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"I have lived my life to the best of my ability. But I have not been able to escape fate, anger, or pain. Bring me the answers and the road that leads to the truth. Reveal to me once and for all, how all of this will end."
―Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Assassin's Creed: Revelations Teaser Trailer

Well, completing the last part of Ezio trilogy was a task accomplished faster than I imagined it to be. Now that I'm checking my gameplay time, and comparing with previous instalments, I realize this one indeed had much, much less to do overall. Is it a disappointment? Far from it. Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a wonderous part of the series, and a somewhat rushed, yet appropriate ending to Ezio's story. Here, we'll keep seeking the truth in a completely new setting: the meeting point of two worlds, and my hometown, Istanbul.

Here goes my casual warning for my reviews of the AC series: "will contain spoilers". Since the series are presented like a well-woven TV series at this point, it is impossible to make a clean-cut review without giving some degree of spoilers. Now that is out of our way, we can recap. At the end of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Desmond and the company managed to locate the vault that Ezio hid his Apple of Eden, under the Colesseum: Santa Maria Aracoeli, originally, a temple to Juno. Yet, as they managed to reach the apple, Juno herself - another of the Those Who Came Before - appeared and took control of Desmond's form, stabbing Lucy and leaving Desmond's fate unknown as he dropped unconscious. Following that, we learn that Lucy indeed died, Desmond has been in a coma, and he was placed in Animus, in hopes of preserving his conscious. There, Desmond meets subject 16, Clay Kaczmarek, who was the assassin Abstergo made tests in Animus, prior to Desmond. Clay explains Desmond that he has to go through the remaining memories of his ancestor, Ezio Auditore, to go back into his own consciousness; while the rest of the crew journeys to New York to regroup with the rest of their order. So, be ready to live through Ezio's time and life in İstanbul, to save Desmond from his cyber prison in Animus!

Going back to Ezio's life, it is revealed that in his old age, he set out on a journey to Masyaf to visit Altair's secret library, which he learned about in one of his late father's letters. A quick investigation dictates that the library is sealed by various keys and Ezio isn’t the only one who will be seeking for those keys. Yup, you have guessed right: it’s templars again. Ezio's journey will soon take him to Istanbul in search of those keys though, and there, he will meet the Ottoman Brotherhood, founded by Niccolo Polo years ago. No need to note that he will indeed get involved in their affairs and conflicts as the Mentor. So, be ready for another action, mystery and romance packed Ezio run, added a bit of an oriental touch this time.

I must confess that watching the silhouette of my beloved city, encountering figures familiar to me and hearing random conversations in Turkish, in a AAA game was quite a delight for me. I imagine this must be the exact feeling of an Italian gamer once they played one of the previous games: excitement, familiarity and a bit of pride for your culture, since someone found it interesting enough to depict in such detailed manner. I recall hearing some Turkish remarks in the first game, but since this one mostly takes place in Turkey, every conversation held, has at least one Turkish word or saying. On that part, let me declare the game to be a wondrous success: yes, it depicts the Ottoman culture of the time quite correctly, with maybe some exaggerations. The daily life depicted is point on, yet one approached dubious to the concept of Janissaries wearing those heavy armors and masks. That was plain funny.

Oh, we were talking about the game, right? Not Turkish culture. Okay, this one has collectibles and side quests, just like the ones before; yet the number of things you can do isn't quite as satisfying. Guild missions, parkours, independent assassination quests, side scenarios are nearly non-existent. There are 1-2 DLC missions, and some training missions, giving some background and relationship depth to your young recruits once they become den masters. Quests from a Venetian bookshop owner named Sophia Sartor - Ezio's romance interest in his old age - holds the primary progression concerning your look for Masyaf keys. As a mini-spoiler, our search for the keys, will bring us back with an old friend. Be ready to meet Altair in his old age!

The rest of the main story though - the debate for the crown between Selim and Ahmet, and of course Selim's son, Suleiman, who will become Suleiman the Magnificent in the following era - isn't terribly well processed. Sure, there are remains of the Byzantine Empire (Templars, in this setting) and their powerplay against the Ottoman throne, but Ezio is more of a side character to all those happenings rather than the main hero of the scene. So, you mainly stick to your business of looking for the keys, rather that liberating a country in which you are simply a guest. Not as heroic and satisfactory as previous games. All you mainly do is being a pal to the young Suleiman, and make sure his uncle's plots wouldn't come to fruition.

Well, such is understandable though. Considering that Ezio is in his late fifties in this game, one shouldn't expect him to be the young daredevil he once was. Still, he will see enough action for his time in Istanbul. The same mechanic of buying shops, collecting weapons and recruiting young assassins to do your bidding still applies. Now you can go after rare books, rather than artworks; and you can send your assassins to different Mediterranean cities to take over and bring extra income. Oh, and there is one major addition: from now on, we will familiarize ourselves with bombs! Be ready to meet Piri Reis and learn the basics of bomb making from him. It hasn’t been a revolutionary addition to mechanics for me, yet some might very well enjoy it.

Going back to the setting, Istanbul is a pleasing experience, alongside the chapter you’ll be playing in Cappadocia. Yet, the number of landmarks you can collect, and pieces of lore you can stumble upon is nothing compared to Rome. Setting might have been glamorous with more investment. As it is, it is simply pleasing and different for the European audience. For me, meh. It is heartwarming and enjoyable. Masterpiece? Nah, it would have been a masterpiece with more content.

Again, as the closing note: controls are way, way better. Various key combinations work properly this time. As a PC port, they did a magnificent job this time. Reaction rate and the number of new maneuvers is simply perfect.

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations didn’t meet all my expectations thoroughly, yet it is a great game to see Ezio’s story through and learn about poor Desmond’s fate. See you soon in another review for the series!

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"I thought my work was done. I was wrong. Once more, I must venture into the fray. By recruiting enemies of the state, we arm those who have been disarmed by the Borgia. The greed, the corruption, the tyranny my enemies have spread will burn to the ground. From the ashes of vengeance, a new Rome will rise."
―Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Launch Trailer.

It has taken some time for me to complete this one, yet here we are: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is the third game in the series, and the second part that follows Ezio's storyline. There is a reason that this game is a fan favorite, since it contains the allure of the previous game, yet brings in various new features and a truckload to attend and discover. If you have enjoyed the previous game, you'll love this one. Renaissance Italy is yet again here for us to roam in, with one glorious city at our disposal. It seems that the old saying was true all along: all roads lead to Rome.

Well, considering we are already deep into the series at this point, I'll throw my casual "will contain spoilers" warning here, just for your attention. Previously in our game, Ezio discovered that he has bitten more than he could chew with the revelation of a message coming to Desmond beyond time. A secret room in Vatican revealed the involvement of parties alien and unseen, parties even godly; and the Animus session got cut short with a Templar raid on our modern assassins' hideout. As templars descended upon Desmond and the crew, they have managed to narrowly escape with their lives and hit the road for the ancestral home of Auditore family: Monteriggioni. Now, setting base in Monteriggioni's underground halls, well below the satellite range of any Abstergo machination, our heroes keep delving into Ezio's memories to get a clue about the fate of the Apple of Eden.

Going back to Ezio's story, he'll soon discover that he has committed a crucial mistake by letting Pope Roderigo Borgia live. He goes back to Monteriggioni with Uncle Mario to discuss the events of Vatican with the rest of his allies, only to wake up to a bloody dawn. As Cesare Borgia arrives to his doorstep with an army, Ezio once again loses all he has: his home, his uncle and the apple- yet not his vengeance and hope for a new dawn. As Ezio escapes the siege barely with his life, he arrives to Roma, the very cradle of Borgia dominance and decides to take the war to Borgia for a change. Here, he will reinstate the Assassin Order by recruiting and training a younger generation of assassins to take the city back from the Borgia.

Exciting, huh? Welcome to Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood or "City Building: How I Have Rebuilt Rome Edition". Rome is a huge city, and it bears countless side quests, collectibles, guild missions, Leonardo mission, unlockables and even some personal memories coming from Ezio's tragic past. I strongly recommend acquiring as many Borgia towers and shops as possible early in the game to establish a steady income. Things to do seemingly won't have an end, and each little thing you do will unlock a new ability, a new piece of equipment or a new narrative to the era itself.

In this game, we will follow Ezio's life from its mid-forties to its mid-fifties. Our beloved assassin doesn't recover from injuries as quickly as he used to, but he is still the daredevil that we know him to be and the benefit of wisdom brings in a new arsenal to him too. Now, he is not alone. As you burn down Borgia towers and assassinate officials, you will recover the city piece by piece; and you will steadily recruit young assassins to do your bidding. You will send them on missions far and wide, for them to get experience, and even let them accompany you in your own missions. By the end, Ezio will be given the title of the Mentor, as the man who saved the Italian Brotherhood.

The setting, so far, is the best in the series. The whole city truly lives, and Ubisoft managed to come close to the notion of an open world in this one. As you travel the streets, you'll witness random interactions between citizens, people attending their daily business; contrary to them roaming certain paths aimlessly, as it was in previous games. Day/Night cycle will enhance the atmosphere and will even present various advantages to you. Various authentic landmarks of Rome are open to visit, and countless wondrous screenshot opportunities will be at hand. Streets are vibrant with the culture of the era, and the nature itself is a beauty to behold, from harbors to lush forests; from valleys to mountain peaks. As a side note, it was a breathtaking moment to take a leap of faith from the top of the great Colosseum.

The historical connotation of the series persists with the return of various figures and the introduction of new ones. Prepare to pay a visit to Leonardo da Vinci again, or cross paths with Copernicus. Machiavelli will do his best to aid us in any manner, and saving Catherine Sforza from a gruesome fate will be a priority. Again, all relevant philosophies, manners and the spirit of the age is narrated within appropriate storylines. The series is a godsend for any history buff. There sure are inconsistencies, but one should keep in mind that the world here is a fictional claim anyhow.

Let's talk gameplay as a closing note: controls are not at their best. Camera angles are hellish, and parkours are a b*tch since you'll never know towards what direction Ezio may decide to leap. Camera angles constantly change during the missions to show you the way that you should follow, but they mostly make you lose balance by changing movement controls too. It takes a great amount of getting used to in this PC port. Some missions expect you to attend things in certain manners for full synchronization, so I bid you good luck on managing a kill strike 10 times in a row with obscure enemy lock-ins. You will have a hard time. Controls still lag, key combinations do not register from time to time and Ezio manages to latch on to every unnecessary surface when he tries to run during missions. Aside that little problem, the game is a small masterpiece.

I hope you will enjoy this one as much as I did. Ezio trilogy is the first time that we watch the passage of a whole era in the series, so it holds a special place for most fans. You witness the time and life of Ezio as a whole: all this growth, both in abilities and personality. I'll be expecting much, much more from the next in the series: Assassin's Creed: Revelations. Enjoy!

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Painting is self-discovery. Every good artist paints what he is. - Jackson Pollock

Well... now I have seen everything. I must say that I certainly wasn't expecting such dark sense of humor, but here it is. Here we have a game called Doodle Date, and it harbors existential narrative however you look at it. I came for doodles and to have a couple laughs maybe; I found depth, social criticism and even some horror. Reader beware, 'cause the review may contain some spoilers concerning the story paths.

Here is Nicholas Lives' seemingly lively and light hearted visual novel, in which you are a high school student who just turned eighteen. It has been an unremarkable summer vacation for you, and now you are back to school. As you open your notebook to casually sketch away during the course, one of your old doodles - named Claire - welcomes you enthusiastically. Yup, apparently, she became alive during your absence; and the next thing you know is that you are sucked into the world of your notebook. As you come back to your sense, you realize that you have been brought into the Doodle World, where everything and anything you draw becomes part of reality. Exciting, huh? Claire hastily encourages you to draw your dream date, so you would have some company around; and you do. The thing is, nothing would prepare you how things will turn from thereon.

The advertisement of the game in Steam Store is really basic: you draw some doodles and get to date them otome visual novel style. But the story is a bit deeper than that. The game has three distinct endings depending on your choices throughout your playthrough. And even though, they all are thoroughly absurd - nearly Daniil Kharms style absurd - some are darker in context compared to others. If you do have a dark sense of humor, and an appreciation for the existentialistic; you will enjoy this casual yet witty commentary. If you are actually looking for an otome, this is not it. Just warning.

The game is made in Unity - and somehow it turns out to be remarkably good for a VN. I mean, you have to draw most characters and even some items in the game - MS Paint style - and if you lack a digital pen, drawing with your mouse will unavoidably make sure you end up with an absurd blob of a doodle. The perfectionist would hate that, but I think that the more absurd your drawings in context, the better. It adds up to the humor of the game when a doodle which seems like the afternoon effort of a kindergartener tries to flirt with you. It immediately makes you cackle at least.

A single playthrough would take 15-20 minutes of your time, depending on how much you'd spare trying to draw something decent or relevant to the subject. Discovering all endings would take less than an hour. I think the concept of the game is genuinely good, and it can even be improved upon with new side characters, different endings and even new choice options for new story branches. I'd give an A for effort. As it is, it doesn't accomplish more than making you smile or get disturbed for a second. I will be waiting for updates on this game, since it has some great potential. Just saying. Enjoy!

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"Seas of water. Seas of time. Both isolate Ardania, a realm steeped in humanity's myth and lore. Within the folds of Ardania's landscape dwell creatures of fantasy, and of nightmare. Facing these challenges are epic heroes, some motivated by treasure and greed. Other heroes are inspired by honour, and righteous ideals. And some by a genuine fear of evil's defiling touch. To overcome these dire perils, Ardania's heroes need but one thing- an inspired leader to defy the darkness. Accept Ardania's crown, and forge new legends for this ancient land." - the Opening Narrative from Majesty

Now, if this isn't nostalgia, I have no idea what else would be. I was 12 years old when this game first hit game stores, and I have been playing it ever since. How to tell, where to begin... well, let's present the facts first. Majesty is a fantasy RTS made by Cyberlore Studios and published by Hasbro back at the day. In time, Paradox Interactive got their hands on the franchise and made a sequel, and truckload of other games in the same fantasy world, but that goes for other reviews. What should be noted is that Paradox is also the reason that we can play this beauty of a game in modern systems today, thanks to this HD version they have published in 2012. For that, I am more than grateful.

For the purpose of clearing the confusion, the game comes with two different game directories: one for the original which can be played in older systems, and the HD version. I have 40+ hours of game time for the HD version, but I am only able to register a review for this one it seems. There is no difference at all, aside some modern resolutions anyhow.

This first game in the series, makes an excellent job at introducing us to the realm of Ardania. Here, we take the role of the sovereign of this fantasy kingdom. The advisor of the late queen, Lord Venn Fairweather is at our service. From here on, we will conquer lands, complete quests and try to establish a prosperous kingdom for our subjects by overcoming various challenges. All kinds of heroes and adventurers will be at our disposal in our missions, but there is a slight problem: they have a mind of their own.

You heard it right. Contrary to most RTS games, your subjects won't act upon your direct commands. You establish various guilds, proper accommodations, shops and all the necessary structure of a kingdom - or an outpost belonging to that kingdom in each new mission. You will even be given a handful of spells, depending on the kind of spellcasting factions you have allied yourself with. But the moment you recruit your heroes, they will start roaming around, acting on their own, according to their own priorities, as you have been warned during the opening cinematic. They will shop, explore, steal, plunder, fight, flee or whatever they would normally do. Most you can do is arrange the structure, motivate them with appropriate rewards and pray that they would attend the problem in time. Thus, the game is a real challenge for any RTS gamer, and bears a huge replay amount thanks to freestyle feature, even if you complete all main scenarios.

What I do love about Ardania is - as it can be seen in various other games set in this world - that the world has a unique setting and a history of its own; with heroes, villains, gods and conflicts. Your heroes' free will, serves to an incredible foundation for classic fantasy humor. If you are familiar with D&D, you'll have a really good time, considering it will put you into the shoes of the king that offered an adventuring party a reward for a said task.

When it comes to the display, I'd say that graphics and character art are a fantasy genre beauty, and the soundtrack is an incredible list of folk tracks, befitting your feudal setting. You might find yourself humming to some of those tunes in time. All characters are voice acted, with their class specific catch-phrases. When something new would happen to one of your heroes, they would comment appropriately. Oh, and I should again note that the game has an exceptional sense of humor - and half of that humor is delivered by your wise and benevolent advisor on mission briefings.

This version harbors the original game, alongside the Northern Expansion pack which adds a complete new part to the world, with various new functions, campaigns and villains; and the HD version (also with the expansion pack) that can run in all modern OS without any problem at all. Feeling like you can enjoy a piece of classic RTS in a generic medieval fantasy realm? Look no further. Majesty is a classic you shouldn't miss.

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"A hole of infinite choices.
I realize now, that I wasn't looking in.
I was looking out.
And he, on the other side, was looking in." - from Monika's Hole in Wall


If you are even remotely interested in the visual novel genre, I know you have heard of this game at least once. So, what is so special, or interesting about it? Before telling anything about it, I must warn that this review will contain spoilers. So, if you haven't played the game, go ahead and do so. It is completely free and will take 3-4 hours out of your life to complete it blind. Oh, and be warned: even though, it seems cheerful and innocent, the game bears meta-horror elements. Played it at least once? Please keep on reading, so we can talk about the depth of a spectacularly eerie work.

Doki Doki Literature Club! is Dan Salvato's only game so far, and it is one of those games that you can benefit from most if you play without knowing anything about it. As you give it a start, it seems like an ordinary dating game: we have four girls, a high school setting, a reason that brings people together... and romance emerges, right? Well... you are both right, and completely wrong. You sure take on the role of a teenager male student, who's been attending a high school with four girls: Sayori is your cheerful childhood friend, Natsuki is a classic tsundere, Yuri is the sophisticated literature nerd, and Monika is the level-headed, patient and knowledgeable president of the Literature Club. As Sayori drags you to the meeting of the club, you meet all the rest; and after a heartfelt pity-pitch, you join the club. From there on, you will attend meetings and write poems to the girl that you are interested in to win her heart. Depending on the girl you wish to romance, you have to pick words befitting her character to use in your poem. If you have done it right, you'll be rewarded with a new experience with the girl you like. This is practically it.

Nope, it isn't. It all goes generic, and even boringly peaceful until the Club Festival event. As the event approaches, things start to change for the darker and eerier. People fight more, and a certain someone gets depressed out of nowhere. At the end of the said event - no, even though I'm writing this as a spoiler, I won't spoil everything: you gotta play this on your own! - there comes a point of no return; and after that... that's when everything you have previously experienced as a cute little slice of life, becomes psychotically dark, uncanny and disturbing. As you keep playing, narrative, characters, environment, timeline... they all begin to get corrupted in one way or the other. If you persist in playing, you will soon discover that this game has a villain. A villain you have to deal with if you wish the save others. Oh, and as Monika recommends: save frequently!

No, I won’t speak of jump scares, easter eggs and fan theories. What I would particularly like to draw attention to in this game is: a)the quality and content of the poetry written by girls; and b)the kind of skill that was put into portray an AI which is aware of and responding to the player beyond the avatar. It is all fascinatingly creepy. Poems coming from our girls during the first chapter bear deeper meanings and even foreshadowing for the remainder of the game. Especially Monika and Yuri's poems are spectacular readings for that. When you eventually reach the end of chapter 2, and get stuck with Monika, the amount of monologue she may share with you, and the depth of various topics that she chooses are downright spooky. Also, you'll need to tamper with the game files if you wish to continue properly, as someone has been doing so far. As you can see, this is not a common visual novel. It is an interactive horror game that questions the content and nature of sentience.

Well, there is no need to speak about it more, since I cannot keep writing about it without giving direct spoilers - as if I haven't been doing so far! Please stop reading and go ahead for your first run. If you can bear the first 2 hours or so - which is kind of boring - you'll be pleasantly and creepily surprised.

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"There has never been a better time in history of mankind to be completely, cripplingly, devastatingly alone, and yet here you are: thinking about giving up on the good times."

Here, I’ll put in a fair warning. I will not evaluate Actual Sunlight as a game, since it is more of a psychological display and a social commentary. It is not a game in the conventional sense since whatever you do within the game, won’t change anything. The choice is an illusion. I won’t talk about the plot, its graphics or engine, its sound quality, controls, replay value etc. In its most basic, it’s done in RPGMaker and presents a singular narrative of crippling depression. But even though I won’t go into the details of common game reviews, I will talk about the reality of its point.

There has been artistic narrative on depression and suicide in various mediums throughout history, considering the utter lack of motivation to carry on is not alien to the human condition, especially after the modern period. We have never been as free and as individualistic as we are today; yet never been so devoid and alone also, as humanity. Novels, poetry, cinema, music, even performance arts narrate the capitalist and existentialist conundrum we face every day: how can we have everything, and still not to be able to feel a grain of happiness? Many mediums presented incomparable examples of this point. But to encounter a game which conveys the utter loneliness, self-loathing and contempt that a single individual is capable of? Now that is some heavy, heavy feat.

As the first of WZOGI's games, Actual Sunlight centers a middle-aged overweight man, who is alone and depressed: Evan Winter. Here, you won't go for a thrilling quest. You won't brave the day and save the girl. You won't race against time and beat the odds to win your happily ever after. You will simply witness Evan's life, as the tedious, dark, desperate routine that it is. All items, people and events you encounter, will put Evan through a series of reminiscences and commentaries as dark as his sense of humor; and you will face to most frustrating realization of all times: Evan really does not have a choice.

Even though it is an RPGMaker game, Actual Sunlight is not a game per se. It is a simulation, a display of the self-loathing, depressed and broken mind, in its travel of decadence to the point of no return. Can I recommend this one as a game? Absolutely not. Can I recommend it as an experience, an opportunity to see into the mind of the suicidally depressed? That is an absolute "YES". If you are looking for a game, or something simply to enjoy; do not try this one. Pick something else, with flighty fantasy or exciting science fiction elements. Pick this one only as an artistic and psychological display. You are welcome.

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“All photographs are memento mori. To take a photograph is to participate in another person’s (or thing’s) mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time’s relentless melt.” ― Susan Sontag

35MM is a story rich walking simulator in the guise of a survival horror - yet there isn't much horrific about it. It's a short unity game - bear with me, please - and the only game developed by Sergey Noskov so far. As all indie horror games, it has its downsides, but I'd say that the game is praiseworthy for quite a lot of things.

Here we take the role of Petrovich, who starts the game at a piece of forlorn countryside in Russia, with his companion. It seems like that two men have been travelling for some time. As the game progresses, you learn that a recent epidemic has taken out the most of world population, leaving out a select few who somehow got immune to the disease. But all government institutions - alongside any sense of law and order - were eradicated alongside. Now, it’s a dog eat dog world out there. In this post-apocalyptic setting, Petrovich and his friend are travelling to the city for an undisclosed reason. As we participate in their journey, we will learn more about what really happened out there, and what brought this odd company together.

Atmospherically, the game is way above average. A sense of desolation dominates the environment quite successfully. An ever-present fog above the valley makes you recall Silent Hill, and an ever so small movement alarms you momentarily, only to make you realize that it was a dog passing by. Sound effects are utilized quite masterfully, to enhance the atmosphere to present either a sense of ruin, isolation or imminent danger. Character models are a bit static though, with little to none facial expressions. As a side note, I would highly recommend the soundtrack, since it is simply beautifully done. It might also be important to note that all voice acting is in Russian, and the English subtitles and translation of most notes are not the better examples of English language. There are grammar mistakes here and there; yet you still manage to grasp the content of the narrative.

Even though the atmosphere is heavily post-apocalyptic, you will realize that there is literally nothing for you to get threatened by, after your first playthrough. The game is highly story oriented, and all survival part is mostly a flavor to support the atmosphere. And the endless scavenging may make the game a bit of a bore. Immersion is mostly successful, and it only gets broken by the grammar mistakes in English narrative.

Throughout the game, you are to scavenge the environment to collect resources: food, health items, batteries, and other small weapons you may utilize. Combat encounters are not various, but the ones you get are gonna be challenging enough. As Petrovich makes his way through the game, you will also encounter some points where you are expected to make moral decisions. Both these decisions, and the amount of information you have managed to collect throughout your journey - memo pages, diaries, notes you have read; and recordings you have listened - will affect your end game. Also, any kind of situation that would add up to your sense of humanity, would alter the ending too: whether you'd pray at a time, or play a tune on a piano when you encounter... The game has 3 endings - they are not that diverse though, rather they are mostly the same ending with different connotations.

At the end of the day, 35MM a rather short Unity game with a story to tell. Ignore my playtime, it should be around 7-8 hours for all endings. I forgot to quit the game at some point as I left the house XD. I would recommend this one not as a horror title - there, you'd be disappointed - but as an artistic display. It might have easily taken its place as a piece of Art House cinema, if it were to be a movie. Enjoy!

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"May the Gods always stand between you and harm in all the empty places you must walk"- Captain John Sheridan quoting an ancient Egyptian blessing, from Babylon 5

This is the first of salamandra88's visual novels that I have played - and if all their games are as well-woven and interesting as this one, I think I'll become a fast track fan in the near future. Even though there are not enough romance options for a well-equipped otome; story wise, this one here is one of the most engaging ones that I've ever played, since it doesn't highlight romance primarily; but presents it as flavor to an exciting supernatural adventure.

It's 1914, Cairo. Margaret Dawson - the daughter of esteemed archeologist Richard Dawson, and an aspiring archeologist/trained linguist herself - is accompanying her father in an expedition to a recently discovered mastaba, an ancient Egyptian Tomb that belonged to a forgotten pharaoh. This journey means worlds to Margo, since the end of it will spell doom for her future: she is to be married off to another nobleman whom she knows nothing about, as means of paying her brother's dept upon her return to England. Being the spirited young woman she is though, Margo has quite a lot to say about that! In the meanwhile, the expedition reveals the grounds of an ancient legend concerning two brothers, a murder, a pact for endless war and time travel! As the seemingly harmless scientific dig turns to become a supernatural event which threatens to end the world as we know, will Margo manage to find a way out?

First and foremost, I am glad that this is one of those rare otomes that the plot is the center of attention rather than romance. Romance develops as a side effect of human interaction, if you chose for it to do - as it should be. Thus, it feels somewhat natural, or at least explicable within the story. The main character adds up to the immersion quite successfully too. Margaret is a smart young woman with family issue. Her probable romance with all three options are justifiable via shared experience, rather than a flighty romance worthy of harlequin novels. Her vision and reasoning serve to be the driving force of most events, and concerning various parameters dominating her life and point of view, the game has many, many different endings. Your relationship with your father, your relationship with various romances, your resolve and your logic: they all are parameters in determining an ending. Cause-consequence dynamic in this game is noteworthy. As a rare event that we encounter in otome games, you can actually have a romance with the villain! Interesting flavor, huh?

About display... The artwork is more than appealing, bearing the notes of traditional European art style, rather than anime art that mostly dominates the market nowadays. Gosh, we need more otome & visual novels with traditional artwork. The music also is alluring, adding to the atmosphere of romanticized orientalism of 1890-1900s middle east. Game engine is classic Ren'Py with some tweaks, so not much to tell about that part. First playthrough will take 2-3 hours of your time depending on your reading rate, and then you are free to skip all previously read narrative to look for different endings. Enjoy, people!

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Molly: "...you want to fight me, God?"
(Zap. The power goes out, leaving her in the dark.)
Molly: "Apparently, God would win."

The Ghost of Joe Papp is a spoof for Shakespeare, blended with some part surreal comedy. It isn't particularly brilliant or even engaging, but still a refreshing one that breaks away from your ordinary visual novel. Is it a good game? Nah, not really. It is something experimental which ends up being too chaotic, at least for my taste.

It is one summer in Tahoe, the town of Joe Papp - named after the big daddy of New York's theatre scene - and the local Shakespeare company is trying to get ready in their production of both Hamlet and The Merchant of Venice. Apparently, there has been some changes about the production; thus, similar changes for the future of performers of the company. Some stars shine brighter, some others pass their peak to die and as expectedly, drama gets ensured: both at the scene and behind the scene. In this short little visual novel, we will pick one of the star performers of the company, witness their troubles behind the scene and potentially affect some of their choices. Beware though, this company is like no other! Casual drama, daddy issues, casual drug use and plenty undead humor is involved. Be ready for a lot of nonsense and some unintentional wisdom buried under it all.

What else can be said about this game? Well, not much. The whole experience takes half an hour in your life and leaves you with more or less of a "meeeeh" kind of feeling. Most plotline is directly dumped on you rather than processed properly. It's personal traumas one minute, and you get to listen to the zombie apocalypse version of a Shakespeare play the other. This kind of narrative display is a kind of art that surreal comedy takes pride in, but it just isn't for me. Even within surreal comedy, I'd prefer some kind of depth that I'd be able to read about characters. Here, it's like everything has been thrown into a chaotic soup with Shakespeare references, and hoped that someone would be able to relate to it. It is obvious that the game comes from an educated mind, but is that enough to make this a good or enjoyable visual novel? Sadly no.

I wanted to like this game quite a lot, but ended up feeling like "well, that happened too" and got on with my day. The game sure has its bright and especially comedic moments; even some brilliant comments - but everything moves around so fast and so chaotic, you end up not being able to relate to anyone or anything. Neither visual art, nor music is especially interesting. If you get this game in a bundle or at a discount; sure, it might be an experience. But you have to keep your expectations low, so you wouldn't be disappointed.

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“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” ― Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan

WOWI2 is the second game in the series as one can guess, and it continues following Vinty's journey as an aspiring calligraphy artist. This one is a lot longer compared to the first game, and contains most of your usual Steam features, like cards and achievements: but even though it bears more material, it comes a bit short in narrative quality and humor departments compared to the first game. Still, it is a cute enough game, and even if you are remotely curious about how Vinty's life turned out to continue after the first game, 5 dollars isn't that expensive to support an indie developer.

After her breakdown makes poor little Vinty an internet sensation, something actually nice happens to even out her bad luck and makes you reconsider whether there may be karma: she gets a government grant to attend a calligraphy event in Melbourne, Australia! All excited, little Vinty makes all her preparations months before the day of travel. On top of all, the same event is to be attended by Excelia, the calligrapher extraordinaire and Vinty's idol. Let's see how it all turns out, huh?

If you haven't played the first game, go ahead and spare 15 minutes of your time to do so now, 'cause it's free here on Steam. You played it? Good, now you are familiar with the art style of the series, which doesn't change at all in this one. It is very simple and comical anime art, stapled on some basic environment backgrounds. The narrative uses up all kinds of idioms and trashy pop culture references from "YOLO swag" to "you were expecting a nude, weren't you?". They bring in a smile or two in that manner.

The whole game can be divided into two things actually: a continuous love letter to the city of Melbourne and Vinty's continuous comparison of her own life to whatever she encounters in this travel – and both these parts has their problems that makes the game a bit boring. Most of the narrative in the game, from start till the end narrates Vinty walking around, exploring the city, using all kinds of vehicles like trams, trains, planes, taxis etc. and none of these scenes contain enough personal narrative or impression. She just gets excited over differences, comparing to her own hometown. It’s as if the developer has been paid a grant from the city of Melbourne for touristic advertisement. Even if that would be the issue, there are not enough narratives of landmarks to begin with. But we spare nearly an hour reading about her using all kinds of transports. Oh, and there are actual video links to developer's YouTube page, which were recorded travelling to, from and within Melbourne city to endorse immersion. Lots of work there, people! At least you are authentic.

As for the other part of the game: she compares herself to Experia, she compares Melbourne to her home town, she compares her hotel room to her apartment etc... and she continuously ends up displaying an exaggerated inferiority complex about all her comparisons. Well, she manages to overcome that inferiority at the end, but it is kinda boring to witness her insecurities and screw ups all through the game. These kinda things bear sincerity to a degree and they are relatable - as it was the issue in the first game - but here, maybe due to game being longer, they come as a bit annoying. Still, the game manages to display a point by the end to wrap up a decent enough life lesson. You just gotta wait until you get there.

Can I recommend the game? Well, not particularly as it is, but I can see there is some heart and real effort put into the game, so I really wouldn't like to give it a downvote. It is just a game that could have been way better. Consider it as a nice enough trial and a promise to make things more interesting in the future, since WOWI3 is about to hit Steam store within 2 weeks. Enjoy, people!

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