Whenever a developer decides it’s time for a mashup of genres, I raise an eyebrow! I always wonder if it’ll work, or if it’s even necessary. Kungfu Kickball has blended martial arts, football, and volleyball, to create an eclectic and bizarre title. I’ve played some weird sports titles in my time. I’m looking at you Alpaca Ball: Allstars. However, this has to be up there with one of the strangest combinations.
Developed by Whalefood Games and published by Blowfish Studios, this is a martial art and goal-scoring extravaganza. It can be played solo, against another, or 2v2, as you kick, punch, and headbutt your way to victory. The dated aesthetics and cheery music will transport you to a simpler time and a bygone era.
Football in the dunes.
Kungfu Kickball lacks depth.
When this landed on my desk, I didn’t expect there to be a deep and fulfilling plot. Unfortunately, my concerns were confirmed once I loaded it up. With three game modes to select from and three difficulty settings to overcome, this certainly lacks depth. Kungfu Kickball allows you to pick from an arcade option, tournament, or training. The latter mode lets you pick any unlocked characters and you can experience each of the six stages freely.
Training.
Training allows you to play an array of mini-games that should hone your skills. Unfortunately, however, a lack of an explanation forces you to fumble around for the answers. This was poorly executed by the developers and should have been much more thorough. They had an opportunity to explain the fundamentals in a fun way but fell short repeatedly.
Arcade mode.
The arcade mode is where you’ll spend your time. Here you can work with another gamer or take on the computer alone. You must battle your way across 6 varying stages with only one aim and that is to score more points than your opponent. Ceremonial bells are located at opposite ends of the pitch and you must punch, kick, and headbutt the ball and ring the bell. You are free to beat the snot out of your opponent and anything goes. It’s a brutal free for all that gets messy very quickly.
Tournament.
The tournament mode was both fun and disappointing! It uses the same mechanics as the arcade mode with a couple of exceptions. In this competition, you must fight your way through a knockout tournament. Defeat means you are out, and the game is over. Subsequently, only the best will pick up the crown. Where this mode falls short, however, is its lack of solo action. It can only be tackled with other players and this was absurd. If you have no one to play with, your gameplay options are limited to arcade only, and this isn’t acceptable. The developers have made an error as this seriously undermines both accessibility and the fun factor.
The next goal wins.
Kungfu Kickball belongs in an arcade.
Whalefood Games clearly love the arcade era, as Kungfu Kickball has been inspired by this style. Its vivid tones, simple and pixelated imagery, and bizarre level design are reminiscent of 80s gaming. Furthermore, the excellent but basic sprites are enjoyable to look at thanks to their unique appearance.
Where the developers have excelled is the great level design. Each of the 6 arenas was fantastic to experience, and each one offered a different challenge. Whether it was pillars and platforms to avoid or sprawling dunes to climb, you had to adjust your approach to win.
You know when you are on hold and you have to listen to awful repetitive music? Well, welcome to the audio of Kungfu Kickball. Its arcade aspirations have negatively impacted its sound quality. The basic but shrill noises would work perfectly in a loud seafront entertainment venue. However, it’s just a little annoying and repetitive when played on a console.
Kick some panda ass.
The controls lack explanation.
Fortunately, the simplicity of the action combined with the basic gameplay makes this easy to play. Luckily, this approach pastes over the shortcomings that come with the lack of a tutorial. Sadly, however, it took many matches and some trial and error to discover most of the moves. This was annoying, as a simple list of controls or basic instructions in the training mode would have removed this issue.
Regretfully, the problems don’t end there. No, unfortunately, Kungfu Kickball is sadly lacking replay value unless you have friends to play with. A few hours of solo action are fine, but then you yearn for more. Luckily, playing with another makes this much more enjoyable. If the developers had increased the number of modes or made the training section better, this would have improved the longevity vastly.
Kungfu Kickball is great in small doses.
As a casual title, Kungfu Kickball excels. Its vivid aesthetics, annoying but addictive music, and simple controls make this a fun game in small doses. If you have like-minded friends, you’ll have a whale of a time battling one another while mastering the martial arts mash-up. It’s for these reasons that I recommend you to buy it here! However, be aware of its shortcomings. Can you better each arena and be crowned the champion? Kick, punch, and headbutt your way to victory.
Maybe you have some time in your day, possibly feeling a bit bored at a meeting, school, or just need time to release your inner creativity by doodling? Well check out this game, Draw a Stickman: EPIC. It’s a game that is so simple to play while being pleasantly enjoyable, and on top of that, all you need to do to play this game is bring your ability to be creative. By the way, there is no requirement to be a perfectionist!
Additionally, Draw a Stickman is much more than just a drawing game, but instead it’s one that ties in some puzzling obstacles, roleplaying action, and of course, the freedom to draw and name your own character, a friend, and even doodle objects or items whenever you want. That was what had charmed me about this game and why I’ve fallen in love with playing it. I’m just free to create as much as I like, anywhere I want.
For example, I made a cat as my stickman character in this game and it still plays quite well. Plus, with a little more humor, Bob which I left the name that is given as a choice, but can be changed, well I made it a ball of orange yarn. Now how fun and free is that, when you don’t need to be a human or a real stick-person while playing this game.
The possibilities are endless within this game, and the ability to be creative and original is a fun factor, especially for myself. Plus, I found that it works great with the controls on the handheld console, Nintendo Switch Lite, and even if used on the original Nintendo Switch. Plus, while the player gets further into the game, you are now obtaining a few new features, pencils to draw with as well as learn how to use, and colors to design and create as much as you’d like. It just gets better and allows for more reasons to doodle with additional gains that make the game even better!
The Adventure Begins!
It’s a fun game that has plenty of levels to explore. Plus, being such a relaxing game, nothing about being a perfect player or losing lives, time, or anything. You don’t need to be a gamer to enjoy this game. It’s very well explained, has simple controls, and is just adorable in total. Additionally, with so many levels to discover new pencils and allow you to obtain new skills. These help you draw and design something new, which form into a creation that could be making a cloud that causes lighting or just rain. Even if you want to learn to draw fire, that is there too. Plus much more!
What I do enjoy is that each level in this book is a world of imaginative play. It’s not all the same redundant gameplay and won’t get boring from what you can do. In fact, you can grow some veggies within a garden, by creating a rain cloud above them. Watching them grow as you see it come to life! The same goes for starting a flame to burn dynamite, trees, and even slaying the enemy. Oh and a few more like even with bad doodling you can just draw a squiggle and make a key, armor to protect you better, or even use an ax to cut down trees. Plus, they all become animated while you press the button to activate the creation and location you doodled it at, come to life.
There is one truth with all the things you can do within this game and I’ve just told you a few that occur at the very start, but there is plenty further inside this game. The problem that might cause you to take a true and critical hit, causing your character; doodled character to be destroyed and need a restart is if it’s in drawing mode and you accidentally doodle a weapon-style design near you. For example, lightning or fire doesn’t really pan out great when it’s next to you or going to cause something to affect a large area around you.
So the planning portion of the game is a little bit of a requirement. Despite this and as I said before, The game is all about fun and enjoyment. So even if it makes you restart the level, you can love to learn and take on the challenge to plan accordingly and still watch other things take the effect of what you create. Oh yes, that doesn’t end the pain. Imagine the problems you can even get with the enemies in the game. Many are cute little characters like animals that aren’t all kind and friendly. So being ready to take action with your pencil, is a must, and again planning correctly will be the key to success so you don’t hurt yourself, but defeat the enemies only.
Two main issues I came upon is that how fast our character may die could be an issue or not to some players. However, it’s so easy to get hurt and be killed without much damage, just one hit at most times. This can be not that pleasing, but then again it doesn’t really take much energy to return back to where you left off. Perhaps, this just adds a bit of a challenge to the game, making it harder and a bit more necessary to think things through before continuing. Plus, it also makes sense that a stickman or character you want to doodle can easily be hurt and die since nothing much to the design of our figure, or any shield to protect us.
The second one is that there are a few issues where the stickman character we designed won’t move freely. This little guy, girl, animal, or anything you’ve doodled up seems to have one issue in some parts of the world. The character seems to get stuck and not move as freely as it should. Like it gets stuck in one location and hard to budge for a few seconds, not even if there is anything in front of you to be blocked. So that happens sometimes and is a bit of an issue. Otherwise, it won’t mean the game is frozen, and no need to restart the game anytime, just being a few seconds of lagging in gameplay before continuing the game.
Therefore, what else can I say? The game’s epic journey is full of monsters; enemies that want to cause harm and stop you from obtaining or achieving your goals. Just like collecting pieces and finding Bob or whomever you like to call your friend. Plus, there are plenty of chances to doodle, while visiting many worlds in this storybook. So much to see and not much to worry about as it’s got no need to be an artist or have a good stylus, as the handheld or controller will work fine. I think that is one other feature I do enjoy about this game, easy controls to play the game and not necessary to have a stylus to doodle.
Final Thoughts
The game is quite entertaining and can be humorous how some may look at it. Especially, when played in a freestyle mode, burning things that don’t really need to be burnt or just anything you want to do. However, it can even just be played straight through. Collecting puzzle pieces, getting to obtain all these new colors, learning new things to draw without them being anything but squiggle lines if you want, and of course, the joy of being a hero of your own making.
There really aren’t many negative aspects to this simple, short game. It’s fun to play as close to a simulated-style game, doing as you like. There is no wrong or right, just humorous fun, and creative play! So I think the only thing that the game has me feeling is the need for more! It’s clearly a simple and a great game, and reminds me of a few well-designed games that required doodling; Scribblenauts or Drawn to Life. Despite the simplicity of the graphics and lackluster colors or character design, I’m just hooked to the charm of the freedom on how you play, I just can’t wait for another book to open and a new epic journey to begin!
I’m not usually a reviewer who likes to be late to the party, but in this instance, my thoughts are long overdue. Dying Light 2 Stay Human has been out for nearly a week and it hasn’t received the stellar plaudits I expected. I felt a little disheartened when I read my peers’ articles, but I didn’t let it discourage me. After all, who doesn’t want to murder the undead while trying to find your long-lost sister?
Developed and published by Techland, this is a first-person open-world adventure RPG. Set in a bleak post-apocalyptic world, you must fight to survive. You will balance friendship, trust, and politics in a volatile powder keg that is ready to ignite.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a much-anticipated sequel.
The gaming industry has a fine pedigree of zombie titles. However, recently, the standards have been slipping. Therefore, when Techland confirmed Dying Light 2 Stay Human’s release date, many fans clambered to get their pre-orders in. The developers promised storylines that branched off in multiple directions and actions that had consequences. Moreover, there were promises of improved parkour elements and a better skill tree. I can honestly say that they haven’t let us down! The promise of a 100+ hours main story and an additional 400 hours for everything else seemed unrealistic, but I shouldn’t have doubted it.
The plot revolves around a “pilgrim” called Aiden Caldwell. He wanders the dangerous lands undertaking quests for others, no matter the consequences. However, his needs are now his focus as he arrives at the broken town of Villedor looking for answers. His sister Mia was taken from him when they were just children and rumour has it that she may still be alive. Therefore, he cares not for who he hurts, or what he must do as he desperately edges closer to the truth.
God damn, you are ugly!
There are some shortcomings.
Dying Light was so well received that the sequel was set an amazingly high bar. Therefore, it understandably falls short in some categories. Yet this doesn’t make it unworthy of your time. No, you may simply need to adjust your expectations slightly, that’s all. So what am I referring to, exactly? Well, the plot and the acting, in a nutshell.
Now, I really enjoyed how the story twisted and turned depending on your decisions and actions. Yet, this fluid approach has consequences! When you are free to undertake side quests or roam the open world, the political landscape can change. Subsequently, conclusions to other quests or interactions don’t always marry up with the current situation and this can be confusing. Unfortunately, there is little that Techland can do to remedy this issue, as to do so would remove one of its key concepts.
The problems sadly continue with the almost laughable acting. Aside from Aiden, whose character is likeable and believable, the rest of the cast is subpar. Now, I still enjoyed every cinematic and conversation I experienced, but the wooden nature of much of it will be underwhelming for many. I, though, found it highly amusing and consequently I liked the break from the sinister and horrific nature of the gameplay.
This will hurt a lot.
From shortcomings to shining moments.
When a game sets its bar high, it’s bound to disappoint some. Yet, when it does things well, it blows your mind! Dying Light 2 Stay Human has so many of these moments that it’s genuinely hard to put down. I haven’t looked forward to playing my Xbox as much as I have this past week. Subsequently, I found myself playing for hours without even realising.
Parkour.
Attempting to replicate the finesse and athleticism of parkour is tough at the best of times, yet Dying Light 2 Stay Human has it nailed. Sprinting, jumping, climbing, and falling come second nature to our hero. It was enthralling to climb mega-structures or to dive across gaping chasms. Furthermore, every moment was slick and buttery smooth!
What I particularly liked about this element was how the character progression directly influenced your ability. This was great as it ensures the whole world isn’t open to you from the off.
The day/night cycle.
Villedor is dangerous at the best of times, but the day/night cycle opens up an array of new problems. With time specific quests, shops to raid, and new monsters to kill, nighttime can be horrendous. The difficulty is compounded further by your rising infection rate and the constant threat of howlers. These screechy bastards start a deadly game of cat and mouse where you are, unfortunately, the cheese-eating rodent. Only the use of UV light, extreme parkour skills, and luck will ensure you survive.
Quit hanging around.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human has a spectacular open world.
I was blown away by Dying Light, so I couldn’t wait to see Dying Light 2 Stay Human on a next-gen machine. Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed. Yes, there are the usual annoying glitches, but these will be patched out. Therefore, what will be left will be a spectacular post-apocalyptic experience. You encounter some amazing characters, exceptional cinematic, and a gloriously large and varied map to explore. What’s more, as the sun sets, the familiar environment shows its sinister side.
It was easy to admire what Techland has achieved. Therefore, it was fascinating to explore the range of buildings, structures, and open spaces in this once-thriving town. Then there is the brutality of the combat and the endless amount of gore. Bludgeoning the undead with a hammer was amazing, and it was only bested when you managed to decapitate an arm, leg, or head. It is sure to make you wince, but it won’t stop you from doing it repeatedly.
The developers have brilliantly incorporated a haunting soundtrack that adds emotion and depth to the action. When innocent bystanders are in trouble, a daunting, yet upbeat track plays. As you explore restricted or dangerous locations, hard-hitting songs blare out. These moments were wonderfully complemented by the eerie sounds of people screaming, and the squelch of blood and falling limbs. Therefore, I can comfortably say that the audio is a raving success, as it will make your skin crawl repeatedly.
What a dank city.
Those zombies are in trouble.
Triple-A titles have a tendency to be complex to understand. Fortunately, however, Dying Light 2 Stay Human is easy to master. Thanks to a thorough tutorial and well-mapped layout, those zombies are in trouble. Yet, you will want to prove to the world how good you are! You can be put through your paces by undertaking parkour challenges. These tough events are not for the faint of heart as you must be quick, agile, and strong as you leap zombies and clamber buildings.
With a large character progression tree, an array of weapons to find and upgrade, masses of equipment, and a ridiculous amount of quests, this is enormous. Furthermore, you must unlock structures to assign to the factions. Whatever you decide has a political impact and alters side quests and relationships. On top of all this, this can be enjoyed solo or online with friends. Call for help and allow strangers into your game, or team up with your buddies and slaughter masses of the undead. This was truly an amazing decision from Techland as it increased both the longevity and replay value exponentially.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a must-play title.
I haven’t felt so consumed by a game for a long time, yet, Dying Light 2Stay Human has got under my skin. Yes, there are some minor issues, but these pale into insignificance. Much of the gameplay and action are phenomenal and far exceed the first instalment. I adored it and I recommend you to buy it here! Will Aiden survive his ordeal and save his sister? Search Villedor, befriend the inhabitants and uncover the truth.
It has been an interesting time watching ‘The Book of Boba Fett’, which for me had a very strong start as it answered fan questions that had lasted for nearly forty years until Boba reappeared armor less in Season 2 of ‘The Mandalorian’ which had a finale that set the scene for this show to spin off from. This show has had great moments and also some very questionable choices in terms of where the show got from Episode 3 and 4, not to mention the fact that Episodes 5 and 6 simply went full ‘The Mandalorian Season 2.5’ as both episodes focused primarily on Din Dijarin and Grogu, which had fans going crazy but also meant that for those episodes, Boba Fett either did not feature at all or merely appeared to just nod to Din, and it left me questioning what the direction of this show even was, especially leading into the finale and whether or not Boba would even get to have the starring role in it.
Simply put, this is a finale that much like the direction of the show, confused me more than anything else. The big showdown between the Pyke Syndicate, who wants to continue running their Spice trade via Tatooine versus Boba Fett, Daimyo of Mos Espa with Fennec Shand and his crew. This is a fight that felt important by the end of Episode 4 but sadly at this point for me, completely overshadowed by the reintroduction of The Mandalorian story arc which has been incredible for fans and myself to see but the cost was in killing the momentum of Boba Fett’s story. Now here we are, Episode 7 and the finale and having now watched it through twice, it has left me rather puzzled.
The main reason for that is that this is a showdown that was pretty much by the book, and all expected even though Boba only featured in four of the previous six episodes worthy of note. We begin with the fall out of Episode 6, the Sanctuary having been bombed and now a burned-out ruined building, a location that Boba gathers his forces though Din Djarin is convinced that the people of Freetown are coming to help, unaware that Cad Bane shot Cobb Vanth and threatened the people not to get involved for their own safety. We are made fully aware that Boba and crew are completely outnumbered should the Pyke Syndicate arrive to finish what they began with Sanctuary. This is going to be a fight but not one that has a satisfying ending.
Before we do reach the final battle there are still some threads to tidy up such as the decision Luke forced Grogu to make, choose the life of a Jedi and forsake any possible relationship with Din and earn Yoda’s Lightsaber as a result or accept the gift of Beskar chain mail armour, the gift from Din and in doing so would be returned to him and no longer able to be trained as a Jedi by Luke. Well, every single fan knew what the answer would be and the moment an X-Wing comes into land at the docking station of Mos Eisley it was confirmed. To my surprise, it was a pilotless X-Wing with R2-D2 himself flying it to Tatooine to drop off Grogu for The Mandalorian, no Luke this time. This was indeed a very lovely moment, just one as much has been in the last two episodes, one that took away the focus of what this finale was supposed to be, but I was too busy grinning like an idiot to see the little guy back.
We do get to see some screen time between Boba and Cad Bane, who clearly have a history which I would love to have seen given more time to explain their story, another flashback episode would have been welcome for sure but here we see Cad Bane taunting Boba, trying to get him to make a mistake and ‘shoot first’. One of the things that does bug me about this finale, is how the crew of Boba, the mods and Black Krrsantan are divided up to simply watch out for Pykes though this immediately, and very obvious to the audience watching, was the moment the crime families of Tatooine betrayed the truce that Boba believed he had as each of them target the crew, with The Mod kids being cut off requiring Fennec to save them, Black Krrsantan seemingly being taken down and the two Gamorreans personal guards of Boba pushed off a high point, falling to their deaths. The disappointment that this was so telegraphed as a story device, making us feel Boba is facing odds he cannot overcome fell a little flat for me. However, what I did enjoy was the time spent between Boba and Din, with Boba giving approval if Din wanted to leave to which he responded he would stay, prepared to die alongside Boba in this fight as his word is his creed, though he has been expelled from his Sect, Din still believes in his Creed. For me this is just another example of how this show more than anything else, is the final passing of the “Mando” baton from him to Din.
A quick distraction allows for the real action to start, with the Pyke forces now approaching the shell of Sanctuary, a truly fanboy moment with both Din and Boba flying with the Jetpacks taking the Pykes out but it is a gun fight that leaves them both down under the barrage of fire from the Pykes. There really is just something amazing seeing Mandalorians, though Boba is not one the imagery alone gives so much hope of what we might expect from a third season of Mandalorian. A heroic moment sees the remainder of Boba’s crew return to join this fight but not before the people of Freetown arrive. With the Pykes on the back foot seemingly, there is a real moment of “is that it?” with this fight but then two massive gun droids with shields, take over the fight with one chasing the retreating Mods and Freetown folk and the other focusing on Boba and Din. Unable to break through the shields, Boba flies off to get “reinforcements” leaving Din to continue to have the Gun Droid give chase to him.
A fun moment then happens as the fantastic Peli Motto comes flying round the corner with her droids and rickshaw with Din screaming at them to turn around as he jumps on the back. This is the moment fans of The Mandalorian have been dreaming about, teased in Episode 6 but the moment is here as Din is reunited with Grogu finally and the moment Grogu jumps into Dins hand, I could hear the global “awwww” from every Star Wars fan all crying out in unison for this well-crafted moment though, and it was worth the wait and we also get to see a far more confident Grogu in his ability to use his force abilities during the final moments of the episode which I will come back to later but yeah, having Grogu back with Din might be the finest moment of this finale. Which is quite something to feel considering the next time we see Boba is when he returns riding his Rancor Calf, which I did see coming but was quite a moment to see Boba shooting from the top of his Rancor pet as it went full Godzilla on the Gun Droids, effects budget was clearly saved for this battle, and it was fun to see.
This allows the tide of the battle to turn which also leads to two very big moments for the show, one cute as all hell and another, which might prove to be controversial at first unless you are quite observant. That moment is when Cad Bane calmly stands up to Boba and his Rancor, using his own flame thrower gauntlet to scare off the Rancor, causing it to throw off Boba Fett leading to a showdown between these two iconic Bounty Hunters of Star Wars. Die hard fans of the Clone Wars might know that if it had not been cancelled, there was a plan to show Cad Bane mentoring a young Boba Fett, something this episode does not make all that clear other than Boba saying he is no longer a boy and Cad offering him his final lesson once he outdraws Boba. Boba then uses his Tusken Warrior weapon to take Cad down, leaving him seemingly dead on the floor. Already social media is a buzz with this decision but if you listen and look closely, a beacon is beeping on Cad’s chest, to me this could be the off-screen way out and that Cad will be recovered and placed into a Bacta tank to heal meaning this is not the end of the road for this icon and I really hope he does make a return.
The other moment is the Rancor going on a rampage without its rider, but this started off a little strange with Boba’s crew all shooting it even before it had a chance to attack them, only to make it more mad and make it attack. Din tries to take it down but fails which is where Grogu, this tiny little bean of a guy, steps out and using the Force, calms the Rancor and puts him to sleep, all with Din watching, ending with Grogu going tup to the now sleeping Rancor before curling up to sleep against it, more “Awww” could be heard around the world.
I really liked this action sequence with everyone having their moment to shine in what might be the longest shoot out scene in Star Wars yet, the effects were spot on and even the moments with the reunion of Din and Grogu in the middle of a fire fight chase did not feel forced or misplaced. Where this finale did fall flat for me, was in the ending scenes. Starting with the slaughter of all the crime family leaders and the Pyke Commander, now I expected Boba to do this himself, as they betrayed the truce the promised and since he discovered from Cad Bane that the Pykes wiped out the Tusken tribe that took him in and saved his life but now, it was shown to be Fennec, a moment to have one final absolute badass moment for Boba to reclaim his fearsome legacy and it is given to Fennec, who throughout this series has been the one to come up with the strategy, counsel Boba on how to be a leader and the action spots. It felt like a wasted opportunity especially when, as Boba and Fennec are walking the streets of Mos Espa being thanked by the people, even bowing to him, Boba turns to Fennec and says “we are not cut out for this” implying that being Daimyo of Tatooine, the one thing he has wanted to maintain this entire series, might not be the job we see him and Fennec doing in the future, this especially stands out to be as the post credit scene shows Cobb Vanth in Boba’s Bacta tank healing with the Mod surgeon preparing to go to work.
Overall, this has really been a strange show all in all, the start was strong for me and then grew a little weaker and frustrating with Boba seemingly doing very little before the show handed itself over to The Mandalorian and it is very telling to say that my favourite episodes were the ones that did not feature Boba Fett at all. The finale was a fun watch but also has a lot of issues in terms of how Boba is used in it, whilst it was cool to see him riding a Rancor, something set up in Episode 4, it is once again Fennec who stands out as the one to be fearful of more than Boba. I am not left at the end of this finale hoping to see another show featuring Boba Fett in this setting at least, and I am hoping that the little tease of “we are not cut out for this” and Cobb Vanth being healed, could be a sign that Boba is about to return to his Bounty Hunting ways with Fennec, leaving Mos Espa in the capable hands of Cobb Vanth which is just a theory of mine, but one I hope is the plan.
The fact that the final scene before the credits role on this finale and series, is that of Din with Grogu in space, with Grogu tapping the silver ball against his cockpit lid with Din saying “no” before giving in and saying “ok but this is the last time” as he triggers his ships sub light drive, sending it into its boost making Grogu very happy indeed. I really am looking forward to the next season of The Mandalorian, but for me to get excited for any future Boba Fett show, this good guy routine is going to have to go out the window to get my interest.
Here is our review of Thomas & Friends: Magical Tracks on iOS from Budge Studios.
Packed with interactive mini games, this customisable magical train set lets your little conductors shape their own fun adventure. Ride the rails with all your favorite engines and collect all the toys and decorations you need to create your very own Island of Sodor! What magical adventures will you build today?
Thomas & Friends: Magical Tracks was originally released back in 2016 on both iOS and Android. The game is free, and a lot can be played and enjoyed, but if you want the full experience, including different trains, toys and adventure packs, these are all chargeable additions as in-app purchases.
Once you have chosen your train, and who isn’t going to want to pick Thomas, you can drive around, blow your whistle and choose where to go.
There are numerous mini games to play as well, including jumping bridges, outrunning boulders, having races and more. You can then get toys and other items to add to the world, including other engines to drive as.
The game is a lot of fun, especially if you unlock a lot of the content, and my trusty review assistant really enjoyed playing it again and again. This is actually a game he has been playing on and off for about two years now and he still enjoys going back to it and playing more.
Power will make the sanest of creatures mad, just think of Smeagol from the Lord of the Rings. He’s a bizarre little being that becomes warped and twisted once he has control. Therefore, this proves that anyone can become corrupted given half the chance. El Gancho uses this idea at its core as you fight an invasion of aliens while trying to save the day.
Developed by Sidral Games and Eastasiasoft Limited and published by the latter, this is an arcade-action platform title. It utilises a wonderful pixel art style and has an addictive, albeit repetitive, soundtrack. Its fast-paced and physics-based gameplay is easy to pick up and tough to put down. Consequently, its straightforward approach makes it a wonderful casual title.
Missiles and lasers everywhere.
El Gancho: a weird sci-fi hero story.
I’m used to science fiction stories being bizarre, but this one takes the biscuit. El Gancho is weird, makes little sense, but its madness matters not. You quickly forget about the plot as you focus on the task at hand. The game takes place on a planet called Cocodu! This once peaceful location is home to the eternally happy Cocos. Sadly, all good things must come to an end and this happens sooner than many predicted. The evil Pogovon Empire has invaded and captured every Coco in sight! Regretfully, they plan to extract their happiness to power a superweapon of mass destruction.
How happiness will power a doomsday device is beyond me, but let’s overlook that slight digression. You play as a Coco who must save his fellow beings. This frail creature carries a gun, a laser-hook, and a secret ability. He must swing from platform to platform, creating a trail that destroys anything in its wake, and the quicker he moves, the larger the trail becomes. Thankfully, this Coco is wonderfully nimble and can fly around each level with ease. If you are hit, you can restore your health by gobbling up any of the food that is conveniently left hanging around every stage. Subsequently, your chances of survival are vastly increased, but this doesn’t make it any easier. Sadly, death is all but guaranteed, and this makes it super addictive and challenging.
Boom!
Procedurally generated stages and big bosses.
Everyone loves surprises, and this is where El Gancho excels. Thanks to its procedurally generated stages, no playthrough is the same. Therefore, you must search every inch of each level to save each kidnapped colleague. This isn’t as easy as it sounds, as every creature you encounter wishes to kill you.
Furthermore, your progress is halted by 6 enormous bosses! These beastly creatures love nothing more than to shoot you out of the sky. Sadly, your weapons and special ability are powerless to defeat these monsters, and you must find hidden switches to overcome each overlord. This was an excellent twist on the gameplay by the developers, and it helped to prevent the action from becoming mundane. Moreover, the inclusion of power-ups at set intervals allowed you to alter your approach. You can add a droid that protects you from missiles or simply increase your health. There are many choices and whichever you choose is up to you.
El Gancho looks wonderfully dated.
Retro aesthetics may not be for everyone, but in El Gancho they match the theme perfectly. Therefore, the simple and dated look complements the straightforward concept. Furthermore, the garish tones work with the bizarre Sci-Fi theme. Unfortunately, however, the simplified backdrops were a little disappointing. It would have been nice to experience a little more variety, as each run can last a considerable amount of time.
The repetitive nature of the gameplay is compounded by the upbeat synth music. Annoyingly, the soundtrack appears to be stuck on a loop and this quickly becomes tiresome. Though the tunes work with the action and add energy to the gameplay, it gets tedious if you play it for many hours. This doesn’t mean I disliked the audio. No, I enjoyed it! However, I just wish there was a considerably larger array of songs to listen to.
Can you dodge them all?
Timing is everything.
El Gancho is a title that requires accuracy and patience. Swinging between platforms and avoiding your foes is no mean feat. Thankfully, the fundamentals are covered with a thorough and simple tutorial. Unfortunately, though, this doesn’t prevent it from being tough to master. You’ll die and fail repeatedly before you can be considered competent. However, once you get to grips with it, you’ll love the death-defying moves and killing every monster.
There is no denying it. This is a small indie title. Luckily, it is also jam-packed with challenges and plenty of reasons to return. The aforementioned procedurally generated stages ensure every playthrough is fresh and difficult. Furthermore, you can attempt to beat any score from a previous attempt. If this doesn’t interest you, there is an array of Cocos to unlock that have unique skills and abilities. Therefore, you’ll want to keep playing to experience different tactical approaches.
El Gancho is casually addictive.
I love a casual title, but even this one took me by surprise. It’s a challenging beast that offers many unique opportunities, and you’ll never know what’s on offer or how well you’ll do. I loved it and I recommend that you buy it here! Will you prevent the Pogovon’s dastardly plan, or are the Cocos doomed? Grab your laser-hook, upgrade your skills, and save every Coco in sight.
Have you’ve been lately searching for the next best RPG game? Possibly one that’s filled with mystical and alluring character design, a delightful story, plenty of playtime and things to accomplish, and possibly a slight strategic style of combat. Well, look no further! EGGLIA: Rebirth is a game that not only brings the gamer; you into a world of simulated-RPG style gameplay but also puts you in a position where you are the hero, to help defeat cruel and nasty ogres who have taken control of the kingdom, Egglia.
Right away, the captivating and beautifully environmental design of Egglia will grab your attention as well as the impressive and original character’s design, no matter if they are good or bad. Oh yes, and add in the music that plays in the background and you feel like you are bringing to life a real-life fairytale. Better yet, a game that allows you slight control over how the story progresses, even if the main storyline of the game is still to end the same way, no matter what option or way you play.
Unraveling The Game
In the beginning, the art of the game drew me in, as well as the interesting story. I am always pleased to play a truly engaging RPG game. Reading each little speech bubble, understanding the goals, helping others with their quests, and basically discovering how to play the game. At first, I admit the game begins like many RPGs with a little bit of a story to read through. Next, the adventure begins, discovering the many territories of the kingdom which is entrapped inside of eggs. Each one begins to reveal a new location to visit with plenty to collect, discover and even battle along the way. As each egg is found, they are opened where ever the player loves to place them, creating a larger world to move freely through. Of course, there is one main place, which we call our own location, by naming it and having our home and friends all living there.
After playing for a while and getting further into the game. You are able to do so much more, as many other locations become available for you to access. Such as being a bit of a farmer, planting seeds to create crystals, or planting bulbs to form new items worth feeding spirits, which you can call upon in a fight. Additionally, the new lands to visit, are able to obtain new products that fulfill many of the needs and quests requested and accepted by you the hero, from your new friends. All of this works together to not only benefit everyone but even allows us to acquire new furniture and even build a bigger house. Basically with all of this, we build a better relationship with our friends, we benefit ourselves and there is just so much more we can do and collect.
Honestly, there is so much you can do within this game, not just to fight and finish the story. There is so much to collect and have it marked in the encyclopedia of things seen and obtained, which there are so many! I honestly find myself loving the freedom to venture all over and play the game a bit more freely than just one path to start to end. I took much longer to play the game and still keep playing it because I love working on designing my own home and getting to know the villagers as well as helping to accomplish many more things.
BoardGame Battle Sequence
If you wanted to try something new when it comes to battling in an RPG adventure game, well this one is just that! It’s definitely not like any regular RPG battle nor like many other strategy games. It actually includes a die to roll and many other objects to collect, not just fighting or defeating. It can act as a way to obtain and collect some much-needed supplies as well as defeat enemies. Each option within the battle board is illustrated easily with the images that appear above each hexagon-shaped space.
There is no chance of getting lost or feeling confused, as the game has plenty of helpful guidance and as stated before, it’s very easy to understand how to play. Especially, by playing the game straight from the beginning to the end. Plus, what can’t one love. As it’s a mix of a simulated, RPG, and strategy game combo. Let’s just say it’s got something for everyone. Especially plenty of action worthy of leveling up our character, and things to purchase or obtain while playing.
I also want to express the other reason why I love this game’s battle design and effects. It’s very animated and comes to life as you play. I feel like I’m at first playing a board game, moving to my next area by the number that appears on the single die. Then I get to decide on what I want to do next, it’s simple. By just using a single button most of the time, a little planning, but nothing too complex, I’m playing and moving quickly without a problem. Of course, it also is just a fun way to play, and the joy you get of playing a board game and getting to see the animation being animated on the screen as you play.
The only little, minor negative feeling about the battle issue is that of the die. It is just this single die, no problem there, but it moves just as fast as the loading pages do. You can’t even hold it and hope for a better roll, it just seems to roll with one click and that’s it. Not that it will bother many, but I guess I miss holding the die a bit longer to get that real board game feel and hoping for a higher number. Still, it’s just a minor issue I have cause I like being able to hold the die a bit longer as I would if I was playing a game of Yahtzee or any other game with die or dice, like monopoly.
Is the Game Fully Finished?
Regardless, of the beautiful art that is seen throughout the game, I felt there were just a few issues I could find myself perplexed about the game. I wasn’t sure if it’s in a beta stage, waiting to be finished. Especially, where the graphics are a bit more stable and you can actually move around, visiting buildings than just being limited to what you see or can do.
At first, it feels like Animal Crossing with a mix of Harvest Moon. The art of character design and action in gameplay made me feel this way. Just played a bit differently. However, I felt it to be a bit limited in the simulated attributes of the game. I was just grateful to know it was going to be this combinational game, but that requires a lot of time to put that together and this just aims a bit short of perfection in just a few areas. On the other hand, if a few things were fixed, it could be just as great as playing Zelda or many grand RPG-style games, maybe even better!
There is one last thing I must add about me and this game. I feel as if EGGLIA: Rebirth had me on a tightrope, where I’m right in the center, trying to decide if it’s something I could love and get past the many limitations and the few improvements it could surely use. If this was possible, maybe the changes would allow me to keep going forward, or if it’s something I just want to head back and be grateful to have tried it and never pick it up again, as it’s not going to get any better. Maybe I mean to say, it’s a very well-designed game, especially in the RPG-style gameplay, but then it isn’t that great or completely finished as a simulated aspect of the game. Leaving me In some ways, I’m getting mixed signals on how I feel.
What Could Use Improvement
There is no doubt that this game totally can consume you with its beautiful, enlightening graphics and song that plays in the background. However, one minor issue with the graphics. There can be some issues that feel as if they could work on it a bit more. In some areas of the game, we can find ourselves walking straight through objects. For example, inside the house we are built, adding objects and finding myself like Animal Crossing, enjoying decorating the home. However, there is no ability to actually utilize them. These actually make the game feel less than perfect or as if I’m playing a beta version of the game. Nevertheless, I feel if this was fixed, it could have been way better!
At least, the details on how to play are very well explained from the start. Once you continue further into the game, more is taught and learned. Plus there are plenty of details shown in the form of photos and text printed on the screen. Better yet, when moving from one place to the next, as the player we don’t have to expect the loading time to be too long to get to the next section. It’s quite fast and could be a pleasing part of a game that many may desire.
Regardless of the speed in loading, this can be a bit of a displeasing feature. It won’t allow you enough time to read the helpful tips that may be important to learn. I actually feel that sometimes I just want to capture a screenshot before it’s done loading. So I can take a peek at what I’ve missed and be able to look over it again, getting the chance to read it fully and completely. Not to say that I don’t like that I can quickly get from one section to the next quickly, but if there are words to be read, well it isn’t very easy to do when you only have a few seconds to read it.
On the other hand, when you can bypass some loading time, it allows you to get into the next part of the journey or necessary obstacle you need to complete quickly. Yet, I do hope those tips weren’t too significant to know, as they were missed plenty of times. Oh but, wait, there are even more aspects of the game I do find perfect! I have to compliment how well the game is designed for all ages, which everyone can play! Nothing is too scary, bloody, or horrible for young or older eyes to view. The characters are quite lively in how they speak. It really is a game that is entertaining no matter if it’s reading the words spoken, understanding the gameplay, or venturing on and collecting, obtaining, and battling the baddies.
Final Thoughts
I finally like to say that this game is quite amusing and entertaining. It’s full of beautiful scenes, nifty-looking characters that I’ve not seen in any other game, and a few minor issues, but everything is well-designed. I mean it’s practically perfect from start to finish and everything in between. The world is gorgeous and the characters fit the story quite well. Each with their own personal spicy attitude and mannerisms.
I just still can’t get enough of the character design, as it was the first thing that attracted me to this game. So I am grateful to have had a chance to try it out, and honestly, couldn’t wait for it to be released! It really is an amazing game, long and enjoyable. Plus, it significantly exceeded my expectations and is way better than I could imagine it would have been!
A love of baseball is something that you might find hard to contain to just moments on the small screen whenever you find yourself watching a game. Of course, there are ways in which you can expand this hobby, most notably by going to watch games live and maybe even playing some of the physical sport yourself, but those are more of events that are a part of the initial interest than meaningful extensions.
If you really want to immerse yourself in the prime baseball experience, you might find that your best course of action is to explore the territory where baseball and video games intersect. This might not be something that initially appeals to you, but it can be something that allows a depth of exploration into your love of baseball.
Fantasy Baseball
This might be the most direct, streamlined way for you to translate your love of baseball into the video game format. If you’re skeptical of that format, this might not even be something people often think of as video games due to its format being somewhat different and more managerial overall. You might find that this format is something that appeals to you, and the process of watching simulated online baseball games might fill the void when you find that your team isn’t playing for a while. In that void, this can serve as a way to hype you up for what’s coming up in real life.
Something More Traditional
As with many other sports, baseball has been supported by regular video game releases over time. While these might not have been as consistent or long-lasting as other members of this group, such as FIFA for soccer or Madden for football, the games are there if you’re willing to dig deep and look. Of course, the obvious hurdle, in this case, is provided by the fact that you’re going to need a console or suitably powerful PC in order to play these games, which might not be something that you just have lying around. That being said, if you have a friend that has one of these consoles, a couple of controllers, and a love of baseball, you could make the experience of hanging out with them one in which you get to immerse yourself in the sport you love.
Motion Controls
While the concept of motion controls in gaming might be seen as a fad that started in the mid-2000s ending after the Nintendo Wii was phased out, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t still fun when the right purpose is applied. Baseball is a game that practically lends itself to motion controls, and if you can manage to get your hands on a means to play it in a way that encourages this kind of interactivity, you and whoever you decide to play with might have found a new hobby. With pitching machines being so accessible now, it’s a great entry point for people who want to learn the rules before heading to a batting cage.
If you’re struggling with where to begin, consider the sports titles on the Nintendo consoles for their varied yet accessible approach to games like baseball.
Every Xbox feature for the ultimate gaming experience on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate! All of NACON’s expertise has gone into the MG-X to create a comfortable and high-performance controller in a compact format for mobile gamers.
The MG-X is the first accessory from the brand-new MG-X Series, made to offer an optimised gaming experience to all owners of the Game Pass Ultimate.
Sporting the same functionality of official game controllers, the MG-X allows Xbox fans to enjoy an enhanced level of comfort with every Android smartphone that has a screen up to 6.7 inches. In just a few taps, the smartphone integrates the MG-X and wirelessly (Bluetooth 4.2) connects to the controller. Equipped with a rechargeable battery, the MG-X provides up to 20 hours life-time. Its compact format makes it easily transportable, while the textured back grip provides great ergonomics for all types of gamers.
Features
COMPACT & SECURE: The adjustable opening holds the smartphone securely and ensures maximum stability. The textured surface provides optimal grip.
WIRELESS CONNECTION: Easy pairing of the smartphone to the MG-X with Bluetooth 4.2.
20 HOURS OF GAMING: The battery is charged via USB-C (charging cable included) and offers up to 20 hours of life. An LED light indicates the battery level.
UNIVERSAL COMPATIBILITY: Works with all Android smartphones equipped with Android 6 and later systems, up to 6.7 inches (152.4 mm) screens.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
If you like to play Xbox games on your Android phone then you might want to test the Nacon MG-X.
Setting up your Android phone with the Nacon MG-X is very easy – just pull the MG-X apart and place your phone in.
When fully charged you can get around 20 hours of use, which should be more than enough for any gamer!
The controllers and buttons are easy to use, however some might find them a little oversensitive so you really want to test them for yourself to make sure that you get on with it.
The Nacon MG-X is available now priced around £89.90.
Fire Tonight is a fun, bright, indie puzzle game from Reptoid Games. Following the story of Maya and Devin, a young couple who have been separated by a blaze dousing the city, players are tasked with completing a series of mind twisting puzzles in order to reunite the pair. Based in the 90s several skills are implemented to reflect the time period, and both protagonists have their own play styles.
Born in the 90s
Whilst Maya takes on the fire firsthand, facing it solo, Devin waits patiently at home after her demand. The contrast between the two characters’ approach to the situation is a refreshing break in gameplay. When playing as Maya, everything is tense and high strung. She’s the face of adventure in this title. I mean, you are facing life or death after all. But Devin takes a more reflective approach to the calamity. Sit back, chill for a bit. Maybe stick on some music or watch a film. All you have to do is wait. Devin’s gameplay is more investigative of his surroundings. You have to click around and see what’s about, then Devin’s reactions to it all. There isn’t much of a guide or any hints, so after a while if you can’t find the tiny element you need to interact with, you may get frustrated too.
This take on gameplay was certainly new, and well needed so players don’t find the puzzles repetitive. After all, there’s only so many police officers you can really dodge. For the storyline, it seems integral to show the protagonists’ journeys to one another. And it is reflective in their dialogue. Once again, the time period is consistently referenced, and modern solutions should definitely be overlooked by the player. For example, the first task for Maya is to find a payphone in order to contact Devin when her landline drops. When was the last time you embarked on a journey to find a payphone? Gone are the days of mobile phones and social media.
Secret skills and hidden keys
Since Maya’s paths are being blocked by fire (which seems to remain pretty dormant when it appears on screen), you have to find a way around. Even if it involves going an extremely long route back. Luckily you are gifted a Walkman pretty early on, but whilst this tool is visually exciting whilst sounding pretty cool – it’s rendered pretty useless. It doesn’t get revisited often, and the battery drains so quickly you’re better off saving yourself the frustration and only using it extremely briefly. It seems like a fantastic mechanic in the first instance of use, but past that point it’s just another button to remember.
The map is littered with obscure floating keys too. At least the Walkman seems appropriate to feed into the aesthetic of Fire Tonight. Unfortunately these keys are integral to getting through certain puzzles or I would definitely just disclose them as a write off. They definitely stick out like a sore thumb in the map, not to mention the stagnant dialogue that accompanies them. The map itself when playing as Maya seems a little disproportionate too. Details are so small they appear really pixelated, and sometimes the sheer amount of fire results in frame rate drops. It’s unfortunate, as the cutscenes are excellent, as for the character design during interaction.
Final thoughts
As a whole, this game is enjoyable for anyone with nostalgia surrounding the 90s. But it isn’t something I’d recommend you drop everything to play. The length of it means you can play through the whole story in one sitting, but the ending is pretty abrupt. The premise is excellent and exciting, but the execution definitely could’ve done with more thought.
Re:Turn2 – Runaway picks up right where Re:Turn – One Way Trip leaves off and has you playing as Saki tries to escape a ghost infested train. Red Ego Games have made a wonderfully compelling mix of pixel-art and anime art with this beautifully eerie sequel. The inclusion of voice acting, improvements to animation and a psychological horror setting make it a game worth checking out. The puzzle-adventure format combined with a ‘soulsborne’ like brutality (be prepared to save whenever you get an option to and die a lot when the monsters catch you) blend perfectly with a tense, well written storyline.
Don’t be put off by the fact this is a sequel. I regret that Re:Turn – One Way Trip never made it into my queue but when Re:Turn2 – Runaway starts you get a handy, narrated introduction from the main character to give you the highlights of what happened. The voice acting can be a little over-the-top at times but overall, it’s well done. What we learn is that the ghost is still very much present, has possessed or corrupted the main character’s fiancé and now they need to escape all while a monster stalks the corridors of the derelict and creepy train from the first game.
Gameplay
The focus of the game is the puzzles and the side-scrolling 2D nature lends itself perfectly to this style. Icons will appear when you can carry out an action (these are fairly limited such as searching and hiding. In addition, our heroine, Saki, can also dodge and hide. There is no health bar, but the game does employ a stamina bar. When confronted by the monster, however, it is an instant kill and restart from the last save point. The game also employs an inventory system where you can store the random items you come across. Those familiar with puzzle-adventure games will be used to this. I am always fond combining seemingly unrelated items to uncover the next puzzle or access the next stage. While this works well, some solutions are bizarre and not something you would logically pick so try everything! My only nit-pick with this is the inability to equip any items. I found myself opening my inventory and trying all the items rather than a quick-equip/change mechanic. Not a game-breaker but it certainly spoils the pacing of the atmospheric, horror story.
Issues with Re:Turn2 – Runaway
Unfortunately, the game wasn’t without issues. The dodge mechanic rarely works (and even when it does you can never seem to hide from the monsters). This makes this aspect very frustrating and unsatisfying. I played the PC version and for the first few attempts of loading it up my antivirus software blocked it. I’m sure it was a false positive, but still an annoying way to begin. My next bug occurred when you exit the train – the screen went black but instead of a cutscene I got nothing. I could open the menu and my inventory but nothing else happened.
Conclusion
When you get the game to work Red Ego have made significant improvements on the franchise’s first outing. The voice acting, storyline and artwork are all wonderful. Just be careful of the bugs… and monsters.
There’s been a murder. Something as malicious as it is ancient has awoken in the town of Undermere. With it, a shroud of dread and fear has slowly cast itself over the people of the town and it’s neighbouring villages, and castles. However, not everyone is shaking in their boots. To some, this presents an opportunity.
Eventually the investigators and sisterhood of witches need help. Skilled, knowledgeable, and resourceful, you are just the person for the job. Your area of expertise? Plants.
A Plant For Any Occasion
Strange Horticulture is a puzzle/mystery game from Bad Viking Games. In it you are the horticulturalist, previous heir, and current owner of the titular shop in Undermere. The townspeople have always come to Strange Horticulture for all their needs and ailments, from the mundane to the occult. Upset tummy? Come to SH for some Gandyroot. Need help with your satanic ritual? Solomon’s Sceptre should do the trick. Almost any and every problem can be solved here.
Thus, a big chunk of your day to day life is serving the needs of your customers. Even when you begin working alongside those investigating the deaths. Your help comes in the form of plants. Help a detective see better in the dark, or shield someone’s mind from psychic dangers. Your ever-growing collection becomes the town’s and its people’s most valuable asset.
A Day In The Life of a Horticulturist
Strange Horticulture hits the ground running. It drops you in after a short summary of the location, and the nature of the store you now find yourself the proprietor of. Save for that you’ve got little explanation of what you ought to be doing. You look around to see a neat desk in front of you. On it lies a couple of notes and letters cluing you in to some locations of interest you’ll want to check out. Pulling a handle to your right reveals a drawer holding a number of items you’ll find invaluable. From labels for your plants, to a map of Undermere and its surrounding areas.
A customer window nearby houses a cat named Hellebore (who you can pet as much as you like) and a bell. Your first customer tells you that she hears faint whispers at night, and needs to make out what she’s hearing. Consult your strange book of plants and find the one that will improve hearing (St. John’s Poppy in this case). Match its description/illustration to the actual plant, and send your customer on their merry way.
Already the darker nature of Undermere, the presence of the occult, and plants that grant some outlandish abilities become apparent. It’s a great way to set the tone of the game and give you your first taste of the gameplay loop. It’s a simple formula that’s done exceptionally well. Honestly, until you’ve identified and cataloged your final plant it remains a satisfying and engaging experience. I’ve personally never been so pleasantly surprised at enjoying something so seemingly mundane. However, by the end of your tenure as horticulturist, mundane is the last thing you’d describe the job as.
Speaking of which, I was surprised at how much I loved organizing the plants. I’d group them by visual characteristics, as if every group called the same biome their home. The practice was strangely satisfying, and helped me settle into my role as head honcho of SH. My one gripe though, was the lack of space. Sure, you could fit every plant on your shelves. However, things got cluttered a little too fast, blurring the lines between groups. This could make finding the plant I was looking for take just a little longer each time.
Gotta Find ’em All
Even though the loop of helping customers by identifying the appropriate plant can be satisfying in its own right. Strange Horticulture does make efforts to break up this loop, while still feeding into it. Which leads us to collecting plants. The primary way this is done is by exploring the lands that surround Undermere.
Each day David, the best mailman in town, comes around to deliver letters that serve the plot and lead you to the location of plants and other points of interest. Similarly, every night’s dreams (presumably) presents a slice of an allegory relating to the main plot, as well as a card that gives you a clue to find another plant. Neither Card, nor letter makes it overtly clear where the plants are. You often need to work it out through clues, following directions using the map, or make use of a decoder to help you uncover rare and unique flora.
Puzzles ‘n Lore
The puzzles struck the perfect balance of being vague enough for you to give it some thought, while being easy enough you wouldn’t need to spend hours meditating on the answer. Some may take a little longer than others, but figuring out the clues was a great time. You consult notes, your book of plants, and the map, sometimes using a magnifying glass. You could really imagine yourself hunched over a desk uncovering mysteries by candlelight, while occasionally petting your cat.
Every letter, tool, and customer adds to the lore of the world. It helps you uncover the mysteries of Undermere and the evil that threatens it, and there’s a great amount to discover. The fact that it all comes in bits and pieces with each interaction, dream, or delivery from David makes it so that lore is never overwhelming, or a slog to get through. It’s easily digestible and adds some variety and intrigue to the formula of: receive a customer, help a customer. Important customers also have bios for some extra lore and background of both themselves and the town. It’s also a friendly reminder of who’s who as the story develops and more people come for your help.
The Sights & Sounds of Undermere
One one hand, Strange Horticulture is nothing special, visually speaking. People, illustrations and items are forgettable in that regard. On the other hand, However, a good amount of effort and care has gone into the design of all 77 plants. There’s a great amount of visual variety and an apparent distinctness between them all. Thankfully this is where it shines, considering the importance of the greenery.
Something that may work on people’s nerves is the repetition of music. You’ll be hearing the same song for the entire duration. You’ll have a couple of sound effects to mix things up. But the same somber piano arrangement will be firing on all cylinders relentlessly. However, you’ll be happy to hear that it’s a pretty good piece of music. It fits the tone of the game perfectly and while it was a constant, I never really got tired of it. The sparse notes save it from being overbearing and, that’s really it’s saving grace.
By the end of it all. I was pleasantly surprised by Strange Horticulture. It sports an extremely satisfying loop of collecting, cataloging, and solving puzzles. I really think anyone would love this title.
Is it true that you can have too much of a good thing? Normally, I’d say no, but when the good thing becomes stale, repetitive, and mundane, then it’s time for a change. Serious Sam 4 is guilty of this offence as it returns with its whacky ways and OTT story.
Developed by Croteam and published by Devolver Digital, this is a first-person shooter adventure game. This adrenaline-fueled, alien smashing title is laced with clichés and fast-paced action. It attempts to follow on from the mayhem of the rest of the series, but sadly, it falls short. Consequently, only hardcore fans will appreciate what unfolds. Unfortunately, however, the rest of us will grimace as we play. Think of drunk relatives at a wedding. At first, their antics are amusing, maybe even endearing. However, this is quickly replaced by embarrassment and a desire for it to stop ASAP. Disappointingly, this is Serious Sam 4 in a nutshell! It’s the gaming equivalent of your aunty twice removed shaking her thing to the Macarena, while blissfully unaware of the show she is putting on.
Serious Sam 4 has an identity crisis!
The action revolves around Sam, the commander of a crack unit of mercenaries for the AAA (Alien Artifact Acquisition) team. This gruff, old-school hero loves nothing more than to shoot first and ask questions later. His mission is to find the Holy Grail, which is allegedly an alien artefact. With this item, he can restore order, expel the alien invasion, and bring normality to Earth. He joins forces with an array of colourful characters and subsequently, a crazy time is had by one and all. Amusingly, or at least, to begin with, every person is a badass no matter their background. They all know how to wield weapons, and they all love to kill aliens. Sadly, though, this repetitive two-dimensional blend of personalities quickly becomes tedious.
Furthermore, Serious Sam 4 has an identity crisis. It has no idea of the sort of game it wishes to be. On one hand, it pushes the idea of adventure and exploration, but this is held back by its Borderlands shoot and loot mechanics. And then, its action focuses on a Gears of War-influenced arena shooter approach. In theory, a blend of these wonderful franchises should be a winner. Annoyingly, though, this is so far from being a winner as it hasn’t even left the stalls, yet!
It’s time to mow them down.
Where’s the story?
With so many strong personalities and a much-loved franchise behind it, I expected the story to be excellent. However, the plot plays second fiddle to the madness that unfolds. The aforementioned arena shooter mechanics dominate proceedings. Instead of the story driving you from one area to the next, you simply roll from one battle to another. The unrelenting waves of aliens could have been phenomenal. Instead, it was messy and quickly became tiresome.
Where it falls short is its lack of imagination. The stage designs are disinteresting, the enemies lacklustre, and the weaponry is dull. Furthermore, a limited character progression tree gives you little control over proceedings. I expected there to be a fanfare of wild guns and crazy moments. Instead, it feels dated, well-trodden, and lacking creativity.
There is an array of guns to choose from, but they are very much run-of-the-mill! Moreover, it didn’t matter which you selected as they were all equally devastating. Whether you picked a pistol, shotgun, laser rifle, cannon, or more, they all did the same job. Strangely, though, the combat was insipid even though they mowed through your foes with ease. Consequently, the weaponry lacked panache, felt flat, and this undermines much of the core concept. When a game focuses on a central hero and his band of warriors, it needs to be full of energy. Sadly, however, Serious Sam 4 plateaus quickly and never recovers.
Burning time.
Serious Sam 4 is full of graphical issues.
Graphics don’t make a game, yet they need to be polished and not riddled with bugs. Serious Sam 4 is seriously lacking in finesse and looks dated. The character models belong to the early 2000s and the environment is very basic. Furthermore, there are texture issues, rendering problems, and there were moments where the protagonists lacked faces. As an Xbox Series X title, I expected it to be refined and polished. However, it is rough as hell.
Sadly, the problems continue in the irritating audio. The acting is wooden, droll, and annoying. Unfortunately, the developers loved the use of one-liners, and this becomes tiresome. Luckily, there were the occasional witty statements, but these were often lost in a sea of regurgitated tripe. Fortunately, not all is lost as the music is loud, energetic, and matches the theme. This was a small positive in a long list of negatives and it helped to mask many of the shortcomings. Regrettably, the lacklustre weaponry is compounded by the flat and heartless sound effects. I expected the guns to boom and crack throughout, but the noises were flaccid at best.
Damn you are ugly.
Why is it so sensitive?
Though much of the gameplay was below standard, the UI is exceptionally good. Flitting between guns and selecting items was a simple task. Furthermore, the combat is helped by the slick movement controls. Unfortunately, though, it is also unbelievably sensitive, and this makes it fiddly to master. With some minor adjustments, it’s serviceable, but it’s not as user friendly as its peers.
If you fall for its charms, there is considerable replay value and longevity to be had. Each area has secret locations and items to find. Alongside this, each stage is scored and you can return to try and beat it. Moreover, there is also a limited perk tree and different tactical approaches to try out. However, if, like me, you struggle with it, you’ll want to uninstall it ASAP. Sadly, no amount of achievements, collectables, or additional game modes could entice me to keep playing.
Serious Sam 4 falls way short.
Sequels don’t always hit the mark, but Serious Sam 4 falls way short. It is lacking in nearly every department and is the worst title in the franchise. Hardcore fans may disagree with me, but I can’t see many gamers enjoying this. Every element needs an overhaul, and there are simply too many shortcomings to rescue this poor title. I cannot recommend it, but you can see more information here! Can you save the Earth from an alien invasion? Team up with some sassy and wacky characters in this lacklustre sequel.
My video review with footage captured using my Series X, enjoy!
Friendship is a fickle thing! Therefore, the smallest incident can break the strongest of bonds, and this can have devastating consequences. As we grow, our lives drift apart, but true friends can survive anything, or at least we’d like to think. When betrayal undermines everything you believe in, your world can appear dark and hollow. Sadly, this melancholy idea is the theme behind The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna.
Developed by Tonguc Bodur and Eastasiasoft Limited and published by the latter, this is an emotive walking simulator title. Set in a bleak wilderness filled with fantasy imagery, animals, and beautiful scenery, this will capture your imagination. It has a dark and haunting story that is told through a mixture of eerie moments and lingering narration. Like Bodur’s other recently released games; Lucid Cycle and Drizzlepath Deja Vu, this one is relaxing and dreamy with a creepy twist.
Such beauty.
The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna is an emotional rollercoaster.
Tonguc Bodur is an expert in walking simulators. Furthermore, his games take you on some surreal adventures, unlike any other. However, The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna is more interactive than previous titles. It has a distinct detective theme and by piecing together the clues; you unravel the many mysteries you encounter. The further you progress, the darker the plot becomes, and you soon realise that you are on a non-stop emotional rollercoaster! You’ll witness love, friendship, betrayal, and more as the deep-seated plot unravels.
You take on a soul-searching journey as a university graduate who returns to a village where he grew up. Upon his arrival, this once thriving place is deserted! There is no one around and instead, you are accompanied by visions of the past. You witness the story of another man who returns to his beloved and his childhood friends. As you explore the surrounding environment, you discover the dark truth that taints this beautiful location.
It’s time to ride an elephant.
Simple puzzles and a linear plot.
Whenever I take on a walking simulator title, I don’t expect to be tested. However, this one asks you to undertake some minor puzzling elements. These simple tests require a small amount of skill and some logical thinking. I enjoyed how Bodur incorporated these elements into the gameplay. However, it was disappointing, as they didn’t go far enough. I would have liked the problems to dominate proceedings, as this would have enhanced the detective element of the gameplay.
Though the lack of puzzles was disappointing, The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna’s story unfolds at a perfect pace. Thanks to its linear plot and seamless world, you get to experience the twisted narrative in a timely manner. You’ll witness cruel conversations, moments of betrayal, and the horrendous conclusion as your journey goes full circle. Some players may be frustrated at the lack of an open-world experience. I, however, adored how each area funnelled you to each piece of cinematic.
The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna is stunning.
Thanks to the beautiful surroundings, it was easy to forget the sinister nature of the story. But the picturesque world was juxtaposed by the cruel and heinous crimes of the protagonists. The varied landscapes and combination of weather fronts create both a warm and daunting atmosphere to explore. Like Bodur’s other works, this one takes you on a surreal adventure full of overbearing and everyday imagery. The world you look at is stunning from afar but is rough in places. Though this doesn’t impact the end product, a bit more polish would have gone a long way.
The audio wonderfully supports and compliments the unnerving action. Furthermore, its varied soundtrack is full of heartwarming tunes and creepy noises. Alongside the powerful music, you’ll experience moments of silence or the crisp sound of your footsteps. It was easy to stop and admire the vast rolling hillsides or the powerful waterfalls. Disappointingly, though, the acting wasn’t as strong as every other element. With a combination of wooden and hammy lines, some serious moments quickly became laughable. Fortunately, this didn’t undermine the seriousness of each scene and it shouldn’t detract from the overall experience.
Beauty can be found at every corner.
Why walk when you can auto-run?
I love a game that simplifies its controls, and this one has done just that. Moreover, if you want to be lazy, you don’t even need to walk. Hell, why walk when you can auto-run? This idea was fantastic in theory, but in reality, it wasn’t that useful. You’d end up running into walls, rocks, and it was more cumbersome than helpful. However, other than this minor issue, it was a joy to play. I found the controls to be responsive and consequently, I rarely struggled to complete any task.
Unlike its peers, this one has a layer of replay value. Once the story is completed, you unlock an ability to expand previously visited areas. This skill enables you to explore the world in greater detail and it was fascinating to touch on otherwise unseen locations. I loved how this was implemented, as it added to the short two-hour gameplay.
The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna: Wonderfully twisted!
The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna won’t be for everyone. Its slow gameplay will frustrate some, while others will miss the point altogether. However, if you appreciate a surreal and unusual story that unfolds gradually, then you’ll love it. Its cryptic narrative and hidden meanings keep you guessing from the start, and I adored this approach. For me, this is Bodur’s greatest title and I hope he continues in this vein. I loved it and I recommend you to buy it here! Follow the path, observe the madness, and strip back the layers of this dark mystery.
