WJ.10: The Games I Like (Volume 1)

The weekly newsletter has surprisingly persisted for two months, writing timely and adequately to the 10th issue. Let's give ourselves a round of applause~

I have organized a data sheet that includes all the products, games, and articles I have recommended, and I will continue to update it: Airing - Best Product; additionally, I have also created a collection form. If you have products you would like to recommend, feel free to fill out the form, and I will share it with everyone. After all, good things are meant to be shared!

You can also scan the code to fill out the form:

Games I Like (Volume 1)#

The following rankings are in no particular order.

1. Undertale#

You refuse to harm anyone.
Even if you choose to run away,
You wear a smile on your face.

Chinese Name: 传说之下
Platform: Steam / Nintendo Switch
Duration: 6 hours (first playthrough)
Genre: Pixel art, RPG, Story, Music
Theme: Warmth (or evil?) / Touching
Awards: Countless

Plot Summary:

Long ago, the Earth was equally ruled by two races: humans and monsters. One day, the drums of war shattered the peace between them; under the near-genocidal invasion of humans, humans emerged victorious. Humans drove monsters into the underground world and set up a powerful magical barrier with the help of seven sorcerers, trapping the monsters underground. People can enter the underworld through Mount Ebott, but at least one human and one monster soul are needed to leave the underworld. Before the story begins, no human has ever left the underworld alive, leading to rumors of climbers going to Mount Ebott never returning.

Monsters are ruled by Asgore Dreemurr in the underground world. When monsters die, their bodies immediately turn to ash, leaving no soul or corpse behind. The souls of monsters are far weaker than those of humans.

I have written a review of this game; it was also my first answer on Zhihu. To avoid spoiling it for everyone, I won't post the review link. This is a very touching story, and the music is incredibly outstanding. After playing through, it feels like I wasn't playing a game but rather walking through a kind, warm life. Four years later, I can still remember their faces and voices, as well as the adventures I experienced with them.

This is undoubtedly a perfect game.

PS. Some battles are quite difficult and not very friendly to casual players, but I still don't recommend looking up guides during your first playthrough. The Switch version is a bit pricey and lacks Chinese, so I recommend buying the Steam version.

2. To the Moon#

What if you forget, or get lost?
Then we will always meet on the moon.

Chinese Name: 去月球
Platform: Steam / iOS / Android
Duration: 3 hours
Genre: Pixel art, Story, Music, Indie
Theme: Love, Memory, Life

Plot Summary:

In the world of "To the Moon," there exists a service that allows people on the brink of death to fulfill their wishes by altering their memories. Since this artificial memory is permanent, it conflicts with the patient's real memories when they wake up, which is why this technology can only be applied to those who are dying.

The story begins with two employees of the Sigmund Corporation, Dr. Eva Rosalene and Dr. Neil Watts, preparing to fulfill the dying wish of Johnny Wiles: to go to the moon, even though Johnny does not know why he wants to go there. The two doctors enter Johnny's memories, retracing time through significant items in his life. They witness some important moments in Johnny's memories and gradually understand the reasons behind his current tragic situation. When the two doctors finally reach Johnny's childhood, they attempt to instill the wish to go to the moon in Johnny's heart, creating a new life and memories based on this wish, so that Johnny dies without any regrets.

However, not everything goes according to plan; the doctors discover that Johnny's wish, past, and his deceased wife, River, hold great mysteries. As time ticks away, Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts must uncover Johnny's past secrets before he passes away and do whatever it takes to send him to the moon.

"To the Moon" is also a very touching story. Notably, the music, plot, programming, and art were all completed by the author alone! The music is incredibly beautiful; I have downloaded many songs to listen to separately. The plot is also top-notch, entirely suitable for adaptation into a movie. It is said that a second part will be released, but I am not looking forward to it because the ending of this one is already perfect.

This is a game, a good story, a pure love. If life could start over, I would still choose to love you. I believe that all of this will teach you the meaning of "love."

PS. I personally think the collection aspect of this game is not well designed; if you really can't find something, it's better to look up a guide, so the collection part doesn't disrupt your story experience~

3. Don't Starve (Together)#

Chinese Name: 饥荒 & 饥荒联机版
Platform: Steam / WeGame / iOS
Duration: ∞
Genre: RPG, Cooperative, Survival

Plot Summary:

The story of "Don't Starve" tells of a scientist named Wilson who is transported to a wilderness in another world by a demon. He must use his wits to survive in the harsh wilderness. In "Don't Starve," players must utilize the natural resources of the other world to survive and fend off various threats from the creatures of that world.

The game is very fun and has high replayability, especially the multiplayer version, which I used to play with friends. I think this game is more enjoyable when played together; if you only play the single-player version, it leans more towards survival, which can be a bit lonely.

PS. New players should look up a guide first; otherwise, you'll experience various deaths, which can ruin the gaming experience…

4. Darkest Dungeon#

Chinese Name: 暗黑地牢
Platform: Steam / Nintendo Switch / iOS
Genre: RPG, Survival, Strategy, Turn-based, Cthulhu-themed, Roguelike
Duration: ∞

Plot Summary:

"Darkest Dungeon" is a turn-based RPG game with a Roguelike style featuring permanent death mechanics. In the game, a noble lord accidentally digs up a portal that continuously spews out monsters, triggering a series of tragedies. As a distant relative of the lord, the burden of restoring the family’s territory and reputation falls on the player, who must recruit various heroes to form an adventure team to cleanse the dungeons filled with terrifying monsters.

There are many professions to choose from, and the random events are particularly realistic and interesting. Even on normal difficulty, it is already quite challenging, but this game is fun precisely because of its difficulty~

In the game, players must recruit a variety of bizarre heroes, manage their quirks and abilities, and then form teams to raid dungeons filled with terrifying monsters. What makes it "different" is that it deliberately does not focus on the growth and leveling up of heroes; instead, players must face the diseases and quirks that heroes acquire, and most importantly, the pressure system that can drive them insane or even kill them at any moment. Simply put, in this game, the primary enemy is not the grotesque monsters but rather each character's inner demons.

PS. The late-game experience is not particularly good; the iOS version reportedly has many bugs. Although the Switch version is much more expensive than Steam, this type of game is definitely more enjoyable on a handheld console~

5. Lost Castle#

Chinese Name: 失落地堡
Platform: Steam
Genre: Action Adventure, Side-scrolling, Roguelike, RPG
Duration: 1-2 hours (per run)

Plot Summary: Not important

This game is also more fun when played with friends; I used to play it often with friends, and it’s not addictive since each run only takes about an hour~ Although it’s a dungeon game, it somehow has a cute art style… It is said that this game was created by students living in a dormitory at South China University of Technology, and it’s really amazing!

6. The Stanley Parable#

Making a choice is choosing freedom.

Chinese Name: 史丹利的寓言
Platform: Steam
Genre: First-person, Story, Multiple endings, Adventure
Theme: Philosophy, Life, Freedom
Awards: Many

Plot Summary:

Through the analysis of the narration, the protagonist lives in a virtual network where his thoughts are controlled, leading a repetitive life in reality, going between home and work, yet his thoughts remain trapped in the system.

The narrator controls everything, perhaps for a scientific experiment or some other undisclosed purpose, or maybe it’s just a game.

This game has no difficulty; it is purely a story, but there are a total of 22 endings. This game is not just a game; its meaning transcends its own existence. Beautiful logic and guidance; when you feel the narrator is communicating with "you," you have already immersed yourself in the role. The narrator breaks the fourth wall, or rather, the essence of "Stanley" has been uncovered within you.

This game has no victorious ending, just like a person's life, always trying to break free from the shackles of fate, yet ultimately facing death. From the moment we are born, we are constantly evading the so-called facts, but in the end, we often return to the starting point. All endings in the game are correct and free because they are our own choices, just like the narrator says in the game, "Making a choice is choosing freedom." Whether you lock the door at the beginning and hastily end your "life," or play a boring baby game for four hours under the narrator's temptation, that is your choice. The moment "you" leave the room, you begin your "life."

Besides these, there are many parts of the game worth pondering; I won’t spoil them here. I hope interested students can take the time to play this extraordinary "game."

7. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild#

Freedom to humanity is like Nintendo to games.

English Name: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Open world, Action Adventure
Duration: 200 hours (excluding DLC)
Awards: Countless, IGN, GameSpot, and Polygon all rated it 10/10, with an average score of 97 from 109 media outlets, ranking third in history.

Plot Summary:

Once, a great disaster struck the kingdom of Hyrule, leading to its downfall. One hundred years after the fall of Hyrule, Link awakens in an underground ruin, following an incredible voice, and begins a new adventure.

This game must be praised; it is undoubtedly the best game on the NS, bar none. Personally, I believe it is also the most enjoyable open-world game. The game is incredibly free and realistic, the scenery is beautiful, the playability is maxed out, the content is very rich, and the interactivity and attention to detail are astonishingly meticulous. The controls are friendly, making it easy for newcomers to get started. The continuous surprises the game brings will make you even more eager to explore this magical world!

In short, freedom, spontaneity, and exploration are the core concepts and joys of "Breath of the Wild." In this game, you will rarely find something you want to do but cannot.

8. Hollow Knight#

Hollow Knight is the best in the world! (Zelda is the sky)

Chinese Name: 空洞骑士
Platform: Nintendo Switch / Steam
Genre: Animated style, Metroidvania, Action game
Duration: 80 hours (excluding DLC)

Plot Summary:

This work tells the story of an ancient abandoned kingdom buried beneath a decaying town called Dirtmouth. Many are drawn to this kingdom, embarking on adventures in search of wealth, glory, or answers to ancient secrets.

This is an independent game developed by three people, centered around insects, creating an incredibly complete and vast world. The level of completion is extremely high, and it is a very conscientious and meticulous work. After playing, you will find that the author truly put a lot of effort into this product, leading to the question of why other games do not have such quality? The layering and complexity of each scene in the game reach an astonishing level, the art style is refreshing, the plot is good, the setting is novel, the music is also superb, with many details and Easter eggs. Most importantly, the price is very reasonable; after a one-time purchase, all subsequent DLC is free, and the NS version is only around ¥30, while games of similar quality cost over ¥300, making it a breath of fresh air. In fact, many comments on Steam request the developers to raise the price…

Every NPC in the game feels "real," and the last game that gave me this feeling was Undertale. One is the old stag beetle, who, despite being old, is willing to continue working until the end; another is Quirrel, who leaves his sword by the lake, and if accompanied, there will be an achievement for a final moment; and then there’s the nail smith, who, after forging the highest-level weapon, has a commission where he wants to experience how sharp his weapon is, asking you to try it out…

Additionally, the sense of achievement this game brings is unmatched by other games. It does not "please" players like traditional games such as Zelda or Odyssey by deliberately lowering the difficulty; nor does it "tease" or "torture" players like some strange adventure games. Online reviews generally say this game has discouraged many casual players, but I personally think it’s not that bad; with some effort, you can definitely get through. A slightly difficult boss may take about 10 tries, while a regular one can usually be beaten in 2-3 tries. After defeating a boss, players will feel an unparalleled sense of achievement, and their skills will noticeably improve; perhaps that is what gaming is about.

Note: The NS version is not very friendly to play with a controller in the later stages; charging sword techniques will inevitably trigger attacks, affecting fluidity, and preparing sword techniques makes jumping inconvenient, which makes the second boss in the arena difficult to fight. In other situations, it doesn’t affect gameplay.

This Week's Record#

Recent Viewings#

Watched: Movie | "Good Will Hunting" | ★★★★★
Reading: Novel | "The Silent Tour"
Watching: Anime | "Summer Time Rendering"
Watching: Anime | "Spy x Family"
Played: Switch | "Pokémon Shield"

"Good Will Hunting" deserves a separate article to discuss later.

Recent Code#

TypeScript React  35 hrs 27 mins ██████████████▏░░░░░░  67.7%
TypeScript        14 hrs 46 mins █████▉░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  28.2%
YAML              41 mins        ▎░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   1.3%
Bash              21 mins        ▏░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   0.7%
JSON              20 mins        ▏░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   0.7%