Look. I love being a weird little gremlin more often than not. But on occasion, I love playing a game that is going to make me feel something. Some games like Pih or Crazy Cattle 3D make me elated, filled with joy due to the creativity of the human mind. Other games like Baby Steps fill me with a bizarre mixture of determination and dread, because I just LOST HOW MUCH PROGRESS BECAUSE NATE DECIDED TO SLIDE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE GODDAMN MOUNTAIN?!?!?

Today, I'm going to take some time to highlight a few games that have made me feel something... different. Games that remind me that it's okay to grieve, that it's okay to cry. Games like A Pizza Delivery, a surreal adventure that took me on an unforgettable journey. Or Afterlove EP, a game that resonated so deeply in my soul that just thinking about it makes my heart hurt. Both of these games, as different as they may be, are emotional passion projects. Games that are meant to grab your heartstrings and never let go.

‘Afterlove EP’ Is a Masterclass in Dealing With the Trauma of Losing a Loved One. Something I’m All Too Familiar With.

Looking at the screenshot above, you may find yourself doing a little bit of a double-take. "Wait a minute... why does this art look so familiar?", you may be asking yourself. Well, it's because I commissioned the artist from Afterlove EP to create a digital visage of myself, as I fell in love with the game, the art style, and everything in between. Created in memory of Fahmi Mohammad, the creator of games such as Coffee Talk, What Comes After, and even Afterlove EP, the game tackles some of the most emotionally heavy subjects imaginable. The grief of death. What comes after? How you, the player in the shoes of Rama, go on about your day-to-day life.

Part rhythm game, part visual novel, all parts Sadboi simulator, Afterlove EP is a game that oozes charm and style. After Cinta, the love of Rama's life, passes away, the player has to help Rama navigate through the pain of daily life. While he may still hear the voice of his former lover, the pain and loss that Rama has suffered have impacted his life in more ways than he could have ever imagined. I don't think I've resonated with a game in the same way since Journey, and that's a massive milestone to accomplish.

A Beautiful Memorial to an Incredibly Talented Developer. And a Way To Help Me Accept the Grief I’ve Buried for Far Too Long.

I'm going to get deep here for a moment. Grief is, unfortunately, something that is far too well-known in my life. On February 5th, 2010, I lost my cousin Jeff. One moment, he was here. And by his own decision, he was no longer with us the next. It's something that has hung in the back of my mind for years at this point. Roughly 15 of them, to be exact. I was one of the last people that he had talked to, and I've found myself modeling many portions of my personality after him throughout the years. One of the most brilliant, hilarious, and most genuine people I've ever had the privilege of knowing in my life... gone in a flash. Finally, around February of 2025, I had a chance to finally work my way through some of this grief, thanks to Afterlove EP.

15 years and 9 days after his passing, Afterlove EP was released. But I had the privilege of playing it a bit earlier than most, since I was reviewing the game. Sometimes, life has a funny way of telling you, "Hey, it's time to finally face those issues you've been holding onto for far too long", doesn't it? As much as I love the game, I was hoping to hold off on a repeated playthrough for a little while.

But on September 19, 2025, one of my childhood best friends, my cousin Justin, passed away. Much like Jeff, Justin was a charismatic smart-ass who was willing to put his dignity on the line for the sake of a laugh. But now that he's gone, it may be time to break out Afterlove EP once again. Well, as soon as I finish playing through Turtles in Time in his memory.

‘A Pizza Delivery’, on the Other Hand, Puts Emotional Storytelling at the Forefront… With a Hot Slice of Pizza on the Side

Liminal spaces are all the rage right now, aren't they? From the Backrooms (which are located right here in Wisconsin), to dream-like worlds that don't exist in any plane of reality. Sometimes scary, sometimes comforting, and strangely nostalgic, these worlds are usually meant to evoke fear and a sense of the unknown. But A Pizza Delivery, an interesting take on the walking/Strand genre, uses them to create an interesting and curious world. Let's be upfront right away: A Pizza Delivery doesn't play the greatest. Some of the controls are a little goofy, and some of the quick-time events had me bending my hands like a contortionist. But after a repeat playthrough, and with the story fully cemented into place, I found myself craving another slice of this one.

A Pizza Delivery starts like any other game. I stepped into the shoes of B, the pizza delivery girl with bigger dreams. But on her way back from delivering a hot pie to someone, she's transported to a dream-like world, filled with gorgeous vistas and unknown people. Her boss, who is seemingly working on a novel while also running a pizza joint, is happy to call her on her trip through these strange lands, offering advice and a bit of banter in between deliveries. During my first playthrough, I had an idea of what may have happened to B and her delivery service, but since the game is so nice, I had to play it twice. If I have one piece of advice: don't rush your way through A Pizza Delivery.

Just Like a Delicious Slice of Pizza, Savor Every Moment of ‘A Pizza Delivery'

I didn't give A Pizza Delivery a proper go the first time that I played it. I didn't stop to smell the flowers, interact with folks as much as I should have, and got from Point A to Point B. That's not the point of A Pizza Delivery by any means. I played like I was... well, delivering a pizza, rather than as someone who should be stopping and enjoying the view along the way. Yes, I made sure to soak in the sights the first time around. However, the moments of interaction, the moments of human connection and conversation, are what make A Pizza Delivery special.

While B makes her way through these dreamy worlds, there are a few people she can stop and shoot the shit with. Talks about life, what comes after, and conversations that may be too deep to talk about with someone who is incredibly stoned in the middle of the desert. These moments, as small as they are, give the world more depth than it appears to have, as a quick A to B playthrough may leave you feeling confused and underwhelmed. At least, that's where I was by the time I rolled the credits the first time.

But after playing through A Pizza Delivery again, taking the time to find collectibles, momentos, and really listening to the heartbeat underneath the surface, that's when the game became more than the sum of its parts. It's a game that you'll need to have some patience with, to be completely upfront and honest about it. The controls are a little finicky, and some parts of the game can be a little frustrating. But this 90-ish minute adventure made more of an impact than I could have ever imagined.

Yes, as Much as I Love Rooty-Tooty, Point-And-Shooty Games, It’s Great To Have Something that Emotionally Destroys Me

I've been an avid gamer since I was old enough to pick up a Super Nintendo gamepad. Remembering the memories of playing games like Mega Man X, or watching my dad play through Pilotwings, and scaring me with the "Owl Eyes" that I was, for whatever reason, terrified of as a child, I've always been eager to try and play anything and everything that caught my eye. While Afterlove EP may have caught my attention with an incredibly beautiful art style, it's a game that emotionally destroyed me. But at the same time, it made me a better person.

It helped me walk my way through the grief that I had been feeling in my own life for an, admittedly, incredible amount of time. The same can be said about games like A Pizza Delivery, as the ending message resonates much louder than I would have originally expected for a game so subtly titled.

As much as I'm always happy to dive into games of any genre, games that make me feel? Those games are few and far between. Even now, as I'm in my 30s, I'll never forget the first time I played through Mega Man X5 and saw Zero die before my eyes. I ran out of my room, crying to my mom that Zero was dead. She was befuddled, confused, and worried about the mental health of her 8-year-old son. But it's a game that has stuck with me ever since, all because of that one particular memory. It's a silly way to remember one of the greatest 2D action platformers of all time, but it's how it will always stick out in my mind.