Have You Played... Don't Give Up: A Cynical Tale?

Don't Give Up: A Cynical Tale is 80p on Steam, and has a free demo, so even if you haven't played it there's really no excuse. I meant to write about it when it came out in September last year, but something happened where too many of us were on holiday or off sick, and I regret only telling you about it now because it is excellent. It's an RPG about personal growth and life and living and mental health and also going to get pizza. And it is very funny.

It's not often that game advertising themselves as funny are actually funny, is it? But Don't Give Up is genuinely hilarious. I proper laughed out loud all the time, despite the often very serious subject matter. It's also very accurate and often poignant. There's a scene where the main character has to go to a party, and gets progressively drunk and has increasingly weird and awkward interactions with people that is absolutely fantastic.

In between these bits you get involved in battles, preceded by bouts of smack talk (where if you insult them too much you might get 'em psyched up for the fight). You then watch for their attacks and move around a grid of four squares to avoid them, taking your chance to attack them in turn, or deflect their attacks if your speed and button-pressing is up to scratch.

The bosses, too, are very funny, and all the interactions feel very unique. The fight you get into at the party, you have to dust off while drunk. Honestly, a thousand mea culpas for not shouting about this game more.