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Under a Star Called Sun
Made for Liminal’s Glitch Series, 2020, Cecil Richard has put for a pondering piece about apocalypse(?), space travel(?), interpersonal relationships(?), the dynamics of pressure(?), and the “the deep fried meme of memory”. This piece will only take a few moments of your time, but may stay lodged in your brain for much longer. It leaves me with a longing and a sadness, the deep emptiness of the expanse of space, and the pride and care of a single house plant.

Three Lesbians in a Winter Special
Wandering the trepidatious world of queer polyamory can be a balancing act. Wandering that world while managing your own brain telling you you don’t deserve this, or you’re not good enough adds on to a way of living that demands a state of openness most don’t usually approach in their daily lives. Three Lesbians in a Winter Special gracefully tackles themes of tradition, transitioning, being queer, mental health, capitalism, and companionship in its 20 minute beautifully drawn bitsy presentation, showcasing what the engine is capable of with an artist’s touch. The short visual novel made me feel seen in ways not many pieces of media – let alone videogames – have. I don’t exist in the spaces Three Lesbians does any more, but the game brought me back to a specific time in my life, and re-grounded me in my queer roots. Pieces like this are a big reason we play games. They remind us of who we are.

Sprout: Yeartide
June 30th is a verrrrry important day for Eva and everyone in her village, and it’s her job to make a cake for the special occasion! Thing is, she can “only cook under the supervision of an adult”. Leaving your home amongst the ruins of an ancient civilization, Roselía is your immediate tour guide to the town of La Frondosa, a helpful little being watering her roses nearby. Everything in Sprout: Yeartide is just… precious. The cake you’re assembling is bafflingly disgusting. You’re tasked with assembling everything you need to make said horrendous cake from folks around the village. The payoff at the end of the 10 minute jaunt may just make your day. Go immerse yourself in this adorably surreal little world and you’ll most likely walk away with a little more serotonin for the day.

Roguelike Simulator

Games like Rogue and Nethack have taken a lot of my time and even more of my soul. Roguelike Simulator aims to give some of both back. I’m so skilled (/s) at traditional roguelikes I was able to escape the dungeon to my newfound pile of riches on my first try at Roguelike Simulator, but I went back again and again to get foiled by the dungeons other “nefarious” endings. Ever wanted the experience of one of these hardcore dungeon crawlers, but just know for a fact you’ll never put in the effort to “get gud”? Let Roguelike Simulator give you the thrill of delving the dungeon. Each run takes like… 90 seconds. Go get trapped!

You are Dough
You are dough. A metaphor-made-game. You are malleable, you take on the experiences of your life, you rise, you become bread. What makes you you? Is it the kneading? The Rising? The Baking? You are Dough asks questions and fills you up in equal measure. The game takes as long to play as it took to read this review. Go. Rise.

Iro
Iro is an exploration robot. Iro makes me question who they are, what they are exploring, what happened on this planet, and where they will go next. Iro fills me with melancholy. Explore a space as you explore yourself. Buy some soda you can’t drink. Talk to a house plant. Analyze some ancient coffee. Start the game over and find a use for that secret thing you found. Question everything. Feel sad. Start the game again. Forget how to get through the security puzzle. Gaze into the mirror. Be Iro.