Random Game Night: Little Problems

This is the second post for this column where I want to give random games a try that I haven’t played before. The rule is this: Since I am a bit picky and cannot play everything due to motion sickness and my hand pain, I am using Playnite’s “Pick a Random Game” feature three times and will choose one to play out of these. Here are the three titles that Playnite gave me:

Banished

“In this city-building strategy game, you control a group of exiled travelers who decide to restart their lives in a new land. They have only the clothes on their backs and a cart filled with supplies from their homeland. The townspeople of Banished are your primary resource”

I am surprised that, according to Steam, I have only played it for 22 hours. That doesn’t sound right! But of course, I have played Banished before. It’s been ages, though, and I wonder how well the game aged… Maybe some other time then.

Pixel Piracy

“Embark on an epic 2D pirate simulator RPG adventure, where you navigate both land and sea. Upgrade your ship, recruit and level up your crew, and uncover hidden treasures as you become a legendary pirate”

I actually already played this one some time ago. I admit that I do not really remember a lot about it. But I do know that I gave it a try – and obviously did not like it, or it would have gotten a higher playtime and I would have some memory of playing it. I know I play a lot of games, but I generally remember the ones I like!

Styx: Master of Shadows

“Styx: Master of Shadows is an infiltration game with RPG elements taking place in a dark fantasy universe, where you sneak, steal and assassinate your way through as Styx, a Goblin two-centuries of age”

Sneaking around, avoiding detection… that is the kind of game I have never enjoyed playing. Furthermore, with my hand pain, I stay away from games that could trigger it. This sounds like something that could trigger pain through trying to be precise and reacting fast to hide from being seen. Those are two very good reasons not to choose this one.

Now what? Two games I have already played and one game I cannot play.

So, I rolled one more random game…

Little Problems

“Little Problems is a Cozy Detective game about solving minor inconveniences, everyday misunderstandings, and of course, little problems. This game is not about saving the world; it’s about enriching it, one case at a time.”

I remember playing the demo for a bit and liking the game. So, I bought it at some point when it was on sale. I never actually played it, though. As it appeared now as my fourth choice, this is the one I played.

Once I had installed the game and gotten used to how it works, I solved case after case. The game’s title fits: These are not detective cases where you find a thief or even a murderer. This is about a girl entering university, being late for a presentation, trying to work with a broken USB stick, and so on.

First, you go through the hints that you get – like looking at people’s smartphones, notice boards with information, and so on. Then, you need to make your own deductions and connections. It’s got a nice, comfortable complexity that fits perfectly for a relaxed evening after a day at work. Also, since it basically covers a character’s university life, the cases are connected. The same characters reappear, and you need to memorize things about them and learn more about them the further you go. However, you can always reopen an older case to check what you already should know (like characters’ names).

I thought I would enjoy playing the game, but as it stands now, I guess I will play through the entire game because it really is that much fun. For some, the topics may be too boring and shallow. But in the end, it is about deductions even if you are not solving a murder. And I like doing that.

This was definitely a great random game night!