One of my favorite games of all time. You play as Mae, who returns to her hometown after dropping out of college, only to find that her town is changing. The game is full of humanity (ironic cuz every character is an animal) and paints a beautiful story about growing up in a small, working class town.
Nov 25, 2024
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If you’ve ever felt trapped in a small town, had to drop out and come home, or worked a shitty job while living with your parents, this game is perfect.
I’ve never seen a piece of media that better captures what it’s like to be part of a messy, goofy, queer, working class friend group.
You play a recent drop out, Mae, who wakes up at 4 pm to wander around her hometown and hang out with her friends. There’s a mystery too, but I won’t go into that here.
The design is simple and beautiful. The game pays tribute to the history of unions, mining towns, and working class folks in the rust belt. It tackles the questions of “is there a god?” and “if so, do they care?” in such complex and earnest ways.
It touches on death, mental health, abuse, money problems. The characters are genuinely flawed and struggle with very real things. They’re also little talking animals. Did I mention this game is mostly jokes?
There’s a lot to be found if you go home and pay attention.
Mar 11, 2025
if you like video games, chances are you already know about this one. if you aren't that into any games, but you like a good story and even better characters - drop everything i don't care, you have to play this. honestly it feels more like a visual novel because it's the writing and dialogue more than the gameplay that makes this thing great.
it's set in a small, deteriorating american town, and you play as mae, who has just dropped out of college and returned home to live with her parents and see her old friends. shit has truly heartbreaking moments and lines that will stick with me forever. themes-wise, we're talking growing up, family and friendship, the impact of urbanisation, community, derealisation, capitalism, nostalgia, all that good stuff. plus theres a halloween bit i know you fuckers love halloween.
i keep coming back to it and every time it has something new for me. MASSIVE recommendation especially if you're in your 20s. also the soundtrack is gorgeous and there are rhythm minigames (PLAY THAT BASS!!)
May 25, 2024
"ꀤ ꌃꍟ꒒ꀤꍟꃴꍟ ꀤꈤ ꍏ ꀎꈤꀤꃴꍟꋪꌗꍟ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꀸꂦꍟꌗꈤ'꓄ ꉓꍏꋪꍟ ꍏꈤꀸ ꉣꍟꂦꉣ꒒ꍟ ꅏꃅꂦ ꀸꂦ"
mae borowski returns to her hometown of possum springs, and with her return comes some long-time-coming reunions and unsolved mysteries
this game broke me
played it the week it came out back in 2017, and in hit me in that way some media does where it comes at a point in your life where it feels all too specific to your circumstances and it opens wounds you didn't even know went that deep. this shit felt like the therapy session you needed but reeeeally didn't want to go to. healing and hurtful, all at once
also just happens to be extremely funny. it's a very specific kind of humor, where even in the rare moments it doesn't land, it still lands because the circumstances around it make it all the funnier. something as simple as a too-long pause in the dialogue will have me in stitches
deserves all the love in the world, and it will forever have my whole heart. WITCHDAGGAH
Apr 19, 2024
Top Recs from @zenlikeme
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I’m not a parent and do not plan to be. Kids can wear me out fast with their high energy and noise level; it leaves me very over-stimulated. But it’s pretty extreme when people say they ”hate kids” and I often feel it’s a reflection of their childhood and beliefs around how kids “should be.” That they were expected to be quiet, obedient, and out of the way by their parents when they were little.
It’s fucking hard to be a kid. You’re dealing with a rapidly-changing body and underdeveloped brain, managed by flawed adults who are enforcing boundaries that you do not understand. It’s confusing and hard to manage your feelings and honestly just a lot.
People are impatient with kids when they‘re brand new to the world and figuring it all out, and this is a time kids need a friend the most. Children can also be teachers to adults with how they are less habituated to the world. They teach us how to be free and open-hearted and silly and imaginative.
A good practice is to be kinder and gentler with kids. If that feels difficult, start with gentleness toward your inner child. Maybe that’s the child in your life that needs your attention and kindness most.
Apr 16, 2025
I meant to post this yesterday. Absolutely beautiful morning for walk.
This morning is also beautiful but in a spring rain kind of way.
Mar 23, 2025
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Prescriptive gender is a prison. Rather than gender being a form of self-expression, gender is treated as a pass/fail test for how well you can conform to cultural expectations.
Since I was young, I remember feeling a great deal of pressure to conform to these expectations around what “men” are meant to be. You like sports, cars, womanizing, aggression, and not having feelings. I felt so distant from this ideal. I was sensitive and shy, and I preferred spending my time being creative in some way
For a long time, I felt like I was failing at “being a man.” In many ways I was! Because I didn’t need to bea man. All I needed to be was myself.
It’s taken me a long time to separate myself from prescriptive gender, sharpening in on which aspects of masculine energy I identify with and which I don’t. I’m not done yet. Maybe I will never fully be. The self continues to evolve over time, and I suspect aspects of my gender will too.
Mar 15, 2025