I hope Dischan Media takes the experience they have with this game and go on to create more quality games in the future.