GameGrin • 26th April 2024

Spirit City: Lofi Sessions Review

As I sit down to write this review, the vibes are immaculate; relaxing sounds fill the air, from the soft pitter-patter of rain to the cosy crackle of a fireplace, and a warm cup of coffee rests on my botanical-themed desk right next to an adorable spirit creature called Hedgelog. Okay, well, I’m not necessarily describing my office (it’s actually sunny outside and, to my knowledge, no spirits are afoot), but thanks to Mooncube Games’ debut title Spirit City: Lofi Sessions, it definitely feels l

GameGrin • 19th April 2024

Death of a Wish Review

Six years after releasing the stylish hack-and-slash action RPG Lucah: Born of a Dream, indie developer melessthanthree is back with Death of a Wish, bringing us fast-paced and fluid combat, gritty dream-like aesthetics, and several levels across a hostile world. The protagonist starring in this sequel is Christian (Chris, for short), a headstrong fighter who is hellbent on upending the Sanctum, a religious cult that raised him. While Chris was initially planned as an alternate character for the

GameGrin • 15th January 2024

5 Tips to Beat the Post-game Blues

Congrats, you did it! You recovered the treasured artefact. You deciphered the clues and solved the murder. You escaped the facility by the skin of your teeth. You vanquished evil from the world. You’re the hero, and NPCs cheer a job well done! Your final achievement pops, and the credits roll, and yet… a sinking feeling washes over you. Weird. Aren’t you supposed to feel… satisfied? Accomplished? You did finish the game, after all.

We’ve all been there, facing the dreaded Game Over screen. The

Photo by Flo Maderebner on Pexels

mood ring • 6th December 2022

I'm Trying To Say Maybe

I’m celebrating a little milestone now that December has arrived; it has officially been six months since I started writing these letters. This feels kind of big to me because I’ve never been great at consistency. Abandoning half-starts is an unfortunate talent of mine. So, I’m glad this time I’m still here, still writing. Keeping

1st November 2022

Flower Blankets

Mood Ring is a newsletter on life, love, writing, and desserts written by me, an aspiring romance novelist. Great for tenderhearted souls, writers, steadfast readers, dessert lovers, and hopeless romantics.

And if you are new here, welcome! Lately, in these letters, I’ve been choosing a monthly theme to explore. In October, our theme was “Nights” and we talked about holding onto memories, what to do with doubts about your writing, making wishes at midnight, and songs that stay with you in grief

20th September 2022

Playing For a Moment

From midnight to five this morning I dreamed I was a character in a fantasy video game. Dragons were a familiar sight. Gold coins, the currency. I dreamed myself as a purple-haired owner of a bustling tavern/inn, heroes coming in and out and retelling their grand, monster-filled stories. This could easily be mistaken for a fantasy novel or show, but the UI in this dream screamed game to me. So I poured their drinks until I woke. Very much an A Story Beside type of dream. And, now that I’m back i

13th September 2022

I'm Trying Not To Rush

How are you feeling these days? Rushed? Taking your time? Missing summer? Over this past weekend, I made a note to write you about slowing down. I’m reading a lot about slowing down these days. Does this ever happen to you? You bump into an idea as if you were running into your old friend in a small town and it’s the second or third time this has happened, so you’re tempted to say something corny — “We can’t keep meeting like this!” This is the way I feel when I read about slowing down. “Hello a

6th September 2022

This Is Our Song

I visited my local Barnes & Noble the other day because I had two birthday gift cards calling my name. Along with a notebook and some fantasy novels, I ended up buying Emily Henry’s Beach Read (turning in my library copy left me missing January and Gus) and Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake. Naturally, I gushed over romance novels with the person scanning my finds at the register. “Emily Henry! I loved loved loved Beach Read. She actually broke me out of my reading slump,” she s

mood ring • 18th July 2022

A Small Stage

I met a new person today — an amiable, musical person with kind eyes and a great laugh. As we stood in the middle of their apartment, I was awestruck by their collection of guitars, drums, and records. I’ve always been caught in a state of wonderment when I meet someone who can play music. I consider it magical. Eventually, when asked, I told them I write (for some reason revealing this always feels like an embarrassing confession), they responded, “That’s so cool, I don’t know how you do that.”

mood ring • 4th July 2022

#04: these lines of thought

How are you doing? Seriously. If you’re in need of some hopeful words, Suleika Jaouad wrote about how no feeling is final and planting seeds for joy. A little life preserver for these uncertain times. I notice feelings can kind of hide away in the crevices of our day-to-day routines and activities, making themselves known when you take a tender breath, when you pause to reconnect with your body, when you sing a song that reflects your soul. That moment when something unlocks, letting us feel it