Ruth Cassidy
@velcrocyborg.bsky.social
290 followers 140 following 51 posts
games critic and journalist · excessive use of Emphatic Title Case · bylines including Unwinnable, Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, and more · they/them · linktr.ee/ruthvcassidy
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Reposted by Ruth Cassidy
doougle.net
omg the talk/speaker lineup for Roguelike Celebration (@roguelike.club) 2025 looks sooo good:
www.roguelike.club/event2025.html

So obviously one of the most vital events in videogames right now, I really hope I can make the time to attend this year.
Roguelike Celebration - Event 2025
www.roguelike.club
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
wrapping up with some honourable mentions (ie. Some Very Good Trailers)

Clowned King, which I cannot blurb better than it does: "In a world made of glass, an exiled Prince becomes a clown to conceal his bloody past behind a mask of laughter."

store.steampowered.com/app/3195150/...
Clowned King on Steam
In a world made of glass, an exiled Prince becomes a clown to conceal his bloody past behind a mask of laughter. In this tactical JRPG inspired by Brazilian culture, play as the Clown Prince Matheus, ...
store.steampowered.com
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
I have also *really* enjoyed the demo for Detective Hindsight, which is about solving mysteries with the help of the oddly prescient crayon drawings of a little girl. there is also a nun who is an ungracious poker winner.
store.steampowered.com/app/2982950/...
Detective Hindsight on Steam
Solve a variety of perplexing cases in the sleuthing shoes of Detective Hindsight - who gets help from Phoebe: a young orphaned girl with dreams of being a storyteller and powers to look into the past...
store.steampowered.com
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
it is one of those rare games that delights me in both a game-as-craft way (this is a VN with *microexpressions* and deeply satisfying narrative reactivity) and a game-as-experience way (it's been two years and I could still rattle off Opinions about all the characters)
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
I have far too many tabs open from the game devs of color expo event but I wanted to *at least* shout out Amarantus, which is one of my all-time favourites, and is 50% off

store.steampowered.com/app/1941100/...
Save 50% on Amarantus on Steam
Roadtrip across the country. Confront a tyrant. The revolution will be messy—but the relationships will be messier.
store.steampowered.com
Reposted by Ruth Cassidy
trentkusters.bsky.social
Just 11 hours left to submit your games, game assets, tools, tilesets, soundtracks, music packs, zines, artbooks, short fiction, comics, whatever you got(!) to the Play for Palestine charity drive.

Funds go directly to the UNRWA in support of direct humanitarian aid in Palestine! Info below. 🇵🇸🍉🎮
junchgaming.bsky.social
I NEED YOUR HELP.

We're down to the last 30+ hours of the games submission for the Play for Palestine charity drive and we are at 258 submissions. I'm hoping we can hit 300 by the close 🇵🇸

Link: itch.io/jam/games-fo...

BIG THREAD BELOW 🧵/
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
It's a little harder to promote your work when you've been hiding your bylines away in print, but this month I have *two* pieces in Edge, which is very cool - my review of The Alters, and a feature about the growing genre of tile synergy games
"Adjacency bonus: It's time to finally put the deck of cards to one side: tiles are the foundation of a burgeoning new genre"
Reposted by Ruth Cassidy
failbettergames.com
I've spruced up our Steam page with all the games we recommended in the newsletter last year. Maybe soon I'll add the ones from this year, but let's be honest, probably next June.

store.steampowered.com/curator/1178...
A screengrab of our Steam creator page showing where we've recommended a game called Mouthwashing, calling it a bleak and troubling experience (this is a compliment).
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
having just been listening to a recorded interview for transcription purposes I have to say: I have no idea what my accent is anymore. what are those vowels. where are they going.
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
maybe the secret to being good at video games is not sitting like a shrimp

or! maybe it was a coincidence. but who could possibly say
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
I spent about 40 minutes on a Clair Obscur miniboss that I was not good at and had the spontaneous thought "what if I engage my shoulder blades" (thank you, physio) and did it in the next go around

so if anyone is looking for any guides writers,
Reposted by Ruth Cassidy
mtrc.bsky.social
Disappointed by your Spotify Wrapped this year? Not a Spotify user but want to join in? Don't worry, I've got just the answer. Generate some end-of-year summaries of your (entirely fake) listening habits.

Play it here (currently desktop only): illomens.itch.io/unwrapped
Unwrapped by ILL OMENS
What did *you* listen to this year? Not this, probably.
illomens.itch.io
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
I was wondering why Dwarf Fortress feels like such a seasonal game to me when it textually isn't but I just checked the (Steam) release date and that would indeed have done it. I hope everyone else is having a nice Dorfcember
Reposted by Ruth Cassidy
laurakbuzz.bsky.social
The every lovely @geoffreybunting.bsky.social interviewed me a few months back as part of this piece about Twitch and YouTube content creation as a disabled gamer.
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
right, it's that something is behind her (and it's a puzzle)
Reposted by Ruth Cassidy
adventurex.bsky.social
The #AdvX2024 Steam event starts within the hour!

For the next 7 days, you can check out some of the best recent & upcoming narrative games. Over 140 games total, on sale and/or with a playable demo!

store.steampowered.com/sale/Adventu...
Steam Store
Steam is the ultimate destination for playing, discussing, and creating games.
store.steampowered.com
velcrocyborg.bsky.social
Bellara's quests especially seem the Most self-conscious about everything videogame-y that happens ("here's the third puzzle! hopefully that's the last one!" "here's the first wave of enemies! because there's always a second wave!") and it's like. oh boy please stop pointing out the redundancy
Reposted by Ruth Cassidy
julie.radiantarray.io
ANNOUNCEMENT: I'm releasing my first video game! Introducing INTERSTATE 35, an experimental visual novel about going home, set in the irradiated ruins of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Words & design by me, illustrations by Porcelain Bones, music by Josie Brechner. Links below.
Interstate 35 key art. A visual novel about going home.
Reposted by Ruth Cassidy
rowan.monster
In conclusion, if you enjoy my thoughts on video games, please help me not be homeless so I can continue thoughtting them at you
rowan.monster
Hello friends, unfortunately disability has continued to wreck my ability to survive, and I am fundraising for this month's rent. There is very good news ahead in the thread, but, the money part first:

Paypal: rowankaiser
Venmo: @rowankaiser
Cashapp: $rowankaiser
Patreon.com/totalmassacre
Rowan smirking happily at having percy, a ginger cat, with his face buried in hers and his paws tangled in her hair as he hugs her neck