A new month, a new year... and new games from HumbleChoice. The games
are inexpensive, but are they worth it? Let's find out..

* Midnight Suns
https://store.steampowered.com/app/368260/Marvels_Midnight_Suns/
A weird game; it's part tactical-strategy game, part
deckbuilder, part dating sim. I think the intent was
to make "XCOM... but with Superheroes" but it never
quite gels together. Laggy, buggy, and janky, it has
some good ideas... but as many bad ones. Diehard
Marvel Comic fanatics will probably have a tolerable
time with this, but everyone else? Don't bother.
* Two Point Campus
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1649080/Two_Point_Campus/
After the success of "Two Point Hospital" - a semi-
remake of the classic "Theme Hospital" of yore,
developers Two-Point Studios is trying again with Two
Point Campus. But what worked with a hospital - silly
diseases and stupid bureaucracy - does not work quite
as well in a school setting. Joyless tedium, hardly
worth the effort.

* Aragami 2
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1158370/Aragami_2/
A third-person stealth game where you get to be a
ninja. Not really a bad game, but lacking in novelty
and polish. with small maps, weird controls and
repetitive missions, the game lacks charm and
interest.

* OTXO
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1608640/OTXO/
A top-down rogue-like shooter with tri-chromatic
(black, white and red) visuals. Basically, it's
a "Hotline Miami" clone. Fine, if you like that
sort of game (it's not really my thing) but not
very inventive beyond that.

* Rogue Book
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1076200/Roguebook/
Oh, yay; another "rogue-like", this one with
deckbuilding too. Although mechanically sound, it's
not well balanced, and lacks any compelling reason
to keep playing. A good idea, poorly implemented

* The Red Lantern.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1053710/The_Red_Lantern/
A "narrative game", something I'd normally call a
'walking sim' except you're riding a dog-sled. Okay,
it's a bit more than that since you have to plan for
your trips (it's somewhat a survival game in that
respect) but it's the story and experience that are
really the focus of the game. An okay title, but
very niche.

* Hell Pie
https://store.steampowered.com/app/889910/Hell_Pie/
A 3D mascot platformer, with its hook being its foul-
mouthed 'demon of bad taste' protagonist. It's try-
hard edginess tries to disguise its lack of new ideas
or exciting gameplay.

* Twin Mirror
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1552810/Twin_Mirror/
Another adventure game made by the same developers
who created "Life is Strange". Like all their games,
you don't really have much control of the story, and
the game is incredibly short. It's characters and
drama are all the sort you'd find on teenage-drama
shows too. If you're of that age, you'll probably
love all the angst. Otherwise, give it a skip.

Well, that's a hell of a disappointing selection. Normally I'm a fan
of the HumbleChoice games; even if the majority aren't to my taste,
there's usually one or two games that are well worth the price of
admission. And even the games I don't like, I usually see some good in
them. This month, the BEST of the selections are average at best, and
none of them are to my taste. I'm skipping these this month
(fortunately, that is an option) and seriously reconsidering my
subscription.

On 1/2/24 12:49, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> Well, that's a hell of a disappointing selection. Normally I'm a fan
> of the HumbleChoice games; even if the majority aren't to my taste,
> there's usually one or two games that are well worth the price of
> admission. And even the games I don't like, I usually see some good in
> them. This month, the BEST of the selections are average at best, and
> none of them are to my taste. I'm skipping these this month
> (fortunately, that is an option) and seriously reconsidering my
> subscription.

Better luck next month!
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

On 1/2/2024 7:49 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

>
> * Aragami 2
> https://store.steampowered.com/app/1158370/Aragami_2/
> A third-person stealth game where you get to be a
> ninja. Not really a bad game, but lacking in novelty
> and polish. with small maps, weird controls and
> repetitive missions, the game lacks charm and
> interest.
>

I think I might have a look at it, but even the trailer makes it look
like it's 15 years old. I wonder how bad it is in the game itself.

>
> * Rogue Book
> https://store.steampowered.com/app/1076200/Roguebook/
> Oh, yay; another "rogue-like", this one with
> deckbuilding too. Although mechanically sound, it's
> not well balanced, and lacks any compelling reason
> to keep playing. A good idea, poorly implemented

ugh, deckbuilders. I really don't care for the genre.

>
> * The Red Lantern.
> https://store.steampowered.com/app/1053710/The_Red_Lantern/
> A "narrative game", something I'd normally call a
> 'walking sim' except you're riding a dog-sled. Okay,
> it's a bit more than that since you have to plan for
> your trips (it's somewhat a survival game in that
> respect) but it's the story and experience that are
> really the focus of the game. An okay title, but
> very niche.

good lord, this gets points for the topic, but I have absolutely no will
to even install this.

the other games aren't even worth the snark.
yeah, this month is disappointing.