NO-SKIN

Super cool story, amazing atmosphere, vibes

A peak roguelike. Definitely worth the price.

Fantastic game with an incredible surreal and oppressive atmosphere.

good game, buy it and play it

[h1] tl;dr: 9/10 [/h1] Very unique game with a very gripping, macabre atmosphere that really grabs you. The mechanics are fundamentally basic, but have quite a bit of hidden depth to them and are overall balanced well. And of course, the mysterious ambience of it all is the main draw, and delivers in spades... So if you like the idea of a somber rogue-like RPG and don't mind a (purposefully) messy plot, I strongly encourage you to play it. I didn't regret giving it a shot and exploring it from A to Z. [h2] Graphics: 9/10 [/h2] The pixel art is simple and on point. It does a great job of selling the atmosphere the game is going for, and is often dark and bloody without feeling unnecessarily gory, owing to the abstract nature of a lot of it. The dev understands that "less is more", and manages to convey powerful imagery with (mostly) static graphics. The UI, the character designs, the animations, the various visual surprises the game has in store... It all works. I won't spoil anything, but while the game doesn't do anything truly groundbreaking, it goes places graphically, and I was here for it. If you vibe with the game's artstyle at first glance, you'll definitely love what you'll get. [h2]Sound Design: 9/10 [/h2] Just like the graphics: on point. Sound effects are sparsely but judiciously used, and they have all the more impact for it, and are never noisy or in-your-face, except in some choice, purposeful occasions. Similarly, the music is typically low-key, slow-paced, and grave, almost always lurking in the background, sometimes surreptitious, but always present. Again, it fits the game's tone perfectly. While it's very unlikely that you'll be listening to the OST for your personal enjoyment, the vibe of it all will definitely stay with you. [h2]Gameplay/Game Design: 8.5/10 [/h2] The game mechanics are fundamentally basic, but the more you play, and the more of the game's main and side content you unveil, the more you reveal some truly unexpected depths to it all. Many moments had me at the edge of my seat, holding my breath as I was navigating my way through the scene. Once more, no spoilers, but again, it goes places, and I was here for it. Gameplay-wise, I enjoyed growing more familiar with the game, its mechanics, and its secrets. There's real enjoyment in tackling growing difficulty and overcoming it in various ways, rolling with the punches as you go. On the negative aspects, I'd say that the RNG sometimes felt frustrating, but hey, that's RNG for you. At least, it never was to the point that I was fed up with the game and had to force myself to keep playing. I'll also say, however, that if you want to 100% this game's hidden content and Achievements, getting all the way there gets a bit grindy... But overall, my playtime was 28 hours and I'm not a very fast player, so it's not like it was egregious either. [h2]Writing: 8.5/10 [/h2] Probably where my feelings are the most mixed. Obviously, it's hard to say why without spoiling, but suffice to say that the storytelling is messy, bizarre, often abstract... Which is very much the intent! There's unquestionably a whole "fever dream" aspect to the whole game; a surreal, nightmarish atmosphere that pervades it all, and which you may or may not gel with. But as far as I'm concerned, I know that I can be very critical of writing, and I enjoyed myself through the whole ride, so there's that. I can say, at least, that the dev really nails having a vibe of their own and rolling with it. Sure, it can often get confusing or turn into something like navel-gazing, but honestly, I didn't mind too much. Like, there were moments where I rolled my eyes a bit, but nothing that ever really made me feel like my engagement wasn't respected. I think I see what the dev was going for, and I accept it. [h2] Conclusion: 9/10 [/h2] NO-SKIN was a purposefully bizarre, messy, and surrealistic experience, and one that I enjoyed from beginning to end. I believe the dev really deserves attention, and I'll be sure to have a look at their other games. I hope you'll feel like playing this one and will be enjoying it too! It's only $7 (possibly even less if you get it on a sale), which is honestly kind of a steal, so I'd encourage you to go for it if what you're seeing and reading sparks your interest.

peak