Kat Oliveira

“Despite having more flaws than qualities, I can't deny that the characters in Temirana still managed to win me over in one way or another, not only individually, but also their dynamics as a group were what kept me playing this game for its long duration. However, when it shifts to a more character-focused approach, it ends up losing its way a bit and becoming much less fun to follow.”

“Beyond its classic aesthetic, the game delivers a touching story about lost loves, geopolitical conflicts, and the consequences for those who are the greatest victims of these issues.”

“There's absolutely nothing wrong with making a game that children can play, enjoy, and even complete. The problem arises from the fact that Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club is unable to make itself interesting beyond its mechanical capabilities as an adventure game, which aren't very good either.”

“Not much in Stray Children is particularly new, but what isn't, is extremely well-made, managing to mark a grand evolution of the genre. It would be very easy to write a headline like "Stray Children is Undertale on steroids, much bigger and better," but the reality is that Stray Children is far beyond a simple Undertale clone, managing to be a completely original game that will certainly stay with me for many years.”

“Illusion of Itehari definitely stands out due to its high production values for the genre. And, with its ambitious concept, the game shows itself as something more than a title that had a lot of money thrown at it. Itehari offers something besides a romance in a playful fantasy setting and uses its world's concepts to create stories that, even though they may not avoid obviousness, are still well written and say something about the real world.”

“Kemono Teatime is one of those games that's hard to talk about without spoilers. Part of the experience is being shocked by the themes it choose to explore and, later, how naturally it deals with it. Despite that, it's still a cozy game and a good one at that, as it doesn't just offer an empty story and has something to say.”

“Curiously, everything that can be said about Iwakuria Aria as a game can also be said about the character Iwakura Aria. It is a beautiful but imperfect game, its themes are what define it, in addition to being much deeper than the surface shows and filled with layers. At the end of the day, what remains of Iwakuria Aria is a solid and balanced experience that has a lot to say.”

“It's perhaps one of the most interesting and fun tactical RPGs I've ever played. This makes Front Mission 3 certainly not a game for “babies”, considering how complex it can be, which confuses me even more as to why the game behaves (narratively) as such.”

“1f you’re a gh0st call me here! is still an interesting game, perhaps because it’s not too ambitious, or because it considers its limitations well and works on top of them while succeding in doing so. For many, this type of game may require a certain process of acquired taste, but it may please fans of more alternative works, such as Milk Outside A Bag of Milk Outside A Bag of Milk, OFF, or Yume Nikki, which I can imagine finishing the game thinking something like: “yeah… it was actually fun”.”

“Unfortunately, all of Tokyo Clanpool’s misleading intentions led the game into a complete mess of empty and uninspired concepts, and consequently turns itself into a big graveyard of good intentions amidst other titles that do the same thing Tokyo Clanpool sets out to do, only much better.”

“Please Be Happy is a fundamentally simple game in its form and essence. Even though there is nothing technically impressive about the way the story is told or the way its characters interact and are presented, in a sea full of cozy games that are essentially low risk and with very few challenges, Please Be Happy stands out for its more intimate theme, tackling slightly heavier topics and delving into them while using its world to create and explore new pains that may be a reflection of what we experience in our reality.”

“On Your Tail is an ode to the value of empirical experience and the importance of real-life experiences for the creative process, which is also a nostalgic coming-of-age about that vacation trip that was special for some reason, about how some experiences only happen once in a lifetime and about how certain memories will forever be just memories. Following Diana's journey is satisfying, and I believe that everyone can learn a thing or two from this game; however, recommending On Your Tail to Nintendo Switch players is a tricky thing to do, considering the terrible quality of the version of the game on the Big N's handheld.”

“World-building is a really sensitive thing, and if not handled with due care it can ruin an entire story. From the moment any story sets out to present a minimally complex world that is much larger than the small space in which the entire narrative takes place, the writing must keep up with the greatness of that world, otherwise the entire pace of the story is compromised and the ending becomes frustrating because it isn't rewarding enough. For that reason, Battlefield Waltz ends up falling into the cliché of a generic medieval fantasy story, which I can only recommend to those who have a certain level of patience to follow these characters who save the game in a dull and uninspired setting.”

“The Hungry Lamb is a heavy game, a portrait of a desolate historical period, and without many restraints when it comes to portraying the cruel reality of the time. Naturally, this means that the game is not for everyone, after all, it requires a very strong heart to endure the harsh themes addressed by the story in general. However, the game is worth the mental effort, there is a beautiful message in the game that is conveyed through excellent writing, with a pleasant reading pace.”

“As much purposefulness as there are interesting ideas, DreadOut has an extremely unfinished gameplay full of design problems and a poorly told story that can lead a game with interesting ideas to collapse.”

“Touhou Spell Carnival delivers the easy serotonin from moe anime alongside an interesting, innovative and rewarding gameplay with good progression. It's notable that the game aims at a very specific niche: Touhou fans who also enjoy tactic combat. However, those who meet this criteria will definitely find great pleasure in everything the game has to offer.”

“Though it's part of a vaster universe, Witch on the Holy Night is a self-contained story, a small piece that represents TYPE-MOON's visual novel catalogue. With impeccable direction and writing, this is definitely the best entrypoint for those who wish to know the universe created by Kinoko Nasu, besides being an easy recommendation to those who still hold prejudice against the genre.”

“Besides being a highly recommended game for fans of otome games who are willing to take on an adventure that offers a reasonable dose of terror and suspense, 9 R.I.P. tells several love stories that speak volumes to people who are in a phase of self-discovery, making it a game that anyone can easily relate to. 9 R.I.P. is also a game that offers a relatively wide range of quality content, which, despite having a few problems, are nowhere near enough to overshadow its brilliance.”

“Touhou DANMAKU KAGURA Phantasia Lost is certainly a very requested game in the Touhou community, taking in consideration that part of what makes the project so beloved by many is its soundtrack, nothing could be more fitting than bringing together several musical productions to make a rhythm game that innovates in its gameplay despite its many stumbling blocks. At the end of the day, Touhou DANMAKU KAGURA proves to be a solid title within the Touhou Project and is highly recommended for the fans of the series who enjoy musical games.”

“Right off the bat you can see that Touhou Genso Wanderer -FORESIGHT- is a game that has its limitations, the question is whether or not the game has been able to use its limited resources to mitigate them. FORESIGHT is a game that does very well in some asspects, but stumbles in others. Overall, the game is able to offer a concise and satisfying experience, largely due to the lighter and less punitive approach to combat, being just the right amount of challenging.”