Nocturne: Prelude

Nocturne: Prelude

I rather enjoyed this game, for many reasons, and would recommend it to anyone who would enjoy the following:

-The character you play as, while it is a set character, is very androgynous, allowing you to play as any gender you want. You can also change the name of your character to whatever you want.

-The setup of the game (there’s a main storyline, but free exploration is encouraged), art, and catchy music reminded me of Legends of Zelda: A Link to the Past, which was a wonderful game.

-It’s free!

Real player with 8.4 hrs in game


Read More: Best Rhythm PvE Games.


I have never played a single rhythm game before, so I review this as an absolute beginner.

  • Gameplay

The easy mode is perfectly suited for those who’ve never played a rhythm game before. It’s pretty standard rhythm gameplay with some rpg elements mixed in to spruce it up a bit. I really like the fact that if you’re struggling with a fight, you can look around to see if there’s some better equipment laying around.

There’s random encounters which I’m usually not a big fan of, but it makes sense for an RPG. These random encounters though are great because they let you, you know, play the rhythm part of the game!

Real player with 4.5 hrs in game

Nocturne: Prelude on Steam

A Chamber of Stars

A Chamber of Stars

Each person has a universe inside of them.

A personal universe with characters influenced by the observable reality around them. Your friends, the fans, the local shop clerk, each person you pass without giving pause is another universe. You make up a story about them, they form a story about you. The universes expand.

I always wonder how similar our universes can be. You and I. Will I ever be able to pierce through and present myself, my real self, or will the information be lost in translation? The thing rattling around in our heads can’t be all that different. We both still get choked up over the same melodies, it’s only human to do so, right?

Maybe, if you would like it, I could play something for you. Lord knows your songs are still rattling around in my head.

The singularly named Starr, an enigmatic performer, guitarist and songwriter, has somehow survived the constant shifting tide of the musical landscape. Decade after decade, this artist has remained relevant in culture’s eye. After multiple personas, genre manipulations and controversies, the public is still buzzing. “What will Starr do next?” The rumors say their upcoming album will be the fated magnum opus…

A Chamber of Stars is the sequel to 2018’s The Endless Empty. Through six unique worlds the life of the rock n’ roll hero, Starr, will be pieced together. Exploration, choices and performances will change the course of a life and will alter the songs that are produced. A Chamber of Stars will feature a mix of classic adventure games, puzzle solving and unique rhythm game performances all within a fully realized surrealist universe.

Nothing heavenly or divine; just filthy mortal music here.


Read More: Best Rhythm Story Rich Games.


A Chamber of Stars on Steam

Gates of Mirnah

Gates of Mirnah

Gates of Mirnah is an upcoming story-driven sci-fi action adventure game powered by the Unreal Engine and will be available for PC and console. The energy-based combat system of Gates of Mirnah guarantees fun, action and variety. Use your parkour movements and solve tricky platform puzzles to reach hidden places. Unlock new abilities by solving beautiful music puzzles. Experience a meaningful story of friendship, betrayal and hope. Explore the mysterious world of the alien starfarers called the Strangers far away in space. Our game combines these different elements into a completely new gaming experience.

The world of Mirnah

Features

Story Driven: Gates of Mirnah has an interwoven story with several intertwined storylines. Some examples: the lost team, the mysterious Strangers, hostile creatures and the fate of mankind.

Combat

Many different encounters ensure that you get your daily dose of fast paced real time combat. Manage your energy, shoot projectiles, shockwaves, dodge projectiles and use energy shields to protect you from harm. Defend your self with a energy staff or other melee weapons.

SoundVision

It’s an ability of one of our main characters Lucy. SoundVision is about perceiving the game world with active and passive echolocation. The player should be able to feel a little like Chirrut Îmwe from Rogue One or Zatoichi the blind swordsman through SoundVision.

Parkour

Use wallrunning, climbing and many more parcour moves to explore the challenging environment.

Exploration

Find lots of different hidden spots with treasures, story bits and trophies.

Puzzles

Solve various tricky puzzles. Use your reflexes, logic and rhythm. Learn to use the powerful glyphs and symbols of the Strangers to control their advanced technology.

Ships over Mirnah


Read More: Best Rhythm Puzzle Games.


Gates of Mirnah on Steam

Arrest of a stone Buddha

Arrest of a stone Buddha

Надежна лишь смерть, жизнь — нет.

К сожалению, простая и тривиальная игра Arrest of a stone Buddha пытается быть чем-то особенным и претенциозным, а зря. Обычный шут-эм-ап с практически никакой историей прямо таки наровит выставить себя каким-то глубоким произведением искусства, а ты просто не понимаешь…зачем. В игре присутствовал бы интересный сюжет, если бы ему уделили чуть больше внимания и продумки, в игре уже есть неплохие пострелушки, которые могли бы быть чуть лучше, если бы не постоянные багулины и не очень продуманное….да вообще что-либо.

Real player with 8.3 hrs in game

another incredible effort from Yeo. easily my favorite developer in the indie space.

[ TLDR: the game is awesome; the aesthetic is on point; the story is minimalist but effective; the gunplay, even with occasional quirks and bugs, is tight and exciting as Hell; the look and the sound (graphics and music) are beautiful - even my wife, while listening to me play, said, “i really love the music in your game”. buy this, and Yeo’s other game, Friends of Ringo Ishikawa, immediately. /TLDR]

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Arrest of a Stone Buddha is lighter, somewhat less “meaty” title than the previous game in the developer’s catalog, The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa (a surprisingly poignant and emotionally deep exploration of a Japanese high school gang leader delinquent’s last year of high school, and all that entails). where Ringo Ishikawa was a melancholic treatise on growing up (and what it means for those who cannot or will not try), Arrest of a Stone Buddha is the next logical step in that emotional journey - the existential and monotonous routine of day to day life, where sometimes those days seem to run together, from one to another, and you find yourself just passing time until the Next Thing you have to do, never really engaging with anything in the present moment - just drifting, the world whirling by with your feet barely on the ground.

Real player with 5.4 hrs in game

Arrest of a stone Buddha on Steam

99 Fails

99 Fails

Journey through Zeebo’s surreal nightmare in this impossibly difficult to master casual, genre-bending precision platforming game with a rich, bizarre dreamworld. Traverse 11 dream layers in 9 iterations, each with their own gameplay mechanic, transforming Zeebo. Control Zeebo with one to three action buttons, depending on which mechanic you’re playing. Each mechanic and iteration will make an appeal to your sense of timing, rhythm, and anger management skills. Unlock more and more entries in the dream journal and analyze them in a game-wide puzzle to finally find the source of Zeebo’s torture.

THE FEATURES

  • Easy to play. So easy, your grandparents can play. But they won’t master it. By the way, neither will you.

  • Eleven different dream layers, mechanics and morphs, nine dream iterations each. That’s right, that makes 99 levels.

  • Each dream has 3 modes: 99 Pillars for anyone. 666 Pillars for the maniacs. Endless pillars for the masochists.

  • Countless bizarre, trippy and surreal creations, events and unforgettable characters.

  • Procedurally generated levels, including paths, events and enemies, no playthrough is the same.

  • Adaptive audio and music that evolves along with you as you traverse dreams, in full stereo.

  • Explore Zeebo’s bedroom in old-school PC point ‘n click style to learn more about his life and issues.

  • Perform dream analysis within a unique elaborate puzzle mechanic in the dream journal to figure out what’s fueling his nightmare.

  • What more could you possibly want? More fails? That can be arranged.

NEEBOTA - NOOBOTA

Zeebo’s world is called Neebota. Neebota is an alternative universe to ours. Humans don’t exist there, but portals do open up and items and beings sometimes slip through. There are many legends about such events and Zeebo and his friends love going to abandoned places, forests to look for portals and things from earth. Noobota, on the oher hand, is the dreamworld of any Neebotian. And it’s Zeebo’s Noobota you have to conquer in 99 Fails!

THE COGNIZOIDS

Cognizoids are entities in Noobota. They represent everything from abstract concepts like death, love, to particular objects or persons from Zeebo’s real world, Neebota. They can be a person Zeebo knows, or represent his fears or joy. Which one represents what is for you to figure out!

THE UNFAIRY

You’ve heard of fairies. But have you heard of The Unfairy? Whatever she is, she doesn’t always mean well. And her transformation is a bizarre, gruesome sight to behold.

NEEBOTA’S REVENGE

When real life is poking you in your dream lobe.

UCHO

Musical rainbow-peeing ear. Sounds like random drizzle on a piano.

LARTUM THE GIANT

The not-so-gentle giant of optical deception, a dreamlord that will give you vertigo and toy with your playthrough.

BED OF REBIRTH

That feeling when your clone shows up pregnant with a hatched egg and mature chicken inside. Which is…an entirely new sort of feeling.

HEKKE & HEKKEDERIAN

Last, but certainly not least: Hekke! Zeebo’s squiddly, cuddly jelly pet who follows him everywhere, even into his dreams. Though in his dreams, he’s not quite as cuddly…in fact, what is up with that split tongue? Is that mom and dad?

THE DISCLAIMER

We are not responsible for any harm that may come from playing this game. We are certainly not responsible for any rage-induced attacks on other objects, persons, or damage caused by throwing or stomping on your controller, keyboard or mouse.

99 Fails on Steam

Squingle

Squingle

Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this game because I was a play-tester and offered feedback during its development.

Squingle is a VR game about creating the fabric of existence by navigating rotating orbs within the twists and turns of celestial intestines. Confused yet? If so, you get it.

At it’s core, Squingle follows a basic concept: You must use skill, patience and timing to navigate a pair of rotating orbs towards a goal through increasingly complex stages without touching the edges, while also attempting to collect optional bonus items along the way. More mechanics are introduced throughout the game, which I’ll not spoil here, as they make for some great “Ah ha!” moments.

Real player with 5.2 hrs in game

Experienced on the Oculus Quest 2

You can view my review & gameplay here: https://youtu.be/1KINGuB1wCY

This is a trippy, psychedelic puzzle game involving revolving orbs that you have to guide through a liquid crystal maze. It starts out simple at first, but these mazes will present some interesting spatial mental ability challenges. At times I thought it was impossible to guide the spinning orb through some tight spaces, but with some perseverance I was able to complete the challenge.

Real player with 4.9 hrs in game

Squingle on Steam