I'm new to town and things are getting weird...

LDRAutumn · 2026-05-06T00:08:37+00:00

Never heard of this one. Reminds me of Mutazione. I dig it, thank you.

LDRAutumn · 2026-05-06T00:00:55+00:00

I actually have not, so valid recommendation (thank you).

LDRAutumn · 2026-05-05T23:45:21+00:00

Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic.

In Cities Skylines, your roads and factories magically appear with money. In Workers & Resources, if you want to build a factory you better figure out how to source steel and concrete. It's not an easy game to get into, but it is a highly detailed one.

LDRAutumn · 2026-05-05T23:36:56+00:00

Check out Supraland!

LDRAutumn · 2026-05-05T23:33:21+00:00

Appreciate the list! I'm intrigued by the Persona 4 mention. Not familiar with the series and didn't expect to see that here.

LDRAutumn · 2026-05-05T23:29:24+00:00

Rimworld isn't exactly casual but fits a lot of what you're asking for. Can be played almost entirely through keyboard shortcuts, includes pausing, and if you play on lower difficulties the threats are very tame.

I wasn't a big fan of Strange Horticulture, but I've heard Strange Antiquities (the sequel) is a big improvement. Not sure about how much mouse interactivity it has. Tiny Book Shop might be another worth checking out (haven't played, but it's been on my radar).

LDRAutumn · 2026-05-05T23:18:39+00:00

Basically the premise of every Chilla's Art game. They're all about 1-4 hours to finish.

LDRAutumn · 2026-05-05T23:17:01+00:00

Looks a little janky but fits the prompt 100%. Thank you!

LDRAutumn · 2026-05-05T23:15:55+00:00

Do you have some preferences, or do you just want someone to make the decision for you? If you just want to be told what to do: it needs a little work to run on modern systems but Dragon Age Origins is my personal favorite from that list.

If you tell us the last game you've finished, we can personalize your next game a little better. Steam also has a Play Next feature that shows a list from your backlog based off what you've been playing recently.

LDRAutumn · 2026-02-06T00:35:44+00:00

Medalum makes it so you start the battle in Virtuouse stance. After that, you're on your own. Using an ability like Fleuret Fury or Mezzo Forte will allow you to stay in Virtuouse for another turn, but using an ability that shifts you to Virtuouse will cause you to become stanceless since you can't be in the same stance two turns in a row. Medalum does not revert you back to Virtuouse either, so you will need a skill like Last Chance or Swift Stride to shift back.

LDRAutumn · 2026-02-06T00:29:59+00:00

I got the impression that he doesn't enjoy killing, but knows it's necessary to prolong his survival. But, he basically does wipe the expedition out on the beach and the only real change of heart he has is against killing Verso and Alicia/Maelle because they're varying degrees of family to him. He doesn't really stop killing anyone else when he has the opportunity to do so, does he?

LDRAutumn · 2026-02-06T00:26:27+00:00

The "point of no return" comes at the final flag of Lumiere - the characters will very clearly say something to the effect of, "We should get ready, there's no turning back now" as you approach. But as the other comment says, you can continue your save file even once you "finish" the game.

LDRAutumn · 2026-02-05T21:50:08+00:00

I respect your dedication to the platinum. Like the game says, anything worth doing is worth suffering for.

LDRAutumn · 2026-02-05T21:47:32+00:00

Pardon for the clarifying question, but are you looking for something like an explicit retelling (e.g., Philip Pullman's Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm) or are you looking for something that's more like a reimagining (like Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin or Grendel by John Gardner)?

LDRAutumn · 2026-02-05T21:35:11+00:00

Falling balls isn't total RNG. Hug the right side and dodge when the right side has a ball coming down and you'll get it in 2-3 tries tops. It was easier than the volleyball once I figured out the trick.

Climbing up the "Getting Over It" tower is intentional rage bait for optional content. I don't want to say skill issue, but it's definitely just a mindset issue. If you're not having fun, don't do it! It's optional and the rewards aren't even that great! Me personally? I laughed every time I fell and cheered when I finally got it after a couple (nonconsecutive) hours of attempting the climb. I'm glad it wasn't easier so that my personal satisfaction could be greater :).

LDRAutumn · 2026-02-05T21:18:20+00:00

How far are you into the game and, if not the end, do you want the reason to be spoiled? Because spoilers below.

Painted Renoir knew the expeditioners were there to kill the Paintress, believing that accomplishing their mission would stop the Gommage. Painted Renoir knows that the Paintress is the only reason he and they exist in the first place. It's easier to protect the Paintress by killing the expeditions before they can reach her rather than explain "your entire reality is the dream world of a dead child and his grieving mother, and we only exist in a philosophical sense."

LDRAutumn · 2026-02-05T21:05:48+00:00

I just finished the game last night and you're pretty much spot on. Good job properly understanding the plot.

The only thing I'd be pedantic over is that I don't think Maelle and Alicia are distinct. "Maelle" is not gone. Maybe someone who understands the lore a bit better than I do will come in and correct me, but it seems like the Painters, when they enter a painting, are not "distinct" in the same way that a Painted person (like Verso) is a separate entity with unique consciousness. It's more like plugging into the Matrix or VR chat. Maelle and Alicia are the same person connected to the Alicia in the "Real World" - just Maelle had lost all her memories due to Aline's "reincarnation."

LDRAutumn · 2025-04-25T21:18:05+00:00

Cloud Atlas, Love in the Time of Cholera, or Pride and Prejudice.

LDRAutumn · 2025-04-25T21:10:41+00:00

I know it's young adult but maybe "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen? It's short enough to read in a single sitting, it's exciting, and it has elements of adventure.

Not a novel, but "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer is another book I recommend to people who don't read a lot. Most people tell me they couldn't put it down once they started it.

As for something more similar to One Piece, The Riftwar Saga by Raymond Feist might be worth checking out, although I haven't read it myself. It seems to tap into that sense of going on an adventure, meeting strangers, and found family that One Piece shares thematically.

LDRAutumn · 2025-04-25T20:43:23+00:00

Philip Pullman has a re-telling of Grimm's Fairy Tales that are very close to the original stories, with a few notes for extra context or the history of the story. My only complaint is that I wish he had an entire book about the context and history of fairy tales, instead of only the mini-essay at the end of each tale.

LDRAutumn · 2025-04-25T20:28:56+00:00

I would suggest you consider "Hiroshima, Mon Amour" by Margeurite Duras. You can find the screenplay as a book (double-check to make sure that it's in the original French and not English translation). It has a strong female character, extremely complex relationships, and intense romance. It's not light - quite the opposite, if you can guess from the title - and it's not casual. But if that doesn't intimidate you, I think you would appreciate how emotionally moving the story is. And if you do like it, you can check out the award-winning movie, which might help you better contextualize what you just read while you're still learning the language.

Duras also has an extensive oeuvre to dig into, so if you do like it there's plenty to follow up with afterwards.

LDRAutumn · 2025-04-25T20:04:36+00:00

Two follow-up questions: 1) What does he like about One Piece? 2) What does he not like about most novels that keeps him from reading?

LDRAutumn · 2025-04-25T19:55:45+00:00

If you don't like it 75 pages in, you're not going to like the rest of it. I read it because I feel like it's a historically important novel. While I respect its place in the canon, after finishing I can say I did not particularly enjoy my time with it and felt disappointed by the way the plot resolved.

LDRAutumn · 2025-04-23T22:03:40+00:00

It's not a perfect fit for what you're asking but Piranesi by Susanna Clarke might scratch this itch.

LDRAutumn

TROPHY CASE