Dagon by H.P. Lovecraft

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Bit Golem

I'll start by saying that I'm familiar with H.P. Lovecraft's stuff, but I've never read any of them. Not a single one. I suppose I can cross Dagon off the list then? Dagon is basically a visual novel with very minor interactions. Basically after each statement is spoken, you click the mouse to go to the next statement. Every now and then, you'll see other things to click your mouse on and you can get more information about a certain topic. Aside from that, the gameplay consists of you sitting back, listening to the narrator, reading along, and looking at the scenery that the developers created to give you a visual with what you're hearing. H.P. Lovecraft's writing is pretty well known for using an extensive vocabulary, so if you don't know many words larger than five letters, you may want a dictionary handy. Still, if you're looking for a relaxing game to play that requires almost no effort, has an interesting story that is narrated, and may improve your vocabulary in the process, then Dagon may be right up your alley. The fact that it's free, may make it worth checking out regardless.

Review added: 10/04/2023

Dark Deception

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Glowstick Entertainment

If you’ve ever played Pac-Man and thought, “You know what this game needs? A first-person perspective, jump scares, and…an old woman that dresses like a trollop” then Dark Deception is for you. In Dark Deception, your goal is to collect all of the crystals on a level while a bunch of monsters chase you…In Pac-Man terms, the crystals are the pellets and the monsters are the ghosts. Obtain all of the crystals and you’re victorious. The monsters get you? Well, you die. There’s some strategy involved, but for the most part, this is just a new entry in the maze-game genre that Pac-Man made famous and a genre that seemingly died out when the video game crash happened in the early 80’s. I found the game to be okay…it’s not awful, but I also didn’t really enjoy this as much as I thought that I would have. Chapter 1 is free to play (with later chapters needing to be purchased) so if you have Steam, it won’t cost you anything to get your own opinion of the game. Mine is simply, "Meh."

Review added: 03/22/2020

The Dark Gift

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: JustTomcuk

The Dark Gift is a so-so Christmas-themed horror game from JustTomcuk. It's one of their better games, though, in my opinion. Part of that reason is that it's short. It takes roughly 30 minutes go make your way through the Dark Gift, so it doesn't wear out its welcome by the time that you reach the end. Another reason that I'm a fan is that I'm just simply a sucker for horror-themed Christmas games. Seeing colorful Christmas lights is the perfect contrast to dark, gritty, and bloody scenery…almost like the lights give you comfort while everything else around you gets more and more disturbing….and, of course, during the course of this game, that comfort eventually gets taken away. My only major complaint with this game is that the ending is rather lame. Still, though, the Dark Gift is worth checking out if you're a fan of Christmas-themed horror and want a short game…but if you're not a fan of walking simulators, then you may not enjoy the Dark Gift as much as I did.

Review added: 10/18/2025

Dead Rising 2: Off the Record

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Capcom Vancouver

Off the Record is my favorite game in the Dead Rising franchise. In my opinion, it brings the best parts of gameplay from Dead Rising 2 together with the camera gameplay and charisma that comes with ol' Frank West. Not to leave it at that, Capcom also included another area to explore in the game's world as well as a new story that starts out like Dead Rising 2, and eventually veers in a completely different direction. If you're not a fan of Frank West, or the camera mechanic from the first Dead Rising game, then you may not find a reason to play this if you feel like you've already had your fill of Dead Rising 2. However, if you love Dead Rising 2 and would like to see a "what if" version of the events in Fortune City, then you'll likely be hooked like I was. Anyway, if you like mowing down thousands of zombies while guiding survivors to safety and battling an occasional psychopath along the way, then there's a good chance that I think you'll enjoy this re-imagining of Dead Rising 2….but if you dislike the character of Frank West, or don't really feel like visiting Fortune City again, then maybe you can skip this one.

Review added: 10/31/2024

Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Access Games

If you've read my other comments on the Deadly Premonition games, or if you see the little award I've given it, you can probably tell that I absolutely love this game, regardless of the score that I've given it. Unfortunately, the PC version of the game is so buggy and janky that it requires a LOT of work and patience to make your way through it…and most folks simply won't stick with it. Certain chapters will crash, others will have bugs that prevent you from continuing on…and, of course, the game will crash randomly regardless of what chapter that you're on and what you're doing…and those crashes can sometimes corrupt your save file causing you to start from the beginning of the game. So, you're stuck saving constantly, and making copies of your save file constantly, so if your save file winds up getting corrupt, you can delete it and bring in your backup. This game is an absolute mess….but, when it works, it's still just as fun and charming as it ever was. Unfortunately, expect to put nearly as many hours into trying to make it work as you do actually playing the game. If you're a fan of the Twin Peaks television show, and don't have access to play any other variation of this game, then the work required to make Deadly Premonition play will be well worth it. For just about everyone else, though, I don't think they'll stick around long enough to see how charming and enjoyable that this very flawed game can be.

Review added: 10/18/2025

Death Flush

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Impostersyndrome

Death Flush is a game that was created in about a month by Impostersyndrome for the Haunted PS1 Summer of Screams contest over at itch.io. As a result, it’s not exactly polished. But when you take into consideration that this was created in roughly a month, it’s actually quite impressive. Impostersyndrome did a very solid job of blending comedy and horror together, creating a game that is both genuinely funny at times as well as creating moments that make you feel a little uneasy. The premise of the game is that you’re a lad that saw his grandfather murdered by the Toilet Seat Killer…named as such because his weapon of choice is a toilet seat that he apparently stabs his victims with. Since you saw that, you have a fear of going to the bathroom…and sure enough, once you go to relieve yourself, you find yourself locked in and unable to escape. Inspired by Nightmare on Elm Street and Silent Hill, Death Flush isn’t the greatest game that you’ll ever play, but for the time spent working on it before Impostersyndrome uploaded it for the world to play (for free) it’s pretty impressive. If you like a good blend of humor, horror, and bizarre dream-like scenery, then you’ll probably find something to like in this short, 20-30 minute game. You can download it for free over at itch.io, if Death Flush sounds like something you'd like to try.

Review added: 10/25/2020

Death Motel

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Playstige Interactive

I played NIGHTGHAST last year, a game developed by Playstige Interactive, and was mostly underwhelmed. Death Motel looked a little more interesting…and while it's mildly more interesting story-wise, the game is just as painfully boring as NIGHTGHAST was…plus buggier. I collected all evidence on my first attempt to play through this game (required in order to advance the story) but I must have hit a button to skip one of the VHS tapes because I could not get the story to advance no matter what I did. I re-checked all rooms (which is painfully boring to do) twice, then finally gave up and checked online just to find that this is a known bug and I had just wasted 45 minutes of my life trying to advance this dang game along. I considered not even attempting to finish the game after that, since it honestly wasn't very fun…but I tortured myself by giving it a try again anyway. Since using every piece of evidence results in a trophy/achievement, I was able to confirm that I had gotten all evidence on my first attempt and that I had gotten a game-ending bug...but thankfully it all registered properly on my second attempt, and I was able to advance on in the game. The next half of the game is even more lame…as you basically just enter the same rooms that you got the evidence in and trigger scenes to occur…and then you get an awful ending. Or maybe it's an amazing ending…the fact that I didn't have to play anymore was pretty amazing. I wanted to like Death Motel, but this just isn't good. It's not scary. It's not creepy. It's buggy, bland, and boring. A better name would have been Bored-to-Death Motel.

Review added: 10/18/2025

Delver

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Priority Interrupt

I’ve played Delver on and off since it was still in early access. Even back then, I enjoyed my time playing this game. Now that it has "officially" been out for a while, Delver is a bit more polished and a pretty solid overall game. Basically, the goal in Delver is to explore dungeons, in first-person view, collecting weapons, armor, and items along the way. The deeper you go, the more dangerous it is. There are no continues. Die and it’s game over and the next time you venture forth, the dungeons will be different from the time prior. Since the dungeons are always changing, it helps prevent the game from feeling repetitive when you find yourself starting all the way back at the beginning. The gameplay is solid, though it’s not particularly mind-blowing. It's perfectly fine for what it is, though. If Delver sounds like a game you might like, I think you’ll likely find plenty of fun here like I did.

Review added: 03/10/2020

Demigod

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Gas Powered Games

Demigod is mildly fun at first, especially if playing against a friend...But after a game or two in single player mode, you'll likely feel like you could let the game play itself and get the same outcome since your computer allies do a majority of the work for you. However, you can buy power-ups during the battles that basically make you an unstoppable wrecking machine...But honestly, by the time I got to that point, I was already bored to the degree where nothing short of a demigod in the form of a platypus wearing a neon green tutu, singing like Dean Martin, while riding atop of a purple crocodile was going to make me feel that this game was entertaining. That said, it's not absolutely terrible...But unless you're a diehard real-time strategy nut that must play everything in the genre, I'd avoid this game. There are plenty of other, higher quality games in the genre to play, in my opinion. However, gathering the average score for this game, I do seem to be in the minority with that opinion, so if you're a fan of the genre, it may be worth checking out for yourself to see if this is a game that you may like.  

Review added: 07/29/2019

Dinner Date

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Stout Games

Dinner Date is a game that's more like a somewhat interactive short story than anything else. It's well done to a point...But there really aren't a whole lot of interactive stuff to do, and you're basically reduced to just moving your head to look at stuff as you listen to the paranoia build of the character that you control. If you lack patience, this game will probably drive you nuts. I think it's an interesting game, but there's not relly enough here to justify playing it again after your initial 20-minute playthrough has been completed. It's a decent one-time-play game, I suppose, especially for people (like me) that enjoy games that are not the norm, but I can’t imagine that anyone would go bonkers for this title. While I didn't mind Dinner Date, I must admit that if asked to play this again, it very well may be a date that I stand up.

Review added: 02/14/2020

Dominique Pamplemousse in It's All Over Once The Fat Lady Sings!

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Deirdra Kiai Productions

Musicals annoy me. No idea why, but they do. Dominique Pamplemousse is basically a point-and-click musical...And you can't skip the singing. So yes, I was pretty annoyed when playing through this game. Musical irritations aside, this is about as basic as you can get with a point-and-click adventure. Sure, the stop-motion clay animation is a nice touch, and the musical aspect makes it unique...But neither one hides the fact this this is a very basic game and incredibly easy...I don't think it will take most people much more than an hour total to beat. I'm considering it passable 'cause I think kids may love it...but I don't think many adults will be back for more after the credits roll. However, if you've never played a point-and-click adventure game before and want an easy, basic game to introduce yourself to the genre, then maybe Dominque Pamplemousse is a good choice....otherwise, I'd probably pass on this one.  

Review added: 09/10/2019

Downfall

Also known as:  Downfall: Redux (Europe)

Developer: Harvester Games

I never played the original Downfall (though I will at some point - it comes packaged with this remake) but I am a HUGE fan of The Cat Lady. Seeing that this game had the same artistic and gameplay style, and that it was created by the same developer, I instantly wanted to play it. While I don't think that the story or game is as good as The Cat Lady, I still very much enjoyed it. Plus, though I wasn't initially aware of it, the Cat Lady is actually a sequel of this game, so it was nice to get a little more insight into a series that I didn't know existed until this remake got released. Downfall has multiple endings, and it probably won't take very long to beat once you know what you're doing - maybe an hour or two, so I'll likely go back and play it again to see if I can figure out ways to get different endings and see new scenarios. If you like point-and-click adventures and/or very dark, twisted stories, then Downfall is worth checking out.

Review added: 10/31/2023

Dracula: The Last Sanctuary

Also known as:  Dracula 2: The Last Sanctuary (Europe)

Developer: Canal+ Multimedia

While I was never in love with Dracula: The Resurrection, I did have an odd fondness for it. The odd choice of camera angles in cut-scenes, weird animations, and bad voice-acting kind of had a so-bad-it's-good quality to them. My only major gripe with the game was that it felt more like an advertisement for the next game - the game ends just as the story seems to be picking up some steam. So, playing Last Sanctuary, I was hoping for a little more closure when the game ended…and I got it. Unfortunately, that's really the only positive comment I can give it. This game has a lot of issues. The biggest one being how you explore. Each time you move, the screen changes…which is fine, except for sometimes the screen likes to rotate 180 degrees when you advance…so if you click on the icon in front of you to advance again, you may end up going back to where you came from. It can be very disorienting at times, and always annoying when it happens. This doesn't happen all the time, mind you, but it happens enough where it gets very, very frustrating. Another complaint, if you're playing the game on Steam, is that they dumbed the game down. Items needed in the original are taken out, and puzzles are sometimes simplified, apparently in an effort to make the game easier. They also took out all notes and such so any enhancements that they had to the story are gone. Anyway, I liked Dracula: The Resurrection for what it was…unfortunately, Dracula: The Last Sanctuary feels like a big step back from a game that was already barely passable to begin with.

Review added: 10/31/2024

Dracula: The Resurrection

Also known as:  Dracula: Resurrection (Europe)

Developer: Canal+ Multimedia

I first played through Dracula: The Resurrection on the original Playstation. I thought it was an okay game, but I also thought of it as a guilty pleasure – a so-so game that I enjoyed more than I probably should have. Now that I’ve played through the PC version as well, I can confidently say that my feelings on this game largely remain the same. It’s a standard point-and-click adventure game that takes about 90-120 minutes to complete when you know what to do and where to go. But if you’re fan of the concept of Dracula, then you’ll probably enjoy it a little more than the average person would, like I did…the one main issue that I can complain about with this game, though, is that it feels less like a standalone game and more like the story that’s simply setting up the next game in the trilogy. Much of the story here is dull and once the story begins to get interesting....it's over and you're told it'll be continued in the next game. That complaint aside, this is still a passable point-and-click adventure, but I don’t think it will blow anyone away.

Review added: 10/08/2021

Duke Nukem

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: 3D Realms

Duke Nukem’s (or "Nukum" as the PC-Sig published box art calls him) video game debut wasn’t really like how most folks know the edgy character now. It wasn’t in a 1st-person shooter setting and Mr. Nukem didn’t even have a potty mouth…it was just an average platformer with a pretty generic-looking good guy that looked like he spent way too much time out in the sun. Or maybe a microwave - that could be why he got the name "Nukem." Anyway, that’s not to say that the original Duke Nukem was bad – it wasn’t by any means. However, back in 1991, if you looked at just about any popular platformer found on a console, it was leaps and bounds better than this game. Still, Duke Nukem had enough charm to it that a sequel was made…and another….and another. There are better platformers out there than Duke Nukem, but you could do a whole lot worse than play this one to kill some time. Especially if you're curious about what the first game in the Duke Nukem franchise was like.

Review added: 10/18/2019