Recent reviews by ChelCD

12 hours "play time", but Time Bandit is a game I tended to and thought about all month. It invited thoughtful examination of my relationship to time, work, and play. Every few hours I move my little forklifts around, and every few minutes I think about all the little forklifts in my life.

Eagerly awaiting Part 2 - and I'll enjoy the wait. 👑

Exactly what it says on the tin: it's 20 small mazes and they are good mazes. A few easy ones, a few thinkers, and really well done and polished - made me smile throughout.

Just an outrageously charming game. Loved every second of it. A tight little experience that knows exactly what story it wants to tell, and tells it beautifully.

This game tells its story through its mechanics, and through only its mechanics, astoundingly well. The evolution of the objects that come with you move to move (or don't come with you) and the way they age and change, does a phenomenal job of telling the story of this character. And the decorating is so fun and relaxing. I don't want to talk about how long I spent shuffling books and games into just the right order, or fussing over the exact placement of a particular fridge magnet - but I had a ton of fun doing so.

Spoilers for mechanical / narrative things follow, so stop reading here if you don't want that!

The changes in what you are and aren't allowed to move, and where you are and aren't allowed to place things between different levels floored me with how simply and effectively it communicated the natural rhythms of living with other people. The little frictions of moving in together, and what access you do or do not have to their things, and what space you do or do not make for each other, is so tenderly communicated through the simple act of placing things in the right/wrong spots. The emotional changes that happen between levels 3 and 7 are so clever, and communicated a fantastic narrative arc that made for a wonderful emotional catharsis in the game's final, joyous level.

I was so touched by so many "real" little details throughout. Standing in the minimalist kitchen wondering where to put my little purple mug. Their shampoo is too tall for the bottom shelf, so they get the top one. Somehow they have five pairs of leggings when only four will fit in the drawer. The way interests and hobbies come along for the ride - like coffee and beetles and music. It was lovely finding personal ways to keep things centered and expressed, and it made me think a lot about my own real life space. A really meditative experience, and a really touching and tender one. Cheers to the development team.

(I got my copy through the pre-release beta!)

Inkle excels at crafting experiences that surprise me with interactions and outcomes, and in that regard, Pendragon is a stellar return to form. But what makes it so special and engaging is the way they've integrated the surprises into the gameplay in a way that feels very unlike any other narrative game I've played before.

The game clearly draws heavily from "run"-based games, where you take multiple trips through an experience with different strategies - and therefore different outcomes. You'll work your way towards Arthur's battle with his son Mordred, and try to survive long enough to get there and save the day. Where a run of a roguelike/lite game often is defined by your tactical build, your "build" in Pendragon is made up of the choices you've made, and the narrative beats you've hit. How will your characters feel by the time they reach the final battle - if they do at all? The simple act of changing your stance mid-battle can affect little ripples in the way the story is being told - every choice you make in each scene is affecting the tone of the story, the outlook of the characters, and drastically shifted my feelings about the ending each time I reached it.

As a fan of narrative games and of tactics games, it's important to me to take a step back and look at this as its own unique thing, rather than try to hold it against particular feelings I have set in my mind about other games. Pendragon is not a roguelike game you'll slam your head against a hundred times until you master it. Nor is it a sit-down-and-read-it-for-hours novel like 80 Days. Pendragon is a tactical engine for unfolding conversations - you aren't just making moves in battle, you're communicating something with your actions, and the other characters on the board are communicating back with you. The runs are fairly short (and if you're playing on very easy difficulties, are very doable) - but each one has had such a different flavour, based on little changes in my approach.

It's hard not to look at this game as a real celebration of the concept of myth. You know the outcome you're working toward, you know the players on the board - but the joy is in the telling, and experiencing a familiar path through fresh eyes and a fresh adaptation. Every run of Pendragon is its own take on the tale - and I'm really enjoying all the little twists and turns it has in store.