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The Operator (PC) by dkirschner (Feb 26th, 2026 at 11:33:01)

This game is SO COOL! Like, must play. It was a random freebie from Epic last summer that sounded interesting. I'd never heard of it. It's got a sort of Orwell feel, but is its own thing. You play as Evan Tanner, a new Operator at the FDI (basically the FBI). Operators have access to FDI databases and their job is to retrieve information for FDI agents in the field. So, an FDI agent will be working a case, find some evidence, call an Operator and ask them to ID someone, for example.

It's basically a detective game. You respond to agent queries by going through text/audio/video files, puzzling out how to get information and how to solve various problems. But an intriguing mystery quickly emerges. A mysterious hacker contacts you. There is a mole in the FDI. There are interlocking cases with a few different field agents. An unidentified killer. A cover-up. You end up doing way more than just reading through files to find information, but you interact with agents over the phone helping them through dangerous situations like guiding them through defusing a bomb or helping them break into buildings. It's really exciting!

The writing is solid. The voice acting can be a little corny, but it does the job. There are some really funny parts. In one part, you are trying to get an FDI employee away from their computer, so you call them and pretend to be IT. This is the kind of employee who would fall for a phishing attempt or have their identity stolen. You call and are like, "Hi I'm...Mike...Smith...from IT." She replies, "Hmm...I don't know a Mike Smith in IT. It says here on the caller ID that you're Evan Tanner, an Operator." "Well, I don't know about that. I'm Mike Smith." "Hmmm...then why does it say you're an Operator?" "Because...I'm...also an Operator! Yeah, that's it...Operators sometimes also help with IT." "Hmmmm. I thought Operators just worked with agents? I don't know about this. But...okay, what do you need me to do." "Just leave the room and I'll take care of it." "Hmmm...how long will this take?" "It shouldn't take but a few minutes!" "If it'll just take a few minutes, then I'll sit here and read my magazine." "Actually...It will take a long time." "But you just said it would take a few minutes. This is suspicious!" "No, yeah, it will definitely take like an hour." "Hmm....Okay, I'll leave, but I don't like this!" It was a really funny interaction and reminded me of those information security videos you have to watch for work. There were a few other parts that made me laugh too.

Also, a nod to the minimalist visuals outside the Operator screen. The sound design is great, too. I was able to guess a solution to one puzzle immediately because I had heard what the inside of a particular apartment sounded like a few times. That was cool.

The downsides I can think of are: (1) the bomb puzzle had some confusing terminology; (2) the part where you guide someone through a floor of a building was silly, as if someone couldn't walk through a small office floor and find the stairs on their own (there would be signs!); (3) I'm not sure your choices really matter.

So yeah, this surprised me. I loved it. There is a sequel in development! Hopefully it's longer and more involved, perhaps with some branching narrative (this game was just a few hours).

This entry has been edited 1 time. It was last edited on Feb 26th, 2026 at 11:35:29.

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Samorost 3 (PC) by dkirschner (Feb 25th, 2026 at 15:23:45)

I gave up on this one. The puzzles become really obtuse. There is a hint system, which helped me get through a couple tough ones. In the end, I either came up against a puzzle that stumped me or my game has a bug. The internet suggests it is the latter, but you never know. The puzzle in question is about 2/3 through the game and it is plant-related. You acquire three different types of flowers and have to cross-pollinate them to breed different types, eventually spawning a mandrake. I combined flowers in various ways as I experimented, but reached a genetic dead end and needed to get the original flowers again to start over. The problem is that I could not get flowers to regrow. I was actually able to do this once, but the second time, I could not. I turned the game on and off, as per the internet's suggestion, reloaded, and so on. Nothing. No available flowers and I couldn't "undo" what I had done. Frustrating!

Aside from the obtuse puzzles and likely bug, I was enjoying Samorost 3. It is an Amanita Design game through and through, although I found that it lacked the charm of some of their other games. It wasn't as funny as Chuchel or as disturbing as Happy Game or as whimsical as some of the others. Perhaps it's because this is an older one (2016) and the third in a series of still older ones. Nevertheless, it had that great Amanita Design art and sound design, and there was joy in poking and prodding at things in the environment to see what they did.

You play as a little alien guy who gets a space ship and flies around to different planets, solving puzzles. I think in the end you are defeating some big evil baddie that is wrecking all the planets. Not quite sure because I didn't get there, but there was some exposition in the beginning that suggests this is where it's headed. I'll just assume that the little alien guy (is its name Samorost?) saves the day. Hooray! We did it!

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Peter Jackson's King Kong Official Game of the Movie (PC) by Gabin B (Feb 24th, 2026 at 10:51:32)

Première session : arrivée sur l'île et disparition de Ann (40 min)

Conditions de jeu : PC, clavier souris, matin, lumière forte.
Etat : Fatigue.

Récit :

Grâce à une introduction courte mais efficace, montée à partir des images du film, nous embarquons dans ce récit d'exploration.

Dans les années 1930, à New York, un réalisateur en quête de son grand oeuvre, Carl Denham tente un coup de poker pour produire son plus grand film. Il achète une carte mystérieuse, embauche un équipage, quelques acteurs et navigue vers une île jamais cartographiée.

L'arrivée sur l'île se fait dans le désastre le plus total : les membres de l'équipage sont séparés du fait des courants violents, tandis que d'autres perdent la vie avec d'atteindre la côte.

Une fois sur l'île, notre avatar, Jack Driscoll, prend en main la survie du petit groupe restant, composé de Jack, Ann, Hayes et Carl, le réalisateur dérangé et coupé du monde. Avec des dialogues constants, nous dressons rapîdement le portrait des différents personnages.
Accompagné des rescapés, nous découvrons bien vite que cette île est plus cauchemardesque que paradisiaque : des crabes gigantesques, des scolopendres immenses, des scorpions géants, des rapaces ailés anthropophages, etc. Tout semble avoir grandi dans la démesure et développé un instinct de prédation.
Plus perturbant encore, une civilisation semble avoir vécu (vivre?) sur cette île, en témoigne des mécanismes de facture humaine suffisamment bien entretenus.

Nous perdons rapidement la sécurité du groupe pour nous retrouver scindés : Hayes et Carl, Jack et Ann.

Dans un moment de vulnérabilité total, notre avatar se retrouve face à face avec les étranges habitants de l'île. Pas de dialogue ici, uniquement un coup violent sur le crâne et un évanouissement en prime. A notre réveil, nous sommes attachés face à un gouffre immense, les cris de Ann nous sortent de notre torpeur : elle est maintenue captive sur ce qui ressemble à un autel sacrificiel. Des tambours résonnent. Un choeur s'emballe. Scande un même mot "Kong".
Surgit alors de la jungle un singe immense qui s'approche d'Ann effrayée. Il la saisit et s'enfuit plus profondément dans l'île. Commence alors un voyage pour la rejoindre.

Jouabilité :

Transmission sans HUD, scriptage du regard, survie et efficacité, alliés et dialogue.

La jouabilité (sur PC) accuse toutefois le poids des années, il semble que les conventions du genre FPS n'étaient pas encore complètement établie; il faut ainsi presser la barre espace pour sortir son arme, puis presser le clic droit pour viser, il en résulte des contorsions sur le clavier, auxquelles on finit bien par s'habituer.

Toutefois, il faut reconnaître une grande efficacité de cette jouabilité une fois prise en main. La possibilité de posséder une arme à feu et de saisir une lance à tout moment nous place dans une tension constante entre le moyen le plus efficace et celui le plus économe dans la pure veine du Survival Horror. Nous nous retrouvons souvent face à des dilemmes entre une arme puissante avec peu de munitions ou une arme plus faible entièrement chargée.
Ces micro-choix dans la jouabilité apporte une réelle charge stratégique qui nous impliquent dans la survie.

Notons une absence total d'ATH (interface) en jeu, ce qui renforce encore une fois notre attention à l'ambiance et à notre environnement : nous ne portons pas notre regard vers une minicarte ou vers des curseurs, nous cherchons activement les menaces à partir de nos sens. Pour palier ce manque d'informations, notre personnage énonce régulièrement les actions nécessaires et imminentes : nombre de balles restantes, nombre de chargeurs restants, nécessité de recharger.
Mention spéciale pour le doublage français de Jack qui retranscrit parfaitement la tension vécue.

Le jeu propose quelques puzzles (chercher des leviers) qui se résolvent rapidement et nous forcent généralement à déclencher des scripts. Ces puzzles ont donc pour fonction d'agir comme des embrayeurs vers des séquences plus importantes comme des dialogues ou des affrontements.

Il est possible de centrer la caméra sur un allié pour s'informer de son état ou pour échanger une arme avec lui. Cette mécanique, aussi simple qu'elle soit, donne une consistance aux membres du groupe. Grâce à cette mécanique, nous portons notre attention sur nos alliés, non plus seulement pour les secourir, mais aussi dans une logique stratégique et affective.
Les alliés peuvent également être tués par des ennemis, il faut alors rapidement les protéger pour éviter leur mort imminente. Dans ces rares cas, une musique se déclenche : elle retranscrirait à la fois le sentiment d'urgence (fonction émotionnelle) tout en apportant des informations ludiques (game over imminent).

Enfin, lors de certaines séquences, le jeu nous force à prendre un point de vue (parallèle intéressant avec le film de de Carl). En tournant des leviers, notre regard croise une horde en approche. Pour protéger Ann, nous découvrons que les scolopendres surgissent des failles et interstices.
Ainsi, plusieurs séquences fonctionnent comme des goulots d'étranglements : elles réduisent notre répertoire d'action et notre fenêtre de perception pour s'assurer que nous portions notre attention vers un événément important.

Musique et effets sonores :

La musique du jeu est en retrait, voire absente durant la majorité de l'expérience. Remarquons la poussée d'un chant dramatique à l'approche de la mort de notre personnage (synchronisée avec un brouillage de l'écran).

Les effets sonores participent ici encore au sentiment de malaise et d'angoisse que procurent Skull Island. Nous entendons les fougères s'écarter, des scolopendres grouiller. Constamment sur le qui-vive, nous écontons chaque son, qui deviennent porteur d'informations ludiques.

-----------------------------------------

First Session: Arrival on the Island and Ann’s Disappearance (40 min)

Play conditions: PC, keyboard and mouse, morning, strong daylight.
State: Fatigue.

Narrative:

Thanks to a short but effective introduction, edited from footage from the film, we are drawn into this tale of exploration.

In 1930s New York, a director in search of his masterpiece, Carl Denham, takes a gamble to produce his greatest film. He purchases a mysterious map, hires a crew and a few actors, and sails toward an uncharted island.

The arrival on the island unfolds in complete disaster: members of the crew are separated by violent currents, while others lose their lives before even reaching the shore.

Once on the island, our avatar, Jack Driscoll, takes charge of the survival of the small remaining group, composed of Jack, Ann, Hayes, and Carl—the unhinged director cut off from the world. Through constant dialogue, we quickly form a portrait of the different characters.

Accompanied by the survivors, we soon discover that this island is far more nightmarish than paradisiacal: gigantic crabs, enormous centipedes, giant scorpions, cannibalistic winged predators, and more. Everything seems to have grown beyond proportion and developed a predatory instinct.

Even more disturbing, a civilization appears to have lived (or still lives?) on this island, as evidenced by human-made mechanisms that remain surprisingly well maintained.

We quickly lose the safety of the group and become split: Hayes and Carl on one side, Jack and Ann on the other.

In a moment of total vulnerability, our avatar finds himself face to face with the island’s strange inhabitants. There is no dialogue—only a violent blow to the head and immediate unconsciousness. When we awaken, we are tied up in front of an immense chasm. Ann’s screams pull us from our stupor: she is being held captive on what resembles a sacrificial altar. Drums resound. A chorus swells, chanting a single word: “Kong.”

From the jungle emerges a colossal ape who approaches the terrified Ann. He seizes her and disappears deeper into the island. A journey to rescue her begins.

Gameplay:

HUD-less transmission, scripted gaze, survival and efficiency, allies and dialogue.

The gameplay (on PC) shows its age. It seems that FPS conventions were not yet fully standardized: one must press the space bar to draw a weapon, then right-click to aim. This results in awkward hand contortions on the keyboard, though one eventually adapts.

However, once mastered, the system proves highly effective. The ability to carry a firearm while also picking up a spear at any moment places us in constant tension between the most efficient option and the most economical one, in the pure tradition of survival horror. We frequently face dilemmas between a powerful weapon with scarce ammunition and a weaker weapon that is fully loaded.

These micro-choices in gameplay create a genuine strategic weight that directly involves us in the struggle for survival.

Notably, there is a complete absence of a HUD (interface), which further reinforces our attention to atmosphere and environment: we are not glancing at a minimap or status bars; instead, we actively search for threats using our senses. To compensate for this lack of visible information, our character regularly vocalizes necessary and imminent actions: remaining bullets, number of magazines left, the need to reload.

Special mention should be made of the French voice acting for Jack, which perfectly conveys the experienced tension.

The game includes a few puzzles (mainly searching for levers), which are resolved quickly and generally function as triggers for scripted sequences. These puzzles therefore act as connectors leading into more significant events such as dialogues or combat encounters.

It is possible to center the camera on an ally to assess their condition or exchange weapons with them. This mechanic, simple as it may be, gives substance to the members of the group. Through it, we pay attention to our allies not only to rescue them, but also within a strategic and affective logic.

Allies can also be killed by enemies, and they must be protected quickly to prevent their imminent death. In these rare instances, music begins to play: it conveys both a sense of urgency (emotional function) and ludic information (an imminent game over).

Finally, during certain sequences, the game forces us to adopt a specific point of view (an interesting parallel with Carl’s filmmaking perspective). While turning levers, our gaze meets an approaching horde. In order to protect Ann, we discover that the centipedes emerge from cracks and crevices.

Thus, several sequences function as bottlenecks: they reduce our repertoire of actions and narrow our perceptual window to ensure that our attention is directed toward a significant event.

Music and Sound Effects:

The game’s music remains subdued, even absent, for most of the experience. Notably, a dramatic choral surge occurs as our character approaches death (synchronized with visual screen distortion).

Sound effects strongly contribute to the sense of unease and anxiety produced by Skull Island. We hear ferns parting, centipedes crawling. Constantly on edge, we listen to every sound, which becomes a carrier of ludic information.

This entry has been edited 4 times. It was last edited on Feb 24th, 2026 at 14:30:25.

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Fractured Minds (PC) by dkirschner (Feb 23rd, 2026 at 16:49:37)

Ranking the three short games about mental health I played this afternoon, this is the bottom. It started off interesting, trying to get out of a room with tons of keys but only one works, figuring out how to progress through a room with a birthday party. But you realize that the solutions are all trial-and-error and that it doesn't have anything too deep to say about mental health / depression / anxiety. It's basically a little PSA. Other games tackle this theme far better. Also I got nausea while playing, so add this to the list with Ghostrunner, Far Cry...3?...and a few others! I feel like I'm going to barf...ugh.

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Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk (PC) by dkirschner (Feb 23rd, 2026 at 16:16:25)

Played just after the first one. This one adds a little bit of production value. Now we get some animated scenes, some clearer visuals, some more variety in the music and sound effects, and it's about 4 times as long.

Story continues where the first one leaves off. It's still weird, more surreal, more horror-ish, and more to the point about taking anti-psychotics (or not). You play, again, as the character's inner voice, which can be rational, empathetic, and/or cruel to her. She can't sleep, she hallucinates, she goes on and off her meds. She's lonely. Her mom is perhaps violent toward her. Unclear, as she is obviously an unreliable narrator. She also exhibits symptoms of OCD, and is perhaps on the spectrum. It gives a glimpse inside the mind of someone with a variety of disordered thoughts. Not sure exactly what it's trying to "say," but it was interesting to play through.

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