Monthly in a Month #23: The Bloodlust Edition

I have no idea when I will have the time to get this done as well, but lets give it a go.

Welp, somehow managed it :D Even tho I had a nasty game breaking bug at the end of 112 Operator that caused me losing some time unnecessarily on it.

Thank you for organising this :)

Does this count from the 1st of january or the date of this post?

it's not late to join the party right? @_@

i'm done ... ^_^

I am almost tempted by God of War, looks pretty cool. But it's no MH: Rise. ;P

Thanks for the event!

i'm going to try and participate this month too! god of war is way too good of an incentive

1. Yoku's Island Express - COMPLETED Achievement: Kickback and relax
2. Going Under - COMPLETED Achievement: You Are (Un)Employed
3. Skully - COMPLETED Achievement: Journey's End
4. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - COMPLETED Achievement: The Final Battle
5. A Case of Distrust - COMPLETED Achievement: Master Sleuth
6. TOHU - COMPLETED Achievement: Happy End

Gonna give it a shot as I realised most of the games I played were monthly games so far, might as well keep the trend going.

1. Minoria - achievement Heretic
2. Tacoma - achievement Liberated
3. Hearts of Iron IV - achievement Time is on our side
4. Morkredd - achievement Team Player
5. Turnip boy commits tax evasionTaxation with representation
6. Iris and the Giant - there's no achievement for it but here's the screenshot from completing the game

Damn i really liked my selection this month :)

1. One Step From Eden / All For One
2. Fort Triumph
3. Moon Hunters
4. Control / Take Control
5. Deadly Days / To the moon
6. Vampyr

Done with the challenge

Thank you for the continued monthlies. Very much intrigued what will be up for grabs in February.

Games for January:

Kathy Rain (November 2016)

Achievements - "Been there, done that"

If I had no knowledge of Kathy Rain going in beforehand, I could easily envision it as a classic point-and-click adventure straight out of the 1990s, rather than a modern one styled after its predecessors. The game is mostly effective at reducing the frustration and lack of direction that can be present in older adventure games while still maintaining the look and feel of its inspirations.

Plot-wise, I felt like something was a bit lacking in the main story, but perhaps I'm not really using my imagination when it comes to the supernatural elements that are eventually uncovered. (Story spoiler) The abortion subplot was handled clumsily at times, but I do like that your character can express a range of different reactions in reflecting on her decision, and they are all treated as valid choices.

FRAMED Collection (September 2021)

Achievements - "Got a light?"

FRAMED Collection is, of course, stylish as all get-out, and the gameplay is mostly good enough to carry the story forward. Some solutions could feel illogical or unexpected, but ultimately that may be unavoidable with such trial-and-error mechanics. The box factory almost made me use a guide, but I was eventually able to figure it out.

I did appreciate the quality of life changes and more cinematic storytelling in the second game, which for me elevated it significantly.

SIMULACRA 2 (April 2021)

Achievements - "Big scoop" (spoilers in achievement names)

To an extent, SIMULACRA 2 suffers from a similar symptom that happens when smaller indie games with experimental or unconventional gameplay try to expand their scope and build upon their success. Still, I do feel interested in playing again, especially since the developers introduced a speed-up mechanic for subsequent playthroughs.

This sequel focusing on a group of online influencers feels less compelling than the unassuming ordinary young woman from the first game. The themes of being able to obscure and manipulate your image on the internet felt more organic when it wasn't meshing with understandable but well-worn critiques of social media personalities.

That said, I did appreciate some of the silly stuff the developers included this time around, such as this hustle grindset character's music video.

GARAGE: Bad Trip (October 2021)

Achievements - "Gestalt"

GARAGE: Bad Trip is not a flat-out bad game, but it is likely the most frustrating game I have played for Monthly in a Month. I understand the developers' intent with the combat and atmosphere, and it can work at times. Frequently, however, the experience is hampered by awkward combat controls, jarring visual effects and poor navigation and signposting. The game's issues culminated in an arduous stealth section through a prison just over halfway through the course of the storyline.

GARAGE's plot has hints of something intriguing, but the storyline is never really spiced up in an adequate way.

Hidden Folks (October 2018)

Achievements - "All targets found"

I'm not normally a huge fan of Where's Waldo type games. Hidden Folks didn't really change my mind, but it admittedly has plenty of charm and wit in its minimalistic fashion. Maybe it's laziness, but I did prefer the smaller maps to the big ones sprawling with movement.

The developers did well in keeping the folks you have to find diverse and fresh. Having dark mode or sepia mode was a welcome visual option for me as well.

BPM: Bullets per Minute (November 2021)

Achievements - "Defeated Nidhogg"

I must not be rhythmically inclined, because shooting along to the beat felt rather difficult. Eventually, roguelike luck came through and I got a weapon/item combination that was strong enough to work for the late levels. BPM has an interesting concept that, to me, feels a bit incomplete, but could really go somewhere with some polish. I wasn't a big fan of some of the strong visual effects and color palette, but I appreciated the ability to at least turn down some of the saturation.