Recent reviews by ChrisVsBacklog

The addictive and meditative gameplay loop that made Vampire Survivors an instant indie success finds a bit more strategy and build diversity in Halls of Torment. The Diablo inspired visuals and macabre settings tie together a complete hack'n'slash roguelite.

An outstanding blend of micro-strategy and RNG based tactical flexibility. The bite sized matches and relatively low stakes mean that off-meta decks and reckless plays are both on the menu, and help to make MARVEL SNAP feel uniquely accessible in a sea of CCG titles that otherwise require you to go copy a deck design from a fan site.

Classic arcade shooting in the style of Asteroids with a hard to shake "one more run" appeal. Balance can be a bit iffy at times, as you'll quickly discover your favorite weapons and secondaries, and the RNG of what upgrades you get from cargo drops can make or break a run. That said, the quick turn around from game to game keeps these pressure points negligible, and if things go sideways, you can always play again. Very solid game for quick little breaks or binge marathons chasing scores on the leader boards. Well done!

An excellent example of a "second monitor" kind of a game, Loop Hero is more engaging than an idle game, but not so involved that you can't also consume a movie or podcast simultaneously.

Featuring a surprising amount of story, tile placement strategy that will reveal layers as you learn more combos, and a meta progression layer, Loop Hero is a great title for kicking back and switching off the more involved brain functions to wind down for a bit.

Supergiant Games has long made a habit of offering up fresh and unique ideas to transform seemingly simple mechanics into rewarding and memorable experiences. Hades is no different, using smart design decisions and interesting story telling to bend a genre into a shape that suits their vision.

The Rogue-lite genre is one built on developing player familiarity. The cycle of play-die-learn-play again creates an ever growing sense of mastery, letting the player grow into the systems and hidden tricks under the hood of the game. Short attempts - riddled with user error and doomed for failure - eventually yield to systematic game clears. Leverage all of the player’s acquired knowledge of the inner workings of the game itself alongside upgrades earned during repeated playthroughs.

This is an addicting formula that creates a "one more run" kind of player engagement. You crave the next level of mastery, one more chance to conquer the game and get revenge for your earlier struggles. Eventually, though, that rush of discovery comes less and less often. The feeling of triumph is less invigorating when it comes in the same package as the one before:

Pick your ideal weapon, optimal supporting gear, efficient map traversal, safest player choice.
Play, Win, Repeat.
You Will Escape.

So how, then, does Hades keep the player engaged once they have cracked it open and figured out how all its systems tick?

They give the player a story that doesn't unfold in full until they have bested the game dozens, if not hundreds, of times. When the surprises in the mechanics draw thin, the twists in the narrative become the driving force to get you to charge into the fray for another trip through the punishing halls of Hades.

Pick your ideal weapon, optimal supporting gear, efficient map traversal, safest player choice.
Play, Win, and - hopefully - Catch the next part of the story. Learn more about Zagreus.
You Won’t Want To Escape.

As even that formula becomes routine, the story slowly boiling its way toward conclusion, new twists in the game tempt the player toward even more variation to continue picking away at the knots tying the cast together. The game quietly coaxes you to play against your best interest in order to find out even more about the denizens of their Ancient Greece. A suggestion to use a different weapon, a reminder that one god offers boon combinations you've not tried yet, a challenge offering more rewards for a prohibitively difficult escape attempt.

Supergiant knows you are getting complacent, and they can't have that. There are still story bits they promised you - character payoffs that have been waiting in the wings. They've created a playground of lovable characters, of interesting combat builds, of familiar places made new again. So they give you the tools to convince yourself that it's time to spice things up.

Pick your worst weapon, least favorite supporting gear, a terrible map path, make the riskiest choices.
Continue to play, to enjoy every win, to revel in a Rogue-lite that gets even more engaging over time.
There is No Escape. - and that is by design.

Edit - 11/25/20:
Hades is my pick for Steam Awards GOTY 2020.

RimWorld is a colony builder that gives you the tools you need to carve out a living in a hostile environment - hard working colonists, ample crafting materials, and a lush planet to make your home.

Only the colonists are all missing limbs and bleeding out, the only material you have to craft with is human leather, and the planet is stuck in a heatwave that is killing everyone within moments of going outside.

10/10