{"assets":[],"author_link":"author\/snoother\/","author_name":"Snoother","cat":"LD #30","categories":["LD #30"],"comments":[],"epoch":1409668440,"event":"LD30","likes":10,"metadata":{"p_key":"81951","p_author":"Snoother","p_authorkey":"0","p_urlkey":"292683","p_title":"A Best Of","p_cat":"LD #30","p_event":"LD30","p_time":"1409668440","p_likes":"10","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":null,"us_name":null,"us_username":null,"event_start":"1408665600","event_key":"24","event_name":"LD30"},"source_url":"2014\/09\/02\/a-best-of-2\/","text":"

This is my fourth \u2018best of\u2019 post. Hereafter\u00a0I\u2019m abandoning the categorised approach, or else I\u2019ll risk leaving shit\u00a0out. Please do check out my past posts: the\u00a0best romantic\/erotic games<\/a>, the\u00a0best sci-fi games<\/a>, and a\u00a0mini-feature<\/a>\u00a0on a fascinating little game titled\u00a0Any Moment<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Where Are Your Friends Tonight<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 This is one of those games that many people can doubtless relate to. Who hasn\u2019t been\u00a0moving on in life, finding out that you\u2019re\u00a0no longer tethered to certain friends as once was the case. Reunions become loquacious bouts of nostalgia but nothing more, until gradually the people you once new most intimately just fade from your life. And it\u2019s all done with nice-looking graphics and a simple, accessible social network-esque interface.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>Circling Circles<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Oval Opposites<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 These are two of a perfect pair. Apparently both developers know eachother and decided to pair up to create two \u201cconnected\u201d, thematically similar games set in the same world. Probably one of the most inventive takes on the theme I\u2019ve seen. And the games work really well too. They\u2019re minimalist, casual games with distinctive designs and moods.<\/p>\n

Familiaris<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 A gorgeous Twine game \u2014 both visually and narratively \u2014 centred round \u00a0a dog and his owner. It\u2019s all written from the dog\u2019s perspective, which makes for an interesting, and ultimately engaging experience that I can heartily recommend.<\/p>\n

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Intranet<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 Another Twine game, but this one\u2019s much more creepy than it is cute. And it uses the theme wonderfully. I don\u2019t really want to say much more. You\u2019re better off playing this one\u00a0without any foreknowledge.<\/p>\n

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A Ludic Proof of the Difficulties Inherent in Finding a Proper Skull<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 Few! That\u2019s one hell of a title. And it\u2019s one hell of a game too. Like with the last one, I\u2019m going to reserve to right to say no more. Narrative-based games like this are best played with a wholly unaffected mindset, I think.\u00a0Just go play it. (You might not get it immediately though. It has a fascinating, but\u00a0at first\u00a0kind of subtle, take on the theme.)<\/p>\n

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Connecting<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 An involving conversation game written with utter believability, and set against pleasant graphics and atmospheric audio. You are texting your partner after a trip visiting a past love (or old fling; it\u2019s not overly clear, nor does it need to be). The text messages can take multiple directions, and all the one\u2019s I\u2019ve found are engaging and affecting.<\/p>\n

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Alice Anxiety<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 Beautiful artwork, stunningly moodful music and notably interactive for a visual novel. Sadly, the game is very much still in embryonic form \u2014 just as things start to get really interesting, it ends. The developer obviously ran out of time. But what is here will keep you engaged, just be prepared for a lacklustre ending. I truly hope a post-Jam version is in the making.<\/p>\n

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And if you want to play my game, you can visit its page\u00a0here<\/a>. If you leave a comment I can promise I\u2019ll check out your game and repay the favour. It just might take me a couple of days, considering my to-play list is expanding at a stupid rate.<\/p>\n

And also because (self-serving plug coming up) I\u2019m a bit distracted with the\u00a0RuinJam 2014<\/a>, for which I entered\u00a0A Tale of the Cave<\/a>, a\u00a0hyperlink-based hardcore-but-short cave-crawl nearly entirely written using William McGonagall\u2019s tremendously inept poetry. And I intend\u00a0to make another game for jam in the next few days. I encourage anyone else interested to\u00a0join me in ruing the game industry<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013Snoother<\/p>\n

Tags: best of<\/a>, highlights<\/a>, list<\/a><\/p> <\/p><\/p><\/p><\/p><\/p><\/p><\/p>","time":"September 2nd, 2014 2:34 pm","title":"A Best Of","title_was_empty":false}