february 2025 games log
finished
Subnautica: You crashed on an alien ocean planet; gather the resources and craft the equipment you need to survive and escape. Open-world exploration/crafting with a solid side of horror. I played Subnautica intensely for a week or two and got through it, start to finish, though I was always streaming to somebody and often begging for hints/guidance; I enjoyed the game, but don't think I would have without those two things — it's not the type of game I generally play, so I really needed the psychological support and commitment device of streaming for powering through the horror bits, as well as guidance for how to keep progressing the "main quest" that a more genre-savvy player might have figured out themselves or took better notes about. Still, it's very well-executed.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: Does this really need an introduction? I've been playing it in short multiple-hour spurts separated by months of inactivity; I think I last touched it last May and had stopped at the final quest. This particular spurt happened just because I had my Switch while on a train and nothing else to do. I had definitely overprepared resources for the final battles and was able to finish them with minimal skill expression, but enjoyed them nonetheless. The final final battle is all-time cinematic.
ongoing
Cassette Beasts: A cozy Pokémon-like where, instead of capturing the monsters, you TF into them. So, yeah. I'd describe the vibe as, the battle system, navigation, and plot "treat me like an adult" slightly more than Pokémon; game mechanics are more explicit about what they do, navigating the overworld has puzzly bits slightly more often, the plot is a bit more existential. The soundtrack has a banger (with vocals!) amazingly early. It's a comfy game to play while watching somebody else play something.
Understand: A no-frills abstract puzzle game, where you experiment with each puzzle to figure out the rules. Does what it does well, along with a measured fraction of satisfying think-outside-the-box levels. Definitely a game that demands focus, brainpower, and even note-taking (except for the occasional puzzle I solve by "vibes").
neither
Leap Year: A short (few hours) but mindblowing puzzle platformer. One of those games I'd recommend going into while knowing as little as possible. Probably the best game of its length I've played, highly recommend. Not here because I played it this month, but because a sizable group of my friends got together so the people who hadn't played could simultaneously stream their first playthroughs to the people who had. It was thoroughly entertaining. The speedrunning achievements are also just the right difficulty. Finally, DLC out soon!
(The other game I associate with the adjective "mindblowing" is Jack Lance's Pushing It, but how hard it hits might depend more on how many other puzzle games you've played.)