Effacer: Hangman from the 25th Century

Beyond the core loop of Hangman and a multiplayer mode, that’s really all there is to Effacer. It’s an undeniably slim package and even though it boasts a whopping 40,000 words, I can’t imagine most people will get anywhere near seeing all of those words. Still, there’s a lot to like about the general vibe of Effacer, both on its own merits as a bizarre twist on Hangman and as a representation of the curious world of the CD-i. There’s really nothing else like it and playing Hangman normally isn’t exactly going to be the same thing unless you create your own alien backstories and role play them or something!

3DO Sampler CD

People don't tend to think much about things like demo discs nowadays beyond the occasional rush of nostalgia, but they do have their place in history. Samplers and the like can be used to recall what people were hyped about at the time or what the console manufacturer thought the defining features and games of a console would be. They were opportunities for gamers to get a taste of what the future had in store for them and a way for them to plan out future purchases in a way that was more hands-on than taking the word of a gaming magazine or a friend. I have to admit that I don't frequently revisit demo discs or samplers, but checking this one out really has me realizing that I've been underestimating them and their potential all this time. There's a lot of neat and curious stuff on this disc!

Ardy Lightfoot

It’s rare that a game in this genre can evoke so many different emotions, from pleasure to shock to excitement, even displeasure and discomfort, and it’s worth commending this game for how easily it manages to invest players in its wordless narrative. Even hot off the heels of moments that I found annoying, the game was able to bring me right back in with a well animated cutscene or a gorgeous environment that made me instantly forget the uglier parts of the game I had just experienced. “Experience” really is the key word when it comes to Ardy Lightfoot – one could just boil it down to a series of mechanics and how they compare to the big shots like Mario and Sonic, but to do that would undersell the game...