Sorry for the stream-of-consciousness posts lately. This site used to feature reviews of games and music and anime if you can believe that. Now it’s just a place for me to dump my misery out.…
Jul 26, 2024 • Subscribe
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Demo mode: Tevi
It’s Next Fest time again at Steam. Nuts to Valve, as usual, but where else are indie devs going to post their games for sale? I love itch.io,…
Demo mode: Another Next Fest
In my last post, I mentioned I’d only played one demo for Steam’s latest Next Fest. In the very short time since then, I played two more that…
Demo mode: Blue Reflection: Second Light (PS4)
I have some actual time off for once, and not a moment too soon as I was feeling a bit run down. I hope this long weekend will…
Demo mode: A few demos for Next Fest
It’s yet another big event on Steam. Thanks to Valve for bringing us demos of a wide variety of indie games set to be released in the next…
Hookah Haze Game Review
I get it – the point isn't a challenge; it's vibes. And I must confess, Hookah Haze's vibes are impeccable.
A Haze of Alcohol and Confusion
The making of 'Roujin Z.'
Books: Hell Mode
By Shelley Pallis. Kenichi is a gamer suffering from that common modern malaise, a frustration with games that make life too easy for him. He’s just spent three…
Eternights Demo Impressions
After checking out the demo for Eternights on Steam, I had some thoughts to share and to put this on more people radar. Developer: Studio Sai Platforms: PS5,…
Gunbrella Demo Gameplay
Dad Needs To Talk checks out the demo for Gunbrella. A new noir action adventure game from developer Doinksoft.
Silent Hope Demo?!
So...a demo for the upcoming game Silent Hope just dropped the other day. I better download it! Also, Megan Harvey is the English voice of the cute little…
Hell Mode Novel 1
Hell Mode does play a few isekai tropes a bit differently, but it also clearly wears its influences on its sleeve. So yes, this is another one of…
Spiraken Manga Review Ep 205: Switch Girl (or Off Mode On Mode)
In this long awaited episode, Xan returns from his hiatus to review a rather familiar shojo series. While there are similarites to a manga we reviewed back in…
Dispelling the Heat Haze: Ashita no Nadja and A Prince’s Shadow
Once upon a time there was a chivalrous knight, of lithe limb and dazzling smile, virtue incarnate. Cutting a remarkably gallant figure, Francis Harcourt emerges from the well-thumbed…
30MM “Armored Core VI” Kits Finally Revealed! Nightfall and Steel Haze
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon (AC6 here forth) was one of the highly anticipated games in 2023, especially for fans of the franchise and mecha games in…
Mirage Noir – Demo Review
Mirage Noir an upcoming otome game where you play as a detective, solve cases, and try to catch an elusive serial killer in this mystery visual novel focused…
Foul Play Demo Available
Remember Foul Play? The Kickstarter about a detective with a certain “taste” seduced by a sexy master thief? The team released a demo to commemorate the successful funding…
Dual Chroma Demo Review
Indie studio, Galen Games recently launched the Kickstarter campaign for their upcoming fantasy otome/RPG Dual Chroma and with it a demo! So of course I had to check…
Majo demo Steady... v3?
Ever since Orphan released Majo demo Steady ( My Steady Is a Witch ) two years ago, I've wanted to do a version with better video (the…
Dramatical Murder – Demo Review
On the surface this games world comes across as a cute cyberpunk aesthetic, with it’s bright colors and beautiful character designs that pull you in thinking you will…
49: Dylan Goes Guesto Mode
The Sickos welcome Dylan, a true homie and big time sicko. We discuss Dylan's inexplicable love of fighting games, his incredible cog stories of having an actual murderer…
Synduality Noir #12 — Dark Mode
Boy, what a threatening antagonist inert rock that was. Impressions: I had assumed this broadcast was continuing right on into fall because… its broadcast is continuining into…
134: MinovskyArticle Goes Guesto Mode
The Sickos are amazed to find that MinovskyArticle, one of the posters of all time and our spiritual leader, has gone guesto mode! We talk about the posting…
27: Isa Goes Guesto Mode
The Sickos put on full plate armor in a futile attempt to protect themselves from being Roasted, because on this episode, an ACTUAL TEEN goes guesto mode! Tom's…
25: Marquez Goes Guesto Mode
Fellow Sicko Matthew Marquez (call him Marquez) goes guesto mode! We discuss Marquez's strange addiction to superhero comics, his burgeoning career as an anime boy, and the time…
Hell Mode Novel 1 Evaluate
Are you sick and tired of isekai light novels that feature a protagonist reborn in a fantasy world that operates very similarly to an MMORPG, complete with
First Impressions – NIGHT/SHADE Demo
NIGHT/SHADE (not to be confused with this Nightshade) is an upcoming 18+ cyberpunk BL visual novel developed by indie studio KingAsphy. This is the team’s first project and from…
Jack Jeanne ジャックジャンヌ Demo – Review
The heroine, Kisa Tachibana (CV: Terasaki Yuka; she’s a voiced heroine!!) grew up doing plays along with her brother and childhood friend, Yonaga Soushiro. The heroine’s brother attende…
Played The Metaphor: ReFantazio Demo
So I managed to play the demo for Metaphor: ReFantazio and...damn, this game is fun! Im buying it! And now I need to track down an Asian physical…
Infinite Blue Demo – First Impressions
Infinite blue is an indie otome by Velvet Fox Games, where you and six strangers have a messenger app mysteriously downloaded onto your phones.
Speakeasy | Demo Review | NSFW 18+
Indulge in the hedonistic delights of 1920s Los Angeles as Evelyn Cora West, heir to a wealthy family and proactive, promiscious denizen of the city’s underground nightlife in…
Dream & Sugar – Demo | First Impressions
Chase your dreams and maybe even find love — all over a cup of coffee, of course…
First Impressions: Pipe Dream Demo
Pipe Dream is an upcoming slice-of-life dating sim developed by indie studio, Notome Games. This is my first experience with this team, but when your studio claims to specialize…
Touken Ranbu Warriors Demo Review
The English demo for Touken Ranbu Warriors has been released! Playing it yourself is a great way to gauge if you’re interested in buying it or not, but…
First Impressions – Pale Cachexia Demo
Argent Games, the indie dev duo behind Red Embrace: Hollywood are back with a brand new project—the gothic fantasy kinetic novel, Pale Cachexia. I am a long time fan of the duo,…
Celestine: One to Eleven Demo
Celestine: One to Eleven is an indie RPG otome game that features a POC protagonist with plans of a full release in the future. For more updates visit…
First Impressions: Made Marion Demo
Made Marion is an upcoming fantasy indie otome game and the debut title of indie studio, Velvet Cupcake. The game is inspired by the stories of Robin Hood, but…
Chants of Sennaar Demo Gameplay
Dad Needs To Talk checks out new puzzle adventure game Chants of Sennaar. Series uses deciphering of glyphs as part of the puzzle elements.
Touchstarved (Early Access) Demo Review
TOUCHSTARVED is a gothic horror romance visual novel and debut game from Red Spring Studio: a small indie team made up of veteran game developers from Riot Games, Nix…
Adabana Odd Tales Demo Review
In December last year Aniplex launched their own visual novel brand ANIPLEX.EXE. The new brand came with two visual novels as its helm – ATRI: My Dear Moments and…
18: Riley Hopkins Goes Guesto Mode
Riley Hopkins, podcaster, game designer, and all-around sicko goes Guesto Mode! The boys talk about how designing a successful tabletop RPG makes you extremely rich (did not fact…
37: Alex Borkowski Goes Guesto Mode
Homie and noted sicko Alex Borkowski goes guesto mode! We discuss Monster Hunter, a game that hates you and wants you to have as little fun as possible…
145: Mike Migdall Goes Guesto Mode
Mike Migdall, notable Online Guy, goes guesto mode! We discuss Dwarf Fortress, blaseball, TTRPGs, sports fandom, and more, all of which are engines for unconventional storytelling Mike uses…
114: Zac Gorman Goes Guesto Mode
Writer, artist, and generally cool guy Zac Gorman goes guesto mode! We discuss the harrowing emptiness of being an artist, how Chuck E. Cheese's has a weird smell,…
77: Stephanie Mattos Goes Guesto Mode
The Sickos welcome Stephanie Mattos, a certified fight coordinator, to confirm that anime is real and fighting kicks ass. We discuss how to plan, choreograph, and execute a…
60: Aaron & Vince Go Guesto Mode
Aaron J. Shelton and Vince White from the Kame House Party podcast go guesto mode! We discuss Aaron and Vince's cog woes, the fever dream of trying to…
195: A.J. Ditty Goes Guesto Mode
A.J. Ditty from the Worst of All Possible Worlds podcast goes guesto mode! We learn how to act, why seeing your parents shot in the face would make…
46: Andrew Sherman Goes Guesto Mode
The Sickos welcome Andrew Sherman as he goes guesto mode! We discuss Andrew's new podcast The Podcast Mines, a project dedicated to generating ideas for podcasts and then…
66: Casey Toney Goes Guesto Mode
Casey Toney, cast member on and audio sicko for the Neoscum podcast (among others), goes guesto mode! We praise the ending of Chainsaw Man as the masterstroke it…
192: Remy Siu Goes Guesto Mode
Remy Siu, creative director of the excellent narrative game 1000xResist, goes guesto mode! We discuss how he & the game's writing staff put together a frankly staggering work…
98: Josh McVety Goes Guesto Mode
Josh McVety is a goth king who makes music under the name Mellow Code. Josh discusses his origins as a doomed child born to a family of absolute…