Katya Ryabova
@katyar.bsky.social
Video games freelance writer & journalist. Gaming, motherhood, drinks. She/her.
Substack: playingthisweek.substack.com
Coffee and games fund: https://ko-fi.com/katyar
Substack: playingthisweek.substack.com
Coffee and games fund: https://ko-fi.com/katyar
Putting up Christmas lights and a Christmas tree is exhausting work, and I envy you, if for you it isn't so.
Worth it though.
Worth it though.
December 7, 2025 at 4:13 AM
Putting up Christmas lights and a Christmas tree is exhausting work, and I envy you, if for you it isn't so.
Worth it though.
Worth it though.
Spirittea by @cheesemastergames.bsky.social just got its massive 2.0 update!
Welp, I know what I'm doing this weekend 🍵
Welp, I know what I'm doing this weekend 🍵
Save 50% on Spirittea on Steam
Hey human, we've got problems! This town is crawling with troublesome spirits, and you're the only one who can see them. You'd better get that old bathhouse up and running, maybe that'll help them chi...
store.steampowered.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Spirittea by @cheesemastergames.bsky.social just got its massive 2.0 update!
Welp, I know what I'm doing this weekend 🍵
Welp, I know what I'm doing this weekend 🍵
Iffi's Friday streams are the best. They are so chill and warm (at the same time). Come hang out!
Friday morning coffee & stream time~ ☕
Time to yap, finish Constance, yap, explore the map a bit, yap, and then decide what to do, yap, maybe some Two Point Museum?, yap, or some RimWorld?, yap.
www.twitch.tv/iffimoozipan
Time to yap, finish Constance, yap, explore the map a bit, yap, and then decide what to do, yap, maybe some Two Point Museum?, yap, or some RimWorld?, yap.
www.twitch.tv/iffimoozipan
December 5, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Iffi's Friday streams are the best. They are so chill and warm (at the same time). Come hang out!
So far, I have Citizen Sleeper from @iffimoozipan.bsky.social , The Unfinished Swan from @andresplays.bsky.social, Spider-Man (2000) and What Remains of Edith Finch from @dford192.bsky.social, Inscryption from @lazypyro.bsky.social, and Blasphemous 1&2 from @thecrossoverappeal.bsky.social!
Nothing beats a great game recommendation, so I might as well get a head start on 2026 😎🎮
Which 12 games should I play in the next 12 months?
#12for12challenge
Which 12 games should I play in the next 12 months?
#12for12challenge
December 5, 2025 at 3:36 PM
So far, I have Citizen Sleeper from @iffimoozipan.bsky.social , The Unfinished Swan from @andresplays.bsky.social, Spider-Man (2000) and What Remains of Edith Finch from @dford192.bsky.social, Inscryption from @lazypyro.bsky.social, and Blasphemous 1&2 from @thecrossoverappeal.bsky.social!
Nothing beats a great game recommendation, so I might as well get a head start on 2026 😎🎮
Which 12 games should I play in the next 12 months?
#12for12challenge
Which 12 games should I play in the next 12 months?
#12for12challenge
December 4, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Nothing beats a great game recommendation, so I might as well get a head start on 2026 😎🎮
Which 12 games should I play in the next 12 months?
#12for12challenge
Which 12 games should I play in the next 12 months?
#12for12challenge
Reposted by Katya Ryabova
For Dragon Age Day and I want to say thank you all the people who helped bring Dragon Age to life. All the writers, animators, artists, actors, coders, QA and literally everyone who helped shape all the amazing worlds and characters in Dragon Age. This series changed my life and I'm so thankful ♥️
Varric Varric Dragon Age GIF
ALT: Varric Varric Dragon Age GIF
media.tenor.com
December 4, 2025 at 5:24 PM
For Dragon Age Day and I want to say thank you all the people who helped bring Dragon Age to life. All the writers, animators, artists, actors, coders, QA and literally everyone who helped shape all the amazing worlds and characters in Dragon Age. This series changed my life and I'm so thankful ♥️
I feel at my best when I'm writing.
It's so cruel that when the blahs hit, the hardest thing for me is to start writing.
It's so cruel that when the blahs hit, the hardest thing for me is to start writing.
December 4, 2025 at 5:42 PM
I feel at my best when I'm writing.
It's so cruel that when the blahs hit, the hardest thing for me is to start writing.
It's so cruel that when the blahs hit, the hardest thing for me is to start writing.
The reference survived the editing 😈😈😈
I WIN
I WIN
Sneaking a Witcher 3 reference into a corporate blog I'm writing, yes please
😈
😈
December 4, 2025 at 4:39 PM
The reference survived the editing 😈😈😈
I WIN
I WIN
Heck yes!
If you're interested in trying out Clerks & Quirks, you may have a chance! Register on Steam 👇
If you're interested in trying out Clerks & Quirks, you may have a chance! Register on Steam 👇
Gather your friends, it's time for a second round of playtesting!
We added:
- An onboarding tutorial📜
- Online (& couch-coop) multiplayer↔️
- Gameplay informations⚠️
- New content💫
- ...and (a few) pesky bugs to spot🐞
#indiegame #playtest #indiedev
We added:
- An onboarding tutorial📜
- Online (& couch-coop) multiplayer↔️
- Gameplay informations⚠️
- New content💫
- ...and (a few) pesky bugs to spot🐞
#indiegame #playtest #indiedev
December 2, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Heck yes!
If you're interested in trying out Clerks & Quirks, you may have a chance! Register on Steam 👇
If you're interested in trying out Clerks & Quirks, you may have a chance! Register on Steam 👇
Young Suns is super-cute and chill!
I want MORE CONTENT
I want MORE CONTENT
December 2, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Young Suns is super-cute and chill!
I want MORE CONTENT
I want MORE CONTENT
Happy December, everyone!
New from me: A short write-up on the state of development of North Shore by @ravinestudios.ca, one of my most anticipated Canadian indies to date ❄️⛸️
New from me: A short write-up on the state of development of North Shore by @ravinestudios.ca, one of my most anticipated Canadian indies to date ❄️⛸️
Winter art and awe collide in North Shore
An exclusive look at the stunning work-in-progress inspired by Canadian winters and Canadian fine art
playingthisweek.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Happy December, everyone!
New from me: A short write-up on the state of development of North Shore by @ravinestudios.ca, one of my most anticipated Canadian indies to date ❄️⛸️
New from me: A short write-up on the state of development of North Shore by @ravinestudios.ca, one of my most anticipated Canadian indies to date ❄️⛸️
Reposted by Katya Ryabova
Good morning lovelies~ 🫶💜
Please give yourselves the space to breathe this week. Say 'no' to work you don't have the space for. Set your boundaries.
You are more important than you think.
Totally unrelated, we're back to more Constance this morning. Coffee up!~ ☕
www.twitch.tv/iffimoozipan
Please give yourselves the space to breathe this week. Say 'no' to work you don't have the space for. Set your boundaries.
You are more important than you think.
Totally unrelated, we're back to more Constance this morning. Coffee up!~ ☕
www.twitch.tv/iffimoozipan
December 1, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Good morning lovelies~ 🫶💜
Please give yourselves the space to breathe this week. Say 'no' to work you don't have the space for. Set your boundaries.
You are more important than you think.
Totally unrelated, we're back to more Constance this morning. Coffee up!~ ☕
www.twitch.tv/iffimoozipan
Please give yourselves the space to breathe this week. Say 'no' to work you don't have the space for. Set your boundaries.
You are more important than you think.
Totally unrelated, we're back to more Constance this morning. Coffee up!~ ☕
www.twitch.tv/iffimoozipan
Reposted by Katya Ryabova
Reposted by Katya Ryabova
"Wind's Howling -- Q4 reports are coming."
November 29, 2025 at 3:40 AM
"Wind's Howling -- Q4 reports are coming."
Sneaking a Witcher 3 reference into a corporate blog I'm writing, yes please
😈
😈
November 28, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Sneaking a Witcher 3 reference into a corporate blog I'm writing, yes please
😈
😈
Reposted by Katya Ryabova
@katyar.bsky.social has a great write-up on the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 talk at the Montreal International Game Summit earlier this month.
Some really interesting insight here from lead game designer Michel Nohra into the thought process behind fine-tuning the game's combat.
Some really interesting insight here from lead game designer Michel Nohra into the thought process behind fine-tuning the game's combat.
Expedition 33 devs always wanted combat to be ‘hard but juicy’
At a recent talk at MIGS, the lead game designer on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 shared the process of creating the games unique combat.
mobilesyrup.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:06 PM
@katyar.bsky.social has a great write-up on the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 talk at the Montreal International Game Summit earlier this month.
Some really interesting insight here from lead game designer Michel Nohra into the thought process behind fine-tuning the game's combat.
Some really interesting insight here from lead game designer Michel Nohra into the thought process behind fine-tuning the game's combat.
Reposted by Katya Ryabova
5000 is such a psychological barrier, breaking it is gonna rule.
thanks to everyone who has subbed so far, I hope you're enjoying it all, but also if you haven't, a reminder that we're running a $1 sale at the moment!
thanks to everyone who has subbed so far, I hope you're enjoying it all, but also if you haven't, a reminder that we're running a $1 sale at the moment!
November 27, 2025 at 11:02 PM
5000 is such a psychological barrier, breaking it is gonna rule.
thanks to everyone who has subbed so far, I hope you're enjoying it all, but also if you haven't, a reminder that we're running a $1 sale at the moment!
thanks to everyone who has subbed so far, I hope you're enjoying it all, but also if you haven't, a reminder that we're running a $1 sale at the moment!
Well, the timing is funny, isn't it?
I'm really proud of this piece and was fascinated to learn about the development process behind Clair Obscur's combat.
My gaming feature for @mobilesyrup.com:
mobilesyrup.com/2025/11/27/c...
I'm really proud of this piece and was fascinated to learn about the development process behind Clair Obscur's combat.
My gaming feature for @mobilesyrup.com:
mobilesyrup.com/2025/11/27/c...
Expedition 33 devs always wanted combat to be ‘hard but juicy’
At a recent talk at MIGS, the lead game designer on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 shared the process of creating the games unique combat.
mobilesyrup.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Well, the timing is funny, isn't it?
I'm really proud of this piece and was fascinated to learn about the development process behind Clair Obscur's combat.
My gaming feature for @mobilesyrup.com:
mobilesyrup.com/2025/11/27/c...
I'm really proud of this piece and was fascinated to learn about the development process behind Clair Obscur's combat.
My gaming feature for @mobilesyrup.com:
mobilesyrup.com/2025/11/27/c...
Played Young Suns a little bit tonight, and it's so darn cute! Very much in the early access trenches, but as a fan of the genre I'm excited to see where it goes 🚀
Congrats to Montreal-based @ko-op.com on the reveal (and shadow drop) of Young Suns, a new 1-4 player narrative life sim! 🇨🇦 🎮
Really dug what the team did with Goodbye Volcano High, so I'm looking forward to checking this out.
It's on Game Preview on Xbox Game Pass now!
Really dug what the team did with Goodbye Volcano High, so I'm looking forward to checking this out.
It's on Game Preview on Xbox Game Pass now!
KO_OP Game Reveal & Presentation
YouTube video by KO_OP
www.youtube.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Played Young Suns a little bit tonight, and it's so darn cute! Very much in the early access trenches, but as a fan of the genre I'm excited to see where it goes 🚀
Reposted by Katya Ryabova
best we've got right now is Murdoch Mysteries, a detective show set in late 1800's Toronto, where the lead characters regularly invent modern technology by accident. Detective Murdoch created the Roomba. Tatiana Maslany's brother plays a gay jewish cop. It's incredible.
November 26, 2025 at 7:38 PM
best we've got right now is Murdoch Mysteries, a detective show set in late 1800's Toronto, where the lead characters regularly invent modern technology by accident. Detective Murdoch created the Roomba. Tatiana Maslany's brother plays a gay jewish cop. It's incredible.
Reposted by Katya Ryabova
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Toronto's High Park Zoo with local indie dev @kittencupstudio.bsky.social & @saffronaurora.bsky.social to learn more about their upcoming cozy game, Capy Castaway.
It's both a wholesome adventure and surprisingly poignant love letter to Toronto's history. 🇨🇦 🎮
It's both a wholesome adventure and surprisingly poignant love letter to Toronto's history. 🇨🇦 🎮
Your next cozy game obsession is a charming tribute to Toronto's nature and history
Local indie developer Kitten Cup Studio takes us to the High Park Zoo to unpack its wholesome Toronto-inspired animal adventure game.
mobilesyrup.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Toronto's High Park Zoo with local indie dev @kittencupstudio.bsky.social & @saffronaurora.bsky.social to learn more about their upcoming cozy game, Capy Castaway.
It's both a wholesome adventure and surprisingly poignant love letter to Toronto's history. 🇨🇦 🎮
It's both a wholesome adventure and surprisingly poignant love letter to Toronto's history. 🇨🇦 🎮
Presented without comment:
Why I no longer cheer for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
playingthisweek.substack.com/p/why-i-no-l...
Why I no longer cheer for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
playingthisweek.substack.com/p/why-i-no-l...
Why I no longer cheer for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Separating the art from the artist has always been impossible for me.
playingthisweek.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Presented without comment:
Why I no longer cheer for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
playingthisweek.substack.com/p/why-i-no-l...
Why I no longer cheer for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
playingthisweek.substack.com/p/why-i-no-l...
Writing something that will surely cost me subscribers.
Most things worth saying usually do.
Most things worth saying usually do.
November 26, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Writing something that will surely cost me subscribers.
Most things worth saying usually do.
Most things worth saying usually do.
Thank you for doing these explainers, Steve! This is hugely important, especially for folks with less direct experience with disability and no immediate recognition of how big of a difference these accessibility settings can make in reducing barriers.
I'm breaking down the nominations for "Innovation in Accessibility" at @thegameawards.com.
Yesterday I talked about Atomfall, today is @compulsiongames.bsky.social's South Of Midnight
youtu.be/NrBcdAWBvFU
Yesterday I talked about Atomfall, today is @compulsiongames.bsky.social's South Of Midnight
youtu.be/NrBcdAWBvFU
The Game Awards Nominated South Of Midnight for Accessibility - Let Me Show You Why
YouTube video by Steve Saylor
youtu.be
November 25, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Thank you for doing these explainers, Steve! This is hugely important, especially for folks with less direct experience with disability and no immediate recognition of how big of a difference these accessibility settings can make in reducing barriers.
Getting to the level of overloaded with writing work this week, but it's good because this means I can buy more gifts for friends and family 🥹
November 25, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Getting to the level of overloaded with writing work this week, but it's good because this means I can buy more gifts for friends and family 🥹