Semi-Familiar Kind of Farming Game

The Fields of Mistria have stopped calling to me, so it's time to finally write up my thoughts.  I haven't accomplished everything in the game but I've reached a point where I just have little desire to play anymore.  Don't read too much into that about the actual quality of the game, there might be a few issues that led me to this point.

What is it?

Fields of Mistria is a farming sim that feels like it was almost directly birthed from Stardew Valley.  You start a farm, you befriend the villagers, you fall in love (or not--it's up to you), and you work to restore a town to its former glory.  Seriously, it's very similar to Stardew.

How much playtime can I expect?

Depending on your playstyle and goals, you're easily looking at upward of probably 50+ hours (that's my low estimate).  I did not complete everything and am sitting about about 82 hours.  (*As a reference point, my town level is 87--Gold and my character is not married but has 10 hearts with a romantic interest)  If you're someone who wants to do all the things, you could easily be looking at 100+.

Pros:

+ Since it is so similar to Stardew, you'll have no problems understanding the basic controls and general gameplay.  Everything is fairly point-and-click so it's easy to get the hang of.

My decorating style is called "nothing matches."

+ Tons of cosmetic options.  One area where I think Mistria outshines Stardew is with the sheer number of furniture/cosmetic items that are offered up.  Many are earned through completing museum collections but others can be purchased from vendors or found while exploring the mines.  You can totally change the hairstyle, hair color, and outfit for your character at any point.  As you expand your base home you get tons of space (a full kitchen/living room area, two ground level rooms, and an entire upstairs area).  Many of the options are seasonally themed (you can get spring wallpaper, flooring, and beds) so you can swap the look of your home every time the seasons change.  You can even add small touches to give it more of a home-y feel like jars, hanging pots and pans, and other miscellaneous household items.  If you were so dedicated, you could undoubtedly design something much better than the mish-mash of random items that populate my Mistria home.

+ Enjoyable animal breeding system.  Rather than simply increasing your herd size you can also produce unique coat colors.  Initially you can purchase animals in one of three basic coat colors (make sure you purchase a male and female).  Once they've reached adulthood and you have befriended them to the two heart level, you can purchase an animal cookie from Hayden and feed it to the animals to have them breed.  After a short time they will produce offspring in in a new, unique color.  This new animal will be a tier 2 coloration (*they definitely don't care about inbreeding in this game) and if bred with another tier 2 animal will produce a tier 3 offspring and so on, all the way to tier 5.  It's enjoyable to see all the fun new coat colors and the cute (but totally unrealistic) offspring.  You can also enter your prize critters into the annual animal judging contest to win some prizes.

+ Hotter characters than Stardew.  Stardew definitely has wholesome vibes, but Mistria leans into anime-style characters.  All the dateable characters have a degree of cuteness to hotness.  Personalities range from friendly to flirty and even slightly hostile (it's always fun to see the cranky ones warm up over time).  Personally, I enjoyed the fact that characters will change their outfits to match the season (wearing lighter clothing in summer and warmer styles in the winter).  It's fun to see what they're wearing.  There's nothing too risque about Mistria, but definite efforts were made to make characters attractive.

+ Friendly neighborhood gossip can help shed light on the loves/likes of the community.  Figuring out what each character enjoys can feel like a huge pain in the buttocks.  Each day you can talk to Elsie and she will offer up a set of three characters to choose from.  You can pick one and she will reveal one of their liked or loved items.  There are a lot of characters and each has a TON of liked/loved items, so this process is slow moving, but it is better than trying to randomly guess (of course there are tons of dropped clues when you talk to people).

+ Dating/romance system that is fun.  Once you reach eight hearts (out of twelve) with a character you can choose whether or not to date them.  If you opt to date them you can ask them on actual dates--these are special cutscenes that take place on the weekend.  Initially you have two or three options, but as you do different daily activities you can unlock more options for dates.  Each date will advance your heart meter more than normal gift giving and you get a fun picture souvenir item that you can hang in your house.  Some of the dates do seem a little strange though--I unlocked an option in the mines for a romantic date where my character is forging something at the blacksmith anvil.  Sounds hot (because of the forge, you know).

Cons:

- I've already said it in multiple posts, but I feel like a lot of the basic gameplay is a direct copy/paste of Stardew.  The way farming works (copy), the mines (copy), gift giving (copy), the museum donations (copy--but slightly less cool), fishing (easier copy), crafting/smithing (copy)...etc.  I just wish that they had come up with something that didn't feel SO similar in a lot of aspects.  As I mentioned above, there are plenty of unique aspects, but to me, this feels a bit...I don't know, lazy/icky and like they could've come up with something different.  I think that's the challenge for games that want to fall within the "farm sim" category--how to make it unique and not just another version of Stardew.

- End game is draggy.  Once you've reached level 100 in the mines and unraveled the story of Mistria, there's just not much to do.  Levelling up the town becomes a lot slower and you have to rely on fulfilling villager requests (and there seems to be fewer capital requests as you progress).  You can add a new vendor who gives mine-related missions each week which reward 100 renown but if you don't complete the quest within the week you're stuck waiting until the next week.  I just got bored with it (there are other things to do like focusing on improving friendship levels, trying to complete museum collections, etc.).  I was hoping to max out the town level (I guess there are a couple other building related missions that are unlocked).

Recommendation:

I think Mistria is a great option for someone who is totally burned out on Stardew and wants something similar but just different enough.  There are aspects of the game that I like and are an improvement on the Dew, but I really wish that the gameplay itself was more unique.  If you enjoy the farming sim genre, this is yet another option and yeah, it has enough to offer in terms of enjoyment and length of play.

It's Over :(

With the beginning of the new school year my gaming time has been very minimal (*insert sad trombone noise here).  The start of the new school year is always a bit nutso so I've caught a few hours here and there and haven't really been playing anything new.  Once school starts and I just want to come home and relax I tend to seek out some soothingly familiar content or games that tend towards the "relaxing" side of the spectrum.  Lately I've noticed a new genre of game creep into the "wholesome/relaxing" game space--Steam tags them as "organizational" and they involve sorting a massive pile of random objects into a correct location.  There has absolutely been a glut of these games and I am feeling a bit curious because they definitely would seem to fall within my strange love of cleaning games.  I worry though that their simplicity means wading into a pool of AI generated slop and I don't want to venture into that.  The upside of these games is that they're generally on the cheap side.

My first tier 5 animal--a cute, golden calf!

My "new" gaming time has been spent in Fields of Mistria.  I haven't quite accomplished everything (and probably won't) but I've made to the bottom level of the mines (and revealed the shocking secret--no spoilers--about what is going on in Mistria).  My ultimate goal is to max out the town level (not quite there--I think I have maybe 2 more levels to go) and to befriend all the folks (or most of them...since some new townsfolk get introduced at various parts of the game...and they're market day only peeps).  My character hasn't managed to land a romantic interest yet (I've been focused mostly on the dang mines and have neglected my relationship building).  I'm leaning toward Hayden, a fellow famer and animal lover.  He seems like a perfect match for another farmer, he's cute, and he has a fun relationship with his prize-winning chicken Henrietta.

I'm a bit torn about Fields of Mistria because I still feel like many aspects of it are just a little too close to exactly Stardew Valley.  Why make something new when you can just copy what you already know works, amirite?  I think this specific genre of games needs something fresh and I'm not sure Mistria's really doing it.  That doesn't mean I'm not having fun--there are definitely some aspects that I am enjoying.

If you're a teacher who has recently returned to the grind--I hope all is going well and you're starting to feel a bit more settled.  It's the last gasps of summer around my neck of the woods, so I'm hoping to enjoy some outdoors time before fall sets in.  It is a bit nice to just cozy up with a nice game and relax though.

Nostalgic Repairs

My summer gaming time has come to its end with the start of the new school year (sad noise...), but I did finish up another of my "wholesome" finds.  If you're someone who likes simulation games that are focused on electronics and someone who is a millennial (or older), you'll get a kick out of ReStory: Chill Electronics Repair.  It's another of the gems I dug up during Steam's "wholesome" games sale.

What is it?

A simulation game where you run a small electronics repair shop in the Akiba district of Tokyo, Japan in the early 2000's.  Customers place orders and it's your job to diagnose the issue (or just simply clean the item), order the correct parts, and then restore it to proper working order.  There's a storyline that plays out, but the core gameplay circulates around the repair element.

How much playtime can I expect?

I finished the main storyline in ~10-12 hours, so it's on the shorter side.  You can continue playing infinitely if you want though.  I logged an additional ~4-ish hours simply earning more money to unlock better licenses and cosmetic items for my shop.  (*It seems like there will also be additional content added in future patches!)

Pros:

+ Enjoyable gameplay loop.  There's a bit of a timed/clock element--you arrive in the morning and open up your shop, customers can stop by the window (those are the story characters), or you can take online jobs via e-mail (I think it takes a couple days in-game for those orders to start happening).  A courier delivers the items and then you spend your day taking them apart, diagnosing problems, and ordering parts.  The same courier delivers the parts you order and takes away any completed jobs.  You can complete several jobs a day, but the courier service ends at midnight, so you generally want to close up (although...you don't technically have to) and go home.

Disassembling a ThinkerPad.

+ Point and click repairs.  To disassemble items you simply need to locate the various screws (handily highlighted) and remove them and then start pulling apart the various pieces.  You can lay out the parts on your desk  If a part is broken, it will appear cracked or burnt and needs to be disposed of and replaced.  To find replacement parts you have a couple of options--you can take a chance and buy used items off of the internet.  This is a bit of a gamble because you don't know if the item you purchase will have the correct usable parts (even if the buyer says the item works).  Alternatively, the more expensive but sure option, you can order the exact replacement parts.  After you've ordered, your friendly courier friend will deliver the parts and you can get to fixing.  You can store any usable parts that aren't needed in the current job for later.  Once you've fixed the item (and correctly reassembled it) you leave it on the counter and the courier takes it and delivers your fee.

+ There's a storyline with a set of silly characters who will bring by various items for you to repair.  You can choose your responses to these characters (and it might even have an impact on the outcome of the story).  The ultimate arc of the story is a bit confusing, but it revolves around saving the neighborhood from being demolished to make a mega-mall.  It's a nice touch for a simulation game to have some sort of story element.

A side view of the inside of my shop.

+ Upgradeable tools.  You start off with a few basic brushes and screwdrivers and can purchase better versions to help with speedier repairs.  Part of the fun is saving up enough money and getting to experience your shiny, new tools.

+ Fun, cosmetic options for your shop.  It starts off looking pretty raggedy--it's full of trash from the old owner, so the first step is throwing it all away.  You can purchase various paint colors to brighten up (and repair the holes in the wall) the shop and you can add in fun little touches of Japanese culture (the cute little waving cat--maneki neko or a daruma), gaming-related items, or even some 90's nostalgia (old VHS tapes...or a singing-fish).

All my repair licenses.  I can fix anything!

+ Tons of nostalgia.  The items you repair in your shop range from the 1970's to the early 2000's.  Atari must've agreed to some sort of licensing because multiple products will show up for repair (think the 2600 consoles, joysticks, and even a weird handheld that I've never heard of called a Lynx).  As you progress, you have to buy licenses to repair various other items (the cost for these licenses vary and you will generally find yourself doing several jobs to save up).  These items are recognizable, but go by an alternative name (for copyright purposes)--there's the Xi-Box, or the Nony PlayStation, or even the Patendo.  It's fun to see all the inner workings of these items and play at actually being able to fix them.

+ Achievements and collectible cards.  If that's your jam.

+ Challenges.  As part of the story you have to participate in several challenges where you have to disassemble and re-assemble items against a timer.  Luckily, you only have to beat a few to progress the story (and there are several items that are very easy).  If you choose to you can continue to do the timed challenges for progressively more complicated items.  It's pretty fun (at first...but I'll talk about the drawbacks).

Cons:

- Suspension of reality.  One of the core questions in any simulation game is "how realistic is it?"  True realism will likely kill the fun, but going completely whacky also is a bit of a head scratcher.  This game has some elements that stuck well to the simulation aspect--you have to put items back together in a way that makes sense and can't just have items floating in the air or doing something weird.  One area where you have to suspend reality is in the cleaning element.  Most of your cleaning is likely going to be done with brushes (or, you can spend some money to buy canned air/electronic duster that is a consumable item) but you can choose to buy an ultrasonic cleaner (one of those vibrating, water-filled devices that people use for things like glasses or dental items).  So you're (figuratively) going to be sticking sensitive electronic items into water.  This is where you suspend reality, because we all know that electronics and water are two things that do not go together. (I'd be fine with them allowing it for external/non-electronic components--like the plastic casing of a controller--but restricting electronics).  I sort of find the ultrasonic cleaners to be a bit of a waste because often it's faster to just clean the items with the brush.

- Ending the day.  There is a clock and the courier will stop coming after midnight (so no deliveries of new jobs or parts), but there's no penalty for not going home/sleeping.  If you timed things right, you'd never need to close your shop.  Part of me wishes that there was a penalty--like you start your day later based on how long you stayed past closing.  There's basically no reason to close your shop.

- I know that saying the challenge mode is too challenging will get some jeers.  My main gripe with the challenge mode is that the items have to be reassembled in EXACTLY the correct order.  It will make you start completely over if you do not do it EXACTLY in the same prescribed order.  It has nothing to do with the "sensical" way--the part fits/is connected (not like floating or in a totally unbelievable way).  I wish there was at least a bit of leeway with this, but I get it...it's supposed to be "challenging."  Some of the challenges are very nuts and have a ton of parts to memorize (Polaroid camera and laptop--I'm looking at you).  Fortunately, challenge jobs are mostly optional.

- Painting/stickers.  One of the features you purchase is the ability to do custom paint jobs on devices.  Some jobs will request a specific palette of colors (purchasable for various themes).  Doing more than simply slapping on one color requires some deft coordination (it does satisfy the job requirements though).  You can also buy stickers that can be (optionally) added to jobs.  No one will request the stickers...they're just sort of a fun addition.  I wish there was more to this part of the gameplay and that customers would request (or tip) for making their items look particularly cool (maybe like using multiple colors or a specific theme of stickers).

Recommendation:

If you enjoy simulation games (and especially those that deal with electronics), ReStory is a great option.  I liked the nostalgia factor of seeing the alternate versions of classic gaming consoles and early 2000's cell phones and I would never have the real life skills to repair any of them.  There's something oddly soothing and rewarding about taking something broken and fixing it.  It's also fun to see your little shop go from a trash filled hovel into a glowing beacon of repair. Some aspects of gameplay could use a bit more development, but overall it's a relaxing and enjoyable game. The first content update is coming out on September 14th and it looks like they're adding a few new devices, so that's fun.

There's Big Witcher News Brewing!

It has been quite a week of big gaming news (or leaks...) and luckily, some of it feels relevant to my own interests.  Sadly, that's not all the hubbub around Grand Theft Auto VI, because I am on PC and know that it'll be at least a few years before I'll be happily running and gunning around a new fictional world.  (Plus, some of the "takes" get really annoying--people claiming that it's going to be disappointing because xyz isn't featured...sheesh!)  The most relevant news for me has been about the now 11 year old The Witcher 3.  I was very surprised when they announced a new DLC but it turns out that it gets even better than that.  If you haven't booted it up in awhile, the end of September is going to be the perfect time to dive back in.  Here's why/the big news:

The Witcher 3 is getting a "remastered" version!  Now, I could've sworn that it already got a bit of a graphical update (when they were adding in the new crossover content from the Netflix series), but apparently it's getting an entirely updated look.  But that's not it folks--if you're someone who never invested in the DLC (do those people exist?) the remastered version will include both "Hearts of Stone" and "Blood and Wine" for free!  On top of all that there's an entire list of improvements to the base gameplay that's being included--stuff like new finishers, new animations for signs, improved monster behavior, revamped skill trees...and a lot more!  Undoubtedly the best part--it's free to anyone who already owns TW3!  Take a gander at the official trailer if you haven't seen it yet:

I'm a huge The Witcher fan, so this is an unexpected surprise.  One thing that I'm finding funny is that people are widely singing the praises of CDPR and lauding them for offering this upgrade for free when other developers would make this a paid version.  Just a few years ago, when the release of CyberPunk 2077 was an absolute disaster, these same folks were in full on torches n' pitchforks mode and prognosticating the doom of CDPR.  My, how the turns have tabled.  I guess now it's okay to like them again.

One interesting piece that no one is talking about was an announcement that CDPR was "partnering" with Blizzard to offer TW3 through Battle.net.  I was very confused by this and a bit worried that maybe this means that CDPR might be getting gobbled up by the Activision/Blizzard monster.  I guess they've done plenty of partnerships with other games or crossover content, so maybe it's nothing to worry about.  I'm really hoping that's not the case--CDPR seems like they want to stay independent and I've appreciated their more pro-gamer stances (like no DRM).

They also released a new trailer for the upcoming "Songs of the Past" DLC and a bit more information about the story.  It will apparently take place in a province known as Letten and will broadly feature characters related to Geralt's bard BFF Dandelion (formally know as the viscount Julian de Lettenhove).  The entire Lettenhove clan is apparently going to be part of it--granny too!  And, we finally get to use that silver chain that was featured way back in the original The Witcher trailer!  If you're interested, here's an entire interview about the upcoming features in "Songs of the Past."

I'm excited for all this new content--I don't really need a reason to start yet another TW3 playthrough, but both the remaster and the new DLC definitely give me one.  I was a bit surprised that there wasn't more The Witcher 4 information, but hopefully that will be forthcoming.  I can't wait for September 29th!

Scratching that Itch

Every once in awhile you just feel that urge to start yet another Stardew Valley farm.  Sure, it's like your 10th farm, but there's just something deeply satisfying about the entire process of rehabbing a derelict piece of land, befriending all the friendly townsfolk, and rebuilding a struggling town (I need to do the whole corporate takeover side of things...but it just feels evil).  If you're feeling a little burned out on Stardew, there's a new farm in town and it's called Fields of Mistria.  I've been playing it for awhile now (but haven't finished...and am likely far from "finishing"), but thought I would share my experiences thus far.

I stumbled across Fields of Mistria while perusing the offerings in the recent "wholseome" games sale on Steam.  It had not crossed my feed prior to the sale at all and wasn't on my radar.  If you haven't heard of it either, here's the lowdown--it's very, very much a game made in the image of Stardew.  It actually made me feel a little...weirdly icky, at first, because it felt so similar to the granddaddy of all farming games.  Basically, you play the role of a farmer who is recruited to help re-build a town that has been struggling after the effects of a powerful earthquake.  (Sorry, no sad grandpa to inherit the farm from) Yes, they want you to grow food, but you also wind up in the wider mission to rebuild and improve the town.

My Mistrian farm on an average winter day.

The game mechanics are basically identical to Stardew--there's a 24 hour clock, you have your farm with a small patch of tillable soil to grow crops, and you can choose how you spend your time each day.  That's not where the similarities end though--there's a mine to explore (with the exact same mechanics--break rocks, fight monsters, gather materials, descend), there are townspeople who you can befriend (same mechanics--gaining hearts for friendship, giving gifts), there's a museum where you can make themed donations (and get rewards for completing sets), and there are seasonal holidays/events.  Yep, it's that identical.

There are some differences though that make Fields of Mistria feel just different enough.  A new activity is collecting insects--like fish, they appear in certain locations (and can be dependent on time of day, weather, etc.).  Insects vary in rarity and can be donated to the museum as part of their collection.  There's also archaeology--this basically means digging up any bumpy areas of soil you come across or identifying items you fish (or dive--you can dive in certain special spots) up.  Artifacts are another museum collectible item.  It also feels like the cast of characters is larger in Mistria.  There are a few features that I very much wish were in Stardew--one of them is the map.  The map doesn't just show you the layout of a location, but it shows you exactly where the townsfolk are at any given moment.  This is very nice as it doesn't rely on you having to remember the schedule for every character (that also varies seasonally...).  I don't know how much time I have wasted in Stardew trying to track down a specific character.  There seems to be much more focus on cosmetics in Mistria.  There are a ton of different furniture items to either craft, buy, or earn as rewards--there are different themed sets too!  The clothing options for your character are also very diverse, so you can dress them in a multitude of styles (including hairstyles).  One fun feature that I noticed was that the outfits that the townsfolk wear change seasonally (and are very stylish).  It's kind of fun to see what they're wearing as you roll into the next season.  If you want to raise animals on your farm there are also a stunning variety of critters that you can choose from--this includes fun exotics like llamas and capybaras (I'm not sure what kind of food products you get from capybaras...).  Plus, there's a breeding element to raising animals that allows you to breed different colored critters to try to get rare color varieties.

If you're feeling that hankering for some farming action (while we wait for the someday release of The Haunted Chocolatier), you'll feel oddly at home with Fields of Mistria.  I'm enjoying my new farm, some new townsfolk (in snazzy outfits), and that heartwarming feeling of helping others.  If you're the type who just wants to decorate and design, you'll love the multitude of cosmetic options in Mistria. 

Books n' Stuff

I decided to break my pattern of aimlessly bouncing from game to game and finally settled down on a cute, indie game called Tiny Bookshop.  Steam recently had a special sale for "wholesome" games and I have to admit that I like a chill, wholesome experience from time to time (I also grabbed a couple of other titles that I am in the process of checking out).  Most of my gaming time has been dedicated to completing my Tiny Bookshop adventure.

What is it?

A sort of management game where you play the role of the owner of a mobile bookshop in a small, European inspired (I think it's supposed to take place in a fictional British town) city.  The gameplay consists of deciding on a location where you will sell your books each day and then stocking your shelves with specific titles (I'll get into how this works--there's a bit of strategy involved).  Your ultimate goal is not only to sell books, but to befriend the locals and become a part of the community.

How much playtime can I expect?

Depending on your level of completion, I would estimate between 10-20 hours.  If you're going full completionist (going for all the achievements) it could exceed 20+ easily.  It's not exactly a long game, and it can be played in chunks.

Pros:

+ The gameplay is fairly simple but does require some attention to detail.  Ultimately, you want to sell as many books as you can, but there are different factors that can impact your sales.  These things can be outside of your control (like the weather--when it's rainy/bad weather, you just simply won't get as many customers) or are determined by your selling location or the items you use to decorate your shop.  Each day you get to pick where you want to sell your books--you start off with only a few locations, but as you progress more will open up.  There are special events that occur on certain days of the week that should be considered--for example, every Monday is a special sale at the local mega-store, so there are usually a lot of customers.  The downside...the manager requires you to also offer a discount if you want to sell in the parking lot.

Selling books at the local megastore.

Another factor to consider is the types of books that are popular at each location.  There are seven genres of books to sell, but certain types will sell better at different locations.  For example, the beach is a popular location during the summer and attracts a lot of families, so it's better to stock more children's books.  There's definitely some thinking involved to maximize your bookselling profits.

+ Tons of personalization/decoration options for your shop.  You can earn, find, or buy a variety of items to use in your shop.  These items offer up bonuses that can help with sales--for example, an outdated globe I bought from a vendor increased the chance of people buying travel books.  Plus, you can purchase different paint colors from the art vendor at the flea market and paint many items (plus the interior and exterior of your shop) to create the color palette of your choice.

Your journal helps you keep track of each character, their tasks, and likes/dislikes.

+ A cute, friendly cast of characters to meet and befriend.  These townsfolk will show up at your shop everyday and you can learn more about them.  They have their own book preferences and will present you with special tasks to complete.  There's Klaus, a budding musician who has dreams of becoming a professional with his metal band; there's Tilde, the recently retired former owner of the local bookshop who has a passion for books and for the town of Bookstonbury; there's Harper, a rambunctious young girl who likes playing on the beach and hanging out with her fellow Pipits (a sort of Boy Scout/Girl Scout group); and there are many more!  These characters all have their own line of tasks that are built around their personalities and stories.  It's a heartwarming experience to earn their friendship and eventually feel like a part of the close knit town of Bookstonbury.

+ There's a cat and a dog that can join you at your shop!  And yes, you can pet them.

+ Love of books.  An important part of gameplay is giving recommendations to customers.  If they can't find a book of their choice on their own, they will ask you to recommend a title for them.  The books in your shop are based on real books (there are a few fictional works) and each have a short blurb that describes the basics of the plot.  A customer might specify that they want a YA (young adult) book that has romance themes.  You can't choose exactly what books you stock each day (you just choose the genres and number of books), but you can search through the shelves for the closest match.  Satisfying recommendations will give you sales boost based on how happy the customer is with your choice.  Maybe you only find them a YA book, but it doesn't have romance--they'll only be partially happy, so you get less of a boost.  If you don't fulfill a request the customer will immediately depart and won't buy anymore books.  There's a bit of a timer on responding to requests, but it's almost impossible to miss them.  If you're someone who loves books, you'll enjoy fulfilling customer requests.

+ Fun achievement system.  Each character you meet has tasks that they will want you to complete and will further unlock their storyline.  Each location where you sell books also has certain goals for you to achieve.  One of my favorite tasks was trying to figure out a way to scare off a cruise ship that one of the locals disliked for its negative environmental impact.  Let's just say that it involves gathering an army of seagulls.  The tasks are lighthearted, fun, and help you lean about the cast of characters.

Cons:

- Certain locations are locked seasonally.  This means that if you're trying to accomplish a specific goal for a location and you don't do it, you're going to have to play for another full year.  The gameplay is enjoyable, so it's not a big problem, but it is a little annoying.

-Some customer requests are just bananas.  "Hey, I want a non-fiction book that is also a thriller, but it has to be under 700 pages."  (*I'm sure a book like that does exist, but what I'm getting at is that sometimes the combination in requests is a bit whacky)  Yes, it's not a big deal to fail a request, but it can feel a little bit frustrating when these very random asks come up (although, I suppose that's a small does of reality).  Some requests are relatively simple and some are highly complex.  (I will say though...sometimes you can still get credit if you only satisfy part of a request--it just depends though).

Recommendation:

If you're looking for something relaxing, that has a nice, cozy vibe, you can't go wrong with Tiny Bookshop.  I genuinely enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters and the feeling of fitting into a new town.  There's a fun storyline to follow and tons of books to sell!

Bouncy, Bouncy

I've reached the point in the summer where things start to feel a bit...unsettled.  It's August, so summer is starting to wane and going back to school/work is ominously lurking off in the distance.  You want to make the most of what is left, but you start to feel a bit of an anxious/sad combo.  Not to mention that the state where I live has been experiencing the worst wildfire season on record--there have been 3 different major fires in the vicinity of where I live (*fortunately, nothing too close, but it has made for some very smoky skies that have limited my outdoor time).  I don't know if all of this is impacting my gaming, but I haven't felt a strong urge to play one, single game and have been shuffling between a few.  So here's what I've had on deck.

Crime Scene Cleaner

I finished up the main storyline and all the epilogue missions and decided to check out the "challenge" modes.  Yes, I said "modes" and not "mode" because there are actually two.  The first option is called "Nightmare" and basically re-imagines all the levels from the main storyline in a different form as a version of Kovalsky's own lingering doubts about his participation in all the criminal activity taking place.  Like the main story missions there are collectibles in the form of weird, record-like items to find.  Some of the nightmare levels are pretty wild--one of them has negative gravity, so all the items you touch will float up to the ceiling.  Completing each of the nightmare levels rewards special skins that can change the look of Kovalsky's base cleaning gear.

If nightmare mode isn't enough for you, there's also the "True Cleaner" mode which challenges you to re-visit the original story missions but without "cleaning sense" (an ability that highlights any objects/blood that need to be cleaned/moved).  I completed all of nightmare mode, but haven't given the true cleaner levels a try.  (For some weird reason this game was starting to make me feel a bit motion sick so I have shelved it for the time being)

Balatro

I've won a total of four times, but I just keep going back for more punishment.  I think I'm just singularly bad at building a deck around my jokers and need to keep practicing at it.  I've gotten fairly close a couple of times, but still am just losing...and losing...and losing.  If you haven't checked out this rogue-like/poker smash up, it's a lot of fun, but will slightly crush your soul.

Vampire Survivors

When I get tired of crushing failure in Balatro, I like to switch to slightly less crushing failure at Vampire Survivors.  I bought a bunch of DLC for it awhile back and haven't checked out all the different adventure modes, so I thought I would start there.  I've managed to knock out some of it, but have come up against a wall on a few levels.  For a game with such simple mechanics (kill monsters, loot crystals, upgrade items, and survive for as long as you can), it's surprisingly difficult.  If you're looking for a cheap game that is playable on basically any platform, it is a great option.

Tiny Bookshop

An iteration of my tiny bookshop.

After all the crushing failures in Balatro and Vampire Survivors, I just want to feel less...failure-y.  So, I turn to a nice comfort game in the form of Tiny Bookshop.  You play as the owner of a towable, tiny bookshop who has settled in a new town.  Your ultimate goal is to make a living selling used books, but the friendly townsfolk quickly engage you in various pursuits.  Each day you can pick a new location for your little shop (the perks of it being portable) and learn more about the town and its residents.  Each location offers up specific quests and townsfolk who you can befriend.  Throughout the day your customers will ask for recommendations of varying difficulty--some people have very specific requests while others might just want a book from a certain genre.  Correctly fulfilling these requests will result in a temporary sales boost (and, it's satisfying to get it right).  You can also purchase (or earn/find) items to decorate your shop (this includes paint colors that can be changed every day).  These items provide buffs/debuffs that can impact the types of books customers might want to buy (or other factors like customer count or number of recommendations per day).

I haven't finished Tiny Bookshop yet, but it's a very cute game.  Running the shop is fun, but there's also a cast of townsfolk to befriend and a beautiful little city to learn about.  Not to mention the fun of decorating your shop.

Someone's Gotta Do It

I picked up a few new titles in the Steam Summer Sale and have been spending my time checking out one (actually two, but I found that I deeply disliked one of them).  A somewhat weird genre that I've found myself enjoying is cleaning games.  Do I enjoy cleaning in real life?  I mean, I have to do it, and I don't hate it or anything, but it's just more work to me.  I'm not the kind of person who is a neat freak either, but I do love to simulate cleaning up in a game.  Hence why I've found myself in the role of a down-on-his luck janitor in Crime Scene Cleaner.

What is it?

A first-person cleaning game where you clean up the aftermath of various violent criminal encounters.

What you're walking in to on a typical job.

How much playtime can I expect?  Is it replayable?

I'm not 100% done (and have fully confessed to my slowness in cleaning games) but I'm at almost 32 hours of just the main story missions.  There is also a challenge mode that I haven't checked out yet.  Basically, there's plenty of content and yes, it does have an element of replayability built-in with the challenge mode.

Pros:

+ There's a decent story.  I mostly expected to find some built-in story elements on the jobs that might explain the situations that you're cleaning up, but there's a fully fleshed out story about your character and the various crime scenes you clean up.  Your character, Mr. Kovalsky (no first name given), is a school janitor whose daughter gets sick and needs some expensive medical treatment.  His normal gig won't cover the cost, so he's open to alternatives.  He gets pulled into the shady business of cleaning up after crimes in an almost accidental way--the son of a friend gets into some trouble and calls Kovalsky to clean up.  He does such a good job that the big boss reaches out and offers to give him...more permanent employment...as long as he can keep his mouth shut.

What the heck?  Some more humor.

+ Simple, but oddly enjoyable gameplay.  Kovalsky is armed with a bevy of cleaning tools--a mop, sponge, and pressure washer--and the ultimate goal of each level is to completely clean all the blood, get rid of all the bodies, clean up any trash/destroyed items, and move any furniture back into its original position.  Basically, you want each scene to look like nothing ever happened there.  Plus, you can also add to your base pay by stealing any valuable items that might just be laying around.

+ Secrets and collectibles to find.  Each level has hidden areas that require some attention to detail/alertness to find.  These hidden areas can contain a cache of stealable items or even special items (I figured out a sort of puzzle clue and unlocked a katana that can be used to smash up certain items), so they're worth finding.  The collectibles come in the form of cassette tapes/CD's that can be found throughout the levels (and are also usually hidden in secret areas).  They add new playable music to the game.

+ Talent system/skill tree.  You earn experience points based on how thoroughly you clean up each level (and the number of items that you steal) and they can be placed into different skills.  You can improve your base items in many ways like improving the amount of blood that your mop can hold before it needs to be cleaned.  Earning talent points is very easy and you can unlock all the skills.

Small items from each job appear in Kovalsky's apartment.

+ Wall of memories in Kovalsky's apartment.  There's a cabinet (that becomes shelves later on in the game) where you can find small items from each job.  It's reminiscent of the curio wall in PowerWash Simulator 2 and a fun feature.  Kovalsky's apartment changes as the story progresses.  Oh, and he has a cute dog named Dexter that you can pet.

This Witcher 3 reference can be found on one of the levels.

+ There's a bit of humor built into the story and plenty of dad joke-esque remarks from Kovalsky.  Kovalsky definitely feels a bit divided about his participation in this criminal enterprise, but needs to cash for his daughter.

Cons:

- Gameplay is very simple.  You use your mop to clean up floors, your sponge to clean up other surfaces, and power washer for those hard to reach places.  It's a point-and-click type of affair, so there's nothing advanced about it.  There is some nuance required (trotting through a giant pool of blood will result in bloody footprints getting tracked all over), but it's pretty basic.

- Physics are also pretty simple and can feel a bit weird.  You can use your sponge to safely clean basically anything but if you smack something breakable with your mop, it will automatically break.  Feeling out the distance while mopping is weird.  When in doubt, use your sponge.  When Kovalsky is carrying bodies they are in a weird t-pose that feels odd.  It's a minor gripe and nothing gamebreaking, but just gives things a bit of a wonky feeling.

- There's an element of cheese in the writing/stories.  It's not cripplingly bad, just slightly cringeworthy at points.  Again, not a gamebreaker.

Recommendation:

I have been pleasantly surprised by Crime Scene Cleaner.  There's a story (granted, a little bit cheesy), a talent system (in a cleaning game!), and fun features like collectibles and challenges.  The gameplay itself is a bit simple, but enjoyable.  If you enjoy cleaning games and want something that doesn't push too hard and has fun features, it's worth your time.

The Betrayer

My CyberPunk adventures have been continuing (I'm probably about 80% done--just have to wrap up scanner jobs and gigs in City Center) and I've had to make some tough decisions for my male V.  In my ultimate quest to experience ALL the potential endings (but in a full playthrough), I made a few different choices this go-round.  Sadly, not all those decisions have felt...great.

The first new decision I made was to test out the Kerry option as a romantic partner for V.  I've always found Kerry to be a bit of an odd choice (I mentioned the age difference in my last post), but the actual relationship plays out fairly nicely.  You can opt to kiss Kerry after you complete the mission to meet up with him during a press event promoting his new collaboration with the band Us Cracks (you know, the Japanese girl group that he's initially trying to destroy).  One thing I've noticed that I haven't paid much attention to before--someone at CD Projekt must like freckles because both Kerry and Rogue have a smattering that isn't immediately obvious until you go in for a kiss.  Then, Kerry calls up V for his ultimate act of revenge on his hapless manager--sinking the poor man's luxury yacht.  It's during this mission that you get to experience the one sex scene and it's a bit of a doozy.  While the yacht is burning, Kerry and V engage in some passionate fun times before taking a naked dive off the sinking ship.  It kind of makes sense with Kerry's whole "rockerboy" vibe and it's definitely less weirdly awkward as the Panam tank sex scene.  Kerry will text V several times making silly, flirty jokes and you can also opt to hangout at one of V's apartments.  Overall, I think Kerry's romance is one of the better ones.

It's V and Nibbles, just chillin'.

(Spoilers for Phantom Liberty ahead--read on with caution)

I had only played through the Phantom Liberty DLC once prior to this, so I decided to try out a different option when it comes to the major fork in the storyline.  Basically everything comes down to choosing if you're going to help Songbird or help Reed.  Both characters have their own understandable motivations, so it's a tough choice.  My first go-round I decided to help Songbird but ultimately handed her over to Reed and the FIA (I wanted to experience the ending where V gets help from them).  This time I decided that I was going to side with Reed and capture Songbird during the mission where you impersonate the Cassel twins.  Reed gives V a device that should be able to disable Songbird while she's busy with liberating the neural matrix from the Cynosure device.  Things immediately go south...Songbird detects the attempt to disable her, is extremely pissed that V betrayed her trust, and goes berserk.  During the chaos of Songbird fleeing, Alex (who is impersonating Aurare Cassel) is killed by Hansen (the first big ugh).  V has to fight through a legion of Barghest goons while chasing Songbird through the stadium and then ultimately face off against Hansen.

After V dispatches Hansen, he meets up with Reed and they drive to a nearby overlook and try to track down Songbird.  It's here that they see something that isn't typically seen in Dogtown--MaxTac comes swooping down to capture Songbird.  Now, Reed and V are tasked with breaking Songbird out of MaxTac custody...and it's going to take some help from friends.  Reed tasks V with finding a netrunner who can hack into MaxTac's database and find out where Songbird is located while he goes off to find some allies who can potentially help with a firefight (you can choose to call up Mr. Hands and pay him $15000 for help or possibly find your own netrunner).

Once V has tracked down a friendly netrunner, they meet up with Reed to set up the ambush on the convoy carrying Songbird.  Reed has enlisted some help from 6th Street (Santo Domingo's local gang and apparently a group that is on the payroll of the FIA/NUSA...go figure) and you can plan out certain aspects of the attack.  The real combat involves attacking a convoy of cops and ultimately a team of MaxTac fighters.  The MaxTac crew is made up of four cybernetically enhanced super soldiers--there's a heavy type toting a big machine gun, a mantis blade wielding dude who jets all over the place, a netrunner who's trying to constantly hack you, and a sniper.  (*I opted not to play on the hardest difficulty this time around and was grateful for it in this particular scenario)  Luckily, you get Reed to help you out (he's got a sniper rifle and will basically attack whatever target you are), but it's a fairly tough combat scenario.

During the chaos of the end of the MaxTac fight, Reed is injured and while V is checking on him, Songbird manages to break free and flee in a vehicle.  V has to chase her down and finds that the truck has crashed into a hidden underground bunker.  This bunker turns out to be the very Cynosure project where the neural matrix was hidden away.  V then has to follow weird traces of the Blackwall left behind by Songbird as she flees through the facility.  This mission takes on a very...creepy, supernatural kind of feeling in a way that's not present in the rest of the game.  As V tracks Songbird he finds himself navigating through a hidden facility where Militech was experimenting with using rogue AI (similar to what Songbird does for the NUSA) as a potential weapon.  Things get even more intense when Songbird boots up a killer robot that periodically emerges to track down V (you can't attack or kill the robot and instead have to hide from it until it will eventually head off somewhere else--I've never played Alien: Isolation but I'm guessing that it's a very similar vibe--oddly unsettling and a bit scary).  You have to avoid the creepy robot and figure out how to disable the machinery to unlock the core of the facility where Songbird has hidden.  Once you've disabled the machinery, you reach Songbird and are greeted with a sequence of memories from her life.  You get to see her early netrunning days in Brooklyn and how everything unravels as she winds up in the clutches of the FIA--there's a lot of insight into her character and personality.  After that sequence plays out, V is faced with another very difficult decision--Songbird begs V to kill her.  She doesn't want to return to the FIA and be forced to continue being their handy Blackwall puncturing tool.  She begs V (it's tough....) and you can choose to kill her or hand her over to Reed.  I opted to hand her over (I intend to choose a different ending than last time that is dependent on Reed's help).  There's a sequence where you transport a barely conscious Songbird across the Night City/SoCal border to meet up with good ol' President Meyers.  Here, the Prez offers V a medal for their service (you can accept it or turn it down) and then flies off into the sunset on her AV.  Songbird is stabilized and placed on a helicopter to be transported to FIA headquarters for treatment/surgery.  Reed and V have a brief conversation about their choices (are they doing the right thing?) and then go their separate ways--Reed's offer to help V is still standing.

I found the mission to enter the Cynosure facility to be more exciting than the one where you save Songbird.  It's not extremely combat focused, so if fighting is your forte, I would opt to save her (you're looking at tons of combat against waves of enemies).  The departure from combat to creepy, scary, hidey game to be kind of fun (the whole sequence in the bunker is weirdly unsettling).  Making a decision about Songbird's ultimate fate is difficult.  In some ways she has been forced to become a tool of the NUSA/Rosalind Meyers/the FIA and she wants to be free.  In other ways, she went along with the whole thing and decided to take the extremely dangerous step of engaging with the rogue AI's of the Blackwall.  Betraying her felt very BAD though.  Next go round, I'm going to save her and help her escape from the FIA (it'll mean killing Reed though...which does suck).

Do I think that I picked the "happier" ending?  Nope, not really.  CD Projekt is very good at making sure that there is no truly "happy" ending and that there are always shades of grey.  The scenario I chose meant that Alex died, Songbird survives...but remains a part of the FIA, and Reed gets to live with his heavy conscience.

Edgerunner's Resurgence

Happy post-4th of July too all who are just grateful that the fireworks have finally stopped (*I say this reservedly as I definitely heard some going off last night...to officially celebrate the oft left uncelebrated 10th of July--not a real holiday, but apparently a good time to continue setting off explosives)!  I took last weekend off to celebrate/eat my once-yearly hotdog with family.  My gaming time has been somewhat curtailed by my weird interest in watching the World Cup.  I am not a soccer fan at all, but I do enjoy it once every 4 years.  The United States is (unsurprisingly) out so I've thrown my meager support behind Norway.  You can't help but root for a guy like Erling Haaland (yes, I've fallen for the hype).  But this is about gaming and not the World Cup!  When I'm not watching soccer I've been re-playing CyberPunk 2077.  And, apparently, I'm not the only one--many players are re-visiting Night City in anticipation of the second season of the anime series CyberPunk: Edgerunners.  So, it's the perfect time to take V, Johnny, and the rest of the crew out for an adventure.

This time around I decided to roll with a male V--for some weird reason I remember the voice acting as being kind of...off, I guess, but this time I feel like it's fine.  I went down the Nomad path because it had been quite awhile since I opted for it (and, I just kind of like the nomads).  Sadly, I didn't alter my playstyle much (which, it's kind of hard to do anyway thanks to the abundance of skill points that you pick up if you're a completionist)--V's mostly sneaking and occasionally submachinegunning down some baddies.  I am trying to be a bit less uptight about failing at sneaking and then just letting things turn into a shootout.  I've also had less remorse over blowing up all those conveniently located tanks of explosive materials.  Boom...limbs everywhere!  I'm also planning on giving the Kerry romance a try--it's the only one I've never experienced.

Is it just me or does anyone else find the age difference with Kerry to be...weird?  Kerry's supposed to be in like his 70's or 80's (and yes, I acknowledge that the technology in the game is supposed to help prolong lifespan and keep people feeling and looking younger) but he looks like he's in his 40's or 50's.  It just feels a bit creepy to me.  Buuuuut, it's the only romantic path I have yet to do, so I'll just shove those feelings off to the side.

Surprisingly there has been some new content added that I somehow missed in my last playthrough.  A strange mission that I couldn't remember popped up and offered up a chance for V to track down a stolen vehicle.  This vehicle was apparently being used by some corrupt NCPD officers and then had been stolen from them.  River Ward asks V to track down the vehicle and learn about the circumstances around how these corrupt officers were able to obtain the vehicle in the first place.  V has to track it down and engage in a heated gun battle with the current occupants (a Maelstrom couple with some ambitious street dealing dreams) to liberate it.  Once V has gained ownership he learns that it has a special feature--namely the new CrystalCoat technology that allows you to personalize the paint colors of certain vehicles--and has to track down some software to fix a bug in the system (basically raid a 6th Street occupied garage and download the file).  The car you get is definitely one of the best--a Yaiba "Semimaru"--that is fast and highly maneuverable.  The CrystalCoat feature is kind of fun and allows you to change the look of a vehicle on a whim.  There's another car mission to recover a special Rayfield model known as a "Mordred" that was owned by none other than Yorinobu Arasaka.  In this mission you can choose whether or not you keep the car (umm, duh?  Who's not keeping it?).  If you do keep the car you will be attacked by a few carloads of angry Arasaka agents at a random time.  It's totally worth it though as the Mordred is comparable to the Semimaru.

Male Nomad V with his lizard friend and the Rayfield Mordred.

I've also only played through the Phantom Liberty expansion once, so I'm enjoying re-visiting it.  It's so much more action-packed--the intro missions with President Meyers reminded me of that.  I think I'm going to opt for a different ending this time around too--last time I went with (umm, spoilers, I guess) the ending that turned out to be sort of depressing (I mean, the other endings are sort of depressing too...) with V returning to Night City (sans cyber-abilities) only to find out that without all their fancy chrome they're going to be surviving, but not necessarily living that big time life envisioned by Jackie.  We'll see how things shake out.

I also purchased several games from Steam's summer sale that I have yet to check out, but am saving them for the future.  Happy World Cup, happy gaming, and happy summer (especially to the teachers out there)!

Divin' & Grillin' in Dave's New Adventure

In the vein of surprising game updates, I was shocked when I saw a new snippet pop up in my Steam Library newsfeed about a new DLC for a game that I hadn't thought much about for quite awhile.  Several weeks ago (and I have no idea if I just blindly missed something) I saw an announcement video pop up in my newsfeed that Dave the Diver was getting a new DLC.  I love me some Dave, so this was a very pleasant and exciting surprise.  I've played my way through the new DLC (and thanks to being on summer vacation I've had plenty of time to play) and it's a great addition to the already existing adventure.

What is it?

An expansive DLC that offers up a new area for Dave to explore--a village located in the middle of a nearby jungle.  There's plenty of new diving to do and tons of other fun new content that manages to maintain the traditional Dave feel of gameplay and throw in lots of silly mini-games and goofy cutscenes.  It begins in the epilogue of the full game and sees you move fully away from your beloved Blue Hole and Bancho's Sushi restaurant.

How much additional playtime can I expect?

Depending on your playstyle, I would estimate ~10-20 for a story-focused playthrough and more for a completionist playthrough (which, at the moment, is a bit pointless...but I'll get to that).  It's not a bad chunk of game for $9.99 (I got it for $8.99 at release...but it's definitely worth that extra $1).

Pros:

+A new area to explore...in the jungle!  Dave and company venture out from their home base near the fantastic Blue Hole to a small village that has been experiencing the odd phenomenon of ancient sea creatures washing up on a nearby beach.  The villagers want someone to find out what the creatures are and where they are coming from.  The village just so happens to be located by a very large freshwater lake that is suffering from some pollution issues.  In true Dave fashion, solving this puzzle is going to require the work of the whole crew.

+ Gameplay loop that is similar to the base game but that offers up more time for above water activities.  Dave doesn't just dive--"In the Jungle" features a daily clock that starts when Dave first emerges in the morning.  Half the day can be spent wandering around the village, talking to the locals, or gathering materials.  If you want Dave to dive he has to enter the water before evening.  It's also possible (if you enter the water early enough) to dive more than once a day.  Once evening hits it's time for Dave to start prepping Bancho's newest venture--the Bancho Grill!  After tasting some less than delicious fish (and slightly offending the villagers), Bancho decides to work on his cooking skills and show the villagers how to create a truly delicious dish.  Running Bancho Grill is fairly similar to the sushi restaurant--you pick specific dishes to place on the menu and then are tasked with serving them to patrons in a timely fashion.  The menu starts off fairly basic but is expanded to include two different kinds of drinks and skewers.  Bancho doesn't mess with skewers so it's up to Dave to grill them up and serve them to anyone who orders them.  This throws in an additional layer of difficulty because you have to balance the normal chaos of serving drinks and meals as well as preparing and serving skewers.  At the end of the night you receive the same star rating based on your timeliness.  There are plenty of new recipes for Bancho to learn and lots of fun dishes to serve.

After the restaurant shift ends, Dave has a small window of time to do some nighttime roaming in the village.  He can chat up any villagers hanging around after dark (there aren't many, but a few), or gather unique nighttime items.  As this thin sliver of time gets closer to the end, Dave can choose to go to bed (and wake up at the same time with a full morning schedule) or stay up and lose part of his morning window.  Just go to bed Dave!

+ A new freshwater diving experience.  There are new fish to catch and catalogue, new items found in crates, and plenty of unique underwater resources to gather.  Diving ain't all fun and games though--there are many different types of aggressive fish and large predators lurking in the water.

+ The jungle gun is four unique weapons in one!  Sadly, Duff can't leave his anime girls behind so there's a new tech expert in residence.  Muna is an assistant to the OG Dr. Bacon and she has a knack for technology.  She grants Dave the jungle gun--one weapon that you can change into four different weapon forms (rifle, shotgun, sniper rifle, and net gun).  The jungle gun is great because you can just scroll through to the type of weapon that you want.  It also means that you have more ammo to use when you're facing a big bad.  All four types of gun can be upgraded in a similar fashion to the base game (provide the correct resources and some money).  One of the upgraded versions offers up a form of the sniper rifle that does a bunch more damage if you stay locked onto a target for more than 1 second--it's very powerful and great for sniping from afar.

Dave's complete skeleton display for the museum.

+ Two Point crossover content.  I'm a big fan of the Two Point games and both games added in crossover content.  Dave encounters an unconscious explorer in the jungle and finds out that he's gathering dinosaur bones for a museum.  There's a mission where Dave can collect bones from defeated creatures in the forest to help complete a unihornus skeleton.  In Two Point Museum they added in a new digiverse rift that features content from Dave the Diver.  There's even an option of open up a mini-Bancho sushi in your museum (...of course you'll be serving up the fist that you catch for displays in your museum which seems maybe a bit questionable).  

+ Befriending the villagers.  In order to gain the trust of the villagers, Dave can speak to them and learn about their preferences.  He can then find (or purchase) items that the villagers like and give them as gifts.  As their friendship level rises, the villagers will offer up gifts in return.  It's a fun way to learn about each individual and their preferences.  Villagers will also offer special missions to Dave--it could be an item they are looking for or a fish/larger critter they would like cooked up.

+ Dave goes exploring.  As you progress the story a new area unlocks that opens up a fun, new type of gameplay.  The Setah Forest is filled with dangerous creatures so Dave has no choice but to take Cobra with him as protection.  When Dave encounters an aggressive forest creature there's a new turn-based combat experience.  Dave and Cobra each have their own set of abilities (Dave's good at swinging a club and Cobra prefers an array of guns and bombs) and facing off against the forest denizens offers up a bit of variety.  Exploring the forest is part of the story but also a good way to find materials that are only found there.  As you progress through the story Muna also joins the party with her own set of abilities.

+ Tons of silly mini-games inspired by classic games.  There's a Duck Hunt-esque shooting game and a sequence with some definite Guitar Hero vibes (there was a bit of this in the base game too).  The games are enjoyable and the references are also fun to pick out.  There's a nod to Resident Evil in the forest as Dave can pick green, red, and yellow herbs to provide health and action point boosts.  (*Some of the references I didn't get because I think they're more related to popular Korean cultural references/shows/games)

+ A cast of new friends to staff Bancho's Grill.  Random people just show up in the middle of the jungle (weird, right?) and some of them offer to stick around and work in the grill.  You really wind up with a diverse group of employees--you'll just have to play to see what I mean.

Dave's hut can be personalized with tons of items.

+Collectibles to hunt down.  Marinca cards still track your fishy friends but there's also a new app called Insectgram for collecting the many bug species that populate the jungle.  Part of collecting bugs involves beetle battles--another mini-game that involves finding large beetles and engaging in a paper, rock, scissors style game where you fight another beetle.  If you win, you collect that beetle and add it to your arsenal.

+ Dave gets his own personalized hut that you can decorate with crafted and gifted items.  You can also personalize the look of the Bancho grill with lots of different options.

Cons:

- No achievements.  I was a bit surprised when I didn't see any achievements popping up.  I didn't even look to see if there were achievements and just assumed that there was (because there normally are).  Do I care about achievements?  Not particularly, but they do sort of gently encourage me to be more completionist.  Apparently this was a big complaint to the devs because just last week they issued a sort of apology video and indicated that they were adding in achievements in a future patch.

- Boss battles are a bit underwhelming.  In the base game Dave would often be facing off against some kind of giant, weird marine creature.  The fights sometimes involved using specific tactics that made them feel fun and unique.  I didn't get that same feeling about the boss fights in this DLC.  The fights are pretty straightforward.  The jungle gun also made the fights feel easier to me.  You have three different guns, so you can use up much more ammo than in the traditional game before you have to go hunt some down.

- The gift giving aspect of the game is pretty meh.  You can purchase different items from one of the villagers every day.  If you chat with the villagers they will tell you what food and gifts that they prefer.  Providing them with either will increase their friendship level.  You can also experiment with gifts, but don't get as much of a boost from more neutral options.  Friendship level rises fast, so the experimentation part just felt extraneous.  Just focus on giving them their preferred gifts and you'll get to max level quickly.

-I want to see ALL the DANG LIZARDS!  One collectible-esque task involves catching the many species of very cute, big-eyed lizards that populate the jungle.  A specific villager LOVES lizards and has a terrarium in their hut where you can go and view the lizards.  The downside...you can only view a few at a time and there's no way to keep track of which lizards you have caught.  Lizards should have their own tracking or some type of list that is tied to the terrarium.

Recommendation:

It had been quite awhile since I had even thought about Dave the Diver.  "In the Jungle" takes much of what I enjoyed about the base game and improves on it.  I liked the storyline and getting to know the villagers.  The diving aspect is maybe a bit underwhelming compared to the base game, but the other added elements (like the turn-based battles in the forest) are something new to enjoy.  There's also that undergirding of silliness with the cutscenes that feature dancing jungle creatures or Bancho's jungle-creature inspired research sequences.  Paying $9.99 to re-visit one of my favorite indie (*yes, I know that term is debatable) games was definitely worth it.  If you're a Dave fan then you'll want to add in this fun, new adventure.

It's Giving Cooking Mama

After giving up on two different titles I decided to look for something that veered from that set of failures.  I was scrolling through my Steam Recommendations when I saw a game that definitely was a departure from my normal choices.  Who woulda thunk that I would enjoy a cute little casual cooking game?  I've had a nice time with some other cooking games--namely Cook, Serve, Delicious which I've recommended in the past (and it's supposedly getting a re-mastered first game).

For the longest time I thought this guy had a loaf of bread on his forehead.

What is it?

KuloNiko: Bowl Up! is a casual cooking-themed game that involves running a noodle/meatball restaurant that you inherited from your dearly departed grandmother.  The gameplay consists of running your restaurant, competing in a cooking competition known as the "meatball brawl," and befriending the many denizens of the fictional town of Kuloniko.  It has some STRONG Cooking Mama vibes--your main character is most definitely a descendant of our beloved Mama.

How much playtime can I expect?

I finished the main storyline in a little over 15.5 hours.  You can run your restaurant indefinitely (if that's your jam).  I'm not sure how much more playtime you could eke out.  I didn't unlock all the cosmetic options, but that could definitely add some playtime for someone interested in a fully completionist experience.

How's replayability?

There's not much of a replayability factor with this one, unfortunately.  I suppose if you also wanted to experience every iteration of hangout with each character...maybe that could motivate some longer playtime or more replayability.

The street view outside your restaurant.

Pros:

+ Cute, anime/Wii-style design.  The characters and town all have a fun vibe that will appeal to those aforementioned Cooking Mama fans.

+ Gameplay that is easy to pick up but has enough challenge to make it feel well balanced.  The controls are extremely simple (we're talking clicking at the right time mostly) but the challenge comes from managing the increasingly complex orders from the restaurant patrons.  Patrons can request specific recipes or they can just toss out a random list of items they want you to throw into a bowl.  It gets more complicated as they can also request that their food have a specific flavor or that they don't want specific ingredients.  Each bowl can only hold so many ingredients, so complex orders can feel quite challenging as you try to balance out the requested flavors.  As you progress and unlock new stations in the kitchen patrons can also request side dishes and drinks.  There's a timer for fulfilling orders and it can feel daunting at times.

The gameplay loop involves running your restaurant throughout the week (fulfilling customer orders) and deciding how you want to spend your two free days.  On free days you can either hang out with friends (the cast of characters you meet as part of the story) and do something fun which will increase your friendship meter/level.  Increasing friendship is important because each of your friends has specific perks that can be applied if you opt to choose them to assist you during a meatball brawl (plus, you unlock all those fun cosmetic options--some are themed around a specific character).  You can also opt to participate in meatball brawls during your day off.

+ Meatball brawl throws in some light faux-competition.  At this event you can challenge another chef to create a dish for a specific panel of judges who each have their taste/ingredient preferences.  You earn points (hearts) by adding ingredients that the judges prefer while also paying attention to the challenge ingredients (each brawl has a different set of unique bonus ingredients).  There are also bonus points awarded for performing specific crowd requested actions during one of the three "action" phases--for example, the crowd might want you to do cutting tasks or add a specific flavor.  Winning the competition requires adding in the bonus ingredients and also making sure to take into account the specific taste and ingredient preferences of the judges.  Overall, winning the brawls isn't too difficult.

+ Very forgiving gameplay.  If you mess up an order or take too long your patrons will still pay for their order...they just don't tip as well and you make less money.  If you lose a meatball brawl your restaurant loses some reputation (which can be re-earned through correctly fulfilling orders in your restaurant) and you can re-challenge the chef at a later date.

A beach-themed restaurant.

+ Lots of cosmetic options for creating your own unique restaurant.  You can personalize your kitchen and your main restaurant area with many fun options.  The basic options can be purchased with coins and other options are unlocked through increasing your friendship level with certain characters and purchasing them with vouchers (vouchers can either be won in brawls or during festivals).

+ A silly main storyline with plenty of feel good cheese.  Friendship, yay!  Sometimes it nice just to keep things light.

+ A cute cat companion.  Every game is improved with a cute, cat.  Teto, the cat, will periodically jump on the cashiers counter and have to be nudged out of the way so you can cook and accompanies you to bed each night.  You can also pet him at night after your restaurant shift.

Cons:

- Mini-games to learn recipes are basically pointless.  Learning a new recipe makes you play a mini-game that literally consists of clicking.  That's it--there's not even a tiny bit of difficulty built it (like clicking a different button).  It could be improved by making different commands for each recipe...at least make it feel unique.

- Might be too casual for some gamers.  The most challenging part of the gameplay is figuring out particularly complex orders that request specific ingredients and flavor profiles.  Everything else is pretty cake--it's basically impossible to lose at meatball brawl and messing up customer orders generally just results in less reputation/profits.

- Recipes seem pointless at times and you wind up giving a customer a bowl with some garlic and a few random seasonings.  Why even have them request a recipe?  (I get that part of it is you remembering that a customer said no meat)  It just feels sort of non-sensical--although, I suppose that people do order whacky things in real life.

Recommendation:

If you were a fan of Cooking Mama then KuloNiko will be right up your alley.  It's like Cooking Mama with an actual story.  If you're wanting a casual, mostly relaxing type of experience, it's perfect for you.  If you're hoping for something that's moderately challenging...this is not it (give Cook, Serve, Delicious a try).  I had a nice time with it and think it will appeal to a certain type of gamer.