Summary for August 2025

Bites

I can only assume that the creators of Van Helsing thought they would go after something like The Walking Dead. However, I think that it is more or less a classic Sci-Fi (Syfy) channel deal. Those shows figured out two things. First, they realized that they need likeable characters so that, no matter what adventures the writers sent them on, the show would still be entertaining. Second, the storyline shouldn’t be too hard to follow.

A woman stands in a dirty pool with white tiles covered in grime. There is some wooden furniture and trash on the concrete floor. She is white with long, dark hair and a hint of a “shit-eating grin” on her face. She wears all black, from her long coat to her pants with holes in the knees to her boots. There is a knife in a sheath on her boot, and she is holding a black, full-metal hatchet.
[Vanessa]

I’m not going to point any fingers, but some shows have crawled up so much of their own creativity, that no length of “Previously on…” would help. Even if the first thing – likable protagonists – is still there, it just stops being enjoyable.

In a sense, Van Helsing is a fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic world, rather than a post-apocalyptic world with vampires instead of zombies, as it seemed at first glance. However, it doesn’t delve too deeply into its lore and magic rules, so you can enjoy it more casually. I stopped watching it for months at one point, but managed to pick up where I left off pretty easily. So, yeah, not bad, not bad at all.

The protagonist, a human wearing a red jacket with blue and yellow accents, and holding a staff made of light wood, walks behind a small herd of fluffy, colorful bison/goat/sheep-like animals. They all walk on a green, grassy field. In the distance, there are a few human-made structures, such as wooden barns and telephone poles. Their destination is a range of snow-covered mountains under a warm setting sun.

Herdling is neat. Okay, it’s not horror at all, so let’s consider it a vacation that many people traditionally take in August. The game isn’t long or complicated, but, as with other games by the same developer (I like them all), it’s pleasant and has a good atmosphere.

Xenowerk is a straightforward, polished, and enjoyable “podcast game.” It’s free to play, but in the least intrusive way possible: you can watch ads for coins, and that’s it. Actually, it’s not even worth it. The game is grindy, hence the “podcast game,” and those coins aren’t going to make a dent.

,..,

But enough of that. Here are some short horror – or at least somewhat dark – themed games you can play in your browser for free. Small bites!