All Game, No Filter

“Saving thoughts on everything I play.”

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  • 🧩 Game Review: Is This Game Trying to Kill Me? — Short, Sharp, and Surprisingly Smart

    Image credit: Steam store page

    Playtime: ~7.2 hours
    Completion: 100% – All achievements unlocked
    Platform: Steam
    Genre: Puzzle / Adventure / Escape Room
    Final Score: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

    🧠 First Impressions

    Is This Game Trying to Kill Me? is the kind of game that surprises you with how much it packs into such a small package. At first glance, it looks like a cute little escape-room-style puzzler — but then it throws meta puzzles, secret endings, and even boss fights at you.

    It’s short, it’s weird, and somehow it works.

    🧩 The Puzzle Path

    The heart of the game is in its puzzles — and thankfully, they’re mostly satisfying and intuitive. You’ll explore the entire map, interact with everything you can find, and occasionally hit a wall that’ll have you wandering aimlessly. But those moments are brief, and the solutions always feel within reach.

    It never tries to melt your brain — just tease it.

    👾 Boss Fights (Kinda)

    If there’s one part that stumbles, it’s the “boss fights.” They’re more about reflexes than strategy, which doesn’t quite fit the vibe of a thoughtful puzzle game. Most involve sprinting to safety before you get wiped, and sometimes it feels a little cheap when you fail.

    The final boss redeems this a bit with a clever twist, but overall, these sections feel more like interruptions than highlights.

    ✍️ Writing, Style & Vibe

    The writing isn’t groundbreaking, and the endings come on a bit fast — but that’s not really the point. This isn’t a game about emotional payoff or narrative depth. It’s about clever design, exploration, and the joy of solving something unexpected.

    The aesthetic is beautiful in a minimal, stylized way, and the humor in the dialogue helps keep things light even when you’re stuck.

    ✅ Final Verdict

    Is This Game Trying to Kill Me? is a quick and clever indie experience with just enough surprises to make it feel worth your time. It’s not perfect — some mechanical roughness, a few bugs, and abrupt pacing issues — but it absolutely delivers on the puzzle front.

    If you’re in the mood for a short, satisfying escape game with a twisty structure and a few secrets to chase, this one’s worth it.

    Bonus Tip: There’s also a free prequel on Steam called Is This Game Trying to Kill Me? Preface. It’s short and simple but sets the tone well — worth playing before or after the main game.

    🔥 Clay’s Take

    “Short, smart, and way more layered than I expected. Some of the boss stuff was rough, but the puzzles and style make up for it. Definitely coming back for another run.”

    Final Score: ★★★★☆ (4.0/5)
    Recommended? Yes — especially if you’re into short puzzle adventures with quirky twists and clever design.

    🗨️ What About You?

    • Did you get stuck at any point, or did the puzzles click for you?
    • How do you feel about boss fights in puzzle games — do they add tension or just break the flow?
    • Got any other short puzzle games you’d recommend?

    Drop your thoughts in the comments — always down to discover more hidden gems like this.

  • ✨ Game Review: Click Mage — Relaxing Grind or Pixel Burnout?

    Image credit: Official screenshots from the Click Mage Steam store page

    Playtime: ~5–6 hours
    Completion: 100% – All achievements unlocked
    Platform: Steam
    Genre: Casual / Clicker / Resource Crafting
    Final Score: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)

    🧠 First Impressions

    At first glance, Click Mage seems almost too simple. But five hours later, you’re still clicking, still crafting, and wondering where your evening went. It’s one of those “just one more upgrade” games — easy to pick up, hard to put down.

    The pixel art is charming, the mechanics are minimal, and there’s a calm, almost meditative rhythm to the gameplay loop. It’s perfect for background gaming — the kind you can play while listening to a podcast or winding down.

    ⚙️ Gameplay Loop

    You click to gather materials, craft increasingly complex items, and build out your magical island setup — all leading toward the mysterious portal at the center of it all. The game rewards efficiency and patience, but at a certain point, things slow… way… down.

    Crafting recipes get long. Like, multi-step-fetch-and-cook-and-combine long. And since there’s no automation, even simple upgrades mean lots of backtracking and recrafting. For some players, that’s part of the grindy charm. For others (me included), it starts to wear thin.

    🧹 Room for Polish

    • The island feels empty: There’s not much to explore beyond resource collection. Some environmental storytelling or event spawns would’ve gone a long way.
    • Inventory clutter: As you progress, your island becomes littered with low-tier junk you don’t need but can’t really avoid.

    Image credit: Official screenshots from the Click Mage Steam store page

    • Late-game burnout: Without automation or shortcuts, gathering base materials turns into a repetitive slog. You can finish everything — but whether you want to becomes the real question.

    Still, for what it offers, Click Mage delivers a surprisingly engaging click-fest in a cozy shell.

    ✅ Final Verdict

    Click Mage is a charming little time-waster — emphasis on both charming and waster. It’s perfect for short, casual sessions or for players who genuinely enjoy repetition and resource loops. But if you’re looking for deep systems, evolving gameplay, or quality-of-life mechanics like automation? This one might wear out its welcome before the final portal opens.

    Important Note: As of writing, the game hasn’t received any updates since February 19, so don’t expect polish or new content anytime soon. What you see is likely what you’ll get.

    🔥 Clay’s Take

    “Fun at first, but mentally exhausting later on. If this game had some basic automation or cleanup tools, I’d rate it higher. Still — it was oddly hard to quit.”

    Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5 — satisfying start, tiring finish)
    Recommended?: Yes, if you’re into grindy idle-style games. Just don’t expect to come back refreshed.

    🗨️ What About You?

    Have you played Click Mage?

    • Did you stick through to the end, or did the grind wear you down?
    • Should simple clickers start adopting light automation?
    • What’s your favorite chill-but-grindy game?

    Drop your thoughts below — especially if you’ve found other small indie clickers worth checking out!

  • Game Review: Lyca — Quick, Clean, and a Bit Choppy

    Image credit: Official screenshots from Lyca on Steam

    Playtime: ~4–5 hours
    Completion: 100% complete – All achievements and upgrades unlocked
    Platform: Steam
    Genre: Casual / Strategy / Indie
    Final Score: ★★★☆☆ (6.5/10)

    🧠 First Impressions

    Lyca is a short and sweet experience that gave me big Nodebuster vibes. It’s got a tight gameplay loop, a chill vibe, and a clean upgrade system that makes it easy to pick up and stick with for a few hours.

    The core loop is straightforward: beat levels, earn resources, and spend them on upgrades that make things smoother and faster. It never drags, and it doesn’t try to pad its runtime with artificial grind — which I appreciate.

    ⚙️ Gameplay & Progression

    Replayability is baked into the level design. You’ll likely go back to a few stages to scoop up extra resources or test out upgrades, but it never feels tedious. The game’s short length works in its favor — it respects your time while giving you a clear sense of progress.

    The upgrade system is simple but satisfying. There’s just enough to feel like you’re building up your character without it becoming a stat-chasing grindfest.

    🐛 Performance Issues

    Now here’s the odd part: despite being a pixel-based game, I ran into noticeable frame rate drops—sometimes bad enough to turn the game into a pixelated slideshow. The good news? A quick restart fixed it every time. The bad news? You’ll probably have to do that more than once.

    Not game-breaking, but definitely jarring in an otherwise smooth experience.

    ✅ Final Verdict

    Lyca isn’t a mind-blower, but it’s not trying to be. It’s a low-stress, low-cost game that gives you a few hours of focused fun. If you’re into short, replayable pixel games with light upgrades and a decent achievement list, this is an easy pick for a lazy afternoon.

    🔥 Clay’s Take

    “Quick dopamine with a couple hiccups. Lyca doesn’t waste your time, but it might test your frame rate. Still — good value, good vibes.”

    Rating: ★★★☆☆ (6.5/10 — short and satisfying, with minor tech hiccups)
    Recommended?: Yes, if you want a chill 5-hour pixel puzzler and don’t mind restarting it once or twice.

    🗨️ What About You?

    Have you played Lyca yet?

    • Did you run into any performance issues, or was it smooth sailing?
    • Do you prefer short games with tight mechanics, or something with more depth and grind?
    • Got any other underrated pixel games you think I should check out?

    Let me know — always looking for the next hidden gem.

  • 🃏 Game Review: Kaya’s Prophecy — Stacklands Meets Slay the Spire

    Image credit: Official screenshots from Kaya’s Prophecy on Steam

    Playtime: ~10 hours
    Completion: Story completed | ~85% achievements unlocked
    Platform: Steam
    Genre: Village Sim / Deck-Builder / Strategy Hybrid

    🧠 First Impressions

    Kaya’s Prophecy is one of those games that immediately makes you pause and go, “Wait… what even is this?” And that’s a compliment.

    It plays like a strange but creative mashup between Stacklands and Slay the Spire. You’re managing a village—collecting food, assigning workers, crafting items—while also building a combat deck and jumping into strategic battles when threats arrive. It’s part survival, part roguelike, part card battler.

    And somehow, it mostly works.

    ⚙️ Gameplay Breakdown

    At its best, Kaya’s Prophecy feels like a tight resource loop with deck-building tension layered on top. You’re constantly making decisions:

    • Should I use this turn to build another structure, or prep for the next fight?
    • Do I risk crafting now, or hold my materials for healing cards?
    • Is this fight worth it—or am I about to lose my whole squad?

    The balance between building up your village and preparing for battle is genuinely fun. It’s the kind of game where micromanagement lovers will feel right at home.

    🎲 RNG & Repetition

    That said, it’s not without rough edges. Resource RNG can be punishing, especially when you’re stuck hunting down specific materials just to progress or craft an upgrade. The longer you play, the more you start to feel the repetition in the loop.

    Still, if you’re the kind of player who enjoys grinding toward small, satisfying improvements, you’ll probably find yourself pushing through anyway. There’s a solid “just one more turn” energy baked into the design.

    🏁 Progress & Polish

    I finished the story in about 10 hours, though if you skip side content, it could be completed in around 5. I also cleared 85% of the achievements, but it’s worth mentioning:

    A couple achievements seem to be bugged.
    Two of them didn’t unlock even though I clearly fulfilled their conditions—so here’s hoping that gets patched.

    Also, while the concept is strong, a bit more visual or mechanical variety in the mid-to-late game would help push it from “interesting” to “must-play.”

    🔥 Clay’s Take

    “It’s like Stacklands and Slay the Spire had a weird little survival baby. A creative blend with a few rough edges — but I’m glad I played it.”

    Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 — solid concept with real potential)
    Recommended?: Yep — especially for fans of card-based strategy or survival management hybrids.

    🗨️ What About You?

    Tried Kaya’s Prophecy yet?

    • What’s your favorite deck-building survival game?
    • Did you get stuck on the same buggy achievements?
    • Think this could become a sleeper indie hit?

    Drop your thoughts in the comments — let’s talk resource RNG, cursed decks, and village vibes.

  • Game Preview: Grounded 2 — A Sequel That Shrinks You Bigger

    Image credit: Official screenshot from Obsidian Entertainment (via Grounded 2 media)

    Playtime: ~20 hours
    Completion: Finished all currently available story content and collectables in Early Access
    Platform: Steam
    Genre: Survival / Co-op / Crafting / Early Access

    🧠 First Impressions

    After spending 20 hours in Grounded 2, it’s clear this sequel is a major upgrade. It keeps everything that worked in the original — the wild, shrunken survival concept — and adds a ton of depth, freedom, and polish on top.

    It keeps the heart of the first game but builds out nearly everything: deeper gameplay systems, a more alive world, and way more freedom to explore. The backyard feels bigger, more detailed, and filled with stuff to discover. And more than once, I found myself wandering off the main path just to see what was hiding under a mushroom or behind a hose.

    ⚙️ Gameplay & Progression

    The core gameplay loop is solid: explore, fight, craft, upgrade. But it’s all smoother and more engaging this time around. There’s more verticality, more ways to interact with the environment, and more reasons to return to older zones.

    There’s also a wider variety of enemies — both brand new threats and returning bugs from the original game. Combined with new weapon types, this keeps combat feeling fresh and flexible, whether you’re sneaking around or going full insecticide.

    Base-building has gotten an upgrade too. With new structures, your options for creating functional or just straight-up cool bases have expanded nicely.

    And of course, seeing the return of classics like the Spicy Coaltana (now with a shiny new look) and my all-time favorite, the Pinch Whacker, was a welcome hit of nostalgia — and still very viable in a fight.

    🐞 Early Access Bugs (Literally and Figuratively)

    Look — it’s Early Access, so yeah, there are some rough spots. I’ve run into a few frame drops and stuttering issues, mostly during heavy combat or in bigger areas with lots of foliage and enemies. Nothing game-breaking, but definitely noticeable.

    Still, it’s hard to complain when you consider how much content is already here. If they keep patching performance and polishing the edges, this thing’s going to shine.

    🐌 Traversal Gets an Upgrade

    The new mount system is such a smart addition. Getting around feels faster, more fun, and more strategic — and I’m already looking forward to unlocking new mounts to explore more of the park and whatever else they add next. Heard some rumors about some Lady Bug action.

    I’ve only unlocked a few so far, but I’m hyped to see what else is coming. Heard some whispers about a “Lady Steed” — and honestly, I need that in my life. Riding into battle on a giant ladybug like it’s my noble backyard warhorse?

    Image Credit: In-game by me (Clay)

    ✅ Final Verdict (For Now)

    Grounded 2 is still in Early Access, but it already feels like a full game. It improves on the first in just about every way, and there’s enough content and freedom here to sink hours into — whether you’re crafting gear, exploring biomes, or just hunting for Milk Molars.

    It’s not perfect (yet), but it’s well on its way. If you liked the original or love survival games, this one should already be on your radar.

    🔥 Clay’s Take

    “Grounded 2 nails the sequel formula — everything’s improved, nothing’s overcomplicated. It’s still early, but I’m already hooked. Just give me that Lady Steed.”

    Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5 — strong Early Access showing)
    Recommended?: Absolutely — especially if you liked the original or want a survival game with personality.

    🔄 Ongoing Updates

    Grounded 2 is still in Early Access, and I’ll be keeping an eye on it as new content drops.
    I’ll update this post — or write a follow-up — whenever major changes, additions, or fixes go live.

    So if you’re following the game too, check back in!

    🗨️ What About You?

    • Have you jumped into Grounded 2 yet?
    • What’s your favorite mount or weapon?
    • Think it’s already better than the first?

    Drop your thoughts below — let’s talk builds, bugs, and backyard chaos.

  • Game Review: Keep on Mining! — A Chill Grind That Eventually Hits Bedrock

    Image credit: Official title screen from Keep on Mining! (via Steam)

    🎮 Game Details

    • Playtime: ~4–5 hours
    • Completion: 100% (Full skill tree unlocked, all pickaxes crafted)
    • Platform: Steam
    • Genre: Casual / Clicker / Idler

    🧠 First Impressions

    Keep on Mining! is exactly what it sounds like — a click-heavy, incremental mining game where you smash rocks, gather resources, and upgrade your tools to mine faster, better, and longer. And honestly? It’s surprisingly satisfying.

    From the get-go, it pulls you into a loop that feels instantly familiar: mine, collect, upgrade, repeat. There’s no complex story, no flashy animations — just a solid gameplay loop that makes it dangerously easy to say “just five more minutes.”

    ⚙️ Gameplay

    You start small — clicking rocks for basic materials like stone, iron, and copper — then slowly unlock pickaxes with special effects, automate resource generation, and climb through a pretty hefty skill tree. The sense of progression is solid. You really do feel stronger the deeper you go.

    The artifact system adds a small layer of excitement, too — you never know when you’ll find something useful.

    ⛏️ The Grind

    Here’s the deal: Keep on Mining! starts as a zen-like idle game. But the deeper you go, the more that chill vibe turns into a slow crawl.

    Late-game upgrades take a lot of grinding. You’ll eventually hit a point where your progress stalls unless you’re min-maxing. It’s not painful — just… repetitive.

    If you’re the kind of player who gets satisfaction from watching bars fill up and numbers go up, this probably won’t bother you. But if you’re looking for meaningful decisions or strategy, it might wear thin.

    📝 Wishlist for Improvement

    Keep on Mining! gets a lot right, but here are a few things that could make it even more satisfying:

    • Middle-tier ores need more love
      Once you move past early materials like copper and iron, they basically become dead weight. A conversion system — trading up or recycling — would’ve made progression smoother and those resources more meaningful later on.
    • Talent XP pacing feels off
      By the time I finished the entire upgrade chart, I still had a long way to go to unlock all the talents. The XP bar moves slower than it should, making talent progression feel disconnected from the rest of the game.
    • The mines lack identity
      The mine looks like a major mechanic, but in reality, it only provides the first few bars and quickly becomes irrelevant. Worse, the cost of upgrading it doesn’t justify the return. It could’ve been much more useful — either by giving access to higher-tier bars or offering a passive bonus that stays relevant through the endgame.

    ✅ Final Verdict

    Keep on Mining! isn’t trying to reinvent the genre — and that’s okay. It’s a “close-your-brain-and-click” kind of game, and for a few hours, it does that very well. It scratches the same itch as Cookie Clicker or Melvor Idle, but in a much shorter timeframe.

    You’ll get a few hours of dopamine out of it — and if that’s what you’re here for, mission accomplished.

    🔥 Clay’s Take

    “A short, satisfying grind that starts out relaxing and ends with a soft thud. Worth a play if you enjoy idle games, but be ready for the pacing to dip toward the end.”

    Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 — for what it is)
    Recommended?: Yes — especially if you like idle/clicker games or just want something low-commitment to relax with for an evening.

    🗨️ What About You?

    Have you played Keep on Mining!?

    • What’s your favorite idle or incremental game?
    • Do you enjoy the grind, or do you bounce off once things slow down?
    • Are there any underrated idle games you’d recommend?

    Drop your thoughts in the comments — I’d love to hear what clicker-style games keep you hooked (or make you uninstall fast).

  • Welcome to the All Game No Filter — Where Every Game Gets a Shot

    Hey there, and welcome to my gaming blog!

    I’m Clay, and I’ve been gaming for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is staying up way past bedtime playing Age of Empires II on a bulky old PC — not really understanding what I was doing, but loving every second of it. Since then, my love for games has only grown. From massive open-world RPGs to tiny browser-based experiments, if it’s interactive and interesting, I’m in.

    So why start this blog?

    Because I wanted a place to keep track of what I’ve played and share honest, no-fluff reviews with other gamers who just want to know: Is this worth my time? I’m not here to write deep-dive essays or act like a professional critic — just real thoughts from someone who loves games of all kinds.

    🎯 Who’s This Blog For?

    Whether you’re a casual gamer looking for quick hits, a hardcore fan searching for your next obsession, or just someone who loves discovering hidden gems before they blow up — this blog is for you.

    Maybe you’re tired of overly technical reviews that miss the fun. Or maybe you’re overwhelmed by endless Steam pages and want real opinions from someone who actually finishes the games they start. That’s why this blog exists.

    🎮 What Will You Find Here?

    You can expect:

    Quick-hit reviews of shorter or early access games

    Reflections on big titles — from gameplay impressions to story highlights

    Genre variety, including:

    • Incremental/idle games
    • Indie gems
    • JRPGs & action-adventures
    • Souls-likes and survival titles

    💬 Let’s Talk Games

    I want this to be a two-way conversation. Got a game you love? Hate? Think I’d enjoy? Drop it in the comments. I’m not just reviewing games — I’m building a space where real players can talk real games without all the extra noise.

    Thanks for checking out All Game No Filter. Whether you’re in it for short bursts or deep dives, I hope you find something here that helps you decide what to play next — or what to completely avoid.

    Stick around — I’ve got a lot more games to talk about.
    – Clay