What are you playing right now?

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I was sort of hoping the end of the Question Arc might conclude to some extent on the murder mystery part and move on, but since that's not the case I'll just quit here.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that probably 3/4 of the text if not more could be removed without impinging on the story in any way. This isn't a translation issue because the translation is, if anything, literal to a fault. The guy needs an editor.

Episode 1 spends about 20 hours' worth of reading on developing characters and motives, which is apparently all a bait-and-switch for a story about little girls playing with their imaginary friends. I think it's supposed to be working towards some trite point about how like, all fiction is just a fantasy, yeah? Which would be fine if it stayed at the 'unreliable narrator' stage, I don't mind that part at all, I don't mind Battler's game with the witch, but everything beyond that is miserable.

I really do not get Umineko's popularity at all. I'm struggling and obviously I really wanted to like it else I wouldn't have read it for eighty hours, but I can't understand at all.

Edit: the most frustrating thing is that the writer clearly demonstrates the capability to write a good mystery, and there are just enough interesting, thoughtful elements there that hint at something great, so the fact it's all a bait-and-switch is especially egregious. I've spoiled myself on the culprit now anyway. And a little of the final episode which honestly sounds so stupid that I cannot believe it.

I think the point of Umineko isn't what you thought, but that how we think about the world, our outlook and perspective are formed from the truths we create for ourselves. That sometimes in times of trauma we can create a distortion of the truth as a defensive mechanism, or to simply make us feel better about ourselves. And that sometimes other people might distort the truth to protect another, because having them learn the actual truth might break them.

I'm not sure how much I'd consider the story a bait and switch. I think that'd the case if you came in blind. Anyone who's read the first in the series would likely be anticipating many of its twists.

The past about needing an editor, that's very true. It's very indulgent but for me it didn't cross the line to excess until the last episode. I don't think editors exist though for visual novels, I've rarely read one that felt lean. Song of Saya would be one, it's fairly dense but only takes a few hours to read.

The other would be The House in Fata Morgana. I'd recommend the latter if you didn't like Umineko but wanted a more conventional story and three act structure. It's well written and edited, with a mystery that's satisfyingly resolved, likable characters, and features some great unique visuals and audio.

Spacestation 13

Attempting to beat Soul Master in Hollow Knight.
Note the word: attempting.
I just want a Spell to get to Crystal Peak and find secrets

I've been playing Boneworks. A lot of hype has been around this game based on Youtube footage over the last year or so, but I've been a bit cautious since I didn't find their previous games that engaging, even if they've always been very technically impressive. I'm glad that I had no reason to be hesitant about the purchase because it is an awesome game.

It's very clearly inspired by Half Life 2 and Portal, with a tutorial section that feels just like Portal, with its boxy sterile appearing rooms with stick figure images, and mix of bright colours against grey. The levels immediately after feel a lot like the streets of City 17.

The physics are maybe not the most realistic, but they're a joy to play with; the environments are absolutely chock full of physics items, and even your player avatar is a physics object. Melee weapons are tons of fun to mess with because of how the game handles two handed object interaction. Much of the gameplay revolves around these physics interactions and there's just so much emergent gameplay that comes from it.

One early example comes from the city streets where you fight zombie like creatures, where your only weapons are a hammer and debris including bricks scattered around. But you can pick up a garbage can lid and it works handily as a shield. There's nothing in the game that's specifically programmed to have it act as a shield, but as just another physics object that can block attacks it works. You can thus use objects to block attacks or to perform a shield bash.

Other smaller interactions include how the hammer can work as a blunt object, but you can also flip it around to remove boards from doors and such, just like you'd use a hammer. Or how you can physically assault enemies in creative ways, like pushing them into hazards. One fight had me roll a garbage can down the stairs, causing enemies to stumble so I could close in safely to push them head first into a wall. Another had me catch a robotic headcrab as it launched at my face, holding it down against the floor so I could more effectively smash it with my hammer in my other hand.

The game design is pretty tight, with a good mix of action and combat. A lot of these games can be very physically taxing to the point where you stop playing because you've overexerted yourself. Maybe that's a sign I need to increase my fitness but in this instance I found that the game regularly has downtime which features as engaging gameplay as its more taxing parts.

I've yet to finish it but the two sessions I've had I stopped only because the batteries on my controllers were about to run out. This game is the best by far from the developer, and the first that's really nailed the overall package beyond its basic gameplay loop. For me even having not played yet to completion I'd say this is my VR game of the year.

Kirby triple de luxe, had almost forgotten how fun these games are

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Kirby.

I'm playing a challenge run in Pokemon Alpha Sapphire

Again

And currently trying to complete the pokedex in Pokemon Sword

And doing some building stuff in Minecraft

^^^ oops, I uh forgot my old login details, made an account then accidentally logged into the forgotten account on another device that had the old login saved. Grr.

I've been replaying Alien Isolation. It's a good one to replay after a few years. They change up the gameplay constantly across the game using different threats and tools, the xenomorph is real scary in the early sections given how unpredictable it is. You're forced to really engage with the environments, walking slowly and eyeing up hiding spots and escape routes. Some parts are better than others and they don't do enough with mixing human enemies with the alien threat but overall a great game.

Subnautica: Below Zero

Playing it before they scrap the current storyline.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Gates to Infinity
loving it all over again

Kirby Block Ball

Pokemon Crystal
man, I had all about forgotten how awful hard it was to level up Pokemon without the wonderful EXP share we've had since gen 6. Thank you, Game Freak for quality of life changes to your games!

Final fantasy 12

Speed dating for ghosts
I thought it would be fun and entertaining and it was, but it was also surprisingly emotional.

The Binding of Isaac has been my go to game recently. It's a very very messed up rogue-like, but a lot of fun and surprisingly deep when it comes to emergent gameplay and evolving strategies.