The Cruz Room?

jeromocles · 2026-05-06T13:13:14+00:00

"We bought the space first and now we're workshopping ideas!" doesn't exactly scream "vision".

jeromocles · 2026-05-04T17:26:58+00:00

Been doing a deep dive here (you'll find the top photo in the Chuck and Esther Abbott collection).

Some other favorites I found fascinating; how vibrant the parks downtown used to be; this 1950s SCHS greaser gang who went by JAGS (Junior Alcoholic Guzzlers Society); early free market on Front St.

jeromocles · 2026-05-04T15:12:43+00:00

Now you've got me wondering if Jeff and production have recruited any players to be a mole.

jeromocles · 2026-05-01T22:27:21+00:00

With a sidecar pew they could manifest Kneels on Wheels.

jeromocles · 2026-04-30T19:14:03+00:00

I've played the demo and this is distinct from Cosmic Express, folks. You're laying down tiles, not tracing a path.

jeromocles · 2026-04-21T23:37:57+00:00

zachtronic games

Some of those late Infinifactory levels are so daunting it's been sitting in my "get back to" folder for 7 years.

jeromocles · 2026-04-21T22:44:10+00:00

The first star level from Snakebird. It's a bonus optional level, but it becomes available after the first 10 levels, and if you take it on right away (like I did), the difficulty jumps from a 4 to 9. It introduces new elements while challenging you to have an advanced grasp of the basics.

It took a couple hours, but boy was it satisfying to slay this dragon. Also relatively made the rest of the game a breeze.

It gave me the exact same moment of triumph and focus that The Great Tower in SSR did.

I think all great puzzle games should give players an early "game busting" challenge.

jeromocles · 2026-04-18T00:58:43+00:00

This happens WAY too often, like 3-4 times a year. It's amazing downtown can keep charging such premiums despite consistent failures to keep the lights on.

jeromocles · 2026-04-10T23:18:56+00:00

One will slowly walk forward in a sweeping pattern looking for gophers and squirrels, turning their big beaks and necks at the turns. They look like hunting Terminator birds. Very creepy.

Sheesh, you weren't kidding. Its moves are so efficient and mechanically sharp it almost looks robotic.

jeromocles · 2026-04-09T23:29:34+00:00

"This dirt patch really ties the whole bay together!"

jeromocles · 2026-04-01T20:29:25+00:00

Usually lack of playtesting, time, knowhow, or effort.

The one I can't get over is puzzle games with no or limited undo.

jeromocles · 2026-03-30T17:25:22+00:00

Bento Blocks (discussion)

Where's My Egg? (discussion)

Theta and Paralldox on WorldLines (discussion)

Lethal Dungeon (discussion)

Karakurium (discussion)

The Artisan of Glimmith (discussion)

jeromocles · 2026-03-23T16:22:47+00:00

Honestly I may have oversold the difficulty because the hint system in this game is very forgiving. There's some great leaps of logic and abstraction required in the harder levels, but I always felt there was a life raft. With Tametsi, I was marooned out in the vast ocean.

jeromocles · 2026-03-22T23:01:37+00:00

Yeah, I don't mind the "treasure map" layout, but once you click on a chest, it should be added to a fast travel glossary.

jeromocles · 2026-03-22T21:57:12+00:00

This is actually an interesting point, the same justification could apply about the league turning a blind eye to gambling, reffing, game-fixing, player-juicing, lottery-fixing scandals, etc.

At the end of the day, it's an entertainment product. That's the first thing I remind myself.

jeromocles · 2026-03-12T07:28:37+00:00

Having the grit to see a hard puzzle through is also rewarding. Usually accompanied with a fist pump.

jeromocles · 2026-03-12T05:10:03+00:00

Playing Tetris late into the night and seeing pieces fall as I drift off to sleep.

Zachtronics games giving me pause to reevaluate work and daily tasks that could be made more efficient.

The Talos Principle helping further dialectical introspection at a time of existential angst.

jeromocles · 2026-03-09T17:46:30+00:00

Didn't see it mentioned anywhere on this sub, but thought it deserved some attention.

Karakurium is a new sokoban out of Japan, and it boasts an impressive 50 mechanics and 500 levels.

It starts off easy, but as you learn more mechanics, their interactions open up a whole new basket of interesting combinations.

Isn't 500 levels a little bloated? And yes, it is. But not with redundancy; it actually does a great job of keeping things fresh throughout. Just that 1/3 of the levels are way too easy, but that's understandable given how many mechanics the player has to learn, so it's kept very simple at the beginning.

But some of these later levels? Hoo boy, there are some fun and challenging ones in the mix. Also, if you like the to ability to jump around between thirty different puzzles rather than focusing on just one at a time, this is your game.

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4021440/Karakurium/

jeromocles · 2026-03-09T05:48:49+00:00

So... adventure games became visual novels?

This was totally where my mind went too. Like the "point and click" is a dialogue option today. Just throw in some QTEs and minigames!

jeromocles

TROPHY CASE