Ratings and Reviews by ChanceOfFire

Once you start this game, prepare to be bombarded by flashing colors and loud arcade music. You are given a pixel character to control, with basic 2D movement controls, and will have to navigate this flashing landscape, picking up some odd objects (leaves?) which will reveal a line of a poem each time.

The poem makes some references to the strobe effects and the constant bombardment on the senses. Still, I wouldn't blame you if you were too distracted by the flashing colors and blaring sounds to take in those words. The description talks about wanting to explore the themes of bombardment/spectacle/hypernormalisation, and it was certainly done here. Be warned, your eyes and ears might not thank you for it.

It's a game with a message, told to you via an indirect message with a blaring loudspeaker at full power. You can give this a go if you like, but please close the game if your eyes start to hurt, or you might be seeing strange colors even after you're done playing.

Prepper van might be the longest playthrough-wise and most gameplay-heavy title I've tried in the Neo-Twiny Jam thus far. With a simple looping gameplay system, along with an inventory system and stats, it does a lot with that word limit.

Disaster strikes. Sitting in your van, you have a choice of things to pick up, a choice of things to buy and a choice of a place to stay before the game tests those choices and what you have accumulated with a disaster. Your end objective here is to get a job before disaster consumes you.

Pretty early in the game, my parents threw me out for being a jobless bum. Still, all you need to do is work out how to survive day by day, accumulating as many survival items as you can, and eventually wait for your lucky break. After taking some time to work out the gameplay, and going through countless loops, I managed to get a job, thus saving myself from the disaster cycle. Maybe I'll be able to stay under my parents' roof now.

The art is mostly hand drawn sketches, but I did like the simple feel. This game does a lot with that 500 word limit, so I think that's something I can give a top rating for.

It seems like you're out of tea. Meanwhile, you're just hanging around, enjoying a slow and easygoing evening with your partner. Maybe some other drinks are on the menu.

It's a simple story with a small number of choices. Each choice results in some changes to the story, but all of these are pretty relaxed and low-stakes options, for a story which is equally relaxed. It's a short but gentle read which I enjoyed. The cover art is pretty cute too.

Annoyingly, there isn't a restart button once you finish the game, so you'll need to reload the page if you want to play again. Yes, that's what the ending page tells you to do.

The protagonist goes through their scrapbook, thinking through memories of their times in art camp and a special someone, told through the little things in the scrapbook. It's a surprisingly lovely read, and despite the linear structure of the game, I actually went back to reread it a few times.

This game is pretty straightforward in the visuals department, but I liked the choice of colors. The game is mostly linear even as you select different parts of the text to reveal more details. Still, there is a choice at the end which I really liked, and I think each option was solid and worth reading.

It's a short game, but it filled me with plenty of warmth with a small number of words. I did struggle with the decision for a bit, but I think I can give a perfect rating to this one.

It's a short story of the protagonist's experiences as they undergo a surgical procedure. There were some parts which really moved me and kept me flipping the page, from entering the room to the feelings and sense of anticipation which come with each procedure.

The game is pretty much linear. It also adopts a black and white art style which also helps to convey the setting. The art is a mix of photographic images and very simple hand drawn stuff, but I did like the overall visual effect as a whole despite the inconsistency.

I think this is a good short read.

It starts off pretty normally. In this sci-fi setting, you say hi to one of your crewmates. You notice that you may not be feeling well. Suddenly, something happens and you start bringing the others to a terrifying end.

The visuals were nice, and I liked that effect on the photos as well as the overall design and layout. Still, I read the story a few times, trying out different choices (not that many) on each playthrough, and still couldn't quite get the story and the unusual plot twist. Maybe there's some brilliance I'm missing here, but I'm just not sure.

One minute mysteries is one of the lower rated games on the HG omnibus. Still, I think it's less of a bad game and more of one which isn't a good fit with that audience.

This game is essentially an omnibus of mini mysteries. You get to pick your difficulty level, which controls the number of hints you get and wrong attempts you are allowed. You could always pick the lowest difficulty if you aren't good at this sort of thing.

The mysteries are rather hit and miss. Some are interesting, but some feel too easy or overly hard. It's multiple choice, and if you get the answer right, the game explains the puzzle to you before giving you a short ending scene and allowing you to proceed. There is something of an overarching plot connecting all the scenes, but otherwise, this is largely a collection of separate mini stories.

If you want some bite sized stories and puzzles to pass the time, I could recommend this. Otherwise, if you're looking for a more traditional choicescript game with a full plot and stat system, this likely isn't it.

Something is inside of you. You get a few choices to decide how to react to it. Still, it just gets unbearable. Eventually, you find yourself down a singular path to a firm solution.

This game is a pretty quick read, which presents some choices at first but later funnels you down a fixed path. It's actually quite clever in hindsight, showing how unbearable something is at the end that you can't just change it by choice. Visually, the game is pretty straightforward, but the concept within the storytelling is pretty interesting.

It is just a few steps to the noose which will soon end you. Still, your mind is awash in thoughts and feelings as you take the final steps. Nothing seems to matter, yet you keep thinking.

The writing and theme is fairly evocative. I did like the color scheme in particular, as it was still easy to read while being able to convey the vibe. There is a bit of sound in the game, but it didn't leave much of an impact on me. Overall, this game is linear and a short read, but one which shows you the rush of thoughts before the very end during that time.

The protagonist thinks through their sports team, upcoming challenges, fans and coaches, before ending on a note of determination.

Most of the game is delivered in short passages, so it does feel pretty long for a Neo Twiny Jam game, as you will be making a good number of choices and flipping pages before reaching the end. The game is largely linear, but there are a few choices which provide some small changes in the story. That said, there is an undo button, if you want to see all the outcomes and take a shortcut in doing so.

It's an interesting read which ends on a note of some positivity. I enjoyed it.