Updated: 5/29/25

As some of you know, I have started a new series of games on my Twitch stream. One of my very best friends, RainyJaynie (also a streamer), has been diagnosed with a 100% fatal disease and is currently in hospice care. Her family and friends (me included) are devastated to say the least. She is a USA Today bestselling author, a mentor, a friend, a streamer, a charity worker, a pilgrim and hiker, and one of the most amazing people I have EVER met. The world will be poorer without her in it. If you’re interested in donating to help her family through this very trying time, her gofundme is here. That being said, I wanted to make a list of the games I will be including in this series as well as list the reasons each game is included and a link to where you can find more info about each game… so here it is. This will be my focus on my Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday streams for the foreseeable future. (Friday nights will still be co-working, Tuesdays are for filming for Youtube, and Sundays are my day off.)

From my on-stream description of the project:

This is a massive tribute to one of my very best friends (RainyJaynie) – who will very soon no longer be the true inspiration and light she has been to so many of us. This is a series of 55 games (or sets of games) that I have hand-picked from games that she either loved, WOULD HAVE loved, never finished, or wanted to play and never got to. Most of which she either recommended to me, or I brought to her attention, and were already on my “to play” list. There are also a series of 10 “filler” games that I will be using as “palate cleansers” of sorts in-between games, or during games when I need a break (all of these games also fall into the “Jaynie’s Gems” category). This list of games includes a LOT of games I would not ordinarily play – on stream or otherwise. Puzzlers, Role-playing games, games with a lot of story and reading, and even city-building games. I have tried to include a wide variety of games, and I have spent HOURS finalizing the list, adding, removing, re-ordering, researching, etc. Each and every game is on the list for a reason!

Main Titles, In Order:

These have been ordered quite carefully. Longer games are interspersed with shorter ones to give me a break, and I’ve tried to break up the puzzlers and different genres.

1. Creatures of Ava – COMPLETED!! (approx 30 hours)
   • Creature of Ava is a game I turned Jaynie onto, and that she never got to finish. I’ve only played a little bit of it previously, but enough to know that I just love it. This is for you, Jaynie.
2. Gorogoa – COMPLETED! (approx 2 hours)
   • This is a game Jaynie played on stream and was constantly telling me I ought to play. I bought it specifically because of this but have never played it.
3. Kena: Bridge of Spirits – currently being played
   • Jaynie loved this game but found it very difficult. Eventually she shelved it, planning to come back to it to finish it. My aim is to finish it for her. It’s a game I’ve always wanted to play but never gotten around to.
4. Unpacking
   • Jaynie and organizing things. Enough said, right? Also, she loved stories… and this has a good one from what I’ve heard.
5. Sovereign Syndicate
   • Jaynie loved the idea of this game, and as far as I know, had it on her “I’ll play this eventually” list. As for me, I’m the one who found this gem and passed it on to several people, including Jaynie. I have only played a few hours of it previously, though, so this should be fun.
6. Endling
   • It’s about world extinction, and FOXES. Need I say more?
7. Pentiment
   • Jaynie loved stories. And doing voices. So, this was immediately up her alley! I have played this on stream, too, but I got tired of reading it and abandoned the play attempt. The goal this time… is to enjoy the reading and finish it. For Jaynie.
8. Boxes & Doors
   • Anyone who’s ever been on Jaynie’s channel knows how much she loved these games. I’ve never tried them, but I’m willing to give them a go for her!
9. Spiritfarer
   • Jaynie played this on stream and was always trying to talk me into playing it, as well. So here we go!
10. Behind the Frame
    • A puzzle game with a story… and it’s about art. Definitely up Jaynie’s alley.
11. Thaumaturge
    • This is another one Jaynie would have loved, but probably would have found difficult, so it was on her “maybe I’ll play it” list. Hopefully me completing it for her will count!
12. Strange Horticulture & possibly it’s sequel (when it comes out)
    • I showed this to Jaynie, and she did play it. However, I don’t think she ever got around to finishing it. So… that falls to me.
13. Citizen Sleeper 1 & 2
    • It’s got reading, and voices, and story. AND it’s sci-fi, making it 150% up Jaynie’s alley.
14. Botany Manor
    • A puzzle game about gardening? Yep, this would have been something Jaynie would have loved.
15. The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
    • This is a narrative game (lots of reading, I think) and I think Jaynie would really have liked it.
16. Short Hike
    • From everything I know about this game, it would have been one Jaynie would have liked. It’s a short story game with some really cute graphics.
17. LA Noire
    • Detective puzzles abound in this game, plus it’s supposedly a really good story. I don’t know if she would have ever played it… but hopefully me playing it FOR her will count?
18. Storyteller
    • It’s all about writing stories! Jaynie would have loved this!
19. New Cycle
    • Jaynie found this one through one of my “try-it” streams and really loved it. So, let’s see how far we can get in this city builder (and how close it is to being out of Early Access by the time I get to it!)
20. Spava & possibly Moncage
    • Jaynie and I found this little puzzle game on a Steam Next-Fest, and we both really liked the demo.
21. Cloudpunk
    • This is a sci-fi based story game I think Jaynie would have enjoyed.
22. Please Touch the Artwork 1 & 2
    • Puzzle games about art. With the way Jaynie loved Gorogoa (above), I think this set would have been her jam.
23. Tchia
    • This is a very cute story game about saving some tropical islands. I think Jaynie would have liked it.
24. Gibbon
    • This is a story game about some really cute monkeys and saving the environment. I think she would have dug it.
25. Brewmaster
    • Another game Jaynie would have loved. In fact, she had it on her wishlist.
26. Word Factori
    • A puzzle game. That involves words and letters. I really enjoy this game, and think Jaynie would have, too!
27. Yes, Your Grace 1 & 2
    • These are story games where you can use voices, and have lots of choices that will affect the game. Jaynie would have loved them.
28. The Spirit and the Mouse
    • This was on my wishlist because of Jaynie’s recommendation. So, it only feels right to include it!
29. The Room 1, 2, 3, & 4
    • A series of puzzle games. I don’t remember if Jaynie played them, but they’re definitely up her alley.
30. Fran Bow
    • Jaynie played this and really enjoyed it. I have not, so this will be all new to me. (I might also replay Little Misfortune, their other game here)
31. Once a Tale
    • This is a game with some really fun graphics that is a twist on fairy tales. Jaynie would have loved it.
32. Stray
    • A super cute game with a lovely story about a cat. I don’t know if Jaynie would have played it, but she would have loved the story!!
33. Critter Cove
    • This is another really cute and cozy game that I think Jaynie would have liked. It’s got a fun character creator, and you’re rebuilding an island with the help of animal friends and exploration. What’s not to like?
34. The Forgotten City
    • Jaynie watched a friend of ours, Raindog, play this game, and really enjoyed the puzzle aspect of the story.
35. Ale Abbey
    • This is another game I would not have probably known about had Jaynie not brought it to my attention. It feels only right that now that it is finally out, I play it for Jaynie.
36. Return of the Obra Dinn
    • This is a really, really hard puzzle game with a story about a ghost ship. I’ve tried it before and REALLY struggled with it. I only added it to this list because I watched someone else play the game (managed to avoid any spoilers) and have some more insights on how better to play the game. Will I manage to finish it this time? Who knows. But I’ll try!!
37. Cult of the Lamb
    • Jaynie played this one. It’s a fun and silly game that involves Twitch chat in its shenanigans, and I think it would be very fun to finish it where I’m pretty sure Jaynie never had a chance to!
38. Bookwalker
    • This is a story about someone who travels through stories. How is this NOT a “Jaynie” type of game?? Also found another game bundled with this game called Book of Hours that I think she would have liked, and I might just play that one, too.
39. Cat Quest 1, 2, & 3
    • A stupidly cute set of short role-playing games about cats. Fun, cozy, and definitely would have been something she would have liked.
40. Spirit of the North 1 & 2
    • Story games about cute fox characters. I think Jaynie would have dug them.
41. Ghost of a Tale
    • It’s a story about a mouse who has been captured by the evil rattos, and it’s got some really hard gameplay. Because of the hard gameplay, I don’t know if Jaynie would have played it, but she would have liked watching me struggle through it!
42. Little to the Left
    • This is a very cozy, fun puzzle game about organizing things. Plus, it’s got a cat that comes in and messes with your puzzles. She would have adored this.
43. Farthest Frontier
    • A fun city-builder that was definitely on Jaynie’s wishlist. It’s currently early access, but I put this on the list farther down in the hopes that it’ll be closer to being finished by the time I get to it!
44. Farewell North
    • A very cute, very sad story about a girl and her dog. (Also puzzley.) Definitely one she would have liked.
45. The Council
    • A puzzley choose your own adventure style of deduction game that Jaynie really would have enjoyed.
46. Bakery Sim
    • Jaynie loved to bake. I’m not great at it. But, for her, I’ll give this a go.
47. King of the Castle
    • Honestly, this game wasn’t even on Jaynie’s radar, because I didn’t know about it until very recently. However, it’s a really fun role-playing/story experience that Twitch chat gets to participate in… so I included this one for fun. I think she would have liked it.
48. Arranger
    • A roleplaying game with lots of puzzle aspects. She would have loved it.
49. Espresso Tycoon
    • This cozy tycoon game was on my list because Jaynie recommended it.
50. Machinika 1 & 2
    • A set of puzzle-heavy games that I don’t know whether Jaynie knew about, but she would have played them.
51. Spirittea
    • A cozy game about spirits who need to find their home and their peace. I think she would have liked it!
52. News Tower
    • A fun and cozy tycoon game about a newspaper publisher. I think Jaynie would have gotten really hooked on it.
53. Wandering Village
    • This is a game I LOVE. It’s still early access, so I left it til later in the list, but the graphics… the music, the city-building?… Jaynie would have loved it.
54. Nantucket
    • I only bought this ship tycoon game (I think it has some story, too??) because Jaynie told me to. So it only seems right that I finally get around to playing it.
55. Sea of Stars
    • Jaynie adored this game. I don’t know if she finished it, but she sure put a lot of time into it. It’s not REALLY my kind of game, but she would be super happy for me to play it and experience the story that she loved so much.
56. [REDACTED]: a pair of secret finale games
    • I’m not going to say anything more about this series of games other than that Jaynie would have been THRILLED to see me play them…. and that they are definitely games I would not ordinarily play. Should be fun!

Palate-Cleansers, in order:

These are longer-term games that will be broken up with other games, or games that are episodic games that can be split up.

• Tiny Glade (and possibly some Dystopika) – currently being played
  • This game is one that both Jaynie and I adore. It’s creative, it’s inspiring, and it’s a lot of fun to play.
• Poems and Codes/ Prose and Codes – currently being played
  • Again, this is a pair of games I only put on my wishlist because Jaynie suggested them. Will be played as five puzzles at the beginning of each stream, then move into the “main” game for the day.
• Tropico 6
  • Jaynie and I shared a true love of the Tropico franchise. In fact, we had plans to play them together on stream as multiplayer. Since I can no longer do that… I figure putting this on the list was only right, and I will play a scenario at a time in between other games or for a break from “main” games.
• Pharaoh
  • Jaynie and I (again) shared an obsession with this game from a LONG time ago. The linked version is a modern-machine-compatible remake of the original by Sierra games, and I will be playing a mission here and there as I feel like it as a break or gap between games.
• Wildermyth
  • I put this game on Jaynie’s radar. It’s a papercut-style roleplaying game that even has multiplayer. She added it to her game library per my request, and we had plans to play its multiplayer campaigns together on stream, but we never got to it. So… I’ll at least mess with the single-player stories. They’re likely to take multiple attempts to finish them, so I’ll play this as an in-between sort of game.
• Amanita publishing collection: Machinarium; Botanicula; Samorost 1, 2, & 3; Creaks; Happy Game; Pilgrims; Chuchel
  • This is a set of hand-drawn puzzle games that Jaynie would have liked to play, I think. They’re short, and will be used as in-between games later in this series.
• Frostpunk 1 & 2
  • A set of two of my FAVORITE games, as many of you know. However, I’ve never finished them. Jaynie owned them, and I believe she tried them off-stream, and agreed with me that their stories are amazing. I need to, however, finish the first one before I can try the second one….. and the first one is likely to take several attempts to actually WIN the scenarios.
• Anno 1800
  • Both of us loved this city-builder. We had plans to try it multiplayer on stream together but never got around to it. I felt I needed to include this game. How much of it I play as a part of this series is still in question, but I definitely needed to include it.
• Octopath Traveler 1 & 2
  • These are two games with unrelated stories, but they are very similar in genre to Sea of Stars, a game that Jaynie ADORED. These games have been on my “list” for quite a while, and I feel putting them on this list was only right. However, they are VERY long, VERRY complicated games…. so I’m not going to play straight through both of them without breaking them up with other games, or without a walkthrough so I can actually COMPLETE said games.
• [REDACTED]
  • This is a game I will dabble with while playing the two secret finale games. It is SIMILAR in genre, and is based in one of Jaynie’s absolute favorite fandoms, so she would have loved it. I’m not sure if she ever played it… but I certainly have NOT (it’s really not my sort of game or fandom)… how MUCH of it I play? … That’s definitely in question, but when I need a break from the two [REDACTED] finale games, this is the game I will turn to.

Jaynie’s Gems FAQ

• How can I find out more about RainyJaynie? Using the chat command !jaynie in my stream you will find out a little bit more about Jaynie, and why she is so very special. (The chat command will be listed in stream title.) This command will also play Jaynie’s walk-on sound in tribute to her and her love of Star Trek.
• How long will this take me? Who knows. But this series is something I truly feel very strongly about, and (I hope) will be fun to watch.
• Will I get back to my other games? Absolutely. Eventually.
• Will I stop my co-working? No, I will still be doing one night of co-working a week – Friday nights, as tradition holds.
• Does this mean no more try-it games? Nope. I still have two of those on my list, and if more come in, I will take the traditional Thursday Try-it morning to play those.
• How will viewers know why a certain game is on the list?? Each game will have a chat command that will be listed in the stream title for you to find out more about why I included that game in the list, as well as a little blurb about the game itself.
• How will viewers know what game is next on the list? I will be posting a page on my blog in the next few coming days as to the list order with the link that will be accessible through the chat command !gems (that will also listed in the stream title). This command will also list in chat a little bit about the Jaynie’s Gems series and why I’m doing it.
• What game is first?? The first game on the list is “Creatures of Ava” – a game that Jaynie and I both love, but neither of us have gotten to finish (and I only barely started it). The first “palate cleanser” games will be “Tiny Glade” and possibly a mission of “Tropico 6” here and there as I need breaks.
• When does this start? Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 at 10 AM – I know this isn’t a USUAL stream time for me, but I am dying to get this started, and there’s no time like the present. I will also be re-opening the weekly Wed evening Steam game code giveaway as of this stream, so get yourself ready to enter!!