Game Review: The Incident at Galley House (2026) and the Power of Grief and Remembering

Incident at Galley House

Platform: PC
Developed By: William Rous & Evil Trout Inc.
Release Date: July 14, 2026

Rating: A+

Summary: A scientific researcher works to solve a strange cold-case from the past that involved multiple bodies found in a house with no clue as to how they got there. 

My Thoughts: In this gem of a click-and-point mystery thriller, context clues and logic based deduction will get you far. Most of my playthrough consisted of scribbling down notes, scratching out incorrect theories, and periodically taking breaks because of puzzle-induced headaches. As the researcher, you have access toa device that allows you to replay the events of the house. Although, at the surface, the game appears to be this compelling, Agatha Christie whodunnit, there is something deeper, darker than blood brewing in Galley House. It's not just about finding a simple means, method, and opportunity. 

I've been thinking a lot about my own mortality lately, especially as I'm nearing the age when I have to start thinking about having kids. I know it sounds morbid and you're wondering, "What does this have to do with video games", but don't worry, I plan to tie it all back in at some point. Ideally, one of the core themes that are brought up in this game are about memory. In the game, you replay memories from the people in the house in order to figure out what happened to them. As for gameplay, all you’ll need to do is find the scene, the location, and who was in the room at that time. Input those into the machine, and you’ll find all the clues you’ll need. However, as I got deeper into the timeline and piecing together the character's memories, I naturally started thinking about how I will be remembered when I'm gone. Who’s going to hold onto all of the things that brought me joy when I was alive? The 21st birthday sash that my friends gave me? The little notes my partner writes me? Even if they happen to get passed down to my children, and their children, and their children’s children, where do those memories go? Moreover, how can I accurately keep those stories and my own memory alive if I chose not to have kids?

I often think about how many memories from my childhood have gotten mistranslated or misinterpreted over time. Playing this game was quite the reminder that there’s much more to the stories that I’ve been told by my family and that when I’m gone, the same will happen to me. It slowly turns into a interconnected, deduction puzzle about the tragedy that strikes a family struggling with their own mortality and the cycle of grief that comes with losing the ones we love. 

While I was playing this game, I constantly felt like I was doing the wrong thing or playing the wrong way. Certain rooms and conversations didn’t align like I’d imagined they did. As days went on, my notes got my slowly turned into illegible scribbles that , and my wires got crossed in ways that just didn’t make sense. Who was this person? Where were they moment ago?

I honestly felt like one of the characters in the game because it’s easy to forget, it’s much harder to remember - especially just small details about characters. What did this person look like? Who were they related to? What was that name they mentioned in the precious scene. Again, it’s much like real life in the way that it gets harder and harder to remember the smaller details about a person who’s no longer in your life. Grief is hard, but those memories are what keep them with us. We need both, even though memories are fragile. 

This game excels with its storytelling, as each scene naturally flows into the other. The game is honestly like a big Sudoku puzzle because if you’re ever stuck, all you need to do is follows who’s in what room and what could naturally follow after they’ve left. There’s also wonderful HINT system that can nudge you in the right direction if you’re stuck. 

Although I was left with my questions after my initial play though, I think it is worth a few playthroughs (even if you’re just going through scenes like they’re a movie) because there’s so much you’ll miss by just trying to get through to the end. This game is a fully voiced, dynamic work where the devil is truly in the details, so grab some water, a notebook, some pencils, and get to work!

Added note: Now, I am never one to play new games. For the past year, I've been actively searching for physical discs to play on my computer. So far, I am now the owner of 15 physical computer game discs, including a few of my favorites: Nancy Drew: Stay Tuned for Danger and Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo. I hope to do a post on those games one day, but if you have any other reccomendations, let me know!

Also, I am aware of this game's connection to other games. I've seen the titles, Type Help, and The Roottrees are Dead, mentioned in a few other reviews / playthroughs, but I am not familiar with either of them. However, as an avid fan of mysteries, true-crime, and puzzles, I have definitely added them to my wishlist.

TV Review: Euphoria Power Rankings and the Wedding We've All Been Waiting For

 Welcome all, to another round of Euphoria Power Rankings. For all the folks just joining, welcome to the mess. Last week's episode was wild, and I didn't think it could get much worse, but it did. It quite literally got much worse for everyone, even if they don't realize it just yet. 

However, this week's episode gave us drama. It gave us violence. It gave us fashion. It gave us conversations between characters we really thought that Sam Levinson forgot about. Euphoria is really taking an interesting route. It's juggling so much, yet everything does feel inner-connected. I don't feel like the story lines are as disjointed as they were in previous seasons. I am just hoping they don't drop the ball like they did last season and abandon the most important parts of the show (i.e., Rue's suitcase) until several years later.

TV Review: Euphoria Power Rankings and Is Euphoria a Neo-Noir?

 Some of you may remember this series of writing from my old Substack. If you're new here, welcome to mess that is: Euphoria Sunday Power Rankings. When Succession Sunday was a thing, Hunter Harris over at Hung Up penned a series of Succession Power Rankings. These are my weekly recaps of Euphoria with the added bonus of being pick apart all of the nonsense these young people are getting up to.

Overall, this season is off to a great start. I do, however, mean this in the most pejorative way. The girls are acting up a storm. Rue, Sydney Sweeney, Maddy, and even some of our newer characters are all scene stealers in a way that leaves me wanting more after the episode is over. I think the time jump works well for the show. I fear this is mostly because this should have been the setting the entire time. I will stand by the fact that I think Euphoria should have always been set in college. 

Mini-Film Reviews for 2026 Oscar Movies & Award Predictions

 Great news! The Oscars are today and I am going to a party. Last year, I hosted my own Oscars Party with ballots and themed food. It was great, but really stressful to plan. I made some Substance (2024) mini- subs, "Conclave (2024)" corn dip and chips, and "The Complete Unknown (2024)" pizza calzones. This year I have convinced someone else to host the Oscars Party, but we're going bigger this year. We will have decorations, ballots and themed foods. We're also dressing up to receive some awards at the party! I have no idea what I plan to wear, but I know what I am bringing: some "Marty Supreme (2025)" sub sandwiches!

Film Review: Is This Thing On? (2025) and Learning to Have More Fun

Is This Thing On? (2025) 

Starring: Will Arnett, Bradley Cooper, Laura Dern, Andra Day

Rating: 4/5

Summary: When Alex and Tess decide to separate, the two struggle with navigating how to start over. Alex picks up stand-up as a new hobby, while Tess reflects on her own identity as both a mother and wife. 

My Thoughts: If there was anything to take away from this film, it's the fact that adults (especially grown men) need hobbies. As I'm writing this, I'm looking at my planner, and there's the phrase "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful" stamped onto the page. This is sort of the thesis of this movie. We're so often chasing so many BIG things in our lives (i.e., productivity, goals, milestones, etc), promotion, or that we often forget to appreciate the good things that we already have. In Alex's case, it's his wife and loving who she is as a person. In Tess's case, it's her own interests and the life she has outside of her relationship and her children. For both of them, it's learning to meet each other where they're at - instead of forcing them to be somewhere else emotionally.

When I first watched this movie, I was worried that the "washed-up, white man" trope would bore me. However, the film saves itself by bouncing between both Tess and Alex. They both struggle...a lot. They also struggle in different ways. Although Alex is naturally a good stand-up comedian, he still feels lost. He can't even talk about his new hobby without feeling shame for it. Tess wants to return to volleyball, but worries that it won't actually make her happy. She has a conversation with one of her friends about not seeking out hobbies simply because you're good at them that I find very poignant. I, too, often wonder if I do things because I am good at them, rather than if they actually make me happy. I would have liked to see more of Tess figuring that out in the way that we see Alex do. There are many scenes of Alex doing stand-up. We, as viewers, are invested in the world of comedy, just as Alex is. The other comedians are great side characters. The bars he visits feel authentic and alive in a way that Alex's home life does not, which is why he finds himself drawn to comedy. The challenge he finds himself in is to figure out how to connect those dots and find a healthy way to find space for both comedy and his life at home with his family. 

 

What is also great about this movie is that Alex is not a bad father or person. He's not neglectful of his children. He's neglected his wife, but he's not abusive or rude to Tess. He's just a depressed little dude. This film could have made Alex a terrible person who does terrible things, but redeems himself through his comedy and being a better husband. This film could have made Tess an annoying, bitter woman who resents his husband for not being more attentive. These are the expectations I initially had, but this is a much better film. It allows both Alex and Tess the space to be messy, but ultimately grow in ways that do not cause irreparable harm to one another. They're hurt and angry, but they still love each other, and their relationship is far from emotionally abusive or toxic. They're just two people who fell out of sync.

 

Personally, I am also learning to find more hobbies and to be more mindful of all the time I spend focusing on productivity and milestones, but it is damn hard. So much of what I see online, and even when I talk to my friends, is about productivity. I know I am almost 30, so that is much of it based on societal norms of where people are supposed to be in their lives at a certain age. However, I am learning to listen to my intuition and let that lead me, even when it comes to minor decisions, (especially when it comes to minor decisions) like starting this blog again, spending a few hours playing computer games from my childhood, or having sleepovers with friends where we craft and talk about nothing. I just want to have fun again, and this movie reminded me that I need to start saying "Fuck it" and having more fun.

A Return to Form #1: Thoughts on "The Traitors", "Hunting Party", and "People We Meet on Vacation."

Hello there! 

I did have different expectations for my next blog post, but, as usual, I got intimidated and drafted it. I wasn't sure what to call this, so I'll keep it simple and post about what I've been watching this week. Last week's post reintroduced this space as a platform to discuss my interests, and as this title suggests, I am now focusing on TV. When I first started this blog, I did weekly recaps of shows like Pretty Little Liars and American Horror Story. I also wrote about my thoughts on Taylor Swift appearing on New Girl and did a character analysis on all of the girls on HBO's Girls. I am currently in grad school and work full-time, so I think I will be returning to that format. However, I do feel pretty good about hopping on a few times a month to chat about a few things that don't require regular posts.