Wes's recent activity
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentTinykin SENDING MY MINIONS FORTH This one is really cute. I think casual gamers would love it. Tinykin is basically Pikmin, but in large, vertical worlds. The game leans more heavily on being a...Tinykin
SENDING MY MINIONS FORTH
This one is really cute. I think casual gamers would love it.
Tinykin is basically Pikmin, but in large, vertical worlds. The game leans more heavily on being a collect-a-thon than puzzler or platformer. Those elements do exist, but are deemphasized.
I was actually hoping for a little bit more of a challenge, but the game aims for a lighter feel. I'm thinking it may be a good pick for after a hard day.
You play in a miniaturized world, exploring the different rooms of a house. There you find assorted
pikmintinykin, each have different abilities. Some can lift heavy objects, form climbable towers, or explode.There's so many collectibles to pick up that I found it hard to stay focused on a single goal. However, there's no time pressure, so you can always double back later and collect something you missed. You also unlock shortcuts as you go which make traversal faster.
The game controls well, and the movement is fun enough to keep the exploration interesting. They give you a "soapboard" which you can slide around on, useful for grinding rails and building up speed downhill. It's also used for the race minigame, which is strangely much harder than everything else.
The game's graphics are cheery and look great. The one thing I can't get over though is that your character is constantly staring at the camera. It's a stylistic choice, but it felt a little creepy to me at first.
The game's soundtrack mostly stays out of the way, but I was impressed by how dynamic it was. Entering buildings or large objects would adapt the music, such as playing a strumming track when hopping into a guitar.
I'm about halfway through the game, and am enjoying my time with it. I don't plan to binge this one, but expect to finish it over the coming weeks.
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
Wes LinkAh, the return of the Week 5-ish thread. I was wondering if we'd see it again. I shall be judged pure, MY ACTIONS VIRTUOUS. I meet the face of destiny, and show it my MOTIVATIONAL FURY. Now bear...Ah, the return of the Week 5-ish thread. I was wondering if we'd see it again.
There was one betrayal. u/Wes will go on trial following the conclusion of this event
I shall be judged pure, MY ACTIONS VIRTUOUS. I meet the face of destiny, and show it my MOTIVATIONAL FURY.
Now bear witness as I submit even further displays of my awesomeness.
Wes' Motivated Reckoning - Week 5-ish
Flow Standard bingo ✅ 18/25 Fragmentation
✅ Quern - Undying ThoughtsBeauty Transformation
✅ Agent InterceptPrecision
✅ PseudoregaliaErosion
✅ Infinite Air with Mark McMorrisExploration
✅ Immortals Fenyx RisingAbundance
✅ TinykinDimension Contrast
✅ Hive JumpAbsence Calm
✅ theBluIsolation
✅ Hades★ Wildcard
✅ The BallBrief
✅ pureyaColor
✅ HaimrikFriction
✅ Library Of RuinaDefense Tense
✅ DreadhallsChaos
✅ Yellow Taxi Goes VroomTraditional Duality
✅ Cat Quest 2Justice Fear Wonder
✅ Escape First AlchemistDistribution
✅ Pokemon Trading Card Game 2 -
Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentDang, 25 hours is a lot of investment. Maybe not 13 Sentinels-levels of investment, but still a lot! Having never played XCOM or knowing what a Rabbid was, this comment largely went over my head....Dang, 25 hours is a lot of investment. Maybe not 13 Sentinels-levels of investment, but still a lot!
Having never played XCOM or knowing what a Rabbid was, this comment largely went over my head. But I do enjoy puzzle based combat games, and it seems like a single player version of something like Frozen Synapse, which I can definitely get behind.
Rabbid Yoshi: Has a minigun, a super shield that can absorb up to 2 hits, the rubber ducky grenade, and a fear effect that makes enemies run away and leave cover.
If a rabid Yoshi were traipsing about with a minigun, I might run away too.
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentAbsolutely. Also, being a zombie by definition is kind of being "given a second chance". Just throwing that out there.Do AI clones of dead people's minds count as zombies for bingo purposes?
Absolutely. Also, being a zombie by definition is kind of being "given a second chance". Just throwing that out there.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - April 2026 - The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See in ~books
Wes LinkAfter finishing Pnin earlier this month, I went ahead and read through Tea Girl which I previously missed. What I really liked about this book was how real the characters felt. Every character...After finishing Pnin earlier this month, I went ahead and read through Tea Girl which I previously missed.
What I really liked about this book was how real the characters felt. Every character thought differently, spoke differently, and had a different set of underlying beliefs and motivations.
The chapters that switched perspectives were written in completely different styles, and even adapted to the current maturity of the character. Both Li-yan and Haley undergo major changes, and we get to understand the world from their (sometimes limited) perspectives.
The history of the Akha people was very interesting. While my copy did not include the author's note, I understand the author did do a lot of research to tell an accurate story. And while this of course remains a work of fiction, I did start to feel like I better understood the Akha by the end.
At first, I felt the sections dedicated to explaining spirits, traditions, and superstition were a little heavy-handed. They almost seemed to delight in describing absurd rituals and beliefs, seemingly for comedic effect. However, I later realized that they provided the necessary context that the story relied on. The egg, the dog on the roof, touching the spirit gate - it all mattered in the end.
I did enjoy the idea that while spirits can be vengeful and dangerous, they are also incredibly dull and easily fooled. I remember one standout claim was that they are afraid of touching saliva as it will give them leprosy. Spirit life ain't easy, folks.
This story is full of hardship and flawed characters. A-ma may be the best example. In the beginning, I viewed her treatment of "Girl" as callous and unfair. She of course won me over, and I held nothing against her after she let Yan-yeh live (though as I type this, I guess that shouldn't be a high bar to clear).
Another flawed character was the pancake stealer, San-pa. While never being explicitly confirmed, it was suggested that he was addicted to heroin. The question I'm left with is, did his addiction only start after he and Li-yan arrived in Thailand, or was he addicted from his first trip?
I'm undecided on this one, since he did seem very sincere when he first returned. Yet he was described as being very skinny, having no money, and he clearly knew the people involved. If indeed he brought her to that place to specifically resume using the drug, I feel that casts a much darker spin on his character.
Finally, I'm not too sure what to think of the character of Ci-teh. She had completely embraced capitalism, illustrating both its benefits and faults, yet I found it difficult to connect her character as an adult with the girl we'd previously gotten to know. Did I miss something there, or was this another example of Li-yan being blinded by her own interests? Missing the forest for the tea trees, as it were. I'm not sure, but their confrontation felt strange.
Coincidence plays a huge role in this story, and unashamedly so. I think the plot contrivances might have bothered me more if they hadn't hung a lampshade on it first: "No coincidence, no story". We were told that fate was an active agent in this story from the beginning, so I guess that's only fair. I am a sucker for a happy ending, anyway.
Even excusing coincidences though, I did find it a little too convenient how every major character seemed to find riches in different ways. Whether through wildly successful tea businesses, cardboard recycling, planting coffee trees, or buying and selling real estate -- they really make it sound easy.
Many events in this novel felt like a roller coaster, with constant ups and downs: San-pa's death, getting into the college track, meeting Jin. It got to me a little bit, and I'd often come away feeling satisfied or somber based on the passages I'd last read.
The biggest downer, of course, was right at the beginning. That one was heavy. I understand that the infanticide was used to set the stage, ultimately contrasting the Akha's beliefs against future changes and developments, but wow.
I found the prose very simple in this book - with the exception of the medical dialogue - yet the stories themselves were layered and deep. The role of tradition. The triumphs and tribulations of love. Being an outsider to your own people. Contextualizing one's place as a first-generation immigrant. All of these ideas come together to tell a compelling narrative during a time of immense change in China.
While the story may be fiction, it does represent real events for millions of people. It permeates their culture and history, like a yellow thread running through a tea cake.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - May 2026 - Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov in ~books
Wes Link ParentClever phrases is definitely the Nabokov calling card. I look forward to your full thoughts! And here I was wondering if a second book club was formed with all previous members except me.Clever phrases is definitely the Nabokov calling card. I look forward to your full thoughts!
It seems to be just us this time.
And here I was wondering if a second book club was formed with all previous members except me.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - May 2026 - Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov in ~books
Wes Link ParentWhat did you think of the book, boxer? I know you mentioned being interested in reading it during the nomination thread. Did it live up to your expectations?What did you think of the book, boxer? I know you mentioned being interested in reading it during the nomination thread. Did it live up to your expectations?
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 4 Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentYaay! Congrats and well done! Soulslikes are probably my favourite genre, but I know they can be really hard to get into. For that reason, I consider it a really brave choice for From a genre you...Yaay! Congrats and well done!
Soulslikes are probably my favourite genre, but I know they can be really hard to get into. For that reason, I consider it a really brave choice for From a genre you don’t normally play.
The central theme of these games is overcoming adversity, and you did exactly that. Dare I say... you showed some real motivation.
For what it's worth, I think you'll find that your experience will likely transfer to other, similar games in the genre. Another Crab's Treasure felt very familiar to me because I'd already played all the Dark Souls games, so you would likely find the same in reverse. I'm not saying you need to go play them, but if you wanted to, you've already made progress at conquering them. So that's pretty cool.
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentOh, this looks really good. The kind of spooky game that I can just walk away from when necessary (well, at least once). There's a small part of me that wonders if I could hook up a real OCR...Oh, this looks really good. The kind of spooky game that I can just walk away from when necessary (well, at least once).
There's a small part of me that wonders if I could hook up a real OCR algorithm to the display and have it play for me.
There's another game that has a big mechanic that is easily overlooked. It completely changes how you see the world, and encourages you to go back and look at everything through a new lens. I loved experiencing that, and it likely added a dozen hours to my playtime.
I'll not give the game's name, but I know you've played it and can probably guess.
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 4 Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentIt sounds like you've got November's theme already picked out! I've run Steam idle tools too. While I am annoyed by the incorrect hours on virtually all of my games, I do think it was worth doing....One of these days I'll download them all, throw Steam in offline mode, and try them all out or something, just to close the door on them.
It sounds like you've got November's theme already picked out!
I've run Steam idle tools too. While I am annoyed by the incorrect hours on virtually all of my games, I do think it was worth doing. I've earned something like $300 CAD in Steambux, and having "fully idled" those games means they now randomly drop booster packs, too.
Also, as much as the inaccuracy makes my OCD itch, I think knowing that my time is being tracked to the minute is also a little uncomfortable. Even playing Quern earlier, I had a slight feeling of being on the clock. So having that time be fuzzy is almost appreciated sometimes.
Final point: Steam didn't used to track hours, so my oldest games were already inaccurate. Not to mention those played on other platforms before owning them on Steam.
Maybe these points will help assuage your concerns -- or make them considerably worse.
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 4 Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentI love the self-reflection. This is the kind of navel gazing I can get behind. I sometimes ask myself: "Why did I do that?". Not in a disparaging way, but just because I want to know what...I love the self-reflection. This is the kind of navel gazing I can get behind.
I sometimes ask myself: "Why did I do that?". Not in a disparaging way, but just because I want to know what motivations influence me to perform actions, without any post-hoc justifications. Why did I walk to the kitchen and grab a snack? I don't remember actively deciding to do it. I just did it. Why? Was there a momentary delay in other stimulus? Was it habit? Was a biological process involved?
All of that is to say, I relate to your thought exercise and can introspect with the best of them.
Great selection of games, and really interesting thoughts on each of them. I can only imagine the experience of diving the corals. And while I spent a few minutes with theBlu, I ultimately found myself wanting more.
Now don't think I'm going to overlook your unmotivated faux pas. The Mellows have been sitting around and letting their bingo cards go to waste. The nerve of it! I should be mad, and yet I can see the true motivation within you. Even now, as you stand headstrong in the face of adversity, you reveal your true self. Your true... motivation.
Come, join us. We have fireworks.
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 4 Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentThe coop honestly worked really well. We were able to attack puzzles with completely different ways of thinking, sometimes favouring my approach, sometimes theirs. Plus a little squabbling added...The coop honestly worked really well. We were able to attack puzzles with completely different ways of thinking, sometimes favouring my approach, sometimes theirs. Plus a little squabbling added to the experience somehow.
You may be interested to know that the developer of Quern is finally releasing a new game next month: Dimhaven - The Lost Source. There's a demo available, which I haven't tried, but it looks very promising.
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 4 Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentWhile @kfwyre is playing endangered games, it's cool to see an actual extinct game be played. Nice one! I'll evidently not get to try it myself, so I'm glad to read about the experience...While @kfwyre is playing endangered games, it's cool to see an actual extinct game be played. Nice one! I'll evidently not get to try it myself, so I'm glad to read about the experience second-hand instead. The premise is definitely unique, and as I've alluded to in the past, I love anything time-loopy.
I imagine there's an element of waiting to this one that might get old. Though if there's enough separate threads to follow, you might not have to sit idle for long. Or perhaps there's ways to fast forward (I'd like this for real radio stations sometimes).
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 4 Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentI believe in you, Apple! I know it can be frustrating, but soulslikes are all about persistence. With each attempt, you better learn the boss's attack patterns. This does so much more for you than...I believe in you, Apple! I know it can be frustrating, but soulslikes are all about persistence. With each attempt, you better learn the boss's attack patterns. This does so much more for you than an extra level or two. Knowledge is power.
It's sometimes worth spending a round or two simply dancing around a boss's attacks, not even attacking, to better recognize their tells and openings. When is it better to block versus dodge?
If you're having trouble with a certain phase, it may also be worth saving your shell spells to use them strategically. Especially if you can chain them into a critical hit, which can really turn the tide.
Good luck!
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - May 2026 - Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov in ~books
Wes LinkThis novel uses a very interesting structure for the narrator. We find early on that the narrator is a fellow of Pnin's. A doctor, like Timofey's father. Yet afterwards, his character takes a back...This novel uses a very interesting structure for the narrator. We find early on that the narrator is a fellow of Pnin's. A doctor, like Timofey's father. Yet afterwards, his character takes a back seat until the final chapter. We're allowed to forget that this is the telling from an individual, and not an omniscient voice.
The narrator tells a selection of stories from Pnin's life, with no obvious thread connecting them. If one were to describe the events of the book to another, it might be considered very boring: someone organizes (or "Pninizes") a room they're renting, teaches to uninterested pupils, and hosts a dinner party. The intrigue, then, is of the peculiarities from the man Pnin himself.
We learn in the end that the narrator had hardly known Pnin. Or more specifically, Pnin hadn't bothered to get to know him. Their relationship was nearly entirely one-way, in part mirroring the relationship with the ornithologist, who'd always been there but simply went unnoticed.
Ultimately, the narrator seemed to internalize an idealized version of Pnin, much as Victor had early on. The way he describes Pnin as driving off into the sunset, a golden mist in the air, felt quite unreal. There goes a Russian gentleman, an academic, defined more by reputation than fact.
It makes me doubtful of just how reliable this narrator's telling was of Pnin (both the book and character). Many of his insights are merely second hand, and would lend themselves to being over-embellished and even caricature in nature. Was this retelling based largely on Cockerell's hours-long impressions? Or second-hand stories from those who'd barely gotten to know the man?
I've come away with the belief that we have gotten Timofey quite wrong. Yes, he has strange health problems, and like many immigrants, has had trouble adapting to New York City, but he's not a bumbling oaf. He is an academic, highly intelligent, and an amiable man. Most around him come to appreciate him. He understands and follows social protocol. He's likely still a terrible house guest, but an excellent host. His narrow interests may isolate him, but he's never presented as antisocial.
That is to say, he is just a man; flawed as we all are. Perhaps not special at all. Maybe the boring event of organizing a room really was just as drab as it sounded.
It's not just Timofey that we need to reassess. Liza, a woman we're told early on to mistrust, appears to be almost despised by the narrator. Thrice he rebuffed her, seemingly indifferent of her suicide attempt. Her marriages and subsequent divorces are described judgmentally, even though we know Eric Wind was not a good father. Could this be an old jealousy driving the narrative? I get the distinct impression their relationship went much further than was written down.
The last chapter had me reassessing the entire narrative, and I've come to treat Nabokov with distrust in this manner. He sure likes to play with narrative structure. However, where I do invest trust is in his healthy preponderance of punchy, hilarious quotes.
"Dr. Falternfels was writing and smiling; his sandwich was half unwrapped; his dog was dead."
This line caught me so off guard that it left me cackling. I genuinely had to stop for a full minute to recover.
There were a handful of lines of non sequiturs and stark contrasts, and I wish I'd written more of them down. Another one, from Victor's dream:
"The Palace, and its terraced gardens, and the city below the palatial hill, and the main city square, where decapitations and folk dances had already started, despite the weather."
Absurdity permeates this story. The author constantly plays with language, twisting it to suit the mood. It's delightful.
Since this novel is based on a Russian emigree, it likely mirrors aspects of Nabokov's own life. I wonder how much of the commentary of Pnin's difficulty with learning English was actually self-mockery of the author's own struggles? Or difficulties learning to drive?
I think I'm still unpacking this one, and I need to fully examine the novel in retrospect. I did enjoy it, though, and I'm looking forward to reading others' interpretations.
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Comment on If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill you in ~tech
Wes Link ParentNo, I think @unkz understands LLMs well, based on their engineering history. Their point, as I understand it, is that models are the aggregate of human output. They may not provide the same...No, I think @unkz understands LLMs well, based on their engineering history. Their point, as I understand it, is that models are the aggregate of human output. They may not provide the same distinct value as Moby Dick, but they can generalize that understanding in a way that provides new value. This is similar to how a meta-analysis can generate useful information from separate studies to show a previously-unknown correlation.
The recent "unit distance problem" solution is a good example of seeing value in aggregate. The LLM bridged unexpected branches of mathematics in a way that humans individually had not considered. It brought their work together to create a novel solution.
So then, could that same novelty emerge in other spaces? Philosophy, science, literature? It seems plausible, at least.
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 4 Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentAh, 0 for 2 on game recs. Well, this next one you're sure to love! Now granted it only has an 11% rating on Steam, but... Ah well -- at least it's another one off the backlog, right? I'm sure...Ah, 0 for 2 on game recs. Well, this next one you're sure to love! Now granted it only has an 11% rating on Steam, but...
Ah well -- at least it's another one off the backlog, right? I'm sure it'll get you one step closer to your next gaming infatuation. Plus it let you wax poetic about just how badly these titles sucked, and that's always fun.
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 4 Discussion in ~games
Wes (edited )Link ParentQuern - Undying Thoughts NO LOCK UNOPENED. NO PUZZLE PIECE UNTURNED. So, Quern. I finally played it! And it was good! I purchased this one in 2022, but I've been eyeing it for far longer. I'm a...Quern - Undying Thoughts
NO LOCK UNOPENED. NO PUZZLE PIECE UNTURNED.
So, Quern. I finally played it! And it was good!
I purchased this one in 2022, but I've been eyeing it for far longer. I'm a big fan of Myst-likes (which I consider a progenitor to the modern escape room genre), and Quern is a genuine love letter to Cyan's classic puzzler.
The environmental design is stellar. The world is carefully laid out to shape the isolated island into separate, unlockable sections, yet the twisting paths form a cohesive whole. Much is communicated without written instructions, and you learn to intuit the meanings behind symbols, shapes, and colours.
Everything has a very physical presence, so placing items feels satisfying and real. Gears groan and shudder when you unlock large contraptions. You can see the dramatic impact of your changes across the island as you progress further.
The story is subdued, but present. It's complimentary to the gameplay, and gives you some motivation and intrigue without ever getting in the way.
The puzzles - the main draw - are by and large well designed. There was a healthy mix of logic, deduction, discovery, and experimentation. A few of the later puzzles fell on well-known designs (Simon Says, Mastermind, logic grid puzzles), but most still felt original and clever.
One thing that impressed me was how often an existing item or piece of equipment would be reused in a new way, often hours after last interacting with it. I learned to never discount anything that still operated after seemingly finishing a puzzle.
The difficulty was just right. Some puzzles had me scratching my head, but with enough
guessingperseverance, they were all solvable without hints or looking anything up. They never felt cheap or unfair to me.That said, I did have some assistance in the form of people heckling me over a Discord stream. Yet suggestions were made, and some of them even turned out to be good. Teamwork makes the dream work.
One nitpick: I did feel like some of the collectable items were easy to miss. Multiple times I'd pass right over an important puzzle piece, and if I didn't notice the subtle cursor change, I wouldn't know to pick it up. The puzzle areas were generally large and cluttered, so I feel they could have been telegraphed a little more clearly.
The game includes a very cool sketching system where you can frame a screenshot, then write notes over it. I used this mostly to track previous puzzles that I didn't yet have solutions for. It wasn't as ideal for quickly referencing images, so I still threw those over to a second monitor. eg. This stone tablet guide was awful to reference in-game, so I copied it over and drew all over it. Much clearer now!
Quern proved to be far longer than I was expecting. It took me 16 hours to complete across three sessions. I had a great time solving this island's mysteries though, and I'd highly recommend it to fans of the genre.
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Comment on May 2026 Backlog Burner: Week 4 Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentMY GOD, HE'S OVERCHARGING HIS CARD. IT'S NOT DESIGNED TO HOLD THAT MUCH. I'm also extremely forgetful. The great thing is that I can rewatch movies and replay old games, forget that I've seen them...MY GOD, HE'S OVERCHARGING HIS CARD. IT'S NOT DESIGNED TO HOLD THAT MUCH.
No wonder the locations were familiar!
I'm also extremely forgetful. The great thing is that I can rewatch movies and replay old games, forget that I've seen them before, yet still get feelings about what's going to happen. It makes me feel like a genius when I figure out the twist before it's revealed. It's not cheating if I don't know I'm cheating!
Very stealthy!
I enjoyed Monaco a lot, but do remember it being stressful to play at times. I think when there were a lot of guards, it could almost feel like you were being hunted. I did play the game in coop though, and it was about as mad as you'd expect. The rapid piano music lent itself well to a sense of panic.
It's a shame the second game bombed because so, as I was hoping it might see a bit of a resurgence.