LadyTenjoin 最近的评测

Sail Forth is a single player action-adventure with a focus on naval combat and sea exploration. It falters toward the end with its buggy final quest line, but overall, the developers seem to be great at responding to feedback and patching up issues, so I am sure they’ll be fixed soon enough.

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Contacted by a distant “Northern Star,” it asks you to awaken and chase after a fleeting, unknown light. With no other recourse but forward, you gather allies and fight pirates as you traverse the expanse of the open seas. Where might the winds take you, who knows? Just relax, and sail forth.

My thoughts
While the story doesn't have the overarching complexities that I'm used to, it is enjoyable and lighthearted, hosting several eccentric characters you'll meet along the journey. It can be comical, but the meaning of what they're conveying is sometimes lost on me because some individuals have a certain dialect that is gibberish to me. I think it's simply part of the humor, considering they’re portraying caricatures of pirates or seafaring folks. There are also bits and pieces of lore depicting an old world that is reminiscent of our modern times, and I wish they expanded on it some more. You can see old spires of castles that seemed to have submerged underwater, and I thought that was an interesting detail to include in the environment.

Cannons, Ready!
One of the best parts is the fun naval battles, and it never gets old. Straightforward and unassuming, getting accustomed to the combat is fairly painless, even if you have no experience with this kind of gameplay. As you aim with your weaponry, an attack cone will appear toward the direction of your cursor. As soon as your aggressor enters the cone, you can target them or hold off if you think your shot might miss. Each weapon has distinct ranges, and while you don’t have to worry about buying ammo, your artillery has cooldowns that you must be mindful of to be effective. Where you place them on your ships can also factor in how you line up your shots. Long-range weapons, like my precious fire arbalest, can devastate smaller enemy ships without even them noticing, but it suffers from a longer cooldown, so I like to attach weapons with no cooldown on the other side to compensate for it. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2934492534
A Fleeting Flotilla
In the beginning, you’ll have access to one ship, but later, you can add three more ships to your fleet as you continue acquiring money or power to capture enemy vessels. Taking them by force can depend on the strength of your crew, so depending on the model of the vessel, 7 or 8 members can stay on the deck to fight your battles when you board rival ships. Either way, seizing them is a cost-effective way of increasing your fleet if you would rather save your wood, which is the in-game currency for repairs.

I only ever purchased the Xebex, which I aptly named as “Kindling Maiden,” is a medium-sized craft with more maneuverability but less health. Bulkier ships lose out on maneuverability, so I dump these vessels for the AI to control since they are mostly adept in taking out multiple threats with little assistance. What irks me is besides being able to adjust when they make repairs to their ship, you can’t set a particular behavior for your allied ships. I would like to set up ambushes and command my fleet to stay behind while I lure an opponent in range, but alas, this option isn’t available yet. Thankfully, the developers will include this according to the roadmap they posted recently.

Decked out
When plucking some booty from the wreckage of your adversary isn’t enough, you can add several aesthetic decorations to your vessels, such as decals for your sails, or have it painted red by some old fisherman. The designs aren’t elaborate, and I wish you could customize each vessel rather than all of them sharing the same design. Beneficial mods like giving a boost to your rowing speed or extra health can be unlocked by aiding an NPC early on, but it is a shame you can max the upgrade tree very quickly. I was expecting it to expand as the campaign continued.

You can further add passive boosts to your ship by adding unique crew members that can grant bonuses like “5% damage." I like to slot these uncommon units in the Captain position to keep track of them since below deck, where you store extra crew members, can be a nightmare to organize. 10 people with the same passives can stay indefinitely, and I don’t mean to sound cold, but someone has to walk the plank because it becomes messy down there.
https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2934496235
Set sail!
As per the title, you must sail forth, and without a ship, you get nowhere. It is your home and how you explore from island to island. The wind can be your friend or your rival, and there are multiple factors, like the model of your ship or mods, that can affect your speed. Trimming or adjusting your sails to match the direction of the wind can increase or decrease your acceleration. I thought the brief tutorial at the beginning was good enough to explain the mechanics, and you will certainly get the hang of it eventually because sailing will be your life and your only beloved. It’s not an open world as I thought it would be, and you find map fragments or sail through the edges of the map to unlock neighboring islands. You can pick up side quests while cruising through the waters to earn wood, although they can be repetitive.

The appealing, colorful art style is a plus for me. It might be too cartoonish for some, but for me, it’s one of the highlights of this great adventure. Navigating through the night and watching an ocean of stars glittering in the distance is just one example of how the graphics come to life.
https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2918610627
For glitches, the later islands are buggy overall. I’ve seen hostile ships getting stuck in between rocks. I don’t usually mention particular bosses, but the final one was atrocious and tedious. It also glitched out on me, and after 30 minutes of sailing around, I realized something was wrong. I should’ve caught on by the 10-minute mark, but I can be stubborn. A fellow reviewer also had their final quest glitch for them, so I am not sure what’s going on with the last parts. Performance was stable for the majority of the time, and the only time I saw a severe drop in framerate was during the final boss, which added to the frustration of the fight.

After 25 hours of sailing, bombarding pirate ships and taking their loot, I managed to finish the campaign in time for dinner with the local penguins. I get sea sick in real life, and I think this is the only way I can ride a boat without my motion sickness incapacitating me. I had a few gripes, especially with the final boss and a few glitches, but despite that, I will not deny that I had fun roving mindlessly through endless waters, picking off baddies with my fire arrows.

There Is No Light is an action rpg fitting you into the role of a nameless hero in search of his only child taken from him by malignant forces. While it offers an engrossing storyline and detailed pixelated graphics, the combat is repetitive and often throws cheap tricks at its players to increase the difficulty. I recommend it to fans of the genre, but beware, your death is almost guaranteed, and do not expect any hand-holding.

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Tragedy struck the hero when his child was taken away from him by the Great Hand, an omnipresent God whose power stretches across the known world, garnering blind obedience from its devotees. Determined to rescue his child, he ventures towards perilous locales, bloodying his hands and honing his blade. If he has to make a deal with the devil to grow stronger, then so be it.

My thoughts
The story is dark and foreboding, using religious motifs and questionable moral dilemmas to shock and often catch its players off guard. Some of the hero's decisions are ruled by the Karma system, a mechanic that keeps track of his negative or positive karma, and depending on where he aligns, will factor into an ending. I enjoyed this approach since it is not always clear what the right or wrong options are, and it will be up to your better judgment. I like that some of my choices matter and have consequences later on. Further supplementing the story are notes, dialogues, sidequests, and flashbacks to keep the flow of the narrative interesting. Rich in lore, it is told in a similar format as the “Souls” series where you must piece together lore bits to paint a whole picture, which I thoroughly appreciate.

Hit and Run
The main character, referred to as “Blondie” in-game, is limited to a basic attack and a special attack called an “Omen ability” that can disrupt enemies based on color prompts that appear on top of their heads. Red means you can interrupt them with basic attacks, while yellow means an omen ability can disrupt the attack. To activate an Omen ability, Blondie must strike enemies consecutively to earn him enough “rage,” the meter that triggers an ability. To be remotely successful, I got acquainted with the “hit and run” method because Blondie is like a glass cannon, and one slap from a monster can put him on life support if you dodge too late or early. Specific enemy encounters such as mini-boss fights follow a waved-based design, where opponents continue to enter the arena until you've cleared every round. I honestly do not care for wave-based battle systems as they are tiresome and dull and become an issue for me in later areas when stronger enemies flood the map. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2908673079
Equipment
You will be stuck with “Omen,” the default sword of Blondie for the majority of the time, but three other weapons can be obtained by defeating bosses in the areas they preside over. Depending on which location you tackle first, you can have a weapon that can, for example, block and provide great passives. Certain equipment can be advantageous early on, and I wish there were some subtle hints like NPC chatter that gently nudged players in a specific direction because I was stuck with Omen for a good 10 hours before locating another weapon to frolic with. You can earn experience from defeating enemies to upgrade weapons, adding beneficial passives such as more rage per hit or other traits unique to that particular weapon. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2908723998
Sap me
"Sap" is a very rare resource that acts as a medkit and cannot readily be replenished. "Easy mode" recharges one Sap while resting at checkpoints and can be for people who do not wish to gray their hair and spiral into madness as I did. You can also trigger a mini healing orb to spawn out of foes by striking them with an Omen ability to fill a meter. However, I find this mechanic unreliable because, by the time the meter builds up, it will often be too late. I vehemently dislike the healing system, and considering you can only upgrade your health twice, Blondie has little survivability. Even with all the weapons and upgrades collected, I didn’t feel stronger even towards the end, and perhaps the point is to feel oppressed every step of the way.

Exploration
Exploration is highly encouraged because Sap and collectibles are always hiding in plain sight. I love traversing through the blood-soaked, often corpse-riddled terrain and absorbing the creepy atmosphere, granting a much-needed reprieve from fighting. You will also face platforming sections during your travels, but instead of jumping, you dash, for example, on a plank jutting out from a cliff. When resting on checkpoints, enemies do not respawn (unless you die) and can also heal Blondie, mitigating the issues I have with healing.

The Difficulty Dilemma
Sometimes, the challenge feels like it relies on “artificial difficulty,” meaning it uses cheap methods to increase the likelihood of death. There’s a chance I'm not a good player, but when five or more enemies are throwing fireballs, kicking, and not giving you any personal space, it can be strenuous to dodge all of them at once and read their moves. On top of that, the landscape when fighting enemies is usually narrow, and you can accidentally dodge and go off the ledge, decreasing your already limited health points. I find it maddening because, at times, it seems like the developers ran out of ideas when it comes to challenging their players. Thankfully, the main bosses are more entertaining since they’re not relying on a group of minions to “up” the stakes, and instead, change their tactics when they’re at a certain health threshold.

Every pixel is detailed, depicting a story of the events that transpired in the history of that place. I am very impressed with the art direction, and it's why I am partly attracted to this game. It melds together different religious themes and symbolism to create a fantastical world that is equally appealing and grotesque. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2908669159
I encountered minor bugs where Blondie would get caught in the environment or the camera doesn't follow him during area transitions, and reloading was the only fix. Other than that, the performance is stable, even on the Steam deck. There were no issues with the keyboard/mouse or controller, although the default layout is a bit awkward, so I had to immediately reconfigure it.

By the end of the game, my death count was 169. That is how much of a wreck I was. I am going through NG+ to see the other endings, so I appreciate the added replayability. I had my moments of rage and despair while playing, and it really knew how to push my buttons, but I can recommend it to fans of the genre. It will rile you up, and it’s okay to turn it down to easy mode like I did because it’s better to have fun with a game rather than feel frustrated by it.

Far Away From Home tells the tale of a motley crew and their involuntary trip into a strange realm after a science experiment gone awry. In a similar spirit as Final Fantasy Tactics, I highly recommend it to fans of the TRPG genre, and if you’re a newcomer, the tutorial provides an adequate enough explanation of the basics. As a whole, it’s a great experience all around, filled with an awesome cast, and engaging combat.

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During the meeting of the minds, a much anticipated scientific project known as the IHC, or International Hadron Collider, is unveiled for the first time to the public. However, a glitch in the system occurs, causing five unlikely heroes to be teleported into a strange place with hostile bipedal wolves and no human life in sight. Given no choice, they set forth on a journey to discover a way back home, all the while, uncovering the mystery surrounding this unusual world.

My thoughts
From start to finish, the story is entertaining, wild, and sometimes heartwarming. There is plenty of hilarious dialogue between the cast, and I always find myself laughing at how ridiculous their bantering can be. Every character, from the redheaded one-woman army named Crim, to Gabriel, the stoic swordswoman who plays the voice of reason, has their own distinctive personality that plays out in the story relatively well. It has just the right amount of wit and earnestness rolled into one incredible package.

Final Fantasy Tactics Inspired Goodness
Similar to other tactical RPGs, you start out in a grid-like field, surrounded by enemy hostiles. The combat relies on a turn-based system, and each unit’s speed will govern the order of all the players in the turn list. For instance, our medic, Simon, has the highest speed initially, thus he will most likely go first. Another determinant like the “AT” bar provides a boost to a character’s turn order, and skills like “Energize” fill it to a certain degree, ensuring a character can jump to the front of the line, and go before an enemy to attack or retreat if need be. I find the game’s explanation of the “AT” bar lacking, and I had to experiment to determine its actual use. You take control of five characters and can recruit other friendly wolves later with food if they're in critical health. As you level up, you can put points into stats like strength, increasing base damage, or agility, which determines speed and dodge chance. Ranged units like Graff, the sharpshooter, will need high dexterity, which manages hit chance. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2853867216
Skills and traits provide exclusive roles for every unit, and while the selection isn’t varied, they can synergize well with other characters. For example, Crim is useful for tanking hits and pulling enemies off of her teammates with her talent for taunting, but her “Fastball Special” skill helps with positioning her allies like Gabriel, who is the main damage dealer in the party, inflict pain at enemies in a straight line, slicing through several at once. Fastball is one of my favorites since it can also reposition friendlies into a better vantage point because attacks towards the side or behind an enemy have increased damage and hit chance. I notice the combat is somewhat challenging at the standard difficulty with each chapter upping the ante, flooding the arena with Elites who can demolish your units quickly, but you can always save mid-combat if you’re unsure about your decisions like me. If only life is as simple as reloading a previous save file.
https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2853851883
Focus and Endurance units
Endurance and focus are stats that are in charge of HP and FP (comparable to mana points), respectively, but they also determine the type of damage someone can take. Wounding one’s HP is typically the standard practice, and if Crim or Claster’s health is depleted to zero, they are incapacitated for the rest of the battle. However, focus units like Simon, Graff, and Gabriel, will instead take damage to their FP bar when injured. At first, I thought it was a bit unfair because they not only use their FP to activate skills, but it also acts as their health pool. Fortunately, if it does reach 0, they don’t die right away allowing Claster, your wonderful emotional support dog, to mend their FP, or they can give him a pet on the head, replenishing some HP/FP to fight another turn.

Camping out
These are your checkpoints between chapters where you can level up, arrange battle formations, or even catch up on interesting commentary made by teammates. You can also complete tasks that add extra supplies, the in-game currency, to your pocket or eke out a level-up if you’re on the border. Another important work is crafting ring drives, a handy accessory that grants the crew special passives that can complement their skills and strengths. Movement range ones, for example, have their common application and don't cost much to create, but higher tiered rings that enhance base damage like the “Negotiator” can be expensive early on. I love how the rings add another layer of variety to the gameplay because you can mix and match them, depending on a character’s preferred build. You can get them after finishing a chapter as a loot drop, but I realized that it’s more cost-effective if you recruit an enemy wolf to your side because they will join you with whatever rings they have on. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2853853257
The adorable mini sprites and pixelated environment might not be the most beautiful, but they induce a certain charm and are very reminiscent of FFT. In terms of technical issues, the fixed camera angle can be frustrating during particular chapters where it’s difficult to tell the different types of elevation, especially around corners. In some cases, enemies can also hide behind the scenery, causing me to yell at Crim to throw them in viewing range. Luckily, this isn’t a frequent occurrence, and the developer has mentioned that he is working on free camera movement. There aren’t plenty of graphical settings to choose from, but I never had it crash, and performance has been stable, even on the Steam Deck.

It took me about 15 hours to finish, making it a respectable adventure for its price point. I do wish we can explore more of the overworld, discover new points of interest and maybe even meet new people, but because of its linear campaign mode, meaning no side-quests or branching paths, there’s not much to see, and it is a shame. I love its world-building, and I have to admit, the ending is bittersweet, making me tear up a little, or that might have been my allergies. I am hoping that we see more of this game in the future with additional content, and I would love to see an expansion of the post-game content. If you’re a fan of the genre, this is definitely worth a look-see.

Xel is an action-adventure jumping you into the role of Reid, a girl with no recollection of her past. Equipped with a sword and a shield, she must hack through murderous robots to ensure the safety of the Xel citizenry. While I enjoyed the puzzle-solving moments, it's plagued with numerous, unforgivable flaws that I can’t recommend it.

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Crashing on a malfunctioning spaceship called Xel, an amnesiac young woman named Reid finds herself trapped in a world teeming with hostile robots and crazed zealots still stuck in their old ways. Searching for her lost past, she teams up with the resident boy scout, Desmond, and aids his village with several tasks, including repairing the ship’s engine to prevent it from blowing up. Along the way, she discovers a new meaning to her life, finding a purpose worth fighting for.

My thoughts
The story starts strong with the introduction of Reid and the other supportive characters she meets. A humorous touch is added to the dialogue and playful banters, and sometimes it ekes out a chuckle or two from me, but they are trying too hard to be funny, causing more cringeworthy moments than anything. There is also an air of mystery regarding Reid’s missing past, and a few audio logs allude to who she was before, but the reveal feels very anticlimactic. Overall, the story is mediocre at best, with a few ups and many downs. By the end, I remember begging the game to conclude because of how boring it became.

A Repetitive Hack-and-Slash
Combat is relatively simple, slicing and dicing your way through recurring foes who will either chase you till the ends of the world or stare at you while you beat them to death. Reid's arsenal consists of a sword and a shield, which can be upgraded with parts you find on your journey. She can dodge, but I find it rather finicky since it practically has zero invincibility frames, making it useless in most cases. It could be that I am dodging too early or too late, but I simply end up absorbing the hit because you can find enough “heart” upgrades that can increase your health. Stamina is also a feature, and it is used whenever you block or dodge, but the impact of it seems negligible, making me wonder why it is implemented in the first place.
https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2845691509
Gadgets
Reid will discover handy tools that support her during exploration, like the "Stickyhook", which can shoot out a sticky residue strong enough to climb unscalable ledges. It is good for backtracking and unlocking unexplored regions of the map. The "Clobber" and "Burnhilde" act in a similar fashion with the former able to smash any insecure glass minding their own business, and the latter burning through ice barring your way. Gadgets also function as a sub-weapon, such as the "Zap-Trap", which can stun enemies during combat and also short-circuit electronics that can open a door or gate somewhere. I find that they are a creative way to encourage players to sweep the same area for any treasure that might have been missed.

Puzzle Solving with the Time Core
In the campaign, Reid will notice that there is a chunk of magical stone lodged in her head, and it grants her the ability to travel through time. She can’t control it willingly, and can only activate it when a broken “Chronal Pillar,” the device used for saving, is in the vicinity. Functionally, it is the driving force behind the various puzzles scattered throughout the world, and I like how it is executed because it showcases inventive solutions for an otherwise simple puzzle. They are entertaining to figure out, and I wouldn’t mind if the core gameplay revolves around this mechanic rather than what we have now. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2845687261
Cooking and Crafting
To support her adventures, a strange and probably insane man sells our heroine recipes like “Heart Candies,” and “Tough Gum” that can heal your damaged hearts, or temporarily buff her defense, respectively. They can be cooked in campsites dispersed around the field and requires ingredients to be created. The materials aren't difficult to locate since you can either buy them from a merchant or obtain them from enemies. Unfortunately, there isn’t a hotkey for consumables, and it becomes rather tedious accessing the inventory, then scrolling through the multiple snacks items every single time I just want to chew on gum. I need an active button to press for convenience.

The world of Xel is bright and colorful and includes distinct biomes to explore. I find it fascinating that a single space station can have different climates, like “the Bog,” a swampy locale, or a snowy place called the “Glacial Glades.” Each area has its personality and design and is visually appealing. They are also interconnected through shortcuts, which is a nice addition.
https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2845680623
In terms of technical issues, this is where the majority of my frustration stems from. Although numerous glitches have been patched, I still managed to come across texture glitches that causes me to fall off the world. Floating enemies, the buggy map interface, and non-responsive enemies are irritations I can live with, but the incessant notifications when you pick up an item you've already found all compound into an amalgamation of nonsense that is intrusive and downright aggravating. Another issue I have is the camera because it is zoomed out at a terrible angle, and at times, the environment can obscure your vision, so if an opponent, for example, enters that blind spot, you end up getting hurt or swinging your sword wildly. I wouldn’t even have a problem with it if I can move the camera around for another perspective but that’s not possible yet.

Lastly, the keyboard is very awkward to play in, even after changing the defaults around. I find it weird that you can’t map the main attack to the left or right mouse button, but you can still select things with the cursor, making it a bizarre design choice. I highly recommend using a controller if you have it because it is more comfortable. As for performance, there are dips here and there, and the graphical settings are very sparse, but I was constantly hovering around 50-60 fps so that isn’t an issue for me.

Finishing at 8 hours, the adventure isn’t too long, even with a decent amount of exploration. After deliberating on it, with its tedious combat, so-so storyline, and all-around buggy nature, I can’t in good conscience recommend it. I truly wanted to love this game because I can see the makings of a good one but it is marred with so many problems.

Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel is a survival horror game with an emphasis on puzzle-solving elements. It tells the story of Roberto, a journalist trapped in an evolving hellscape of the St. Dinfna Hotel. While it suffers from fighting recurring enemy types, it is still one of the better indie horror games I’ve played lately. Fans of the genre will find something to enjoy in this delightful, gruesome adventure.

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Roberto Leite Lopes is an aspiring journalist hoping to catch a big story to publish. Through a contact named Stephanie, he learns about the strange disappearances and unusual hauntings surrounding a local hotel called St. Dinfna in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. He travels there to uncover the bizarre phenomenon, but when he arrives, he loses communication with his friend as if she vanished herself. He is about to leave until a ghostly apparition of a gas mask girl manifest before him, causing him to black out. Suddenly, the hotel morphs into a grotesque version of itself, housing dangerous creatures, and a monster carrying a red lantern stalking the blood-covered hallways.

My thoughts
Divided into 8 chapters, the story shifts between the present and the past, with our time spent mostly in the modern days with Roberto, but on occasion, we adopt the role of Christopher, the founder of the hotel. I love the attention to detail in both periods and how they’re bridged together, with the past filling in the blanks that players may have needed an elaboration on when roaming around in the present. The pacing is also well done, keeping enough mystery in each segment, but still divulging enough for players to digest. It’s a complete story too, and although I think the two endings are too black and white, it is enough to answer most of my questions.

Combat
Enemy encounters are slow-paced and deliberate, reminding me of older Resident Evil titles. You’ll have access to weapons like the pistol, but later on, you can acquire a sawed-off shotgun, a machine gun, and a revolver. Whatever weapon you choose, when you aim, hold still for a second, and the reticle will focus, making a critical hit more possible, especially if you shoot at the weak spot. I don’t find the combat difficult at all, and since you are constantly fighting the same tiresome monster every single time, no strategy is needed. I find the lack of variation in the common enemies rather disappointing. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2837084349
However, the bosses require some planning because they have their tricks, have larger health pools, and provide a slight challenge. They use the environment to their advantage, like the horrid spider that burrows into fleshy holes dispersed around the walls, trying to sneak from behind and spit acid at you. Using curatives like bandages can increase your chances of survival, but applying them completely stops Roberto in his tracks, leaving him wide open. It's frustrating, and I’ve died a few times just trying to heal myself.

Puzzles
Half of your time is consumed with deciphering a variety of puzzles that bars your way, and their level of difficulty can range from easy to “what do you want from me?” It can be as straightforward as a combination lock written on the wall in front of you, or an object that matches the 7th-floor puzzle. Naturally, having common sense and satisfactory observational skills will tremendously help with your endeavors, but if you’re a clueless oaf like me, the trial and error method can be a viable approach. Fortunately, the more head-scratching ones are secondary objectives, but the developers have sequestered some lore bits in them, which can be a satisfying reward for lore hunters like me.

The Camera Trick
One of my favorite addition is the camera because its lenses can reveal the olden days, opening up sections that are normally inaccessible in the present, spot clues for nearby puzzles, and even detect items not seen with the naked eye. A handprint and a sudden “glitch in the matrix” are your typical visual cues whenever it is active around an area. This provides a unique way to explore, such as revealing bolted doorways behind bricked walls, and if you have the bolt cutter, you can reap the rewards for your efforts. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2837072041
Besieged with dread, you slowly trudge across blood-ladened corridors, and the ominous drumming of heavy stomps clashes in your eardrums. You hear a thunderous roar, and a bipedal creature equipped with an overgrown mangled claw and a flashlight customized with a crimson light adorned on his hip blocks your path. At this moment, you have to run since nothing can touch him, but out of curiosity, you linger, and he kills you. This is exactly what happened to me when I met the “Red Lantern,” a patrolling monster who sporadically appears out of nowhere. He doesn’t overstay his welcome, and I find him an effective way of introducing stalker enemies to the player since he is not a persistent presence until the very end. He supplements the atmosphere by being there when you least expect him rather than becoming a continual hindrance. You are still able to look around with little interruption, take in the deafening silence, and allow the environment to do most of the intimidation. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2837128399
Primarily taking place indoors, the layout of St. Dinfna is always evolving as each section of the hotel becomes available, exposing the ghastly transformation the building went through over the years. When delving into different timelines, the vivid colors of the present contrast with the drab, muted hues of the past. Cutscenes can be awkward to watch due to stiff, robotic animations of enemies and NPCs alike, but I don’t mind it considering the general experience isn’t ruined by them.

In terms of glitches, I fell through the world once and was able to “leave” the hotel, running towards the moonlight without a care in the world. Other than that, I hardly had any performance issues at high settings, and the frame rate remained at a stable 60 with or without DLSS. The graphical options are considerable and can be changed between DX11 and DX12 with ray tracing.

With 15 hours on my belt and most secrets and puzzles unearthed, even when it’s done, there are notes to read, audio logs to listen to, and Easter eggs to dig out, on NG+. I remember playing the early demo last Halloween with a friend on Discord. We were mulling over how to solve the puzzles, getting startled by the atmosphere, and generally loving the long preview for Fobia. Playing the full version is undoubtedly worth the wait, and I look forward to whatever new project the developers might have in the future.

Set in Dry Creek Alaska, Noctem is a first-person psychological horror game depicting the story of Amelia and the horror she discovers upon her return to her childhood home. I truly wanted to like the story, but it feels incomplete, and the atmosphere is destroyed upon the introduction of the enemy monster. Overall, it's a valiant attempt that unfortunately falls flat on the ground.

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Amelia Hudson had a happy childhood and relatively normal life until a string of unfortunate deaths began in her family, starting with her brother’s illness and then her mother. Unable to deal with the pain, she moved on elsewhere to begin a new chapter in her life. One faithful day, she caught wind of the mysterious death of her father, who had an obsession with UFOs and extraterrestrial life. This prompted her to revisit her old roots in Dry Creek, Alaska and discover something beyond this world.

My thoughts
The story is told in a mixture of notes scattered throughout the house, the various commentary made by Amelia, tape recordings made by her father, and the worrisome deranged scribbles on the walls. I love the topics of UFOs, parallel universe, and extraterrestrial life, and the game loves to hammer these down on its players to the point that by the umpteenth note about “Ancient Aliens,” it’s almost comical reading them. I want to hear more of the tape recordings, and how the obsession ravaged her father’s psyche because he was onto a great find, or maybe it could’ve further delved into the reason for her father's descent into madness since it might have been his way of coping with the death of his son and wife, but we received little of that. I am very mixed with how the concept is laid out on the Steam Page versus how it’s executed in-game, since it seems incomplete. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2831333937
The Ancient Ones
The main gameplay consists of exploring the real world inside Amelia’s home and a grotesque parallel version of it, reminding me of the “Upside Down” from Stranger Things. No combat is involved and once she is pulled into the alternate world, she must use her wits and problem-solving skills to decode a variety of puzzles in order to uncover the secrets her father hid in the house. A dangerous creature called the “Ancient One” also lurks in the shadows, and it is capable of traveling through dimensions, telekinesis, and other supernatural powers. It patrols around the house, and with no weapons in her arsenal, she must run or hide in closets and rooms, to avoid death.

I believe the monster is blind because it only reacts to sounds when you’re running away or aren’t crouched, and it is relentless when it has sensed you. The speed while crouching is abysmally slow, and if you’re impatient like me, you are left running away, ducking into narrow corridors and rooms for a short reprieve because the monster is too large to fit inside. Its AI is almost like a bull, charging at you tirelessly and will camp in front of doors if it knows you’re inside the room. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2831333774
Puzzles
The objectives are tedious, consisting of searching for sets of objects like toy pieces to complete a dollhouse or trying to find the next key in cabinets to unlock another locked door, which is not exactly riveting gameplay. I also found them disconnected from what is happening to the character. It is not thoroughly explained why we have to, for example, search for toy pieces to solve the puzzle, and Amelia hardly makes any comment about its significance. Whatever is listed on the screen feels more like a random checklist that needs to be completed. I don’t feel motivated in doing them, especially when the monster is roaming around outside and never giving the player a break to scavenge around the house. There is a clever one where you have to draw constellations to open a locked safe, but overall, the puzzles are nothing to write about, and the solutions aren’t too hard.

Initially, the atmosphere was creepy, and the ambient sounds elicited paranoia in me. The house was dark and ominous even with the electricity on, and the eccentric, horrifying paintings decorated throughout made it feel like they could jump at you at any moment. However, once the Ancient One rears its horrifying head, the tension immediately dissipates upon realizing how annoying the AI can be. This has always been my problem with stalker-like enemies in horror games since over-exposure to them might lead to them breaking the atmosphere rather than adding to it. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2831333489
Despite my reservations about the monster’s programming, I like its frightening design, the various limbs jutting out from its body, and its smooth, eyeless head that is reminiscent of the creature in Pan’s Labyrinth. Its nesting ground offers a similar type of uneasiness with disgusting roots mangled everywhere, and the thick white mist conveys a suffocating feeling that you’re not welcome in its domain. The designs and general aesthetic of the world are creepy and intimidating.

Performance-wise, the framerate stayed at a stable 60, and besides the monster often clipping through the walls, I didn’t unearth any game-breaking bugs.

Finishing at around three hours, it is not a long game. I just wished I enjoyed more because I could see the attempt to create a universe that I could have loved, but it doesn’t execute it well enough for me to recommend it.

V rising offers a blend of survival crafting and ARPG gameplay that rolls into one delicious Bloody Margarita. The story isn’t elaborated on, and more work is required for the lore to come to life, but this is certainly one of the best Early Access titles I have played.

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Felled in the bloody campaign against the accursed humans, a lone Lord awakens in a tomb, disoriented and thirsty. Unbeknownst to them, the world had moved on, and the mortals became strong, ruling the lands they once owned. Determined to restore their great empire, they scavenge like vultures, taking and killing what they can in hopes of returning to their former self, a once powerful Vampire Lord.

My thoughts
There is no storyline to follow, and the campaign is merely completing an objective so the next one would appear. The lore on the boss descriptions is ripe for the taking, so I hope it’ll be built upon to add more world-building like interacting with other NPC Vamps who survived the war or rescuing them from Vampire hunters would make me feel more attached to the game.

The Dark Lord has Risen
As an isometric ARPG, survival crafting game, V Rising shows the most promise out of all the Early Access titles I’ve played. It feels similar to games like Diablo where you have free reign of the cursor to click on hordes of mobs to fight. What differs is that there are no classes to choose from, and you don’t necessarily level up because it increases as you equip higher-tiered weapons and armors, enhancing your resistances and HP. At first, I didn’t care for this type of progression, but it allows you to explore enough of the overworld without tedious level grinding. Additionally, you have to keep an eye on your “thirst” meter, as it slowly drains, and passively regenerates your health outside of combat when hurt. You could live your immortal life as a Twilight vampire, drinking the blood of animals like deers and wolves, or go into a town, invoke fear in the townsfolk, and pursue a succulent mortal for their blood. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2821929685
Bosses
These encounters are chaotic, fun, and will often end in your demise the first few times. They can be infuriating, considering some of them wander around the world, and two can gang up with their minions. I find them unforgiving and change up their tactics near death, but they have a set pattern they follow every time. Their defeat rewards abilities and blueprints, allowing you to craft powerful equipment.

The Power of the Vampire
The ability tree is divided into categories of Unholy, Chaos, Frost, Blood, and Illusion. For example, the Chaos element, my favorite so far, deals with unnatural fire that has initial impact damage, like “Chaos Volley,” but lingers for a bit, damaging enemies over a few seconds. I do welcome the vast selection to choose from, but it is disappointing that you can only equip two of the basic ones at a time. We should have at least four basic abilities for a more varied build. Cooldowns on them are reasonable, even though it’s irksome to have one on the dodge ability, forcing me to occupy one of the two ability slots with a defensive spell to increase my survivability. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2821924075
Equipment
Weapons have their own skills and moveset, depending on their rarity and type. My favorite weapon is a Reaper, a scythe-like weapon that can deal extra damage against the undead and has a strong throw attack à la Lightsaber throw that can hit a small group or individual. Weapons also adopt a double role as harvesting tools, like maces and axes, which can improve the harvest of minerals and lumber, respectively, but in general, as long as they have enough attack power, even a sword can procure ores from mineral veins. I found this distinction quite handy because if you’ve only discovered one of the better weapons, you’re not locked out in obtaining materials in a region where certain veins can’t be mined with weaker tools.

Creating a Lair
Building your castle begins as you place foundations around your “Castle Heart”, the life source of the base that prevents it from decaying and allows you to upgrade and expand your territory. Essentially, as you receive more blueprints for crafting, you have the option to segment your castle into different rooms because they receive bonuses with the same type of flooring. For instance, the “Smithy” and “Furnace” can receive discounts on the materials it uses and speeds up production in an enclosed room that has the “Forge Flooring.” I didn’t find grinding crafting materials too bad since you can find a horse easily to traverse long distances, and you can stumble upon them in the world just by exploring, and raiding villages and enemy camps. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2821932959
Blood Types
These are passive effects that have special traits, depending on the type your Vampire has drunk. In the case of a “Warrior” blood type, you will have access to reduced cooldowns on weapon skills, and damage reduction, but you must drink the best quality of human blood, ideally 100%, to receive the full effects of the type. The RNG on the spawn rate of blood quality is difficult to predict, but you can obtain a blood type radar ability from a boss that can better the chances of finding your own special blood fodder.

The Sun
Daytime adds a layer of danger for your vampire, and when you’re exposed to the sun’s rays, it heavily damages you over time. This is where an umbrella would be useful, but unfortunately for us, that’s not included…yet. Planning around when to explore or to stay indoors during the day will be up to you, but the bosses tend to be outside fights, and fighting the golden disk overhead at the same time will include an additional challenge.

I love the atmosphere and how the dark and oppressive nature of the environment reflects the theme of Dracula. From the autumn trees of Silverlight Hills to the gloomy and ghastly nature of the Cursed Forest, each biome offers a variety of visual delight as you explore every corner of the world.

For the most part, my FPS lingers around the 45-50’s outside but throttles to 35 during boss fights who spam their AOE attacks and around my base. Inviting friends for jolly cooperation seems easy, with little lag and smooth gameplay. However, I have not played on official PVE/PVP servers, so I can’t comment on how they perform.

Clocking in at 60+ hours, V Rising grants players a chance to live their Vampire dreams, and I had a blast going at it alone and with a friend. It is definitely playable solo, and creating a server is easy to do. I love that you can adjust the values of the Day/Night cycle, spawn rate, etc, to suit your needs. I still haven’t beaten all the bosses, so I’m going to leave you now and head back to my castle of blasphemy.

Adopting the spirit of popular ARPGs like Diablo and Titan Quest, Ghostlore brings to the table fans of the old would surely love. It still needs more addition to the story, and quality of life tweaks, but for what it is, it is quite enjoyable and playable in its current build. Keep an eye on this gem.

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As a ghost hunter, you are tasked to take out the “Mogui,” malevolent spirits who met an untimely and violent demise. They haunt the island, killing and scaring off most of the locals. Your master chose this time to pass on the torch, leaving you and the other apprentices to rebuild the damaged spirit wall between the living and the dead and protect your home from the Mogui.

My thoughts
The story isn’t complete yet, and most of the characters so far are just quest givers, so it feels like going from point A to B, with little to do in between such as side quests. With that said, the lore descriptions of items and the Mogui are more fascinating since they reveal insight into the culture they originate from. From the white-dressed woman who won’t die to the perverted demon who likes to oil themselves, the lore on each monster is unique and sometimes gross, but it’s the kind of addition I appreciate more than what was incorporated in the campaign. Even the food you buy has its special flair because it describes how the locals eat and prepare their meals.

Inspired by Diablo
Ghostlore adopts the point-and-click ARPG model, similar to games like Diablo and Titan Quest. You begin with a melee weapon, and your normal attack will correspond with the type of weapon you have equipped. You can switch to any weapon like a dagger, which has fast swings with a low base attack, or talismans, a ranged weapon that can dish out paper cuts at an alarming rate. As you explore the procedurally generated dungeons, you’ll gain loot from boss/elite type creatures and chests scattered on the map. I find that the loot drops are decent, and the equipment contains passive stats that your character will be able to utilize regardless of their class. I don’t find the melee weapons differ too much other than their attack speed and power. I would’ve expected that spears would have a better range than a dagger, but it felt similar. Ranged weapons are limited to only bows and talismans, but both are equally as good at dispatching foes from afar.

Classes
You can choose from 6 classes, and depending on your playstyle, there is the primarily melee class, the “Feral,” if you want to focus on life leech, or a “Geomancer,” which is essentially the mage class, and they’re capable of dealing elemental damage with a decent area of effect that can take out hordes of enemies. You will eventually be able to choose a second class and then a third class as you level up. You won’t have enough skill points to obtain all the skills, but you’ll have enough to specialize in a certain build. I played a “Feral” during my first playthrough and selected the “Adept” as a second class, which has a skill that teleports you around. I added the “Exorcist” to my setup for a skill that increases damage absorption at low health. I went with melee at first because I normally love to be in the thick of the battle, but I was struggling even with my high resistances, and it was getting annoying that even the little mobs could quickly melt my character. I’m not asking for an easy mode because the game isn’t difficult, but I think some balancing tweaks must occur, especially on solo play.

On my second playthrough, I had more fun with the “Geomancer” and leveled them up to 50+, the current stopping point for obtaining skill points. I combined it with the “Sentinel” for its ability to summon animals like leopards and then added the “Hashashin”, an assassin who can slink into the darkness. I used the summons as a meat shield while I blasted my spells from behind, and used the “Shroud of Darkness” skill from my third class if I needed to abscond from a dangerous situation. I really love how in-depth the character customization becomes, giving you the ability to come up with distinct builds that’ll suit your needs. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2806147772
Glyph System
One of my favorite features is the way passives are implemented with “glyphs.” It starts in a small radius at the menu and expands until level 50, where every single slot is unlocked. They are capable of supplementing a unit with passive skills such as “life leech,” or increased projectile speed on ranged attacks. They can stack with one another, and you can add as many of them as you want as long as you have room for it. They are categorized as “simple glyphs,” which provide basic traits like increased health, mana, or avoidance rate, and “compound glyphs,” which contain improved versions of the simple ones. For example, you might get a “Nasin” compound glyph, containing 6 passives such as cooldown reduction or attack speed. To reach the full effect of a compound, you have to place simple ones, such as “Kasi” and “Utala” to activate it. It’s a unique system that acts almost like a mini-puzzle, and I spent way too much rearranging them like in Tetris, aligning them to a specific spot because of their shape. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2806129611
The pixelated graphics are charming and full of color, bringing forth a world teeming with life and death. I do love the color palettes, the variations of the dungeons' designs, and enemy models. I didn’t have any performance issues, even during large fights, however, I do believe there should be some “quality of life” tweaks such as locking the Hotbar to prevent skills from being dragged out accidentally. You have no idea how many times my basic attack disappears because I inadvertently dragged it out when the cursor hovered above it. I also came across problems with environment collision detection, and I would just get stuck on a rock or a fence. The summoned AI helpers would often get trapped as well, and since I can’t control them manually, resummoning them is the only solution. An auto-sort button for the inventory and different storage spaces for equipment and glyphs would also be a great addition just for organization purposes.

Averaging about 4 hours for the main campaign, the endless dungeon mode adds more playtime if you want to farm levels and gear. It’s just a repeat of maps and bosses included in the campaign, with added health and damage, and I wish it had more variations since the same map can repeat three times in a row, but as more areas are added, this will improve. Overall, as a fan of the genre, I adored what I played, and I can’t wait to try out the final build. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2806129796

Who’s Lila is a point-and-click, horror narrative where you follow William Clarke, a quiet young man who is unable to display his facial expressions without conscious planning. Although it’s not for the faint of heart, it has an eccentric and intriguing story, with unique gameplay I haven’t seen elsewhere that I can’t help but recommend this fantastic work of art.

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William is a socially awkward young man who has difficulty expressing himself, and he must make a conscious effort to practice displaying appropriate facial expressions such as smiling or frowning in the mirror. On one fateful night, while he attended a party, he met a girl named Tanya Kennedy, and his life had seemingly changed with that one dance they shared. Fast forward a month later, Tanya has gone missing, with him being the last person who had seen her. With the police looming over his shoulders, how will he clear his name, and better yet, who keeps calling him and asking for Lila?

My thoughts
The story is an amalgamation of terror, ”WTF” moments, and wholesomeness as the character of William is brought to life, and how he came to be the “person” that we see throughout the game. It is stitched together via a series of endings, 15 in total with a few secret ones in between, that paint a whole picture that explains the events leading to the penultimate conclusion. You will not understand what is happening with just one ending as you need to collect most of them to truly comprehend the tale being told, but they take 5 minutes at most to complete. Sensitive topics such as murder, abuse, and the occasional occult rituals, are breached at an uncomfortable level, but the mystery surrounding William, and the aforementioned character, Lila, was intriguing enough that I couldn’t stop playing until I’ve seen everything.

Manipulating thy expressions
Told in a point-and-click and visual novel style fashion, what differs this from others in its genre is how decisions are made. During sequences, you are placed on a timer, and it will be up to you to discern which emotions are appropriate given the situation. Changing William’s expressions can alter the fate of a situation and/or the people involved and trigger a different outcome. For example, you might need to display a “happy” face, so arching the edges of his mouth up can accomplish this task. Making a more friendly face can lower the other person’s guard, leading to one ending. In the same instance, pulling both his eyebrows up will generate an “angry” demeanor, making the other party in question hostile or on guard. Figuring what expressions to utilize and if they can shift an ending in another direction is quite the puzzle, and I love that it can encourage multiple playthroughs. You can save almost anytime, allowing you to retry certain parts without going through the beginning. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2792294073
My one complaint is how finicky moving William’s face can be at times. In the normal difficulty, your character will fight against you, twitching to different expressions, making it harder to choose the “correct” one to display. It can be annoying when all you want is to be “scared”, but since “surprise” has similar facial directions to “scared,” William ends up registering the wrong emotion. Fortunately, there is an “easy mode” that extends the timer and leaves out the twitching. This is a welcoming feature because the twitching especially can be frustrating when you’re redoing events. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2792296237

Puzzles
William will be confronted with situations where a little bit of detective work must come to play as it never holds your hand. You will also be exposed to ARG elements (Augmented Reality Game) that mix reality and virtual in a satisfying way. For example, there are moments when you must visit external URLs that are copied to your clipboards, linking you to websites like Twitter, where you can read through a character’s page with clues to an in-game puzzle. You might also have to download another app and leave it active in the background while you play because it unlocks secrets if you enter the right area. Even acquiring the endings is a puzzle in itself, and requires a few trial and error runs before you find the right combination of expressions. It’s extremely engaging, blending reality and fiction, which further enhances immersion, and includes its players in the narrative.

Scare Factor
Going into it blind, I wasn’t expecting it to be a horror game, and I am extremely pleased that it is. This may be one of the most disturbing experiences I’ve ever played. From William’s haunting expressions and the overly saturated blend of colors in cutscenes, I found it fairly effective in eliciting certain emotions in players that leave them equal parts scared and confused. I adore the weird, pixelated world, and while it isn’t stunning graphically, it has a special flair that allows it to stand out from the rest. https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2792296795
I encountered a bug where I couldn’t continue to the next scene since I was stuck in place, and the only solution was to reload a previous save file. Other than that, I encountered no other glitches, performance issues, or crashes.

With its many endings and secrets, it took me about 10 hours to see everything it had to offer. I imagine that 6 hours will be enough for the average players who are only concerned about the main ones, but with how the mystery is set up, you might be scratching your head as to Who’s Lila, what her involvement is in the story, and why it matters in the grand scheme of things. It will be the lingering question, one that might stray in your mind for a while.

In this early access review, “Northern Lights” shows promise as a survival crafting game, but at its current state, I believe it still requires more polishing in certain departments such as the combat system and story. I will watch this game closely and edit this review accordingly whenever it reaches a better build.

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On September 13th, in a region of Northern Siberia, a nameless adventurer finds themselves trapped in this frigid No Man’s land with no means of escape. Discovering notes and dead locals buried in the snow, they must uncover what occurred and why everyone had absconded the region.

My thoughts
It is trying to set up some kind of intrigue as there seemed to have been a strong military presence with the empty outposts strewn about and scattered government airdrops, implying they were cut off from procuring supplies. However, this is just my assumption because it is unclear, and every time I find what I think is an important location, there is no information to be found. Who is the player character, and why should I care enough to explore and investigate the mystery surrounding this place? So far, the story seems underdeveloped, so there’s not much to say in this department yet.

Survive
You have your standard thirst, hunger, and stamina meters that deplete slowly over time, and I have no problems managing them since it’s not difficult foraging for resources in normal mode. You also have the cold weather to contend with, so you will need to search for adequate protective gear like a warmer jacket, enabling you to stay longer outside, especially during blizzards. When you need to recover your lost stamina, sleeping will not only help, but it can also save the game and pass the time if you need it. I find it handy when I want to fast forward through a blizzard.

I also like the feature where you can cook certain plants or mushrooms with healing properties like anti-inflammatory or anti-pyretic, which can aid in fighting off infection and fever, respectively. This addition just goes to show the double sword effect of nature because not all plant life will be beneficial to the players. Some are poisonous or cause hallucinations that drain your sanity meter, causing the character to faint once it’s fully drained. I’ve found myself many times just eating a plant out of curiosity and then end up receiving a negative affliction, so it’s smarter to find a book about the local flora before putting it in your mouth.
https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2756630357

Exploration
While traversing the icy wilderness, you will sometimes spot important locations with your binoculars such as an empty farmstead or an airport filled with goods like food, water, and map pieces that unlock parts of your map. I do not like how spaced out these locations are because one time, I spent three hours just to find two little spots filled with items I can’t even carry because of the weight capacity. It is annoying and tedious, especially when the game is focused on exploration, and it doesn’t aptly reward you for it. It doesn’t help that with my poor sense of direction, I often get lost even with a compass, but that bit is a personal problem. I would like it if a note or two can mention key locations and say “it’s northeast” from this place, so the player isn’t just aimlessly wandering. The map is enormous and a small nudge towards the right direction goes a long way. On the bright side, I am a fan of the fact that every time you start a new game, you begin at a different part of the map, which can impact how well you survive early on.

Crafting
You can make tools like spears and torches that can improve your chances of survival. You’ll also be able to construct temporary shelters for saving purposes or campfires to warm up whenever you need to stop and cook food or need to make an infusion drink to cure an affliction like the Flu. Every time you create something, you gain experience points towards particular skills like “crafting,” which can improve your tool’s durability, so you don’t have to make it as often, or “butchering,” which increases the harvest from animals. I like this feature because it’s an organic way of learning a skill, and leveling it up isn’t a grind. Every time you level up a skill, you learn a new blueprint for more tools to add to your repertoire. Building storage containers is also possible but each box can hold only five items, even the ones found in the world like a huge fridge, so my floor is simply littered with all the items I’ve been hoarding.

Fight or Flight?
Combat is clunky and the animations for the weapons like the spear have poor hitboxes where it looks like it’s hitting the enemy, but it’s not registering as a hit. The weapon impact is practically nonexistent, and it’s hilarious how much a wolf is charging at you nonchalantly with its blood spurting everywhere. It takes away from the immersive experience it’s trying to convey with how robotic the wildlife acts, and I avoid fighting altogether. Besides, you would only ever need to fight when you hunt animals for meat to cook, but I can practically live off of mushrooms and canned goods that hunting animals seems unnecessary. Combat is still unpolished in this build, but I hope it improves later on.
https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2756637332
The world is full of ice and snow, and it is not a bad-looking game. I like the aesthetic of a frozen landscape in survival games à la “The Long Dark,” and this is no exception. Trudging through a blizzard with nothing but a torch at hand can build tension as you are searching for the next checkpoint. Nighttime has its special flair as the skybox is washed with a mixture of yellow and green, displaying the Northern Lights in vivid color. This is the reason I like traveling during the night, even if it’s colder.
https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2756636596
Normally, the early access survival games I’ve played have terrible performances, but “Northern Lights” hardly has any dips, except during blizzards where it stutters at times. I have seen minor bugs where rabbits are rubberbanding all over the place, or the player character’s skin is clipping through their clothes, but this can probably be fixed easily.

As it stands, I can’t recommend “Northern Lights” just yet. I see potential, and features that I like, but if it was released at this current build, it wouldn’t stick out from other games in its genre. I do look forward to future updates because I want to see this game’s success. I see the amount of effort the developers put in their baby, and they are constantly updating it. They seem quite respectful of player feedback.