WOBFU: Weekly Overview of the Bundle For Ukraine
WOBFU: Page 3 — Dominance of the Duplicates
Games that made me question if I knew what I was looking at
Overview
One of the fastest pages I’ve completed in a long time, which doesn’t look possible at first glance. With a spread of 23 video games to 7 software pieces, this should rival page 2 in the amount of extra time I had to spend to complete. In reality, however, the number of duplicates skyrocketed to 19. That’s nearly two thirds of the page, which is insane.
This altered my perception of the page quite a bit, since I usually look at the games without considering the duplicates. This meant that I only had 6 games to recommend in the way I had before. It also increased the chances of the “heavy hitters” — as I’ve called them — being duplicates, although this was inevitable. As the bundle progresses the likelihood of the games being well known in many circles decreases, so this might just be a herald of what is to come. Nevertheless! Let’s get rolling.
Video Games
Software
Duplicates
Video Games
Technically one of these ‘isn’t’ a recommendation. Check out the duplicates if you want more, because there are a lot of them.
A Dance of Fire and Ice
As years have gone by, rhythm games continue to fascinate me in how they evolve to explicitly avoid giving off the ‘aesthetic’ of a stereotypical rhythm game. You can argue that this is because it is a mechanic rather than a genre, to be utilized in any ways that a developer can make work. Or perhaps it is to avoid those very stereotypes that come with traditional rhythm games requiring fast fingers and unlimited concentration.
What I’m getting at is that ‘A Dance of Fire and Ice’ is somehow both the most obvious rhythm game I’ve played in a while, yet somehow made me think it was something completely different. Created by 7th Beat Games, the game centres around two planet-like circles that rotate around each other. Using whatever button you wish — it’s a single button game, after all — you can cause the pivot-point of the rotation to change to one of the circles. The rhythm game kicks in as the only places that the circles can ‘lock in’ are within the squares, which form a track.
If you wish to think about it in a more rigid rhythm game perspective, the track acts as the timing for when to press the button. Instead of coming towards you or activating (think Osu), you need to line up the rotating circles with the track centre so that it can lock in and the orbit can continue forward.
It creates this strangely enticing puzzle adventure utilizing the rhythm as a mechanic rather than the major selling point of the game. The puzzle comes from the fact that the track’s direction is what alters the timing of when to press the button, from going North/South causing the player to go off beat, the strange triplets of the triangles or the skewed notes that make the track swing. It might be challenging to understand at first, especially without any experience with music or rhythm games, but thankfully each track has a few tutorial tracks before it to introduce the new mechanics.
Rhythm games live or die by two things: the execution of the rhythm mechanics (calibration, innovation, etc) which I’ve already explained its perks, and its music. After all, what is a rhythm game with lame tunes but a reflex exercise? Thankfully they aren’t slouching in that department either, for the music begins to pick up as you go. There are so many different styles on display, coupled with the fact that they all match the background aesthetic of the level to really get you into it.
It’s hard to recommend a rhythm game that is so unequivocally a rhythm game to those that aren’t fans. Even in games like Crypt of the Necrodancer or Hellsinger, the rhythm aspect is a core mechanic that cannot be ignored. However, if you have even a slight interest in rhythm games, A Dance of Fire and Ice is a pure blast to play and as brutally hard as you can expect it to be, especially if you have little to no musical experience. Seriously, those swing beats will mess you up. Good luck!
By the way, if you really enjoyed it, the game has been recently updated and now has a new DLC out called NEO COSMOS. Directed by TaroNuke, it goes in an even more challenging direction thanks to Taro’s experience with bullethells. But the soundtracks are still amazing, so I’m not complaining.
Baldi’s Basics Plus
I don’t think I ever planned on covering one of the strangest memes of the late 2010s, yet here I am.
A little bit of backstory. Baldi’s Basics in Education and Learning was a freeware game created by Micah McGonigal that came out in 2018. Parodying the strangely unsettling games of the late 90s and early 2000s that I just so happened to grow up on, it cranked that unsettling feeling to 11 and made a full-blown horror game akin to Slender: The 8 Pages, as you need to find all of the notebooks to escape Baldi’s ‘quizzes’. It blew up thanks to Markiplier’s playthrough, and Baldi’s face has haunted me in random memes ever since.
This is not the original, nor is it the remastered. Baldi’s Basics Plus is a ‘remake’ of the game in which there is so much more to do. There are minigames called ‘field trips’, procedurally generated levels and events, more characters to learn and adapt to, and more items to assist. It’s the current project of McGonigal — under the company name ‘Basically Games’ — and is working towards the 0.4 version launch. For now, it is in 0.38, and has many more elements waiting to be added.
I can’t recommend this game on the very basis that I am a coward. I’ve never liked horror games, and the edutainment theme just brings back memories of the games that I was dragged to play in the computer room at school. But that in and of itself is a recommendation, because I know there are many of you that adore this kind of parody; it wouldn’t have blown up if that weren’t the case. If you resonate with this game, go forth and school Baldi.
Dépanneur Nocturne
From fellow Canadians comes a game about visiting a Nighttime convienience store that has an aura about it you cannot place — not at first. You want to get your partner, your bichette, something nice, but ideas are hazy at best. This store, run by a curious salamander, has many strange items that are interesting, and over time you learn about them and decide if you want them.
The core of the game is in its atmosphere; the dark and stormy night surrounds as you wander alone in the city, only to be met with the coziness of this small shop. Once inside, a tune lingers in the background as the soft glow of the lights keeps the place illuminated while you wander. There are items of all kinds to interact with, and the clerk is very friendly as she explains what each item is. Her glasses give off a vibrant yet strange pattern that pierces through the colours of the room to direct your attention.
It’s the little things, because this is a game about those little things. It’s a game for searching yourself as you look for gifts for your loved one, with interactables everywhere that paint the picture of this place. The aura of mystique and serenity continues even when the clerk reveals a twist to you, as nothing seems to require a fast pace. You browse at your leisure, and talk with the only other person around.
Plus, the game allows you to switch between English and Quebecois French — as someone who visits Montreal somewhat frequently, it’s great to have games that can allow me to practice my other official language. But that’s more of a ‘me’ thing — you can keep the game in English the whole way through if you’d like. No matter what, you’ll probably find yourself sinking in to the hour-long experience just to see where it all goes.
The other titles in order of appearance:
Midnight Scenes Ep.1: The Highway (Special Edition)
Octavi Navarro brings us our first non-duplicate, a name we saw back in the Racial Justice Bundle for his bite-sized game The Supper. Sticking with the spooky themes he’s known for, this is a point and click adventure in which a driver named Claire finds herself stuck on the side of a road in the dark.
Navigating through the wreckage, she’ll find that the scene makes even less sense than when she arrived. It’s only 15 minutes long (give or take), but its a great setup to the next entry.
Midnight Scenes Ep.2: The Goodbye Note (Special Edition)
The second episode of the series, this one involves a professor attempting to deliver a relic to his superiors but finds himself writing a note to his wife in his final hours.
It continues the ‘Twilight Zone’ vibes that the Scenes have always gone for, and extends the playtime to about ~30 minutes. If you loved the first Midnight Scenes, this is the natural progression to go towards for your enjoyment.
co-open
Ever went on a shopping trip as a small kid all by yourself? Because that’s what you’ll be doing here. co-open is a strange title that blends the natural curiousity of a child with the impulse of an open world player to see everything.
The store isn’t that big at first, but you’ll be able to crawl and sneak your way into places you shouldn’t be and see things that might not be real. You’ll eat the food from the shelves, talk with employees in the back, and generally run amok; but you’re a kid, that’s what kids do. It’s such a wholesome way of showcasing a pure time in your life, complete with little ‘sidequests’ and all.
Software
the girlfriend of my girlfriend is my friend!!
Starting us off in this section is a TTRPG created for the MS Paint Jam. Its focus is to be a comfy roleplaying game in which you explore your identity; namely gender identities and trans individuals. It wants you to feel human with those around you while playing, and is great for people that want to combine TTRPG crunch with emotional conversations.
DELVE: A Solo Map Drawing Game
Another entry that I didn’t understand at first glance, DELVE is a solo mapmaking game in which you are documenting the depths below a dwarven hold. Your dwarves will mine out the grid, and a deck of playing cards will determine what is actually in that grid. If you love games like Dungeon Keeper but wanted more exploration, this might be a great game to sink into.
Into the Black
Utilizing the Pink Hack engine is this Mass Effect-inspired TTRPG where you and your friends will navigate the stars in an episodic fashion. There are three books of content to sift through, from the system to the worldbuilding to even NPC generators. It’s all in service of giving you the ability to live out that spacefaring fantasy.
KENZIE’S PROJECT
Another specific TTRPG, this one utilizing the setting of academic horror. The three players (exactly three are needed) are in academia and are haunted by the knowledge they are pursuing. The goal is to finish the project before whatever it is chasing you, finds you. Think of it as a storytelling game in a podcast where three friends discuss how their lives are spinning out of their control.
Blue Shift
Finally we have Blue Shift, a single-session RPG where you go on a journey that you will probably not survive. The destination is not necessarily important, because it is the fear and relationships that occur along the way that drive the fun. By the time you’re done, you should have a short film — or perhaps a documentary on why space travel is a bad idea.
Duplicates
The idea of there being 19 duplicates still shocks me a little bit.
Arcade Spirits
Almost my favourite game of page 1 of the Racial bundle, as who doesn’t love a dating sim in an old arcade? Read about it here.
Long Gone Days
Narrative about war in a bundle support stopping a war — couldn’t be more poetic if I tried. More info on the game here.
VISIGOTHS vs MALL GOTHS
Quirky TTRPG in which the two meanings of ‘Goths’ collide in a shopping mall. Good luck!
Hidden Folks
Adriaan de Jongh is known for strange games. This is an iconic, interactive, strange game. Search for people, and learn more here.
Dragonhearts
TTRPG about becoming a dragon and making out with fellow dragons. Yes, it’s that simple, and no I cannot explain any more. You’ll just have to read.
Sagebrush
Nearly my recommended game from page 3, you’ll explore an apocalyptic cult after they all committed suicide. It’s.. a lot. Read here.
Changeling
Visual novels are my jam, and so are YA fantasy fictions that go on extensive journeys. Best read comfy. More details here.
Highway Blossoms: Remastered
Cute girls do treasure hunting, and also explore their friendship (and maybe more ohohoho). Honestly just really wholesome. More info here.
Cardinal Chains
A monstrous amount of puzzles centred around numbers that do not decrease to fill the entire pattern. Try it out after reading here.
Death and Taxes
My actual recommendation for page 3, as you get to determine who dies to move up the underworld corporate ladder. My full thoughts on it here.
Speed Dating for Ghosts
The strangest dating game you’ll ever play, and you’ll somehow become super attached to one of them because of it. Only way to find out is here.
Lenna’s Inception
When the hero dies, who takes up the mantle? Apparently, you do, you the teacher. Good luck figuring out why everything’s broken. More here.
Quadrilateral Cowboy
A cyberpunk game involving hacking to the ultimate degree, where you’ll even hack yourself. See if it’s for you here.
MewnBase
Page 1 basebuilding on the moon as a cat. I don’t have a punchline, it’s just adorable. Blog about it here.
Fortune-499
Ancient magics meets corporate deadlines. Use your magic to defeat others at games of chance to succeed. More about it here.
Democratic Socialism Simulator
Find out that no matter how you run a country, there is no winning. Ever. Good luck trying to stem the bleeding! Blog on it here.
Sky Rogue
Island hopping and ship shooting, nothing can go wrong here. The third game of the entire Racial bundle. My thoughts on it here.
Gladiabots
Another page 1 game, but this one lets you bring out your inner child and have robots fight for you. Read about it here
Bleed 2
The sequel that showed up 4 pages earlier than the original in the Racial bundle, now is in the correct order for this one. Best hero saves the world again. Read here.
