April 16, 2026 — Wizards of the Coast has announced an official Dungeons & Dragons actual play, titled Dungeon Masters . Set to debut on April 22, 2026, the new show will premiere with a two-episode special on YouTube. Dungeon Masters  will have weekly episodes and showcase official and unreleased D&D content, though the exact scope of this aspect is currently unknown. Just how much unreleased content will be shown and in what capacity remains to be seen. The official cast of Dungeon Masters This official game will be played by cast members Mayanna Berrin ( Dispatch , StoryQuest ), Christian Navarro ( 13 Reasons Why , Forgotten Realms: Tears of Selune ), Neil Newbon ( Baldur’s Gate III , Dead Take ), and Devora Wilde ( Baldur’s Gate III ), with Jasmine Bhullar ( DesiQuest , Dimension 20 ) taking the reins as dungeon master. The campaign will be set within the world of Ravenloft and ties directly into the newly announced Ravenloft: The Horrors Within . The trailer that accompanied this announcement showcases strong camera work and production values, while highlighting the player’s facial reactions through a few clipped moments from the game’s campaign. Dan Ayoub, SVP and Head of Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast, had this to say about the new series: “ Dungeon Masters brings a truly authentic and original experience to our fans, with all of the fun, high-tension moments, drama and adventure built from official D&D material. In many ways, Dungeon Masters is our love letter to the actual play shows that have introduced so many to D&D . Our aim with Dungeon Masters is to crystallize all that’s great about actual play – the tension, drama, and unpredictable nature – and put our stamp on it with upcoming official source material. We’re so excited to see how Dungeon Masters can inspire even more adventure from our players, and in turn, see how they inspire us to make the show better and better.” Dungeon Masters airs starting Wednesday, April 22 at 6:30pm PT on YouTube .   Image Credits: Wizards of the Coast

More Esoteric Bullshit (Positive) I was recently diagnosed with ADHD. It seems a bit silly, in retrospect, that I didn’t really put together that my constant loss of focus and memory lapses might have been abnormal. That there may be more to how difficult it was to read a book or article for more than a page at a time. Playing games that required a lot of reading has always been difficult, and I’ve found myself skimming through conversations I know I should not have. It has hampered my enjoyment of text-heavy games in the past. Still, I’ve found some ways to work around it, like playing in shorter bursts of time or taking more frequent breaks between dialogues or journal entries. But thanks to my recent diagnosis and subsequent treatment, Esoteric Ebb is one of the first text-heavy games I’ve been able to dive deeply into in years, at least in the way I've always wanted to. Those long conversations and asides are all laid bare for me to read, interpret, and enjoy. I can open the journal or quest log and take in the world in earnest, without spending weeks working on it. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this was quite an emotional thing for me. Publisher:   Raw Fury Developer:   Christoffer Bodegård Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released Mar 3, 2026  for PC. Set in a Dungeons & Dragons-adjacent setting, Esoteric Ebb sees us playing as Cleric Ragn Hemlin, whose mission is to solve the mystery of a tea shop explosion. The influences for Esoteric Ebb are immediately obvious upon starting, drawing comparisons to the games Disco Elysium and Planescape: Torment — and for good reason. The intro itself is an homage to Planescape, with The Cleric waking up in a morgue, unsure of how they were revived. For the Disco Elysium comparisons, the similarities are much more extensive. Both are viewed from a third-person isometric view, they each explore complex political and philosophical themes, and they share many gameplay mechanics, such as an internal monologue and ability checks (both passive and active). While these specific mechanics are not Disco -exclusive, Esoteric Ebb ’s end credits explicitly thank the creators of Disco Elysium and note the influence. That said, while the influences are strong, Esoteric Ebb finds its own voice through the combination of its homebrewed world and excellent character writing. This is exemplified in the character of Ragn himself. While The Cleric, as he is most often referred to, can be guided and shaped by the player in many respects, he does have some personality traits and quirks that shine through, regardless of the player’s decision-making. He is always a bit blundering, awkward, and off-putting, even when the associated ability scores are high. These ability scores do shape him in many ways, however. At the beginning of the game, you’ll have the opportunity to set your scores and choose a background that aligns with what players want to prioritize in gameplay. For example, on top of the numerical bonuses to wisdom-related rolls, a high wisdom score will make The Cleric more observant, with dynamic dialogues and events that showcase this facet of his being. In truth, the backgrounds are all parts of Ragn’s story, as each has taken place or relates to his current belief structure. By choosing a single background, you are tacitly pushing Ragn into a philosophy going forward. These scores do more than confer statistical bonuses. Much like the aforementioned Disco Elysium , they manifest as The Cleric’s inner thoughts, providing insight and differing perspectives on the events of the game. Strength is a devout nationalist, eager to use might to influence those around Ragn. By contrast, Wisdom is a compassionate socialist and takes an empathetic approach to every situation. These inner selves also speak with one another, giving voice to the myriad ways in which The Cleric can act. While these aspects of personality do speak to The Cleric’s moment-to-moment thoughts, he is shaped by the choices you make along the journey. The dialogue you choose and the quests you complete (and how you complete them) matter in fleshing out this character both internally and externally, with NPC perception of The Cleric being equally influenced by his notoriety. Additionally, completing quests grants feats to help power up your character—though there’s no need to agonize over which feat to take. I forgot about it and neglected it until I was nearly done with the game, and still managed just fine. Perhaps the most endearing aspect of Esoteric Ebb is the world that developer Chrisroffer Bodegård has brought to life. The Esoteric Coast is an oddity in a world full of them. It simultaneously deals with tense political matters and philosophies, and humorous dialogues and absurd events in equal measure. In some ways, it feels like a realistic account of how a world would be shaped by the realities of magic and insane esoteric events popping up wherever and whenever they wish. All of which ties into the adventure itself, with character quirks and world history being aspects that need to be navigated in conversation as you try to decipher a timeline of events leading up to the explosion you’ve been sent to investigate. This investigation will inevitably lead to crawling the depths of the City Below — a more traditionally dangerous part of the city that holds traps, monsters, and ancient ruins to explore. There are many secrets to uncover here, and a plethora of good gear to find, but doing so may lead you into combat with monsters or local wildlife. The way combat is handled specifically is so interesting. Rather than a grid-based, battle of might, it is handled entirely through text, with players making dice rolls to avoid attacks, devise a plan, or subdue enemies. You can also use spells to hamper foes, heal yourself, or improve your chances of making another check. These scores do more than confer statistical bonuses. Much like the aforementioned Disco Elysium, they manifest as The Cleric’s inner thoughts, providing insight and differing perspectives on the events of the game. How conversations had been handled up to the point of combat can also affect DC checks in a fight. If you were kind to someone, maybe the charisma or wisdom check DC is a bit lower, or if you started the engagement by punching a person, convincing them may become more difficult. This extends to spell effects as well. Spells like grease can hamper mobility for friend and foe alike, causing enemies to miss attacks, while also making your own dex checks easier or harder depending upon circumstance. Though combat isn’t the only way for The Cleric to be hurt — he can also die of embarrassment. Conversations may lead to failed checks or cutting words from an interlocutor that Ragn then internalizes, causing real damage to him. A tired point in many Dice roll-reliant RPGs is how much they make “failure” fun, or even preferable. It has never really been true in most cases, even something like Baldur’s Gate 3 rarely had an outcome from a failed dice roll that wasn’t abjectly negative. Esoteric Ebb stands out in this regard. While it is true that, most often, failing at a task just means a conversation has beccome more difficult, or you missed out on an item, there are also some genuine surprises, such as events that can only take place if a roll is failed or a failed roll changing the tone and tenor of a conversation in a way that makes the immediate following events more exciting or interesting. During your travels, you’ll be required to speak to an eclectic assortment of individuals. Giant trolls, wizard dentists, and even giant seagulls populate the wonderful city of Norvik. Each entity has its own distinct personality and purpose, breathing life into a setting that runs the risk of feeling derivative when taken at face value. There are just so many little side quests and secrets to find that really flesh out the City of Norvik and its cast of characters. I find myself deeply drawn to this place in a way that I am struggling to comprehend. In many respects, it is a particular connection with The Cleric that has captivated me so. Beyond his similar airheaded demeanor and general awkwardness, his preoccupation with masculinity and being a man has struck a chord. Strength in particular frames things in terms of what a “man” would do, getting hung up on both the societal expectations of what it means to do manly things and the aesthetics of doing so. For all intents and purposes, Ragn is a man in the traditional cultural sense, and can even flirt with multiple women in the game. But what is being a man, really? I’ve asked myself the same question in the past. The expectations that society places on men and women to perform specific, gendered roles or for people to have tastes and desires on explicitly gendered lines has never felt quite right, like I’m a square peg being shoved into a round hole. Ragn himself feels this pressure internally and externally, with Strength providing that peculiar brand of performative masculinity for the game’s other voices to bounce off of. NPCs play into this aspect, as well, with many questioning their place or role in society or even in relation to other characters on the lines of gender. In practice, all of this discussion about gender and societal norms feels like a direct player to GM conversation. As the only writer on the game, Christoffer Bodegård speaks to players through these dialogues, imparting his own thoughts and ideals while pushing the player to question their own. As part of that conversational aspect, Christoffer addresses to players directly at the end of each day as you rest, and also when loading a save. The omnipresent DM recounts the things you did during your waking hours, offering commentary and advice. It adds a nice personal touch, but also serves as a reminder that this is presented as a tabletop game. This does make some of the more idiosyncratic elements make more sense, such as the inclusion of an orientalized interpretation of Japan, which comes across as commentary on the way people see and use the storied nation in media, rather than as a true accounting of how Christoffer Bodegård actually views it. Esoteric Ebb is an absolutely worthy successor to its inspirations. It effortlessly manages to be both intellectually rigorous and deeply, humanly messy, blending its philosophical questions with the overarching narrative and tea shop mystery, elevating all aspects in the process. The ways in which the people and ideas are presented feel so refreshing, with Christoffer Bodegård showcasing not only his understanding of the subjects being written about — feminism, capitalism, and more — but also his own willingness to explore that understanding, and to also have us explore those thoughts with him. In truth, I cannot decouple the personal victory of being able to stay present for all of it from my enjoyment of the material. It feels like the first time in a long while that I have been able to engage with and sit with a game in the way that I really wanted to. It’s the first time I could just play a game without getting distracted or feeling the urge to skip through some text along the way. Of course, being able to immerse myself in such a world would be useless if it weren't worth engaging in. Thankfully, Esoteric Ebb is phenomenally funny, philosophically rich, and just damn fun to play. Verdict Image Credits: Raw Fury Disclaimer: We received a copy of this game from the publisher.

I’ve been having a great time playing narrative-focused RPGs as of late. From taking another crack at Disco Elysium to immersing myself in Esoteric Ebb , the genre is certainly not lacking in terms of great experiences to be had. But I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a game quite like Moves of the Diamond Hand . Taking a first-person view through the surreal and dystopian Off-Peak City, the player character finds themselves trying to land a job with Circus X, a legendary circus that has made its way back into town. To get there, you’ll need to do some digging, finding an in with the crew. Along the way, there are quests to do and an eclectic assortment of people to meet and learn from. Publisher:   Cosmo D Studios Developer:   Cosmo D Studios Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released in Early Access on April 13, 2026 for PC. I have been running through an early access build, so you never know what is going to stick around for the final piece (though there is a roadmap which has a few details on development plans, which you can check out here ), but the introductory sequence spares no time in throwing you into the thick of things. The game starts you off on a train, speaking directly with your old teacher. He is kind enough to talk to you about your plans for Circus X, and serves as the means by which the tutorial is delivered. However, in this conversation, a bunch of terminology is thrown at the player quite quickly without being explained, as if the player character knows exactly what the professor is talking about. It does make sense that this would be the case; our character exists in this world—he should know! But I don't know what Circus X is, or what this city is like, or what any other thing that is happening in this city means. This is truly not a problem per se, I love the sort of intrigue and mystery it sets up in the player's mind as a way to drive things forward, but there is a peculiar visual feature happening in conversations where seemingly important terminology and names are highlighted in dialogue as if there is some way to intereact with them or otherwise reference them outside of conversation. This is not the case; there is no journal to reference, and the terms are not explained when moused over or clicked on. Eschewing the norms of the medium is not a detriment, but it did take a bit of adjusting in my mind. After the short conversation and tutorialization of dice mechanics and stat distribution, you’re set loose into the city. If the strange professor on the train wasn’t clue enough, your first look at the environments will make it clear that this place is an oddity. Giant statues of cats and crocodiles frame your view of the city skyline. The night sky is purple and impossibly star-speckled, with a massive red moon looming above. On the platform you’ve stepped out on, men with bird heads roam as green smoke rises from the grates and trash cans, and giant pigeons have made their home on the benches nearby. Every element of these first two chapters is as bizarre as it is mysterious, but I find myself wholly intrigued and yearning to learn more. There are many quests to find and people to meet almost immediately upon heading down the first steps, but early conversations are tough going without some help. I’m not going to explain the dice mechanics here in detail, but as a top-level introduction, your stats are your dice. Every check you make is done by rolling dice, which you empower by using points you get from other dice rolls and through engaging in conversation. The more powerful your dice faces are, the better your rolls. Even still, some rolls are quite difficult or impossible at this stage without boosting effects, which is where equipment, items, and conditions come in. Each of these modifies your dice rolls in some way, with some affecting your energy and nerve, providing you with money, and others still providing numerical adjustments to the rolls — positive and negative. I found myself bouncing between characters, learning more about the world and gaining skill points, incrementally gaining the tools and experience necessary to pass a conversation or getting new skills and items to assist me, like learning how to make pizzas. Rather than exhausting dialogue with each individual in a single sitting, I was forced to do what I could in the moment and double back to dive deeper. In some ways, this always kept me on the hook for another chat, and I found myself wondering just what these guys were yapping about, and made mental notes to go back to each at different points. Overall, Moves of the Diamond Hand is an exciting prospect. I really enjoyed the dice mechanics in my short time with them (about 10 hours to get through the first two chapters), and the world is bizarre and mysterious in all the right ways. I do understand that early access is a tough sell, especially with full release not scheduled until 2027 at the earliest, but if nothing else, it's a game worth keeping an eye out for in the future.

Gunboat God is a striking addition to the bullet hell genre, adding a unique artstyle and interesting mechanics to keep it fresh and new. I was surprised to learn this is developer Janson RAD’s first game, as the game feels polished and oozes personality. Publisher:   Fireshine Games Developer:   Janson RAD Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released Apr 13, 2026 for PC. Being a gullet hell game, Gunboat God does follow some standard formulas. The map has multiple zones that are each full of interconnected “micro-missions” that create a path to the end. Taking the shortest path to the end or doubling back to cover every alternate route and offshoot are both options. Although levels do reward upgrade currencies and sometimes unlock alternate weapons, not covering at least some optional levels will create a disadvantage. With five different areas, I could see the potential for things to feel repetitive, but I have yet to find two missions that feel similar enough to feel repetitive. The biggest standout while surviving the onslaught is the division of the screen space. Being in a boat does not protect you from below, as some enemies come from underneath to create the classic 360-degree threat of danger that most bullet hells have. Instead, what sets this game’s enemies and patterns apart is what happens at the water’s surface. This dividing line is ever-present and, due to being in a boat, is the character’s neutral state. Enemies are therefore divided into three groups depending on where they spawn: sky, water, or surface. From there, they split into where they can move. Some enemies might start in one zone and move to another, some die when they touch an opposing zone, and some switch between zones constantly — leaving no place safe from their attacks. There are many enemy types, with each level typically having a completely different enemy pool from the levels near it, so that no single enemy or combination becomes stale or overused. The boat can also jump into the air or go underwater, but for only a brief time before returning to the surface to help evade or navigate terrain. This surface interaction is a big part of playing around enemies and staying alive, which keeps this mechanic at the center of gameplay and player strategy. Gunboat God is visually striking and makes for an exciting experience. Upgrading weapons and skills is also a core part of progression. There are many weapons to choose from, and each has a different selection of upgradable attributes. Damage is a general upgrade that uses a separate currency, only shared with upgrading your ultimate meter, which is spent on increasing weapon damage or a selected special skill like flying. Excluding damage from individual weapons’ upgrade options is a welcome choice, as that leaves each weapon’s upgradables to be things like projectile speed, size, or range; removing the need to specialize in only a few weapons so as not to become outscaled. Upgrade points are also reversible, encouraging experimentation and different play styles. The only upgrades not capable of resetting are the more general character and movement upgrades. The currency for the general upgrades is a bit different, being received only when completing special challenges on select levels. The artstyle is a deceptively simple white and black that creates stark outlines of enemies to make each unique and easily identifiable, even in an overwhelming horde. The only color breaking up the dual-tone foreground is the background art, depicting the area of the current map or level, with each area having its own single-color theme. All of this while Yeti, the owner of your new boat, runs around your screen in excitement when a new part or upgrade is found, or yells whatever he is thinking during cutscenes. Gunboat God is a game I will be coming back to for 100% completion. Quick, focused levels, an upgrade system that does not force specialization, fun and chaotic movement, a striking art style, and a boatload of charm will, without a doubt, keep this high on my list for the bullet hell genre. Verdict Gunboat God  is a worthy addition to the crowded bullet hell genre. With clear, identifiable action and varying levels keeping the game fresh and easy to understand, this game does not let its style get in the way of readability in horde combat. Balance fighting threats from the air, sea, and anything in between! Now go get Yeti those boat parts and hone your skills to become the true Gunboat God ! Image Credits: Fireshine Games Disclaimer: We received a copy of this game from the publisher.

Note: This review is for the PS5 version of the game, which is available both in physical and digital formats. Sometimes, things just start off on the wrong foot. You could be a prince, standing in the desert, staring down your foes, ready to lay down your life to protect your family and your people. Or maybe you’re just a 30-something guy who wants to sit down and play a game after a long day of work and managing a household of multiple cats, dogs, and a child. In either case, things go wrong and leave a foul taste. Publisher:  Ubisoft Developer:  Evil Empire Platform:  Played on PS5 Availability: Released August 20, 2025 for PC. April 10, 2026 for PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. For our prince, well, he loses that fight. King Nogaï, the leader of the Huns, has personally administered this fateful beating, leaving The Prince for dead in the sands outside the city. Thankfully, the mysterious Paachi was nearby to assist The Prince, nursing him back to health before sending him on his way to seek revenge against the Huns. With very little exposition to start, we are quickly shunted into the fray — a quick, clean, and convenient intro sequence! On the other side of the screen, things are not so quick to resolve, nor are they convenient. Upon booting up the game, you are prompted to press a button to begin, but rather than taking you to a menu screen or throwing you into the thick of things in-game, you are asked to sign into (or make) an Ubisoft account. This is not a new phenomenon by any metric, as many games have online functionality built into the workings via leaderboards, online multiplayer, and so on. The Rogue Prince of Persia is one such game, with leaderboards that allow players to compare scores. What is novel is the fact that you cannot play the game until you sign up for an account (at least while your PlayStation is connected to the internet). There is no option to forgo the connectivity, and no way to see game options or anything else before signing away whatever rights are laid out in the multiple agreements thrown your way. I find this extraordinarily distasteful in a single-player game. It’s a naked admission that Ubisoft's priorities are not in delivering interesting or meaningful experiences, but in data collection. Nothing, it seems, could be more important than sending the player a newsletter. Well, signing up shouldn’t be much of a hassle; it’s only a 5-15 minute process in most circumstances when it works. When it works . I find myself wondering if I am simply a curmudgeon, too old to understand the nuance and benefits hidden beyond the endless pop-ups and spinning wheels of the loading icons. For the two days I attempted to log in, there was some form of error that did not allow me to do so. The only way around this is to close the game (backing out to the main menu is not an option), and change the system settings to disconnect from the internet entirely. I am spending a long time on this aspect of the experience in part because it is the first thing a player must contend with when booting up The Rogue Prince of Persia . Before even seeing the title screen, you must comply. And while disconnecting the PS5 from the internet is a minor task, it is an unacceptable ask for a single-player game. This should not exist in this capacity in any game. It is taunting the player, as if the game wants nothing more than to never be played at all. But enough about the couch guy — let’s hear about The Prince! It is taunting the player, as if the game wants nothing more than to never be played at all. Movement is fluid and free, with The Prince able to climb and cling to walls, dash across gaps, and leap from pole to pole. The wall run is particularly interesting, as it allows him to scale walls in any direction to reach a destination or even avoid enemy attacks. He can run straight across a wall horizontally to reach a far-off platform, or even dash straight up to cling to a conspicuously placed pole that can then be clambered up. The afforded control of movement is precise, allowing for some quick, engaging platforming that feels rewarding when given a moment to work through a level or encounter while utilizing it. Despite that precise control, none of the challenges of the normal gameplay and boss encounters are exacting — players can mostly just wing their way through a scenario without getting stuck. Combat comes with a multitude of different weapon types to choose from, such as the fast-attacking daggers or a heavier-hitting axe, but all amount to the same experience — tap square for a fast attack and triangle for a special move. The dodge button can be used to vault over the seemingly magicked Huns, allowing The Prince to wail away for a bit without fear of retribution. Interestingly, the vault is not nearly as effective against bosses. While vaulting the regular guys is readily available, bosses seem not to be susceptible to it at all times, and some moves can absolutely bash through it. Instead, there’s a more concerted push toward forcing players to use their entire skillset, with wallrunning, platforming, and dodging effective in equal measure. The structure of the game is similar to nearly every other action roguelike released in the last few years, though it is more closely in conversation with Dead Cells (Evil Empire's other roguelike metroidvania). There’s a hub area for upgrades and conversations, from which The Prince travels to the first zone. This zone (and every other) is filled with smaller enemies The Prince can fight or avoid to get through the level. There are also weapons and medallions he can pick up along the way to change or bolster his current loadout. The level ends when The Prince finds and walks through a glowing door marked with the name of the next area. As The Prince enters the door, there is a transitional loading screen. I am not sure why this is the case, but the load times in between zones are very long — at least by PS5 standards. That’s not the only performance woe, either. Multiple instances of hitching and frame drops lead to a frustrating experience in a game that encourages (and sometimes requires) precise control of movement and actions. Coupled with the occasional glitch that may send you careening off into the depths, this can make for a frustrating time. The game doesn’t look like it would be so taxing as to warrant these issues, but I digress. Every few levels sees The Prince face off against a boss. The bosses are well-designed from a mechanical perspective; threatening, but not cheap, they keep him on his toes at all phases of a fight. Being patient is key until each move is fully understood. Once learned, defeating these generals is little more than a formality, and they certainly do not require an error-free fight to advance. After a boss fight, the journey continues in the same way as before — run through levels, get currency, beat the boss, etc. Being patient is key until each move is fully understood. Once learned, defeating these generals is little more than a formality, and they certainly do not require an error-free fight to advance. How is that guy on the couch doing? Well, after some time fiddling with the logging-in issue for a second day, I just skipped it by turning the internet off again. Not ideal! Those aforementioned performance and loading issues were also beginning to take their toll. A few extra hits taken here, a missed jump there — caused in whole or in part by the framerate issues — begin to wear on the soul a bit. More interesting events transpire in-game when The Prince crosses paths with NPCs who offer a short quest or direct him to previously unseen locations. These moments offer some reprieve from the combat and platforming trials, fleshing out the characters and the world. And while many interactions and conversations require a return to the Oasis (the hub zone), I would advise trying to progress further into a run rather than abandoning or purposefully consigning The Prince to death via Hun. Advancing means more NPC interaction and unlocks for future runs, and a return to the Oasis can always come another day. For The Prince, the goings on of the game’s story are deeply affecting, with concern for the invasion weighing heavily on his heart. Stopping the Huns is of paramount importance, as is ensuring the safety of his family and the people of Persia. For the person on the couch? It is mostly an afterthought — background noise that is barely registered in the moment-to-moment gameplay. That isn’t to say it is bad, or that it is delivered poorly; on the contrary, the story is handled earnestly, and the artwork does an excellent job of conveying The Prince’s oscillation between confident rogue and tortured statesman. It is simply not a large element, comparatively speaking. There is artistry here, certainly. The backgrounds are gorgeous, painterly vistas that breathe life into every frame, and the character portraits are slick, stylized looks into each person’s psyche (though many such characters are decidedly one-note). On the gameplay side, that same visual artistry translates to a flowing series of actions that read more like a cartoon than a video game. But a game is more than visuals, and the team behind The Rogue Prince of Persia has no shortage of artists across the spectrum. The level design is stellar, offering alternative pathways to traverse and myriad ways to do so; walk, jump, slide, and climb to your heart’s content. Still, there is an ache. Despite the competency in so many different areas, the feeling of frustration creeps in. Each instance is minor but coalesces into a less-than-ideal whole, with missed inputs or framerate issues causing disruption — a bitter aftertaste when so much of the meal was good. Starting the game is annoying enough; playing it should not be. Verdict The technical annoyances, combined with the more samey nature of the combat over long periods of time, do bring down the overall impression of The Rogue Prince of Persia . Perhaps the technical side of things will be ironed out upon release (I would certainly hope so, anyway), but as it stands, I’m reticent to give a full-throated recommendation. It is a fine game, and if the team behind it ever gets a crack at another roguelike, I hope the executives consider prioritizing the player experience first and foremost. Image Credits: Ubisoft Disclosure: We received a free copy of this game from the publisher.

Resident Evil Requiem has many collectibles, including the Antique Coins, which can be used to purchase upgrades and items for Grace in the  Parlor . While only 17 coins are needed to obtain all items, the remainder can be used in some way later on. Here are the locations for all 22 Antique Coins in Resident Evil Requiem: Antique Coin #1 — Care Center (Grace) In the Nurse’s Station  at the beginning of the Care Center section as Grace. Climb the cart on the north side of the room by the locker (before moving it), and the coin can be seen atop the locker. Antique Coin #2 — Care Center (Grace) In the Guard Office , on the desk. Antique Coin #3 — Care Center (Grace) Take the north exit out of the Filing Room and head west. It is on a desk just before turning left further down the hall. Antique Coin #4 — Care Center (Grace) On the piano in the Bar & Lounge .  Antique Coin #5 — Care Center (Grace) Dropped by the singing zombie wearing the white dress in the Bar & Lounge . Antique Coin #6-8 — Care Center (Grace) In the safe on the bar counter in the northwest corner of the Bar & Lounge . The safe contains 3 Antique Coins. Safe Combination: Left 10, Right 80, Left 30. Safe Combination (Insanity): Right 20, Left 50, Right 30. Antique Coin #9 — Care Center (Grace) In the Parlor , on the roulette table. Antique Coin #10 — Care Center (Grace) In the Parlor , on the bar counter. Antique Coin #11 — Care Center (Grace) In the Parlor , on the opposite side of the bar counter, there is a container next to the sink. Destroy the container, and the coin will be inside. Antique Coin #12-14 — Care Center (Grace) In the safe on the southeast corner of the Examination Room .  Safe Code: Right 30, Left 10, Right 50.  Safe Code (Insanity): Left 50, Right 30, Left 90. Antique Coin #15 — Care Center (Grace) In the Waiting Room,  on the desk directly in front of the east entrance. Antique Coin #16-17 — Care Center (Grace) Inside the open Waiting Room  safe, on the western side of the room. Antique Coin #18 — Care Center (Grace) East of the Waiting Room , the hall will lead to a set of stairs. The coin is on the table at the bottom. There will also be a Mr. Raccoon on a table nearby.  Antique Coin #19 — Care Center (Grace) In the same alcove as #18, inside a white vase on some furniture. Antique Coin #20 — Care Center (Grace) In the Conference Room , on a desk in the small room that separates the conference room from the hallway. Antique Coin #21 — Care Center (Grace) Dropped by the singing lady in the Conference Room . Antique Coin #22 — Care Center Courtyard (Grace) After opening up the door to the Care Center Courtyard , go all the way down the stairs, then turn around toward the care center. It will be on one of the chairs in the open area between the two staircases.

Resident Evil Requiem is full of secrets. Grace and Leon can find antique coins to unlock equipment, files that provide insight into the events transpiring around you, and perhaps most importantly, the 25 Mr. Raccoon statues scattered throughout the entire game. Destroying all 25 of these little guys will earn you an achievement, complete the “You Little Rascal!” challenge, and unlock “Advanced Tuning” which allows Leon to further upgrade his gear. All 25 can be found on your first playthrough, if you like, but collection progress does carry over across saves and playthroughs, so you can always come back on another run or on another save file. Here are the locations for all 25 Mr. Raccoon statues: Raccoon #1 — Care Center (Leon) Take the southern door out of the Rehabilitation Ward and follow the hallway, exiting into a stairwell area, where the raccoon can be seen chattering away on the fireplace mantle. Raccoon #2 — Care Center (Grace) On the reception desk in the East Wing Lobby . Raccoon #3 — Care Center (Grace) Exit the Waiting Room to the east and head south, following the hallway to a small room with stairs. Mr. Raccoon is on the table next to the grandfather clock. Raccoon #4 — Care Center (Grace) In the Kitchenette room, on top of the coffee machine. Raccoon #5 — Care Center (Grace) In the Medication Room (the one with Emily), open the southern locked room, where the raccoon can be seen tucked away at the foot of the bed near the wall. Raccoon #6 — Care Center (Leon) In the Records Room inside a Warped Closet. Raccoon #7 — Basement (Grace) In the Workshop , at the west end of the holding cells, just on top of a desk. Raccoon #8 — Basement (Grace) On top of a television in the Bunkroom . Raccoon #9 — Care Center Courtyard (Grace) In the Private Lab , on a desk. Raccoon #10 — Care Center Courtyard (Leon) Immediately following Grace’s escapades in the helicopter, you’ll control Leon. Take a set of stairs up past the balcony and aim north toward two pillars with lights on them. The Mr. Raccoon statue can be found on the further of the two pillars. Raccoon #11 — Raccoon City (Leon) Inside Café Oasis , set within a cabinet. Raccoon #12 — East Raccoon City (Leon) On the Logistics Warehouse Roof , go all the way north and then face west. It can be seen on top of a bus on the overpass in the distance. Raccoon #13 — East Raccoon City (Leon) Room in the south portion of the Underground Parking Garage . Raccoon #14 — East Raccoon City (Leon) On the top floor, before the roof, of the Cedarbrook Apartments . You can find it inside a refrigerator in the southwest corner. Raccoon #15 — East Raccoon City (Leon) Just outside the door to Cedarbrook Apartments , look into the window at the west end of the bus. Raccoon #16 — East Raccoon City (Leon) In the Gas Station , on top of some shelves as you walk in. Raccoon #17 — East Raccoon City (Leon) There is a hatch in a locked area west of the Gas Station . Go down the hatch, turn right, and follow it to the end with a briefcase. The raccoon is across the way in another pipe. Raccoon #18 — East Raccoon City (Leon) In the sewer, while heading west toward Ridgeway Station , enter a subway car where the statue sits atop a box on a seat. Raccoon #19 — East Raccoon City (Leon) Willis Tower , after the first flight of stairs, turn right, then right again. It will be on a shelf above some blue binders. Raccoon #20 — Raccoon City Center (Leon) After the motorcycle battle, head west and you’ll find it between two broken cars on a pile of debris. Raccoon #21 — RPD, Raccoon City Center (Leon) On the west side of the Operations Room , beneath some rubble. Raccoon #22 — RPD, Raccoon City Center (Leon) On the north side of the center bookshelf in the Library . Check the bottom shelf, tucked behind a stack of books. Raccoon #23 — Raccoon City Center (Leon) Just outside Gun Shop Kendo , look east toward an umbrella billboard. The statue is on the lowest windowsill to the left of that sign. Raccoon #24 — Ark (Leon) Follow the halls after the Loading Dock all the way to the stairs. Before heading down, look west to see the statue on some crates. Raccoon #25 — Ark (Grace) In the Operations Room , just above the computer screen.

I love the snow. There’s just something magical about the way it feels when it melts on your skin. Something satisfying about the way it crunches under your feet at certain temperatures. I love the way it shimmers in the sunlight, and the silence you get when there’s heavy snowfall. But snow in video games can't really give you any of that. In most games, snow exists solely as rugged terrain or adverse weather — a challenge to be overcome or otherwise avoided. In some respects, this is what drew me to Easy Delivery Co. in the first place. Surely, a game that is centered around snow would show it as something more than a thing to be avoided. Publisher:   Oro Interactive Developer:   Sam C. Platform:  Played on PS5 Availability: Released September 18, 2025  for PC (Steam), and March 26th, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. You’ll probably be shocked to learn that this is not the case! Playing as an Animal Crossing-like cat, you’re tasked with delivering goods, using your Kei truck to trudge through a perpetual blizzard. No explanation is given — you’re just set off to your work with very little direction and comfort. Of course, here in the frozen wasteland, the snow makes driving difficult, and spending too much time outside leads to a quick death (or at least something like it). Thankfully, driving down the winding mountain roads and through the massive snow drifts is fun. Good thing too — it’s just about the only thing you’ll be doing for most of the game. The mechanics of driving are very simple, with only a single button for gas, another for brake and reverse, and a final one for changing perspective into first-person. Annoyingly, the camera does not offer full control, with the game forcing specific perspectives in many areas while driving or walking. But you can still get the jobs done. There’s a heft to the objects you’re delivering, with each object jostling in the truck bed in different ways depending upon weight, shape, and stacking. A good delivery driver would ensure all the packages arrive intact, but this is of no concern to our feline friend. As long as even one part of the package arrives at its destination, you’ll get paid. And so the quiet trek through the hillside continues, the light noise of the engine offering a sort of hypnotic droning to lose yourself in. There’s a radio too, but it also feels just a bit like noise. The trips aren’t long, usually, but going back and forth between parts of town or even over to a new area does feel meditative. Nothing is here, nobody goes outside — it's just you and the truck and the package, and that’s all it really needs to be. But you do have to leave the truck, eventually. Dropping off packages is the biggest reason you’d abandon your sanctuary, escaping the biting cold and blinding whiteness of the world into warmer temps, but dreary environs. Shops are generally dark, and shopkeepers are a bit confused about who you are and even fewer care. Still, many will have something to take with you, whether that’s a new package or some coffee to help keep your body going. Earn enough money through deliveries, and you can even buy reusable tools to assist your journey. Shops and deliveries aren’t the only time you’ll leave the safety of your cab, either. At certain points, you’ll need to make journeys on foot, staving off the freezing temps using a lighter or by lighting a fire. Food helps keep you warm, too, with soups and coffee offering some reprieve from those biting winter winds. Failure to keep warm doesn't lead to game-ending states, however. For a brief moment in time, you simply exist in this dark, sort of liminal space. There seem to be no entry points or exits; you kind of just run around until you wake up in the real world by your truck once more. Much of what is happening is unexplained. There is a story, make no mistake, but everything that transpires through Easy Delivery Co. up to the climax can sort of feel like background noise if you’re not really looking for it. The little exposition given is most often delivered by MK, the dog you meet at campfires through various stages of the game. He’ll give you new objectives to complete along the way, like upgrading your vehicle or opening up new doors, but can also point you toward some side objectives, too. Those side objectives are mostly just there to ease things for you, steering you toward tools that can help you make food and beverages, or drive in snowy terrain more easily. Truthfully, there aren’t many things you can do aside from driving, but there is a fishing mini-game that allows you to catch fish and cook them into soups, whose aforementioned warming properties are essential for some quests. Unfortunately, the fishing itself is not very involved, and fails to capture any long-term attention, despite being the only real distraction afforded to us. Simple design married with simple visuals — Easy Delivery Co. looks and feels like it is from a simpler time. The one thing I dislike the most after playing any game or seeing any film is the feeling that I missed something. That there was meant to be more to it than I got out of it, and it was a failure on my part that prevented me from seeing the full picture and enjoying it to the fullest. I think that’s equal parts true and untrue here. I have only completed a single ending, and I don't know if I plan to go back to round up the last bits of playing. I know there is more to this game, but I am content to let it lie. While the driving does have its own calming properties, there wasn't really anything about the gameplay that drew me in further. As I write, it’s snowing outside — the last remnants of winter in its dying days. It’s a shame, really. Despite the discomfort of the cold, snow presents an opportunity to explore without worry of ticks, other bugs, or mud. When it snows, my dogs plod through the yard and roll around to play, my son watches excitedly through the window, shouting “It’s a winter wonderland!” before we head outside and he tries to catch the flakes on his tongue. Yes, the temperatures here can become frigid, deadly perhaps, but there’s beauty to be found in even the worst circumstances. I think I’ll take a walk.

I take a lot of pride in being an Irish citizen. It’s the birthplace of my father, and it carries a lot of historical weight that deeply resonates with me. That’s why I took time to play as many of the demos as I could during the Games from Ireland Steam sale — it gives me a way to connect with my heritage through the artform that I love most. Thankfully, the Games from Ireland Steam sale can still be accessed, where you can find many of these titles at discounted prices, or you can even try the demos out for yourself! If you would rather just hear it from us at JetsonPlaysGames, I’ve got you covered. Here are the five best demos I played through the event, and two additional honorable mentions. Tax-Force Tax-Force  is a 2D platforming, roguelite, beat-em-up where you hunt down tax-evading billionaires and rebuild society. It has an exceptionally well-done, hand-drawn style that is reminiscent of comic books from the 90s, which pairs well with the stylish action of the close-range combat. The story of the game seems to revolve around repaying the planet’s Solar Shield debt, preventing planetwide destruction. To do this, you go through a level to bring a tax evader to justice, and then negotiate repayments that balance societal benefit with debt repayment. The goal is to ensure that the debt is fully paid off by the 7th cycle — how much you care about the people of the city seems to be left up to the player. There are some characters to interact with that each has their own story to tell and things they need, which all works into what seems to be a scathing critique of capitalism and greed. I'm extremely interested in seeing the full game, and can't wait to try it in earnest. An Aisling An Aisling is an adventure game with a more personal narrative. Kids are dissappearing on the island of Rashinmore, and you are working to find out why it is happening. An Aisling  has this interesting, painterly, shifting sort of art style that gives it some charm.  What intrigued me most is actually the variety of little games you can play within An Aisling . You can brush your teeth, play fetch with a dog, clean up debris, and much much more, all through these bespoke little mini-games with unique perspectives and mechanics. In that sense, it reminds us a bit of and Roger  and Consume Me  — two of the best games I played last year. An Aisling is out on Steam as of November 11, 2024. PizzaBoy PizzaBoy  has a silly premise — you’re a pizza delivery boy who must safely deliver pizzas to various monsters. To do this, you’ll navigate dangerous levels full of monsters, pitfalls, and secrets — all while trying to protect that pizza from harm. The platforming is smooth and snappy, and the level design is wonderfully done (at least from what I can see in the demo). I really get the sense that PizzaBoy  is going to be one of the standout platformers for the year once it releases. Trading Card Inspector This one is a sort of job simulator game where you work at a card shop and evaluate the value of cards, trying to pick out the fakes so they don’t tank your profitability. If Papers, Please! -like were a true genre, this would fall squarely within it. The demo doesn't show much in terms of story, but I found the card evaluation aspect both engaging and satisfying to do, so I’m hopeful that it will deliver on some of the narrative designs it is aiming for. You can find the store page here . Spill the Beans Spill the Beans  is a whodunnit visual novel where you are the perpetrator of a crime and are looking to pin the blame on someone else. You’ll manage relationships, interrogate potential victims, and cast blame — all so that you can escape with the coffee recipe. I adore the art style, and the characters are an eclectic mix of supernatural entities that make each conversation a joy to navigate.  There are 15 different endings, all dictated by your actions and the relationships between the characters in the story, lending the game to repeated playthroughs. The demo had us hooked right from the start, and I'm a bit saddened that it ends so early, but that just means I’ll have to play the full game on release . Games from Ireland Honorable Mentions Really Fast Rat You play as a rat. They’re really fast . Think Sega Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog,  but as a little rat guy. [ ECHOSTASIS] [ECHOSTASIS]  has already been out for a while , but I hadn’t seen much about it until the Steam event. The visuals are amazing, and the ways in which you interact with the game to move the story along are so inventive. Just a great concept. While these were my favorites, many other demos from the event showed a lot of promise. It's worth keeping your eye out for the games showcased during the event!

An updated release of one of 2024's best games is on the horizon. What can we learn through the beta? The closed beta for Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok  is up and running, and is going until 7 a.m., Mar 13–6:59 a.m., Mar 16, 2026 (UTC). As an expanded and updated version of 2024’s Granblue Fantasy: Relink , I was excited to jump into the latest test version and get a sense of what sort of changes it might hold. First and foremost is Endless Ragnarok ’s inclusion on the Nintendo Switch 2 platform. The original Relink  was only available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Steam, so being able to play on Nintendo’s newest console is a huge boon for availability and the online component. The multiplayer in Endless Ragnarok  features a crossplay system that allows players on any platform to play with friends and matched players across all available consoles. This means that new Nintendo Switch 2 players can still join a party with players who bought the original Relink  on PC or PlayStation platforms, provided they also have the upgraded version. The beta includes the new playable character, Beatrix. What's in the Beta The full version of Endless Ragnarok  will feature multiple new playable characters, but the closed beta disappointingly only includes one (Beatrix) as an option for questing. If all of the playable characters are as fun as Beatrix, though, we’re in for a great time. She has a pretty unique kit that allows her to switch between offense, defense, and support roles on the fly, while featuring the staple moves you might expect from melee characters in Relink  — namely, a ranged option, a counter, and a gap closer. In terms of available content, the closed beta is, quite frankly, very barebones. It contains only three playable quests, all of which are early game fights from Relink , and contains none of the additional modes or difficulties, nor does it include the advertised summon mechanics. It is fundamentally the same beta Relink  had prior to its release in 2024, with the exception of the new character and crossplay added. That said, don’t let that deter you, especially if you’re a new player. Relink remains one of the best action-RPGs of the last several years, with a huge selection of unique characters and gameplay styles. While the beta may not feature new content, we can see just how impactful changes like crossplay can be in smoothing out one of Relink ’s biggest issues. The original relink would often take quite a long time to find a match, with players mostly focusing on the hardest endgame content and being relegated to whichever platform they owned the game on. Now, finding a match is quick and painless. What to expect at full release Given the slight nature of the beta, not much can be said of the major additions to the game. Endless Ragnarok  will feature a tier of monsters to battle and a new difficulty (Apocalyptic Ragnalia and Chaos, respectively), new bosses to fight, and new gameplay mechanics. One notable addition to the gameplay is the summon system, which allows players to call forth monsters they have faced within the story to help in battle. Finally, the main game will also contain a mode called “Conflux Solo”, which serves as a sort of roguelike system where you traverse through a randomized dungeon that gets progressively harder as you explore. While dungeon-delving, players will choose boons to help empower them, earning rewards for gear improvement all the while. Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok will be out on July 9, 2026 for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4 & 5 and PC (Steam). An upgrade pack for existing Relink  players will also be available at release.

I am not going to be licking anyone's fingers *This is an expanded review for the video game I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator , published on 03/11/2026 . If you would like to see the original mini-review, you can check that out here . I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator is a free-to-play comedy dating sim, made by Psyop, centered around forming a romantic relationship with famed KFC mascot Colonel Sanders (I do feel it is important to distinguish between the man you founded the company and whatever KFC has done with his bastardized likeness). Saying such a thing out loud does make me laugh, as it is a bit absurd, isn't it? Visual novels are no strangers to goofy premises; popular titles such as Hatoful Boyfriend , a game where you date birds, and Monster Prom , where you woo various supernatural entities such as a vampire or gorgon, are reminders that even the most ludicrous of ideas can be endearing when done well. But I Love You, Colonel Sanders! is less a visual novel and more a marketing stunt. Developer:   Psyop Publisher:   KFC Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability: Released on September 24, 2019 for Windows PC and Mac. When looking at this game, context matters quite a bit. During the late 2010s, KFC was on a bizarre kick of putting the Colonel in everything from VR games  to romance novels . These, too, are fundamentally ads, and KFC is no stranger to featuring odd imagery or dialogue in their marketing — past  or present . I would even say they’re masters of marketing, their brand becoming synonymous with the obtuse and wild swings they take in that department. In this sense, releasing a visual novel with anime/manga stylings does not seem too far afield of their normal marketing efforts. Despite KFC taking the piss out of many different mediums and genres, the attempt at a visual novel in I Love You, Colonel Sanders! feels especially dismissive of the art it imitates. As I have played more visual novels over the last few years, I’ve come to appreciate them more thoroughly. I’ve come to understand more intimately what they do well, what the genre's expectations and trappings are, and how the best ones succeed. Maybe that’s why this one feels so thoroughly offensive to my sensibilities — it’s kicking down an already underappreciated method of storytelling. While most visual novels — even the more silly ones — showcase a level of sincerity in their subjects, often touching on themes of trauma, abuse, or real-life pressures, I Love You, Colonel Sanders! cares little for anything aside from showcasing its product line. The game offers only vague gestures toward character archetypes rather than real characters, and the player has the unenviable task of navigating the haphazard dialogue to attempt to build a relationship with the titular character — a relationship that never even fully materializes. Some of this is forgivable under the expectation that this game is not serious. It is plainly a comedy game, so why would they need to offer any material of substance? Unfortunately, there is a distinct lack of humour, as well. Absolutely none of the jokes land, with the biggest laughs coming from the first reading of the title. Psyop has appropriated a genre that it does not know to sell a different product, all at the expense of the people who make and play games in the visual novel style. While the genre remains most popular in Japan, it has been more widely adopted worldwide by indie developers and people who generally fall outside the representation in major studio games — namely POC and the LGBTQ+ community. Visual Novels, perhaps more than any other genre of video game, serve as the platform upon which these marginalized people share their experiences, their trauma, and their truth. Aside from this, I Love You, Colonel Sanders! also apes the style of Japanese creatives, but does so poorly — an ugly pastiche of the art and cultures that make the space special. With its combined invocation of Japanese aesthetics and its total lack of sincerity, the game truly is an affront to the medium of video games and the visual novel genre, in general. I just can’t shake the feeling that this horrific, corporate, shambling product is fully content to wear the skin of the other without ever fully stopping to consider why it has done so, or whether it was a good idea to do so at all. Verdict I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator is a free-to-play comedy dating sim that does not contain any good jokes or any romance. With only vague gestures at character archetypes rather than real characters, this thing is an affront not only to dating sims but to video games in general. I Love You, Colonel Sanders! Mini-Review I Love You, Colonel Sanders! is a free-to-play comedy dating sim centered around the premise of forming a romantic relationship with famed KFC mascot Colonel Sanders. Unfortunately, they forgot to put in anything funny or romantic. The game contains only vague gestures at character archetypes rather than real characters, and the player has the unenviable task of navigating the haphazard dialogue to attempt a relationship with the titular character. The game has boldly chosen to go with a sort of pass/fail choice system, where you either flirt with the colonel or have to reload. This thing is an affront not only to dating sims, but video games in general. Pros It's Free Cons Shallow gameplay, with limited decision-making. Shockingly boring and unfunny. Uninspired character design. Developer:   Psyop Publisher:   KFC Platform:  Played on PC (Steam) Availability: Released on September 24, 2019 for Windows PC and Mac.

Who, or what, are we without our work? In our modern capitalist societies, this question has become harder to answer for many. Capitalism, in its relentless pursuit of efficiency and growth, often demands more than just physical exertion; it requires the systematic commodification of the human spirit. Beyond even the toils of working in an office or the field, many are encouraged to monetize their own passions and hobbies. It is no longer enough to simply do something because you love it — it must be marketed and sold. This is no fault of those who pursue such avenues, but rather the natural progression of capitalism itself. Rising costs of living have long outpaced wages, and so we all do what we must to survive. Compelled to strip away their intrinsic passions to make do, people more and more frequently find themselves ensnared in cycles of modern indentured servitude by the invisible tethers of systemic debt, spiraling costs of living, and the psychological exhaustion of a life spent chasing a stability that may never come into focus. The system transforms the self from a sovereign entity into a resource to be mined, leaving the individual trapped in a loop where they must surrender who they are simply to sustain their livelihood. Publisher:   Searching Interactive Developer:   Nicholas McDonnell, Mitchell Pasmans Platform:  Played on PC Availability: Released March 10, 2026 for PC (Steam). Crabmeat , the minimalist horror title by Nicholas McDonnell and Mitchell Pasmans takes place in such a world, though I am reticent to draw much of a distinction between this world and our own. You’re a prisoner forced to work on a crabbing vessel as punishment for overdrawing your bank account and failing to pay the overdraft fee within 48 hours. Poverty here is a crime, and so you have been sentenced to labor, very much like the debt and prison systems of the United States in the real world and their slave labor rings. You must meet your quota of 500kg of King Crab per week, or you will be killed via toxin capsule in your neck. You will also die if you try to leave the area. In either case of death, your debt is passed on to your next of kin.  The basic loop of the game is really simple: drive the ship to designated areas for catching some crabs, bait and set your traps, harvest King Crab only , and move on to the next area. All of this must be done in the allotted time, which is shown on a digital display in several places throughout the ship, including at the navigation panel. There are also some other complications along the way.  First and foremost is the ever-present threat of big, evil crabs that come aboard your vessel and try to destroy your equipment or try to harm you personally. These guys are pretty easy to deal with — just a few swings of your axe, and you’ll be able to move on to repairing any damaged areas. Alone, they’re not much of a problem, as any damage to your person can be healed through the use of bandages, but in groups, they’re dangerous. It’s better to kite and face just one at a time where possible, or break out the shotgun in a real emergency. There’s also the threat of ramming your ship into debris, ice, or bait stations, which can cause serious hull integrity issues and force you to focus on repairs.  While not necessarily a problem to solve, there are several points of interest marked on the map with a “?”. These locations contain some sort of clue or item that helps you uncover more of the information needed to fully understand this world and the events that are transpiring around you. It’s a pretty slow burn, with each point revealing very little, but through progression, the picture becomes clearer. I wish I could speak to how it all comes together in the end, but I was never able to fully complete the game before my progress was eliminated due to a save bug. Image credits: Searching Interactive Normally, the game saves every two minutes, overwriting the previous save so that there is only a single save slot to draw from. However, on one of my return trips, I ended my session for the night to pick back up and finish the game the following morning. Unfortunately, my save file was nowhere to be found upon booting back up, meaning I had lost the hours of playtime and progress that I had. Would finishing the game have changed how I felt about what I had already played? Could those final clues contextualize the tedium of crab fishing in a way that alters my experience in a meaningful way? It seems unlikely that this is the case, but it is an important caveat here. Though the existence of such a bug is also, in its own way, a part of Crabmeat ’s story as well. It’s messy, it’s unpolished, and there are bound to be issues on any given run, but there were pockets of time where I was enjoying playing it.  I mostly like piloting the boat — it’s just fun to work on the ship. Using circular motions with the mouse to turn the steering wheel, pushing and pulling levers to engage the throttle, etc. — these tactile, diagetic actions are oddly relaxing; patterns of labor that become hypnotic amidst the creaks and groans of the ship. In fact, I liked these manual tasks quite a bit more than the other aspects of the game, as they were the most mechanically interesting and, thankfully, kept me away from having to engage with the crab battles and movement processes, which I despised. To engage in any task, you perform it step by step, rather than a single button doing the entire action for you. For example, to place a crab trap down at a designated location, you’ll have to move the crane in the right position, pick up the crab trap, move the crane arm again, and set the trap — pressing the appropriate buttons on the control panel to make these happen.  Using circular motions with the mouse to turn the steering wheel, pushing and pulling levers to engage the throttle, etc. — these tactile, diagetic actions are oddly relaxing; patterns of labor that become hypnotic amidst the creaks and groans of the ship. Unfortunately, too much time is spent standing around waiting for your crab traps to fill up. I understand that this delay is intentional, as it drains your time and provides additional pressure on the player, but it really feels like a waste to just stand motionless on the ship with nothing to do. That is, until the aforementioned evil crabs come aboard. Ultimately, rather than feeling scary or tense, the crab boarding is simply an annoyance. It doesn’t provide any true threat most of the time, and it consistently distracts from the other things that I do like about playing Crabmeat .  My largest complaint is movement controls. Rather than your typical WASD keyboard movement, Crabmeat utilizes a point-and-click approach to navigating the 3D space. Using your mouse to look around is equally annoying, as rather than simply dragging your mouse to the screen edge, you must click an arrow on the screen edge to make your character turn. All of this is quite clunky in practice and makes trying to move to specific areas around the ship imprecise. The normal walk speed is also a bit slow, and while there is technically a “run” function (initiated by double-clicking a space), its activation does not seem consistent. There were many moments where I tried to click rapidly to have my character pick up the pace, only to be met with my regular stride.  Ultimately, while the seafaring aspect of Crabmeat  has its own meditative qualities, I find it fails to live up to its inspirations and aspirations. The open nature of the sea and sky takes away from any sense of claustrophobia found in similar minimalist titles like Iron Lung , and without any real pressures or threats to be found (outside of a few notable exceptions), I mostly found myself hoping for a future where interesting things might happen — a hope that was so rarely realized.  I am always down to explore the ills of capitalism — to speak about the ways in which those systems and structures grind us down into nothing for a machine that cares not if we live or die — but having a message is not really the same thing as being meaningful. Perhaps the fault is my own. I, too, have been ground down by those very pressures, forced to work the days and nights away at the expense of my health and happiness. Seeing these realities vaguely gestured at just doesn't do enough to move me.