Court of Ashes
Full disclosure, I’m the brother to one of the Court of Ashes developers and brother-in-law to the other. That probably means my review won’t mean much to you but I still have a good reason to write it.
Over the last month I and some others have been beta-testing the game and providing detailed feedback. During my time testing I was very vocal in my comments. When something didn’t feel right I wrote it down and let them know right away. And no matter how often I or someone else brought something up did the developers ever make an excuse. When something could be better they made it better. Entire portions of the game were reworked based on the comments the developers received and the game had become so much better for it.
– Real player with 20.6 hrs in game
Read More: Best Diplomacy Indie Games.
I stumbled on this game in my search list. I often browse indie games for little gems. This is one of them. This is a simple game that I believe is meant to teach you something about morality and service.
After the first 10 mins of playing the game, I thought there must have been a mistake at steam to give this game away for free!
Then I read the Dev message. I enjoyed this little game and would like to give you something in return (As Artimis may have said). “You have the makings of a thriving enterprise. You need only leverage the excess material at your feet, and like the fishmonger in my story arch who is told to turn low grad cuts into broth. Transmute what you believe to be refuse into accelerant.”
– Real player with 7.7 hrs in game
Lies Under Ice
The future of humanity in space is under your control as you manage a moon base in the shadow of Jupiter. Will you play the political mastermind or rise above the fighting factions?
Lies Under Ice is an interactive science-fiction thriller by Joey Jones where you take on the role of the protagonist.
Build a scientific outpost on Europa, exploring the moon and the alien life that lurks in the vast ocean under the icy crust. Build a sprawling tunnel complex in the ice or bring about climate change to terraform Europa into an ocean world. Share your alien findings, or capitalise on the research for profit. Be a paragon of the human race or transcend the human form entirely.
Play as a female, male or non-binary president, captain, or commander: it’s your base… until re-election!
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Play as one of six unique character professions: diplomat, aerospace engineer, asteroid miner, pilot or marine biologist.
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Come from one of three distinct geopolitical backgrounds, each with their own separate intrigues: the ever-shrinking United Earth, the old-world Group of 81, or the fractious Libertalian Alliance.
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Decide what animals to bring to space: experience a catsplosion of kitties, or be over-run by escaped lobsters? It’s your call.
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Develop the base your way: prioritise the comfort of the workers, or try to maximise the scientific output; build luxury domes, mazes of ice tunnels or try your hand at terraforming.
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Involve yourself in romantic entanglements with your co-workers, or strike it alone.
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Develop your out-of-work hobbies. After all, you never know when astronomy, cooking, poetry, lucid dreaming and more, will come in handy.
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Make friends and enemies among the different political, scientific and corporate factions: you can’t please everyone all the time, who will you favor?
Read More: Best Diplomacy RPG Games.
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante — Chapter 1&2
Wonderful experience!
Much depends on how will the plot develop further but what is already seen in the game is incredible.
Advantages:
- Universe. Game world is interesting. I think a lot will be uncovered by further progress of the story, but what’s seen now makes me curious at least. Not sure about how much I like certain details, like miltiple lifes a person is given with (yet it’s well integrated with game mechanics). Overall, the universe provides for very interesting story developments and reflection.
– Real player with 7.6 hrs in game
Read More: Best Diplomacy Medieval Games.
Never liked interactive fiction, this one seemed interesting though and had me hooked.
One of he good thing is that the choices are very hard sometimes, and that harder choices actually cost attribute points. If you’ve done a series of actions that has taken up all your willpower you might only be able to helplessly watch as some terrible thing happens before your eyes since you can’t muster up the will to act. This gives a new dimension to player choices which I had never thought of and is extremely interesting, especially when thinking of doing another playthrough.
– Real player with 6.4 hrs in game
Karen: An Outrage Simulator
I went into this game expecting 45 minutes-1 hour’s worth of silly little content that would give me, someone who’s worked in food and retail, a good laugh.
What I got was 3 hours of organ rupturing good humored, nail on the head scenarios that were so scarily familiar but also insanely ridiculous.
Without spoiling anything (yes, yes, there is a plot, and it is delicious), you go through a good handful of incredibly unique, inconvenient situations that could truly happen to anybody. No level feels like a repeat, no joke feels overused or like low-hanging fruit (unless you count the entire premise of the game as low hanging fruit). If you play on Normal mode, you have to figure out how to manipulate different characters to get what you want purely through intuition and guess work, WITHOUT you (Karen) becoming outraged and making a disaster of the place.
– Real player with 4.5 hrs in game
Similar to other reviews, I thought this game would be shorter…offering maybe an hour of content. I ended up streaming it for over 3 hours.
I played this with a couple of other friends and we all took turns voice-acting Karen and the other characters. We spent so much time laughing our sides were sore!
I’ve also worked 7 years in retail and, again like other reviewers, have encountered my fair share of “Karens” and this game accurately depicts the stereotypical Karen in her natural habitat.
– Real player with 4.0 hrs in game
Solar Echoes: The Star Legation
STORY
Soon after the alien races began to explore outside their own star systems, they discovered each other. Hostilities grew into skirmishes and eventually, wars. However, some still desired peace. We’ve been taught that the Interstellar Union was formed in the year 1,023 LN. And we’ve been told of the human, Trey Donovan, who led the peace legation to unite everyone across the stars.
Details beyond that are varied and embellished, but we do have records of Trey’s past. This man, now considered a legend, was no diplomat. He grew up in entirely human-centric surroundings and had never ventured beyond human territories. He was banished to an exile colony after a dishonorable discharge from the military. He received no training for the peace legation that he supposedly led. Trey’s only known redeeming quality was his leadership and success in bringing law to a planet overrun with criminals.
How did this man travel to alien worlds and speak before powerful leaders? How was this human able to convince those alien leaders to send a representative with him to join the Interstellar Union? How did he survive the dangerous journey through space among an alien crew, several which were technically still at war with each other? There are still many unanswered questions about Trey Donovan and his journey across the universe. What really happened aboard that starship?
ABOUT
Solar Echoes: The Star Legation is a Sci-Fi Visual Novel game with RPG elements, full of intriguing alien characters, bizarre foreign cultures, and interstellar conflict. Journey through space to gather and manage an alien crew, visit new worlds, negotiate with alien leaders, and even risk romance across the stars! Survival and success depends upon your choices and the reputation you’ve built among your alien crewmates. Can your diplomatic efforts with alien leaders lead to a peaceful alliance between all the races, or will you incite a massive interstellar war? Will your words bring unity, or chaos?
FEATURES
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The Star Legation’s beautifully authentic style blends realism with a cel-shaded, anime touch. Design, art, and audio create a unique space-opera atmosphere.
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100’s of decisions to make in this epic, choice-driven branching story
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Experience an engaging narrative filled with intrigue, humor, science, treachery, and heart.
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RPG elements with 8 different character design skill choices to make
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32 possible endings (including 5 main endings)
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Immersive and realistic dialogue: some character sprites have over 100 different expressions!
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Optional Romance story routes with 2 human characters
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Detailed background art, cinematic camera work, expressive character sprites, and animated sequences make this visual novel a dynamic experience!
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Build relationships with memorable characters and develop a reputation that will alter the course of the story!
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Over 20 hours of gameplay, with additional hours in alternate routes and endings
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Awesome SciFi soundtrack by composer Andy Mitchell, featuring over 75 minutes of original music!
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15+ High Res CG’s to unlock, designed by the talented artist, Aeghite!
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Hidden skill-related choices based on your character design that unlock extra routes
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Optional Combat (auto-win option), or Challenge Mode
Star Dynasties
Infinite potential, incredible progress.
I started playing this game during the indiecade demo mid-2020, and the evolution this game has been through in just one year is massive.
Pros:
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Dev very responsive to Player Feedback
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Lots of Character Drama
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Interesting Events (Expeditions specially)
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Interesting Systems (Secrets, Justice, Gatherings, Favors and Negotiation)
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Powerful Modding Tool (Seriously, one could create a full DLC-worthy experience with it)
– Real player with 996.3 hrs in game
Addendum
Have changed review to - Would recommend.*
Only about a third of my gamer friends are big head enough to truly enjoy this game, but I know they will enjoy it immensely. I can see this one sinking hundreds if not thousands of hours into, and I’m already hopeful they go series with it.
I have a great deal of hope, if only because of how quickly the developers are acting on feedback and making solid changes. Meaningful save files now exist. There’s still a lot going on, so I’m not yet done with this review, but the nature and flow of the game are starting to make more sense.
– Real player with 122.9 hrs in game
Intelligence Trader
I’ve been playing this for about 4 hours and I like it so far. It definitely feels like the game is unfinished and there’s more to come, but the basic premise of the game is clear.
Pros:
Fun concept
Interesting story lines and missions
Nice graphics (I like the look of the agent photos)
Clear interface/map
Lots of potential for expansion by tying in the missions completed with the news headlines
Cons:
A little unorganized. You can’t click on an agent placed in country and get information about them. When intel comes in to sell, you have to scroll around to figure out the highest bidder. (easily remedied with an icon indicating high and low price, or maybe highlighting with certain colors to shoe high or low)
– Real player with 6.7 hrs in game
Bought it hoping find something similar to Kremlingames products. Unfortunately realised that it’s too early to buy it. Started the game and understand nothing. Russian translation is not finished, in some places in place of words I saw just black strips… Surprise… Cannot return an agent back from a country to base. News are very interesting, but I’d like to see it in a new window. Time moves too slow. There is no explanation what is specialization of agents.
Perhaps it’s only in Russian version, didn’t play English one. Hope to see something remarkable and interesting in future)
– Real player with 5.9 hrs in game
Killer Inside Us
A 3d rendition of a popular 2d game that works quite well. Support for up to 10 players at once and the ability to wear a duck on your head as you spook those who aren’t dead yet… Sus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUAF8gJ95j0
– Real player with 10.6 hrs in game
when the killer is questionable
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⣯⢯⣟⠸⣳⡅⠜⠔⡌⡐⠈⠻⠟⣿⢿⣿⣿⠿⡻⣃⠢⣱⡳⡱⡩⢢⠣⡃⠢⠁
– Real player with 1.9 hrs in game
The Advisor - Episode 1: Royal Pain
My secret word is ‘Blessing’.
I knew to expect quality and a fun time. This surpassed expectations! It got me really thinking about what I know in terms of army logistics and self-sufficiency. I know, that may seem redundant these days but, in my humble opinion, striving for self-sufficiency and knowing how to work together as a group is always good idea. Growing food, purifying water, basic medicine and basic repairs on everyday objects, all that can be very useful. I still need to know more but that only means I’m excited to replay this in a few years and see how my ideas and capabilities have grown!
– Real player with 2.0 hrs in game
My Secret Word: Bard
My apparent skill as an adviser: Magnificent
Overall, I found this to be a very intriguing game. Like all other games by this developer I found myself having to face very difficult ethical questions. However, unlike the others there was also a lot of questions regarding leadership and tactics (personal interests of mine). Overall, I loved the opportunity the story provided me and the story itself. As for the main character, I find him to be painfully pragmatic somewhat in contrast to my values. However, not as much as I would like to admit. Aside from his quick leaps to pyromania I do not think Magnus is an entirely evil person. Perhaps this is due to my own propensity for witticism that endears him to me. In addition, I am sure he is smart enough to recognize benevolent leadership is better for the leader and their people as well. I like to think of it as enlightened self interest that benefits others. Along with the previously mentioned shared traits Magnus and I both have a nigh obsessive love of magic. Regarding the choice of kingdom, I find myself conflicted. I value loyalty above all else, yet know too little of this magical staff to be certain of the value. Gun to my head, I say stay with the current king. Given how well I turned things around I see no reason that the king and the Magnus can’t barter for the staff from a position of increased strength.
– Real player with 1.6 hrs in game
XO
(I backed this game on Kickstarter, and helped out with alpha and beta testing…)
XO has a lovely mix of tactics and strategy within a relatively short three to five hour game run. But learning XO well enough to survive that final run will take you much longer. It’s a game to be played many times as you learn more about the ships, the factions, the enemies, weapons and circumstances. Each time you’ll learn how to survive longer, how to make better use of the ships, systems and resources you encountered, and how to better choose through the event paths in order to win faction allies as you go.
– Real player with 89.9 hrs in game
I’ll split this review to what I enjoyed and what I did not.
What I enjoyed
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You really get the feeling of trying to build together a rag-tag fleet of military and civilian ships, fleeing away from a seemingly unstoppable enemy while building up your arsenal, firepower and the capacity to support your fleet. Awesome feeling. :)
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Lots of interesting concepts, boarding, resource harvesting, different kinds of weapons to counter different enemies. Really enjoyed different weapons, upgrades, ship types, keeping civilians in cargo holds (then performing a crew transfer to abandoned/disabled ships) and the ability build up my fleet. :D
– Real player with 51.9 hrs in game