Medieval bestiary style illustration of a green elephant with towers on its back, attacked by an armed duck protecting its eggs and knights climbing its back with a ladder.

Got to admit, I'm very proud of how my bestiary-style "elephant" turned out. (you really should play Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts, it's amazing) @yazagames.com

Mother, help me, there’s a head attached to my neck and I’m in it.

My companions now include: a dromad caravan, a Naphtali band, a horde of baboons, a couple of wardens, "pope" Eschelstadt, a legendary twoheaded pig pariah, a lethal rocking chair and a clone of myself

My entire Sunday is dedicated to amassing as many companions in Caves of Qud as possible

@malicedafirenze.bsky.social

Italian Horror Trilogy | Trailer [GOG] YouTube video by GOG

Get HORSES, Mediterranea Inferno, and Saturnalia together for $18/16€ until next week www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qYh...

Maybe doing the demiurge's work (since it's partly inspired by Gnosticism)

Actually exactly the kind of story I'm working on at the moment 👀

Absolutely 🐐

Fucking disgusting

😂

The Gnostic Dystopia of NORCO This is the 3rd article in the Video Game Cosmology series. Read the intro here, and the first piece on Gnostic influences in games here. If you like my work, consider supporting me on Patreon! Spoile...

I also wrote this piece on Gnostic influences in games btw, and I'm pretty sure it's not going to be the last one :)

www.mashxtomuse.com/the-gnostic-...

That's really cool, just added the game to my wishlist!

Thanks! I love how the connection is both subtle enough to miss but at the same time deep enough to write several thousand words on.

Haha thank you! 🤓

This wonderful article by Andreas is a must-read if you enjoyed Hob's Barrow, do check it out! (Beware spoilers!!)

Great folk horror game with a lot of fascinating historical depth! I wrote an in-depth article about its Gnostic influences a while ago (beware spoilers!)

www.mashxtomuse.com/the-gnostic-...

This one screen contains more character than 90% of RPGs created since the early 2000s

Inventory screen from Banquet for Fools

Here I am, mourning the tactile, ornamental, skeuomorphic user interfaces of classic CRPGs like I always do, when suddenly, Banquet for Fools comes along with absolutely stunning screens like this 🤯

Banquet For Fools review Pen and paper at the ready.

My Banquet for Fools review's now live on @pcgamer.com! This is a delightfully strange and beautifully immersive RPG that really makes you believe your little party's exploring an only lightly-tamed land packed with danger and secrets:

www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/ba...

Banquet for Fools on Steam The Pavura needs four volunteers to solve the mystery of an abandoned village. Answer the call to adventure in this party-based beat ‘em up RPG!

If Baldur's Gate 1 meets Morrowind meets The Dark Crystal sounds interesting to you, you should REALLY give Banquet for Fools by @hannahjosephrpg.bsky.social a go. I'm like 20 hours in and I feel like I have only scratched the surface of a really amazing RPG.

store.steampowered.com/app/3172700/...

Great folk horror game with a lot of fascinating historical depth! I wrote an in-depth article about its Gnostic influences a while ago (beware spoilers!)

www.mashxtomuse.com/the-gnostic-...

'Few games capture the spirit of indie game development quite like VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action. What initially started out as a short game for a Cyberpunk Game Jam back in 2014, soon became a standout indie hit. VA-11 Hall-A delivers a heartfelt story of happiness in the depths of disaster, draped in a unique cyberpunk aesthetic and set to a distinctive synthwave soundtrack to match. It’s a truly remarkable visual novel, and the perfect choice for our Design Works range. Produced in collaboration with Sukeban Games and Ysbryd, VA-11 Hall-A: Design Works explores the corrupt metropolis of Glitch City, its culture, and the people who frequent the game’s beloved hole in the wall, VA-11 Hall-A. Written by talented journalist and author Ashley Schofield (Polygon, EDGE, Unwinnable and VGC), you’ll hear how this world came to be and the cyberpunk touchstones that inspired it — all the while lending insight into the history of Venezuela, where the team is located, and the unique challenges of developing a game there. VA-11 Hall-A: Design Works will be a celebration of this beautiful indie masterpiece, and the people that made it all possible. Alongside contemporary interviews with writer/programmer Fernando Damas and artist/designer Christopher Ortiz conducted exclusively for VA-11 Hall-A: Design Works, the book also features a collection of highlights from the ‘Daily VA-11 Hall-A’ blog posts directly from Sukeban.moe. You can also expect deep dives into the development of the game’s prototype and prologue; the bartending mechanics that put you in the shoes of disaster bisexual bartender Jill Stingray, and interviews exploring its iconic synthwave soundtrack/jukebox with composer Michael Kelly. VA-11 Hall-A: Design Works features detailed insight into the game’s early concepts and development, an exploration of Glitch City itself, and a deep dive into the programming, art and soundtrack — an unmissable read for any fan.'

A magazine cover of Unwinnable Monthly #191, with the feature being my essay 'I Don't Want To Be This Kind of Animal Anymore' and art by Shafer Brown. An excerpt reads: In the dark times, should the stars also go out? 'Revachol is still. Silent. Decades of unrest, corruption and capital gain have reduced it to a shell of a city. And yet, under these sullen skies, a miracle is happening. The limbed and headed machine of pain and undignified suffering is firing up again.'

My review of Hollow Knight: Silksong for Video Games Chronicle. 'Hollow Knight: Silksong review: A game that intends to make you suffer, even to its own detriment. Team Cherry’s sequel has a clear mission statement, but doesn’t seem to consider the consequences. 3/5 stars.'

My review of Demonschool for Rock Paper Shotgun, included in RPS' Bestest Bests category. 'Demonschool review Saturday morning carcasses.'

hey, i'm looking for work! full-time or freelance 💜

journalist, critic, author
proficient in features, criticism, reporting, reviews, previews, news, guides

words at lost in cult, RPS, VGC, unwinnable, gamesradar+, polygon, EDGE, PLAY

muckrack.com/ash-like-a-d...
ashleyschofieldwrites@gmail.com

Isn't it kinda fucked up that people want discreet packaging if they order some sex toys but don't feel embarrassed that all the neighbors can see when they get a parcel from Amazon?

SURVIVAL HORROR IN THE ALPS FFS!

No AI slop in my game... For your consideration: Mundaun - a lovingly hand-pencilled horror tale.
It's at 93% positive on Steam. It's on a steep sale right now.

All human made. Sound. Voice acting in a language I don't even speak!

BUY IT -> SUPPORT HUMAN (me)

It's a brutal game but also more forgiving than I thought it would be. Going in with trashy gear and getting out with some decent loot is not that hard as long as you run as fast as you can the moment you hear another player's footsteps. Not exactly dignified, but it works.

Tried Marathon on a whim mostly because I liked the vibes and heard the people behind Caves of Qud consulted on it. Most multiplayer online games aren't for me, but I'm surprised by how much fun I've been having so far pestering other players with my thieving drone and dying in stupid ways.

Breath of the Wild und Super Mario World 3D lohnen sich wirklich sehr. Bayonetta 2 will ich auch mal nachholen.

Happy Birthday, Mash X to Muse! 🎂

In meinem Fall sind's fast 9 Jahre, die ich den Blog schon kenne. Ganze 12 Mal empfahl ich Artikel von dort in unserer Lesenswert-Rubrik.

Sich umschauen lohnt sich!

Aw, vielen Dank für den Birthday-Boost und die vielen Empfehlungen! 🫶 Schon krass, schon ganze neun Jahre