Archive

Review: Taito Milestones

Aidan Williams

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May 29, 2022

Taito Milestones offers up a steep price for games that have just not aged well enough to justify it.

Milestones offers a look back on 10 classic games, released from 1981 to 1987, and while some hold up and provide fun experiences, too many fall flat to warrant its current price ($39.99/£34.99).

Let’s get the unavoidable context out of the way: how much you enjoy this game will depend on your nostalgia for this era. While the 90’s kid writing this can muster up some nostalgia for SNES era Final Fantasy titles and the Gameboy Mario games, the 80s is a bit of a stretch. If this is your era, then it is a good collection of games.

It provides a nice range of visual filters and difficulty options, and even where the games might seem vague, the easily-accessible manuals are clear and quick to explain everything. Being able to save in every title is a nice touch, but rarely too useful. Aside from the best title in the collection, Halley’s Comet (1986) or The Fairyland Story (1985), I don’t see how a single playthrough would need a save, but it’s good that it’s there.

On the music front I will not pretend any of it hits as much as the opening notes of the first stage of Super Mario Bros, but it is serviceable. It doesn’t feel out of place, nor does it get particularly grinding.

Halley’s Comet is a superb top down shooter that I will routinely find myself going back to long after this review is done. It’s the best looking title among the bunch, plays smoothly and is a lot of fun.

The best of the bunch: Halley’s Comet still packs a punch

A lot of them fall flat though, Front Line (1982) feels as old as its 40 years and just isn’t enjoyable. Alpine Ski (1982) is nothing special and Wild Western (1982) is another one you can just skip over.

Space Seeker (1981) has some nice ideas: mixing between planning your attack then either switching between a more first person space shooting or a side scrolling shooter. Yet in practice it doesn’t work, this game feels like an idea whereby the technology just wasn’t far enough along to properly execute at the time.

Qix (1981) is a simple and fun line drawing puzzle game about avoiding enemies while trying to capture 75% of the total area. It is also the game that highlights a major problem with this collection: you’ve probably already played what you will now realise were a lot of complete knock-offs of these games online for free.

Make no mistake, in a modern context none of these games feel special, even Halley’s Comet is a game that has since been done a lot but better. Although having said that some games, including Qix, are a nice insight as to how game developers could make a simple premise and make it work on the hardware of the time.

Given we’re discussing the mid 80s, there’s some graphical work to be appreciated here. Ninja Warriors (1987) looks great, even if the movement does just feel too stunted and it could have done with having the controls decluttered from the arcade original.

The Fairyland Story is another game that looks great. Playing as a magician, quite simply kill the bad guys on the screen and next time do it all again on increasingly harder stages. Simple, but effective and is comfortably the second best game in the collection.

Simple but effective: The Fairyland Story

Ultimately these games come from an era that will always be overlooked before the likes of Nintendo and Sega came along and catapulted gaming along the path where it has got to today, and that is commendable. It is a backhanded compliment to the era that these games are so out of date.

Yes you can have fun with them, yes you can appreciate how much they accomplished in their era, but the youngest one of these games is 35 years old and gaming has, at risk of sounding awfully sarcastic, moved on a bit.

In today’s market, $39.99/£34.99 can get you games that provoke thought and feeling with their storytelling, or genuine action thrillers or even games that make your jaw drop with their graphics. Unless you have nostalgia for this era, avoid this collection.

Review: GSP 301 Gaming Headset

Reviews
Tech

Daniel Waite

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May 29, 2022

0

Getting the right headset that works for your budget is a tough job. You want as much bang for your buck and weighing up each element is a minefield. I’ve experienced a vast range of headsets across my gaming “career” and I’ve sadly purchased some massive piles of tripe. Recently, however, I’ve luckily looked at both the Stealth 600 Gen 2 MAX and Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX devices. These are considered high-end and have all the features to match. If your budget can’t stretch to these particular products, maybe you’d be keen to hear about the GSP 301 Gaming headset from Sennheiser?

This mid-range peripheral is wired, designed predominantly for the PC market, but can be used on any device with a 3.5mm audio jack. The brilliant white livery, simple design, and lightweight material make them stylish to look at and comfortable to wear. The over-ear cup design is smaller than its peers and this helps to reduce the temperature around your ears. What’s more, the generous memory foam ear pads improve passive noise attenuation.

Unlike some of its peers, the GSP 301 Gaming headset lacks pre-set modes, and some expected gaming features. Sadly, there is no bass boost or other popular options. This was disappointing at first, but once you forget about the extra settings, you experience an immersive and straightforward headset.

The GSP 301 gaming headset is a no thrills and straightforward gaming headset. — A no thrills but excellent headset.

What’s in the box of the GSP 301 Gaming headset?

The white box is understated, lightweight, and flimsy. Luckily, the inner packaging is more robust, and this ensures the contents are protected. The packaging is loaded with key information and highlights the excellent 2-year warranty. Disappointingly, however, the blend of cardboard and plastic is unnecessary and makes it harder to recycle.
The GSP 301 Gaming headset. This stylish and simple accessory has a 2m rubberised cable with 2*3.5 mm audio connectors. Its microphone is nicely housed next to the main body and a volume control wheel is located on the right earcup.
Audio connector. If you are gaming on a console or mobile device, you’ll need to use this 2 into 1 3.5mm audio connector. The gold plated accessory ensures that the sound quality is maintained no matter the device.
User-manual. A small but helpful guide to understanding the fundamentals.

Technical aspects.

Ear coupling	Around ear
Transducer principle	Dynamic, closed
Compatability	PC, Mac, OSX, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, anything with a 3.5 mm audio jack
International warranty	2 years
Headphone frequency	15-26,000 Hz
Microphone frequency response	10-15,000 Hz
Pick-up pattern	Noise-cancelling

The wired Vs wireless argument has raged on for years. No matter what I say, people will always disagree. I’ve luckily used both, and I can see the pros and cons of each. The GSP 301 Gaming headset is exclusively wired and therefore, you need not worry about power. However, this does reduce your freedom a little, even though the cable is a whopping 2 metres long. The advantage of wired sound is a lack of interference. Consequently, every ounce of noise is delivered perfectly from your PC or console to your ears. Also, in theory, you shouldn’t experience any latency and this is essential when gaming.

The over-ear cup design helps to reduce outside noises. Yet, it doesn’t always work, and this is where a closed-back headset will always win. No longer will you worry about the kids distracting you, or the dog barking for attention. No, you are free to play your games without distraction.

Alongside this, EPOS Engineered sound has been incorporated. What’s this, you may ask? Well, it delivers oomph to the bass and helps to make a more immersive experience. Now, don’t confuse this with surround sound or 3D audio, because you’ll be disappointed. Instead, think of this as creating a richer but flatter audio that’s perfect for slower-paced gaming.

An excellent headset for party chat.

Gaming is a social endeavour, so what’s worse than a broken or poor quality mic? Let me answer that, the friend who eats down the microphone, that’s much worse. Anyway, I digress. The GSP 301 Gaming headset utilises noise cancellation technology for crisp party chat. Your online buddies will no longer hear rustling, crunching, and other annoying sounds unless you want them to.

On top of this, there is an instant mute mode when you flip the microphone upwards. Though this technology isn’t new or exclusive to this device, it is useful nonetheless.

Is the GSP 301 Gaming headset worth it?

With so many feature-rich headsets on the market, the GSP 301 headset is undeniably basic. What’s more, the wired approach will put many gamers off. However, for the price of £69.99, you are getting great value for money. The closed-back option ensures that the volume is at a safe and comfortable level. What’s more, the EPOS Engineered sound enhances most gaming experiences. I loved the simplicity of the design, the accurate and responsive volume wheel, and the excellent noise cancellation for the microphone.

On top of this, the white livery, combined with black accents and no LEDs, makes it wonderfully understated. We quickly forget that RGB isn’t for everyone and some gamers like a refined look. Then, there is the lightweight and robust build quality. The headphones are comfortable for long sessions and your ears stay cool throughout.

Though there are many positives, I cannot overlook the lack of surround sound. This impacts its versatility and reduces the desirability for fans of action or the FPS genres. I was disappointed by the flat sound and the lack of a competitive edge these headphones delivered. This is a setback for an otherwise great accessory, but don’t let it put you off. All things considered, I liked them and I recommend you to buy them here!

Summary.

The GSP 301 Gaming headset from Sennheiser is a fantastic mid-range peripheral. Yes, it doesn’t have every feature you’d like, but it delivers on many elements. I liked the wired approach and the benefits this offers, but I’d understand why many would be discouraged. If you game on multiple platforms, and you are not interested in FPS or action games, then this is a headset you should consider. Its performance and build quality are not quite 5 out of 5, but they are much better than a 4 out of 5. Therefore, I award it a generous Movies Games and Tech Gold award.

_{(More information on the GSP range can be found here!)}

Review: Remote Life

Daniel Waite

-

May 28, 2022

0

Shoot ‘Em up titles have a massive following. Their fans are hardcore, determined, and love arcade action. No matter the theme or difficulty, nothing will dissuade this passionate group of gamers. Consequently, when a new title hits the market, they clamber to get their hands on a copy. Remote Life is the latest game that will fascinate this demanding player base.

Developed by Next Game Level and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a 2D side-scrolling shmup. It has a sci-fi theme, an array of ghastly monsters, and many massive bosses to overcome. Its stage design is tight and claustrophobic, and the weapons are badass, hard-hitting, and excellent to experiment with. Furthermore, the gameplay is tough and your enemies are tougher still. To progress will take an awful lot of skill, and a heavy dose of patience. It kicked my ass every time I tried it. However, I couldn’t put it down no matter how much I tried.

Remote Life is familiar but original.

Whenever I play a well-trodden genre, I expect the action to lack originality. Yet, Remote Life bucks this trend. Yes, its core mechanics are familiar, but the story is exciting, dramatic, and captivating. What’s more, there is a wide variety of missions, many weapons to find, and a whole roster of overzealous aliens to defeat.

You control John Leone, a heroic pilot who must save the day. Aliens are destroying mankind and their tactics are hard to nail down. Subsequently, every mission to destroy them has failed. With one last roll of the dice, John must fly his vessel into the alien hive and eradicate the menace from the inside out.

How can such a basic ship take such a beating? — Will this ship be enough to survive the onslaught?

Plenty of stages and fast-paced action.

What instantly jumped out at me was the volume of levels. There are 16 unique missions with ambitious goals and hideous aliens. You must find ammo, new guns, and special equipment to protect yourself and vanquish your enemies. However, unlike its peers, the aliens aren’t your only risk. No, the scenery is just as deadly. Therefore, you must stay alert, dodge every projectile, and destroy rocks, nests, and anything else in your way.

The maddening action is made harder still because of the unbearable pace and the 4 difficulty settings. Projectiles, aliens, and rocks fill the screen! You must select your weapons, destroy everything in sight, and pray that you survive. There are alien worms, bombs, ships, and more as you fly to the end portal. Now, you may think that reaching the end would be enough, but it isn’t. Instead, you must face off with a hideous and gargantuan end-level boss. Each of these over-powered monsters has unique strengths and weaknesses that must be avoided or exploited.

In theory, these final encounters aren’t that challenging. But, things are made much worse as death ends your run! Furthermore, there are no checkpoints and all your progress is lost. This rogue-lite element is infuriating but makes the action oddly moreish. What’s more, it keeps you on edge throughout. You’ll study each stage, memorise the correct paths, and gradually get further. This could become tedious if you don’t love the genre. I, however, adored the challenge.

The enemies are massive, freakish, and bloody hard. — There is something fishy about this.

Remote Life looks incredible.

The solo developer wanted to create an original title, and I think he has succeeded. His artistry, level design, and atmospheric stages were incredible to experience. The use of dark tones and tight spaces creates an overbearing and ominous feeling. This is then enhanced because of the grotesque bosses and evil aliens. Further to this, the sight of dead humans and experimental areas within the hive is disturbing. I adored the heinous nature of the visuals, and this was only bettered by the audio.

The high-energy and angry soundtrack worked incredibly well with the gameplay. With so much going on, it would have been a mistake to use slower and sombre audio. With banging tunes playing in the background, you soon become immersed in the madness. This is wonderfully complemented by the loud and obnoxious sound effects. Lasers ping and bombs explode as you tackle each of your foes. It was a brilliant cacophony of noises that matches the theme throughout.

Every level in Remote Life is hectic but interesting. — Avoid the obstacles, kill the aliens, and reach the portal.

Brilliant arcade controls.

Arcade games are renowned for their brilliant and easy-to-understand controls. Fortunately, Remote Life replicates this from the off. By using both analogue sticks and a slick UI, it is easy to pick up, and wonderfully responsive. With so much going on, it could have been tough to play. Fortunately, though, this wasn’t the case, and I had it mastered immediately.

Thanks to the 16 levels and unique missions, there is plenty to keep you going. Furthermore, you will unlock bonus ships the further you progress. Each vessel has unique properties that will change your tactical approach. On top of this, the rogue-lite elements increase longevity while ensuring it isn’t too easy to complete.

Remote Life is a superb shmup.

Over the years we’ve seen some excellent and some poor shmup games. Luckily, Remote Life is addictive, difficult, and frankly, superb! Its gameplay is easy to understand, the story is deep and captivating, and the artistry is phenomenal. The solo developer has done a fantastic job of capturing the best elements of the genre within his original game. Consequently, I loved it and I recommend you to buy it here! Can you eradicate the aliens that threaten mankind? Take on each unique mission, destroy the aliens, and return a hero.

MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU Exclusive Content

Movies & TV

Andrew Edney

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May 28, 2022

0

MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU Exclusive Content

Supervillain Gru and his hilarious yellow sidekicks are back, as brand-new content from Illumination and Universal Pictures’ Minions: The Rise of Gru is releasedtoday, just in time for the Summer, when the mischievous Minions return to cinemas once again.

The exclusive new content is being shared as part of the Industry Trust’s Moments Worth Paying For campaign, which reminds audiences of the magic of watching films first on the big screen.

The sneak-peek was created featuring exclusive, never-before-seen moments from the film, jam-packed with Minion mayhem and everyone’s favourite supervillain, Gru voiced by the inimitable Steve Carell.

Watch the Minions misbehave as only they can, from Kevin hanging on to a tram for dear life and new character Otto pedalling an out-of-control bike through a lake – Minions: The Rise of Gru is another perfectly despicable adventure for all ages to enjoy on the big screen.

The exclusive content will screen in cinemas and online and can be viewed below:

Featuring more spectacular action than any film in Illumination’s history and packed with the franchise’s signature subversive humor, Minions: The Rise of Gru stars a thrilling new cast, including, as the Vicious 6, Taraji P. Henson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, Michelle Yeoh and Oscar® winner Julie Andrews. The film is produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy and Chris Renaud and is directed by returning franchise filmmaker Kyle Balda. Minions: The Rise of Gru features the iconic voice of Pierre Coffin as the Minions and a killer ’70s soundtrack courtesy of legendary Grammy-winning music producer Jack Antonoff.

Long before he becomes the master of evil, Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carell) is just a 12-year-old boy in 1970s suburbia, plotting to take over the world from his basement. When the infamous supervillain supergroup, the Vicious 6, oust their leader, Gru interviews to become their newest member, but instead finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. With Gru on the run, the Minions attempt to master the art of kung fu to save him, and Gru discovers that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.

Rob Huber, Managing Director, Universal Pictures International UK + Eire Limited, said: “We are proud to partner with the Industry Trust again in 2022 on this newest evolution of their Moments Worth Paying For Campaign. Gru and the Minions are loved by audiences young and old, so this is a perfect title to connect with those who understand the value of choosing a legal route to watch their favourite characters on the big screen.”

Liz Bales, Chief Executive, The Industry Trust for IP Awareness, said: “‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ is the perfect title for our next Moments Worth Paying For collaboration, which celebrates the unique magic of the movie-going experience as the best place to watch films first. We’re delighted to partner with Universal Pictures UK + EIRE once again on the next instalment of such an iconic and successful family franchise.”

Like the others in the Moments Worth Paying For series, this content directs audiences to,FindAnyFilm.com, which gives users the many ways to book, buy and watch all their favourite films & TV shows.

Review: Toodee and Topdee

Natosha M

-

May 27, 2022

0

If you love adventure games that are based on teamwork and solving puzzles, getting you from start to exit of each level, then you’ll probably enjoy the game Toodee and Topdee. It’s a game that appears like a simple 2D platformer, which requires you to move from the beginning of the level to the exit without getting defeated by enemies. Of course, that would be quite simple and too similar to many other games. However, there is a little more to this game, which really makes it much more entertaining.

First off, you will be working with two heroes, which will probably become obvious after playing that their names are in the title of the game. Toodee and Topdee are these adorable, cartoony-style heroes that need to work together to make it safely to the exit. Unfortunately, there tend to be plenty of obstacles making it harder to get there easily. You might think the enemies are the only reason the game would be difficult or even the boss stages, but it really is the planning portion that can stump the player.

So what you get with this game is an adventure based on figuring out puzzles. The first portion of the game is moving the first hero, Toodee from start to finish, while the other part is where hero number 2, Topdee steps in and fixes the level so that both heroes may enter the portal and exit. Rather a game with just moving one character to rearrange objects to build a safe route from start to finish. You will be working with two different heroes, one to play the game and the other to rebuild the level. Additionally, you can play the game in co-op mode and with teamwork, finish each level together till you successfully retrieve the missing semicolon and bring balance to the universe.

How Was The Game

For me, this game was very entertaining, for hours. The different obstacles and planning to figure the way out of each level made the game quite nicely. Some require a bit more time to think about, while others were a piece of cake! For the most part, the difficulty in each level is what made this game a lure for me. Since it might frustrate me at times, the challenge is what makes the game pushes me to keep on trying.

Additionally, each move made is necessary to make to the goal, the exit. Though many may want to succeed the first time playing, mistakes and restarts are going to happen. The truth is, I found the game to be best if you do make mistakes. The more mistakes you make the easier it is to see the way to the exit, especially during the difficult stages. So even mistakes, in this case, are also helpful and a great way to learn from.

Now for the two main heroes in this game, I found them to be very cheerful. The switching between each is another lure that makes the game interesting. Really shows how two minds can make a difference, even if you are both of them. Switching from one to another, it’s just a blast to see how well planned the changes in the game will be, so you can reach the exit. Even the foes in the level are useful for reaching keys or other objects when you can’t. There are a bunch of levels, and even difficult bosses to overcome, providing endless hours of aggravating fun.

I’ve been looking for a challenge, and I’m very happy that this game isn’t too short when you can adjust settings or the easiest. Of course, the game allows you to determine the difficulty of your choice during the main menu screen of the game. However, even with an easier option chosen, it can still be a bit difficult, while it all comes down to the person playing the game. Plus, you can adjust the settings enough to make it comfortable for you or another. So no matter who plays, this game has a solution to make it fit for the player. I also want to mention that I haven’t found any issues with the game. There were no loading errors, it went quick, the music fits perfectly with the many genres this game can fall under, and the game design, as well as the puzzling aspects, are very nicely organized to just work!

Final Thoughts

Toodee and Topdee is really an awesome puzzle-platformer game and they make for an awesome team! The ability to work alone or together in co-op mode is a great addition, so the fun can be shared or not. Either way, you are working with two characters to build your route to a safe exit. There are so many levels and plenty of difficult obstacles and huge bosses to defeat. The entire graphics and design of the game are pleasant and well planned out. I haven’t found any flaw in the levels, they all have a route to get to the ending, even if it might be hard at times to discover them.

Plus, there is no one puzzle repeated, each is with its own challenges and difficulties. So there is no way to expect the game is going to be easy, even if a few levels are a breeze. That is what makes this game exciting and great, it takes a little more planning and sometimes a few mistakes to survive. I honestly just love puzzle games and this one really keeps me motivated, engaged, and amused to keep playing.

Review: Moo Lander

Daniel Waite

-

May 27, 2022

0

What each of us considers valuable depends on our circumstances. If we are safe and secure, we usually crave possessions and expensive goods. However, when our survival is on the line, food and water are all we desire. This is the central plot behind Moo Lander, an amusing but occasionally frustrating sci-fi game.

Developed and published by The Sixth Hammer, this is a 2D action-adventure RPG with hints of Metroidvania. Furthermore, it has some classic hero dialogue, fast-paced action, and many claustrophobic tunnels. You’ll pilot a spaceship while being assisted by a sassy AI as you complete many essential missions. If you love an unusual, colourful, and loud game, then this should be on your radar.

Moo Lander is a crazy tale of deceit.

The epic stories of the past all have something in common…they each have an unexpected twist in the plot. Moreover, they have an interesting protagonist and an evil villain. Moo Lander attempts to replicate this with its fun tale that explores betrayal, heroic acts, and some clichéd one-liners. Consequently, you’ll enjoy the whacky journey, the strange creatures, and the fascinating environments.

You control an elite soldier of the Lander people. Teamed with Hamilton, his sassy AI, he must find an ancient milk source to save his people. A long-standing friendship between the Landers and the Anunnaki ended in a great war when the latter became greedy. This awful battle destroyed both civilisation’s milk supply and doomed them to extinction. Mysteriously, the Anunnaki disappeared and the Milk Sages of the Landers devised a plan. They sent their greatest warriors to scour the universe to find milk and save the day.

It’s a bit of a crazy plot, but it works perfectly with the theme. Furthermore, it allows for creative license and is bizarre as hell. You’ll encounter many strange creatures, unlock plenty of weapons, and meet cows, an awful lot of cows.

Don't mess with the angry cow. — That is one pissed-off cow.

Milk makes the world go round.

Who’d have thought that milk would be a future energy source? I certainly didn’t, but in Moo Lander it is essential. Subsequently, everything in this game revolves around this white liquid gold. Your ship is powered by it, your people are reliant on it, and the cows that produce it are mental. These angry bovines do not like you capturing them! However, your people need them and you must find every last one of them.

The vast exploration elements of the gameplay are punctuated by cow encounters, chases, and many basic puzzles. What’s more, each cow you capture enables you to upgrade your ship. Therefore, it’s a win-win! Your people survive another day, and you get new equipment. You can unlock three different categories that comprise an array of tools. There is defence, attack, and stun. You’ll equip shields or drones, lasers, machine guns, burst fire, and more. Each item can be upgraded and they all require milk and a different experience level.

Your ship is levelled up during every combat situation. It is painfully easy to do and will not challenge you. This was a little disappointing, but it was counteracted by multiple difficulty settings. My advice, play it on the moderate or the hardest option to get the most out of it.

Moo Lander is hectic and full of aliens. — Focus on the cow!

Endless combat and wonderful aliens.

The Metroidvania exploration was excellent! You’ll easily get lost in the claustrophobic caverns and this was great. Your progress is halted by massive locked doors that were opened by easy puzzles. Luckily, though, in the later stages of the game, this becomes more complicated. Moreover, it never becomes overwhelming, and this prevents it from becoming tedious.

What can be tough, however, is the endless amounts of combat. No matter where you go, there is a stream of pissed off aliens wanting to kill you. Whether it’s poisonous spores, kamikaze nutcases, or giant worms, you must destroy them all. Fortunately, though, your weapons make light work of them. Subsequently, they are a mild inconvenience as you complete your mission.

This brings me nicely back to the crux of the gameplay…insane and angry cows. God damn these annoying milk-producing asshats. You’ll have to stun and capture some weird and wonderful beasts on your journey. Forget about the beautiful “Laughing Cow,” as these creatures aren’t happy. Every one of them is unique and you’ll have a different approach to stopping them. I adored the madness that ensued and each bizarre moment.

Whether it was battling magnets, poison, twin beasts, one that was heavily armoured, or more, it never gets old. You must use the environment to your advantage, highlight your foes’ weaknesses, and stun them into submission. On the tougher settings, this is no mean feat, and it will challenge the best players throughout.

Moo Lander looks great.

Not all indie games are synonymous with excellent aesthetics. In fact, most are pretty understated. Fortunately, Moo Lander looks great and runs smoothly. I experienced one minor glitch where I was shoved into a wall and couldn’t move. Luckily, checkpoints were in abundance, so it had little impact on my progress. Anyway, back to the graphics. The colour palette is bright, varied, and great to look at. What’s more, the aliens are unique and have an array of skins. Furthermore, their animations are different and this makes the action hectic. Alongside this, the stages comprise individual themes to keep things fresh.

The audio is just as good as the visuals. There is a bizarre mixture of tunes to listen to, but these fade into insignificance. Most of the time, you’ll be chuckling at the dialogue or listening to loud sci-fi noises. Consequently, it was energetic, amusing, and great fun to play. Further to this, each stage has unique sounds, and this prevents boredom.

Moo Lander has so many aliens to overcome. — Load your weapons and kill those aliens.

The lack of accuracy is concerning and annoying.

There was much to love about the control system for Moo Lander. First, the UI is excellent and selecting each tool was simple and quick. Furthermore, the buttons are responsive and this makes the combat elements much easier. However, this is held back by a serious lack of accuracy. Though the right analogue stick is used for aiming, it lacks fluidity. If this was improved, the game would be much better.

With many cows to hunt, plenty of upgrades, multiplayer options, and skins to unlock, this will keep you going. I was unable to try multiplayer, but there are many modes to explore. What’s more, it looks like it’ll use familiar mechanics from the story mode. Unfortunately, you can miss cows as you explore! Subsequently, you’ll need an eye for detail to ensure you don’t miss any. As you kill each alien species, you’ll unlock their skins and special abilities. This added a tactical element to the gameplay and depth to each cow battle.

Moo Lander is a brilliant game.

Though it wasn’t perfect, there is no denying that I loved Moo Lander. Its blend of exploration, combat and RPG elements was fantastic. Sadly, the controls weren’t as accurate as I’d have liked, but this is a minor thing. If you love multiplayer games, you’ll adore what is on offer. Alongside this, the story mode is excellent thanks to its amusing plot, badass cows, and eclectic blend of aliens. Unsurprisingly, I recommend you to buy it here! Will you save your species, or will every cow escape? Upgrade your ship, kill the aliens, and beam up every bovine you encounter.

Review: Farm Manager 2022

Christopher McNally

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May 27, 2022

0

I often drive by farms as I make my way through the countryside from one town to another, every now and again I wonder what’s it is like to work on a farm. When I mean work on a farm I mean actually getting a farm as a business to work from top to bottom. As you venture through a supermarket you’ll see plenty of fruit and veg that has been grown in farms, lots of meat which has come from farms and obviously milk. What does it take to make a life running a farm? Well Farm Manager 2022 gives you that opportunity!

Farm Manager 2022 which you could probably tell from the title is the latest in the Farm Manager series. Farm Manager 2022 is not for the faint hearted, it’s very much a farm management simulation game that lets you see everything and control every little process. You can grow vegetables, even organic vegetables, there are a variety of machines that you can use when working in the field. You can buy and sell those on the stock market. You’re even given the opportunity to look for bargains among used machines. Previous players will have experienced playing with bees, goats, cows and sheep. In Farm Manager 2022 for the first time it allows you to set up things like a fish farm or a quail farm. You will need to build a mechanic’s garage to help maintain your machinery, implement a veterinary centre to look after your animals and also create many other buildings to keep things ticking along at your farm. You’ll also need staff to run your farm, some permanent some seasonal and they have their own wants as well. Farm Manager 2022 is about the detail.

There are 3 modes in Farm Manager 2022 which are Campaign, Tutorial and Free Mode. I’d suggest spending a fair bit of time in the Tutorial mode because you’ll need it. However, the tutorial mode isn’t the most user friendly you’ll come across and doesn’t quite cover all you need for the Campaign mode. You’ll find yourself having to restart a fair bit as you realise you’ve done things in an inefficient manner. When you add buildings, they need to connect to roads and there needs to be enough electricity to run it. Staff need housing near these buildings otherwise nothing will happen. There isn’t enough hand holding at the start of Farm Manager 2022 which can make it more frustrating than it should be, it’s only a minor shame because there is a very complex and interesting game contained within Farm Manager 2022, you just have to be patient.

Visually, Farm Manager 2022 isn’t great on a couple of fronts. The menu system is massive, there are a lot of options and there are times when the text is just too small to be seen clearly. The buildings and moving parts like birds are a tad on the low polygon side. Farm life just like in real life is slow for periods so you better be prepared for the long haul to make things work, Farm Manager 2022 gives back as much as you put into it.

Farm Manager 2022 is a resource intensive game that requires a lot of your time for you to get enjoyment out of it. If you are willing to see past the under par graphics then you will find Farm Manager 2022 is full of engaging moments as your farm becomes bigger and better. If you have an interest in farming or management simulations then you’ll definitely find plenty to keep you busy in Farm Manager 2022.

Review: Rolling Gunner + Over Power

Alex Chessun

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May 26, 2022

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I’ve always marveled at how some of the most addictive gameplay experiences in video games are from some of the simplest systems and Rolling Gunner + Over Power, a side-scrolling bullet hell shmup, is the perfect example of this and then some, with two contrasting arcade formulas part of an immensely engrossing package that’s really hard to put down.

One of 3 great-looking selectable planes, the RF-42RS Super STORK is a high-speed type with a narrow bullet spread.

As a pilot of a STORK space fighter, you are humanity’s last hope of survival, a beacon of light for a populace whose demise at the hands of rogue computer system BAC seems all but assured with their army of large Gundam-like robots and killing machines.

Thankfully, the awesome weaponry at your disposal makes you feel more like Maverick from Top Gun than Dastardly and Muttley in their flying machines.

The biggest reason for this is Rolling Gunner’s addition of the Over Power mode (originally released as DLC with the original release), which adds so much to the experience that going between the two modes in the same sitting feels like you’ve popped in a completely different game.

Thankfully a training mode – allowing you to practice specific sections and bosses – with countless adjustable options provides a great platform from which to build your skills.

The original mode has the traditional challenge of a genre shmup with its punishing difficulty forcing you to respect the enemy by avoiding projectiles and timing your attacks around boss offensives. Mercy is provided in the form of an automatic bomb system that triggers after receiving contact, but they are limited in number, and significant skill and concentration is required to last the distance without numerous continues.

Over Power, on the other hand, takes the direct opposite approach, encouraging an active playing style while providing you with the tools to take the action to the enemy. Your ship and weapons are more powerful as a result with a rolling gun that can shield against bullets and a buster beam that can destroy them. It’s not only more forgiving, but it also gives you the choice of how to deal with the threat in front of you, meaning that every playthrough feels different, as you feel in complete control of how you navigate the psychedelic sea of shrapnel.

While this does make the game easier, this isn’t just a cheap ploy from the developer to open the game’s doors to a new audience without respecting the original game’s formula – they haven’t just added to the original, they made an entirely new formula and perfected it.

Even the control systems are different across the modes with a single stick system in the former and a twin-stick system in the latter, separating the rolling gun functionality and making each mode yet more distinct.

The game’s special weapons are common to both modes, though, and it is the wielding of these where the key to achieving the best possible score lies. A destructive plasma shield – which destroys all bullets on the screen – can be activated once you have picked up 1000 medals (dropped by defeated enemies) and once activated, the same medal counter starts to decrease, giving you 15 seconds to charge (by picking up as many red medals as possible) and fire the crème de la crème of butt-whoopin’ weaponry.

With the above weapon by far and away the most powerful, gathering medals – automatically sucked up by being within a certain distance – is almost as important as clearing a path to victory.

There’s quite a risk of losing the chance to unleash said badassery, however, as a single hit during the charging period resets the counter to 0, so waiting until the very last moment – especially if you’re being carpet-bombed by a boss – might not seem worth it, until you see how much damage it causes that is. The game rewards the brave excellently in this way, and the 3 or more opportunities that you can use the weapon in each stage are brilliantly nervous moments, as you want more time to charge your weapon, but also can’t have the timer wind down fast enough.

What’s also interesting about Rolling Gunner is that it excels in the presentation department without doing anything particularly groundbreaking – it’s just that arrangement of its features complement each other so very well. The visuals – from the backgrounds to the ship designs, and camera angles both in cutscenes and in-game – are tremendously easy on the eyes, and the brilliant soundtrack with its tracks that dial you into the action and moreish sound effects, from the firing of the weapons to the explosions, excite and inspire in equal measure.

You aren’t all alone on this adventure either, with some already very impressive scores being hosted on the online leader boards already, providing great impetus to further improve your own scores.

Although it is possible to play with unlimited continues, only your score within the default number of lives is recorded online, so the pursuit for perfection is ever-present and is very appealing.

So overwhelmingly positive was my experience with Rolling Gunner that the only negative worth noting is the occasional slowdown in performance when thick clouds of projectiles or large explosions are produced in boss battles. It doesn’t particularly affect the experience – you could argue it even helps out players in the game’s toughest moments – but as they have reportedly been patched out on other platforms where it’s been out longer, you’d assume it’d get the same treatment here.

The package of Rolling Gunner + Over Power provides countless hours of entertainment through its immensely replayable and masterfully balanced gameplay, making it not just a must-play for fans of the shmup genre but also an excellent starting point for those who are looking to test the waters in the bullet hell genre for the first time but have been wary of the challenge.

Review: Tennis Manager 2022

Farhan Gianis

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May 26, 2022

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While it does offers a different perspective on the sport scene that you are the one playing as the manager not controlling the athlete. Released in 17th of May 2022, Tennis Manager 2022 is the new entry to the yearly release from the Tennis Manager franchise. Tennis Manager 2022 offers a complex management sim but rewarding gameplay in spite of the cluttered UI and its outdated graphics.

Tennis Manager 2022 Release Trailer

Gameplay

Tennis Manager 2022 offers a deep and complicated as expected of a management simulator. The game starts with you creating your manager with a barebone character creation. Then, you will be presented with two default starting point of your managerial career: starting a new academy with a custom player or start your career with a preset academy and players.

Right off the bat, you will be greeted with bombardment of interface, mechanics, diagrams, and charts. There is a help section to guide you through but, it feels lacking in detailed explanation for a newcomer. There are many positive aspects of its gameplay. Being able to micromanage your player stats, training, your tennis academy and so on. You can also customized the appearance of your players too, like the character creation, with a barebone wardrobe customization. However, each of these items offers some benefits in form of boosting or negating the stats of currently selected player.

Cool, numbers and diagrams! I am so excited.

Outside the office, you can also participate in coaching your athlete. Watching their matches, giving them pep talk or celebratory cheers. During matches, you can also switch strategies, playstyle and focus key points to counter your enemies tactics and target their weak points.

Graphics

Graphic wise Tennis Manager 2022 doesn’t offer much in this department, both in court or when you manage you player and academy. It is functional for sure but its color scheme seems boring to look at. That is a big no-no when you spend most of the time playing this game staring at the multitude of menus and charts. The overall layout also confusing to navigate and this’ll probably also look unapproachable to newcomer to the franchise.

In court, the graphics from the crowd, the referee and and the players looks outdated. Well, the game expects you to skim the matches by fast-forwarding the match. Also for some reason, there are time when the ball definitely goes out of reach of your opponent racket, but they can still hit the ball back.

Sounds

There is not a lot of sounds in this game. In-game music sounds boring and repetitive and what is worse is that there is only one in the entire game. Yet, the most glaring thing is that when you are holding a press conference, there is no atmospheric sound effects; like the sound of camera shutters or pitter patter of gossiping journalists. Even when you win a match, the celebratory sounds and cheers sounds celebratory. One way to enjoy this game is turn off the in-game music and just play a podcast, music or an audiobook in the background.

Conclusion

Performance wise, I encountered several crashes and the game sometimes freezes for a couple of second when I enter a match. These crashes and freezes occurs randomly throughout my playthrough so I cannot tell you exactly what is causing the crashes.

Lastly, what I notice the most is that the game feels unfinished and unpolished. Basically, that how it feels to play Tennis Manager 2022, barebone and limited. There’s nothing much else to do. Ranging from its gameplay aspects to sounds, contents inside the game felt like it was haphazardly put together. While the gameplay offers a complex and rewarding gameplay, there is nothing to brag about from it. Sure, if you can get past the underwhelming aspects of the game. I am a sucker for sim games but, I can’t say the same with Tennis Manager 2022. I cannot recommend this game in its current state. If you still want to play this, either wait for improvement to be made or just skip this entry entirely.

Review: Blow and Fly

Daniel Waite

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May 26, 2022

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If you own a pet, all you must do is look after it! No matter how large the animal is, all they want is to feel loved and to be safe. Subsequently, if you fail to achieve this, their life will be miserable. This is exactly what happens in Blow and Fly. It’s a tough game of survival and a journey to find a new home.

Developed by Khud0 and published by Eastasiasoft Limited, this is a physics-based puzzle title. Like Super Meat Boy and its peers, Blow and Fly has a deceptively easy concept. Consequently, you’ll be lulled into a false sense of security, you’ll fail, and you’ll be frustrated. Furthermore, you’ll die repeatedly, turn the air blue, and vow to stop playing. However, it’s moreish and tough to put down.

Blow and Fly demands agility and dexterity. — Roll, leap, and hit that toilet.

Blow and Fly gets under your skin.

Thanks to its simple drip-fed mechanics, Blow and Fly will get under your skin. As you progress, new elements are introduced that’ll help you to traverse each level. This gentle learning curve was essential, as the precise gameplay will drive you insane.

What surprised me was the lack of any story. You are told of an accident and how the fish must find a new water source. Strangely, this was a toilet, the dead fish graveyard! However, this is by the by and becomes a moot point. After the dust settles, no subplot is introduced, and you are left to your own devices. This wasn’t an issue, but it made the transition between zones a little circumstantial at best.

Many mechanics help you to traverse each stage. — Hit the water and carry on.

Secret areas and challenging stages.

This lack of guidance or plot was confusing. This was more apparent when secret zones were incorporated. As you explore each level, there was a chance to discover a portal to a new area. Here you must use your skills and savvy to overcome each unique stage. However, once you finished each level, there was no reward! Furthermore, you could simply ignore them and it mattered not. This was pointless and strange and made them an unnecessary burden.

As for its stage design, obstacles, and core mechanics, they lack originality. You’ll attempt to overcome spikes, gaps, projectiles, etcetera, etcetera. Sadly, it’s nothing new, but it works well with the protagonist’s skills and abilities. The fish can only roll or shoot water to jump gaps. Once it lands, it can shoot water again. Therefore, you must plan every move, use friction to stay on platforms, and slide to perfection.

Blow and Fly could be any indie platformer.

Though I liked Blow and Fly’s clean look and colourful style, it didn’t wow me. Unfortunately, it felt familiar and lacked originality. Subsequently, it could have been any indie platformer, and this was disappointing. However, I liked the sprites, the contrasting tones that highlighted the obstacles, and the varied backdrops. Furthermore, the animations are smooth and I have experienced no issues.

The lack of originality continued in the audio. The synth-wave music was fun and upbeat and juxtaposed the many dangers you faced. What’s more, the sound effects are chirpy, enjoyable, and matched the madness.

Shoot the water and traverse each level. — Use the water and move around each stage.

An excellent tutorial.

The developers know that Blow and Fly is testing. Therefore, the controls needed to be excellent and responsive. Luckily, they got it spot on as the game responds instantly to every command. Alongside this, the tutorial for new elements was fantastic. A quick diagram highlights the tasks and you master them instantly.

Thanks to its brutal ways, secret areas, and large array of levels, it has longevity. However, once you finish it, there is no reason to return. Yes, there are additional characters to unlock, but this is more filler than depth. If the challenges pushed you towards a speedrun or a limited lives mode, then you’d want to keep playing.

Blow and Fly is good, but that’s all.

I desperately wanted Blow and Fly to impress me. However, it didn’t. It has the ingredients to be a good game, but it never excels. The overwhelming feeling was a lack of originality, and this was disappointing. What’s more, it is bereft of a story and that was unfortunate. If you want a tough, shallow, and inexpensive physics-based puzzler, then buy it here! I, however, am on the fence. Fish need water, and this one is in trouble. Roll, shoot water and get to the toilet ASAP.

Review: NIS Classics Volume 2

Natosha M

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May 25, 2022

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Here is one game including two classic JRPG titles! NIS Classics Volume 2 for the Nintendo Switch is going to bring back two familiar role-playing games, but done up so much better! Each is slightly improved visually and will include some added content. The two titles in this volume are Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound and ZHP: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman. Both are categorized in the same gaming genre but are slightly different in how they are played.

Additionally, they both have a lengthy amount of gameplay, which is including going through these randomly generated multi-level dungeon-style battlefields. Both games were published by NIS(Nippon Ichi Software) at different times. One was released during the PS2(Playstation 2) era and the other at the time when the PSP(Playstation Portable) was trending. They also were sold separately, and for the first time, they are now being reintroduced as one game on the Nintendo Switch. So you practically get two RPGs for the price of one.

Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound ⚔

So how was this game? Well, it’s long and not bad if you just enjoy building team members from earthly objects and going through a portal to the next dungeon-like level. Mainly, it’s all about defeating rivals in different level environments. The game’s design is visually simple, it’s a bit square in shape with a 3D graphical presence.

It doesn’t appear like a game you’d find nowadays, as it’s more of the classic way of creating a strategy RPG game. Since it was built during the PS2 era, a blast from the past, the design process was not as capable of higher quality graphics as it is now. However, the square layout back then was trending more in games and an easier way to position each member on the battlefield. So even with the before and now in comparison, it still isn’t a bad design as some games still rely on that structure.

What I do find interesting is that even with some storyline, this game really doesn’t rely on your need to read a long narrative. Instead, it’s more for those who want to just get down to engaging in battle verse reading or listening to what needs to be found or where you need to travel to. You practically can skip all of the conversations and get right into the battlefield, invite team members you’ve created, and get to placing and executing their attacks.

Additionally, the team members you can create are almost limitless. Since you have all the components to build a variety of characters to add to your team. There are so many options to choose from a list of different classes and styles. Each one of them possesses their own strengths in something more than others. Yet, with three free bonus boosters, you can choose which feature you’d like the member to be stronger in or add to ones they already accomplish quite well. This is normally where I’d choose HP as it’s always great to have a longer life and even ATK would be great for a better attack. However, I focused more on the special abilities; magical powers while playing, well just for a few of them.

This game provides so many other ways to help improve the team or just a single member. Some are gained by the items acquired from purchases at the different buildings you’ll find in the main location. For example, there is a hospital that will resurrect those members who’ve passed away during the battle or need to rest. It helps restore the HP or recover those and allows you to summon them back. Plus, you can’t leave out the weapon shop. So many powerful weapons to choose from, providing even a better attack on the enemies through each battle.

Honestly, I like all these additional features. It’s unlike any other game I’ve come across. However, the game does tend to get a bit redundant. Possibly, if you are like me, you may find yourself creating a routine before, after, and during each level. So it starts to feel like you’ll be doing the same thing every time you play. At least, for difficulty, there is a variety of challenging foes to defeat and a variety of things you may want to focus on, like additional goals to achieve other than just defeating the final enemy.

There were a few things I found a bit complicated and difficult. You don’t want to play Petta Mode if you are starting this game for the first time. The game is well explained through the original gameplay mode. Yet, each is exactly alike in battle sequence and concept. The one thing that may be hard to comprehend, which I found confusing till I played through the first tutorial level was the buttons to press to execute each attack and end my turn. It’s a little different than I’m used to when it comes to the many buttons on the controller to use to make these moves, but it grows on you after doing it so many times.

The other problem I noticed, which honestly I’m not sure if it affects the game or if it’s helpful. Yet, it could be just a bug, but I’m not actually certain. When choosing a new team member to create, if you go back and forth to the same character, they tend to increase in strengths than when it was first selected. I don’t know if this really does adjust the strengths or is something of a bug, but it’s always great to get a better power or HP when you can.

For a final thought, this game does have a nice quality sound it’s very clear to see the entire level and with the camera rotation, that helps plenty. For the many objects and members one can create, it feels as endless as the levels but is quite an original aspect I haven’t seen in any other game. Its unique gameplay and original content are additional features I’m impressed with. So all I can say is that it’s not a bad game, very easy to get a hang of, and provides hours of planning and action-packed battles.

ZHP: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman ⚔

So how was this game? Well, it’s very different from Makai Kingdome, and what really was the first thing I’ve noticed was how the main hero of the game is nearly invisible. There is no preventing any objects to move fully through each other on the screen. Regardless, the game is still very nice even with this effect. It doesn’t seem to cause such a problem, just might be a bit awkward.

Now to start, the main area; the first location is where you have everything you need to gear up for battle, also to learn how to battle. You’ll find you can purchase recovery products, weapons, and even music. As well as some views of each enemy you came across during each dungeon run. This is also where you’ll transport back to when you get defeated after going through levels of dangerous caves, or when you want to take a break. The one thing I find a bit more interesting is the game’s design and it may actually have a better story to follow, while still being all about endless dungeons to vanquish enemies on. Plus, the battles are a bit less turn-based and more just attacking each other at the same time. So it all is about the faster you are to make a move the better the chances are to defeat the enemy. Especially if it’s only one or two and not a whole pack of enemies at one time.

Additionally, there is plenty of objects to pick up and equip while traveling through each dungeon. You also level up pretty fast, which refills the HP and strengthens you as the hero. The items you find can be equipped or ones dropped by the enemies during a fight are very unique and can modify the character on the screen. Even though the mini-story scenes, you still appear as modified as you were when playing the game. I like how they kept the focus on the change applied to the hero, really adding them and not just making you acknowledge the equipped object, without really seeing it.

I also find that this game isn’t as complex and has more of a story to go on, even if it is just by a tad. Plus, the joy of a no-turn-base battle and just going right in for the attack is my type of game! Maybe the only planning you really need to consider is how to involve a few enemies at the right time when to attack. That way you won’t be defeated easily by the many in the room.

In addition, the narrative text can be read or easily skipped, which is just a wonderful option to have. All using just a single button, it can easily be skipped. Since I’m talking about buttons on the controller, I must say that the mapping is also easier to understand. Especially with the help of the tutorial stage, the battles become easier to perform attacks or equip an item or use one. The only difficulty is my fingers get so tired using the method required to move around, the cursor buttons.

Regardless of the controls, items to be acquired and used or character modifying. The game practically revolves around entering dungeon-style levels and guiding the one hero, Unlosing Ranger to new battlefields with plenty of enemies waiting to attack, leading us closer to taking on and defeating Darkdeath. There is one unusual difference I’d like to point out with the battle structure in this game. It isn’t set up like a traditional strategy RPG. I guess that is what makes this game stand out a bit more than any other I’ve played.

The idea I get is that they took two different fighting styles and combined them to create an original fighting style. For example, it feels as if they removed the turn base structure from a traditional strategy fighting game while keeping the limited area you can move into and catch the attention of each enemy you’ll be attacking. Then you just attack as if you’re playing a platformer game, no waiting just full-on attack as they will be attacking you at the same time. Regardless of how it may appear, it really is different and not unpleasant, but something I would love to see in other games.

Lastly, I’d like to say that it’s been a blast to play this game! I feel it had a more lively and cheerful appearance. Also to take into consideration a classic game, it might not have needed much improvement because it’s been made for a PSP handheld. So it is a bit newer than a PS2 console with better graphics and load time. Plus, it wouldn’t be complete without excellent background music. This game has one that provides such a heroic sound. It makes you feel ready to fight, and you sort of just by the sound can tell it’s an RPG type of game. So together everything about this game is just perfect even being older than the ones on the market now. You may even confuse it with a recent release verse one that’s been out for a while.

Final Thoughts ⚔

So to sum it up, I felt NIS Classics Volume 2 to be an excellent game with two to choose from and full of new content to explore and discover. If this is the first time playing the game, it may all be new. Nevertheless, I found them to be a wonderful pair to have in one game. Especially how they are slightly similar in the style of gameplay as well as their large amount of levels to play through. Both also being perfect RPG games that bring plenty of entertaining battle scenes and maps to investigate. Of course, there are a few issues, but other than that, it’s not a bad game collection.

Review: Citizen Sleeper

Kara Phillips

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May 25, 2022

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Citizen Sleeper is an incredibly narrative-driven RPG resource manager where you try to survive in the dystopian ruins of interplanetary capitalism. It’s tense, it’s beautiful, it’s somber. What else could you want?

Weigh up your consequences as you fight against a deteriorating body, and make sacrifices that could change day-to-day life as you know it. But stay quiet, as you never know who or what the next chance might affect.

On the surface, this title offers a lot to the player from the get-go. Which initially may seem like an overwhelming amount of information. You take on the role of a synthetic cyborg person, called a sleeper, who is one of the thousands of people fighting to survive an almost-apocalyptic world. You’ve escaped your regular lifestyle of working for a megacorporation that coincidentally created the body you inhabit. So with your great escape comes excellent consequence.

A sequence of storylines

However, the story isn’t as simple as merely escaping. Citizen Sleeper weaves several deep plots to explain what lies within the space station you now call home. As I’ve mentioned, you aren’t the only person fighting for your life. The plot really makes it a game you have to sink your teeth into. Although the mechanics of the game feel simple, the narrative, which is the title’s most significant selling point, keeps you coming back time and time again.

Though this approach to storyline may be incredibly overwhelming for a handful of players like me. Luckily, if you’re like me and struggle to keep up with several branches of story-led games, you don’t have to follow every single storyline the game presents to you. There’s no pressure whatsoever to follow storylines you’re disinterested with. It won’t negatively impact your gameplay – and allows you to focus on the stories you enjoy.

A slave to capitalism

Your body is owned by the company that you’re trying to escape from. In turn, you’re running from the enemies that have been sent to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. Unfortunately, however, your body is deteriorating, with the only cure being a supplement made exclusively by the megacorporation. I found that this heavy reliance on the thing you’re in the process of fleeing from made the story and entire experience so incredibly tense. Although it seems like a lax supply management game, Citizen Sleeper can have you on the edge of your seat on multiple occasions.

A new take on the day/night cycle

This title doesn’t rely so much on the gameplay factor as it does on your engagement with the characters. Your days are tracked by ‘cycles’, in which you are responsible for consistently managing the few resources you have left. Every time you sleep and end a cycle, your body deteriorates a little bit further. And you slowly begin to starve due to your lack of supplies.

During cycles, Citizen Sleeper offers you a variety of activities to complete to keep day-to-day life slightly more exhilarating than just awaiting your death. But with each new cycle, you have to complete several dice rolls to then spend towards your next activity in the station. As you deteriorate, you get few and few dice rolls per cycle. I loved this feature. It was a tangible loss of energy rather than a depleting stamina bar or anything of that style. You have to select where you use the remaining energy of your body wisely since you won’t last forever. You also have to make life or death decisions as you deteriorate. It gets to a point where you will do anything to ensure you don’t go another day without food. Even if it means sacrificing a friend.

The sound (and art) of space

Citizen Sleeper is a visually breathtaking game, which is what you need from a title so heavily dependent on its characters. The art style gives the game some real-life behind its heavy stories and also provides the player with a visual knowledge of the character they’re playing. I find it incredibly hard to engage with a heavily story-led narrative without knowing who it is I’m playing as. Citizen Sleeper undoubtedly soothed those concerns.

Accompanying your grand escape is an epic synth-wave soundtrack that is equal parts somber as it is surprising. This soundtrack also adds to the tension the chase between your ex-employer and yourself engages in. It all comes together to create a phenomenal take on a dystopian future.

Final thoughts

As a whole, Citizen Sleeper is a fantastic RPG management game that involves a heavy dystopian tone of a derelict future. If this sounds like something you love, and if you’re a fan of games like In Other Waters and Disco Elysium then this may be for you. I’d recommend it to anyone searching for the next space-based adventure, especially since it only takes about five hours to fight your way through.

Review: Floppy Knights

Daniel Waite

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May 25, 2022

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Deck-building games, whether virtual or physical, have always been popular. The blend of strategy, luck, and competitive edge never gets old. Therefore, when I was offered Floppy Knights, I didn’t hesitate. Yes, I could have waited to play it on Xbox Game Pass, but I was impatient. Consequently, my week-long delve into its madness has been enjoyable and tough.

Developed by Rose City Games and published by Wiip, this is a deck-building strategy title. It is vivid, colourful, and has a bizarre and whimsical story. Furthermore, it’ll tap into your inner geek, and its cutting dialogue will make you chuckle. On top of this, it has bite-size missions, a challenge mode, and plenty of crazy characters. Therefore, it can be played casually between other titles.

Floppy Knights is just silly.

When the plot revolves around an inventor and her BFF robot, you know it’s going to be silly. What’s more, the missions are strange, the monsters bizarre, and everything is a tad surreal. However, I loved how absurd it was, and I enjoyed the crazy roller-coaster ride. The plot focuses on Phoebe and her robot Carlton. This pair of wannabe heroes are desperate to buy their own place, but money is hard to come by. Thankfully, odd jobs are readily available, and these form the backbone of the plot. Ultimately, the duo wants to compete and win the inventors’ competition. Sadly, though, things don’t go as planned, so their whacky adventure begins.

The action utilises key deck-building mechanics. Therefore, if you are familiar with the genre, you’ll feel right at home. However, there is a twist to proceedings! Not only will you use tried and tested elements, but you’ll deal with turn-based gameplay as well. Now, this may seem like a ballache, but it isn’t. The two mechanics work perfectly, as it supports the strategy theme.

So many places to visit and lots of obstacles to overcome.

Commanders, grunts, and deck building.

The story comprises an array of unique areas, each of 4 stages. During each chapter, you’ll face different enemies and environmental dangers. Each of these problems can be used to your advantage, but you must think wisely. You can use woods, trees, or rocks to protect you. Alternatively, you can use lava, boulders, and more to attack your foes. Either way, you are free to choose your approach and this was fantastic.

Your deck is the most crucial aspect of the game. It comprises a commander, grunts, and action cards. The latter is formed of attack, defence, healing, and more. Each must be used wisely, as your turn has limited action points. What’s more, your commander must survive, otherwise, your quest is failed.

If you’ve played the genre before, this will feel familiar. I appreciated its simplicity, elements of luck, and special unit cards. If you are fortunate, you’ll be dealt a good hand and the battle will be yours to win. However, this wasn’t always the case and therefore, you have to think on your feet.

When you win, you receive cards and cash. These are key to building an all-powerful deck of cards. With no more than 30 allowed in any deck, you must create cards and pick the best for each mission.

Use your cards and defeat every creature. — Which card will you use?

Floppy Knights is polished but simple to look at.

Having played indie games non-stop for the last few years, I yearn for something unique. Many of the titles look familiar, and it becomes tedious. Luckily, though, Floppy Knights stands out from the crowd. Yes, its style is simple, but it’s fun and funky and nice to look at. The cinematic uses 2D models similar to Paper Mario. These clean-cut sprites are full of character and will make you chuckle.

The simplicity continues within the grid-based missions. The top-down perspective is easy to navigate, clear to understand, and nicely varied. Consequently, each mission was interesting and challenging to tackle.

The charming audio is whimsical and jovial while enhancing the madness of the plot. There is a nice blend of upbeat songs and sinister battle music. This, combined with the loud sound effects, works effectively with the theme and the plot.

Your Floppy Knights will change your life. — Use the Floppy Knights to better your life.

Excellent controls.

Because there are no time restraints, there is no pressure when taking your turn. Subsequently, you can explore the excellent UI and plan every move. Even though it wasn’t essential, the controls were responsive and well-thought-out. What’s more, the excellent tutorial makes this an easy game to play. However, you’ll still concern yourself with the correct deck and the right tactics.

Thanks to the extra challenges, different tactical approaches, and the vast amount of cards, Floppy Knights will keep you busy. Therefore, it has oodles of replay value and longevity. This is enhanced further because of its challenging achievement list.

Floppy Knights is great fun.

If you subscribe to Game Pass, or you love strategy/deck-building games, you’ll want to play Floppy Knights. Its story is silly, the action is challenging and enjoyable, and its art style and audio add depth and character. Yes, it isn’t as deep or as challenging as some of its peers, but it won’t take you years to master, either. Unsurprisingly, I loved it and I recommend you to buy it here! Can you build a powerful deck of cards and win the competition? Complete your wacky adventures and show them who’s boss.

Marvel Releases New Trailer and Poster for Thor: Love and Thunder

Andrew Edney

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May 24, 2022

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Marvel Releases New Trailer and Poster for Thor: Love and Thunder

A new trailer and poster are now available for Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Love and Thunder,”.

Revealing new details about the God of Thunder’s latest adventure—including a trek to Olympus where Zeus (Russell Crowe) reigns supreme. The film finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a search for self-discovery. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

Directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”) and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, “Thor: Love and Thunder” opens in cinemas July 8, 2022.