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Review: Monopoly Madness

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Natosha M

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Dec 24, 2021

Have you ever played the classic board game Monopoly? If so, you may have tried at least one or a few different varieties through the many progressing years. It has always been available in a digital form for the PC and many different game consoles, or the classic and always fun tabletop board game. No matter however it was played, Monopoly has always been a fun party-style game to play with friends or family.

Now what is even nicer is that Monopoly has recently come back with a whole new look and the gameplay has been changed completely! It went from the classic board game style where you go around in a square to buy buildings, to a 3D town where the game is filled with 6 characters at a time, 20 different ones to choose from, that are pushing and trying to get ahead of each other, to place bids and purchase as many buildings as possible. Let’s just say it’s a bit more crazy, so much more mayhem, and fully action-packed than what it used to be.

What You Need to Expect

Not only is this a very engaging game, which I so can find myself playing with family at parties and even friends during the holidays, but it’s just totally fun! The graphics are cute, with the 3D appearance of each character choice and 4 world environments. The sounds and music playing during the game is also perfect. Plus, the simplicity of how to actually play the game is also a reason I really find myself constantly playing. No way anyone can cheat, almost as if there are no real rules.

For me, Monopoly was a game I grew up playing, especially as a tradition during each holiday. Of course, I’ve always had that cousin who loved to cheat, pocketing some extra money whenever he could, or the one who loved being an entrepreneur buying as many places as possible while always adding buildings on top of them. Nevertheless, we would always play the game and my family would always have their own favorite character piece to be, including on the digital version. It was a no-brainer, when we had a game night, everyone knew what to expect.

So when I began to get my brain wrapped around the new concept of Monopoly Madness, I was actually super excited to try something different that Monopoly came out with. I mean the classic is fun, but sometimes I do prefer a change. Right away, I loved that the game still had some similarities that made it quite easy to understand how to play the game. First things first, don’t expect that classic square board, that is totally over with. Plus, with so many more characters to choose from, six players at a time, and the ability to personalize the appearance as you like, it’s a bit more exciting. Of course, the additional styling will require the player to purchase them, but I still love that there is something more to look forward to in this game.

Additionally, I love that the game gives you help on how to play, by playing through the tutorial level. It’s a perfect way to help anyone learn to play like an expert, giving the player full and complete guidance. Plus it’s short, so there is no hour learning, just 5-10mins, and the real game can be started. On the other hand, some games don’t give you the option to skip the tutorial stage, as this game does. Let’s say you might have played it already and just want to get right into the game once you turn it on, well go right ahead! No reason to hear any long introduction, which there isn’t any, or take the tutorial stage over and over.

The one thing I want to point out is that the way Mr. Monopoly was teaching the game and how he speaks through the tutorial stage was not bad. a bit more humorous and even cheerful. Reminded me of a gameshow host. I honestly couldn’t just help but smile as I played. In addition to the teaching, I must kindly comment again on how the graphics are quite amazing. Especially the original and new playable character options that move or just how they express different emotions. It’s just totally adorable and really feels like a cute family fun style game for all ages to play! Plus, with 6 other players, it can make for even more fun, and more madness as everyone is playing at the same time.

Oh and what else makes the madness even more difficult, maybe I should call it mayhem, is not just learning where an auction is taking place for a building, or what buttons to remember to purchase a place and the one to use to absorb objects into your inventory for use. It’s actually the obstacles that arrive during gameplay. You may end up being stopped or even hit, in a cartoony way by a train. Even the community chest includes a jail card that when the player moves the player to the jail tile for the moment. Afterward, you can go back to moving about. Plus, the weather, planes flying above and so many other obstacles that could come in the way of you and winning are all other things that make this game full of MADNESS!

The best part of a game is that there are plenty of game modes to choose from. Basically, there are 3 types, each that add something new and a more fun way to play. One option can allow you to play alone through the story mode, another is the free-for-all, and lastly as a team. Also the option of local play or worldwide is also an option too! Who knows, there could be challenges that are better and would help skill you up further than just those members you have at home or playing against the computer, but either option one makes to play this game, it will all be a bit different and still interesting and exciting!

My Gameplay Experience

There were a few things that I realized when it came to playing the game. I did focus more on playing story mode the most. So I can tell you that this part of the game is more like seeing who will come out on top, to be Mr. Monopoly’s top entrepreneur and tycoons. The statistics of each win can be seen at the end of the level, all timed too, which makes you want to be quick during gameplay. I think that is what also adds to the pressure and madness as stated in the title. Also could be by the amount of 6 players, which includes your character all playing in the game at the same time, trying to outdo one another.

This is about the same with the other game modes, just that they are played with more than one and changed slightly. Not too much, but just a tiny bit. Nevertheless, the game modes are all quite easy to get a hang of and just as fun! Oh yes, and in addition to all the gameplay, there is this list of objectives one can view and see what needs to be achieved, right in the main menu screen. So if you love to accomplish a game fully and get all the goals complete, you will love to add these goals to your gameplay as well! I know I do, as it pushes me to want to do my best and get all of them done, 100% completed.

Also, I must say that I’m very thankful that the buttons are very easy to use, making it simple to pick up the controller and learn the controllability way quicker than many games. So young or old, anyone could get a handle on playing this game! Reason to love it, even more, no difficult need to learn the controller as well as the game to play. Especially since need to move fast when playing against so many others and obstacles that go on during the game.

However, I did get confused in the beginning as, why I lost a few times. Yet, after a few times of practicing and remembering how to use the buttons correctly, I was the winner in no time! Basically, the buttons are to move either way you like, draw in like a vacuum the water, money, and bolts of electricity to buy the buildings before others, and even absorb some community chest boxes to get some whacky and special gizmos to help you get ahead of the other players. I actually think of the community chests as like those special things in a game of racing, where you are able to distract, disrupt or cause something to intervene with the other players. Making it easier for you to gain more buildings and win the game.

I really find myself loving the bulldozing capability. Someone buys a building, I bulldoze it to have it rebuilt and be able to buy it again. That is quite fun, but there are so many others, like the ghost and the birds. It just gets so interesting with these special treasures you can pull out of the chest. Every card is more just for blocking or distracting the components to get another building for you to buy during a bid.

Final Thoughts

Lastly, I’d like to mention that this has been such a unique and original game that I’ve played this year, especially for Monopoly. I honestly just love that it’s different and can be a fun party game with others or as a person to play on their own. It’s bright and colorful too! I don’t really feel there were many negative aspects that I could call out about the game, but it can probably be just a bit too crazy with so much going on and so many others playing with you. Also, knowing to find that house up for auction can get also be difficult, as not all homes are able to be purchased at a certain time. I guess it’s ok to say that those still keep me a bit confused and I sometimes still use the wrong button to blow cash into the house for a bid verse the other to absorb it. No wonder my chances of winning, even if I’m quick enough isn’t working out for me.

Nevertheless, this is still a fun game to play not too bad, and very much fun to get the entire family or a bunch of friends, local or online to play with! It is something I found enjoyable especially for the holidays and game night!

Review: Thunder Tier One

Vasilis Tatsiopoulos

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Dec 24, 2021

0

Looking at Thunder Tier One for the first time, I thought it would either be a run-gun shooter, or a tactical stealth-action game in the vein of the Commandos. A top-down or isometric perspective screams “strategy”, after all. Well, it’s no Diablo-shooter, there’s no running and gunning here, only gritty war zones and on-the-fly tactical combat. It’s a realistic take on squad-based shootouts, so enter only if this sounds appealing to you.

Thunder Tier One starts you off with a much needed tutorial that gets you up to speed with the basics, but isn’t enough to teach you everything you’ll need to survive. You see, the controls, the interface, the actions you’ll have to make, are all very difficult. If you want to loot the corpse of a downed soldier, you’ll have to wait a bit and then choose what you need: you’ll have to learn and remember the type of ammo your gun carries, for instance. Controlling your character at first feels like playing the piano, because there’s a lot going on here. You move using the WASD keys and aim with your mouse, but you have to crouch, place explosives, hug a wall for cover, throw a grenade, heal yourself or a downed teammate, kick a door, search containers. It sounds like standard shooter fare, but when you play in the single-player mode you’ll have to control your team too, at the same time. It is hard, but it’s satisfying too.

Using a single key and a choice wheel, you give orders to your mates, telling them to go someplace, to open a door, to carry a wounded hostage, to kill an enemy. Order giving is intuitive and works well enough to be used while doing something else. You can go behind the enemy lines, scout the area, and then decide to strike: you hold the order-giving key and the game slows down a bit until you make your choice. When you get the hang of it -it takes a while- you will do impressive coordinated attacks with your squad. It’s a good thing, then, that those tactics are absolutely needed if you want to survive. You don’t have a huge healthbar in this game, and the enemies don’t play around. There are two difficulty modes to choose from, but both are hard enough to make you play strategically and not jump guns blazing.

For example, in one of the campaign’s levels you will need to go in a house to find intel. You see the house in front of you: closed doors and windows, no way to look inside. You’ll hear sounds from the inside, a group of enemies. Then, you have to decide, to find the best way to move forward. You can kick the door and try to take them by surprise -and if you’re fast enough, you may succeed. You can place your mates on specific points, kick the door, have one or your partners throw a smoke bomb inside and the others shoot from the windows with their rifles, covering you while you go inside. You can also use a helicopter camera, flying above the battlefield, to scout the area in real time. The level design is decent and the levels present some variety, sending you in buildings with multiple floors, in open spaces, in small houses, or in caves.

There are enough tactical options, made better by a robust customization menu for your soldiers -albeit difficult to navigate and to understand. Every stage presents something different in terms of terrain and approach, but, sadly, the missions are almost identical. There are not enough goals to keep things interesting and you’ll feel you are replaying the same missions over and over, just set in different places. The campaign takes about 1-2 hours to end, and it’s decent but underwhelming -don’t expect a story, too, just standard operations against generic terrorists. At least, there’s enough replayability because of the various different tactical approaches.

One of Thunder Tier One’s best parts is the sound, and it’s an important feat because sound effects matter in this type of gameplay. Every weapon fires with a bang, and you can feel the weight and the damage with every shot. The sounds are visualized too: when an enemy fires or shouts while being outside your field of vision, you will “see” the sound, so that you understand where it came from, roughly. The graphics are getting the job done too, with many details, good lighting and shadows, and no technical hiccups.

The multiplayer is the main draw here. While Thunder Tier One can be played solo, it’s not made to be experienced this way. When you kick the door and order a squadmate to throw a grenade, the system works, most of the times, but is not ideally accurate. The AI is far from perfect and the orders you can issue can get you so far. Sometimes your mates will get stuck, they will block your passage or just stop moving and attacking, or just move in weird paths. If you play with other people (a squad is made of 4 soldiers), then you’ll have a blast. Also, except being more fun, the gameplay is also more balanced this way, as you can actually give and receive orders, and take advantage of the aforementioned tactical options that are hard to use in solo play. For instance, stealth is a bit underused and hard to manage in single-player, but in multi it becomes one of the most important strategies, and it’s fun too.

You can play all the campaign levels in co-op, and there are some more modes, like a deathmatch and some exfiltration-based levels. All modes are fun and add something to the whole, but the content is not enough. Thunder Tier One needs a lot more to truly shine. It needs more campaign levels, more modes for solo play, and more for multiplayer. There’s mod support and the community has already created some interesting scenarios, like a zombie mode, but it still feels a bit bare-bones.

Thunder Tier One is a good game. The systems are engaging, the controls manage to incorporate many different features without being too complicated, the levels are interesting. It’s a game that looks good, sounds better, and is a blast to play, full of tactical options and strategic thinking. If more content arrives, through mods or official updates, with some more varied mission goals too, then we’ll be talking about a must-have for fans of the genre. That is, if you have friends to play with, because the single-player campaign is underwhelming and the AI frustrates a lot.

Review: Forgotten Hill Disillusion

Daniel Waite

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Dec 24, 2021

0

If horror movies have taught me anything, it’s that you run at the first opportune moment. However, many would-be heroes stay, fight, and die unnecessarily. If I was trapped in a creepy town, there is no way I’d begin a “fun” mystery adventure! No, I’d be on my feet looking for the nearest exit. However, Forgotten Hill Disillusion forces you to stay and face the music, no matter how uncomfortably creepy things get.

Developed by FM Studio and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a horror point and click title. Set in a horribly eerie town, you must solve riddles, complete puzzles, and encounter the grotesque and weird residents of this backwards community. It’s a brilliant example of a genre that demands an eye for detail and a logical mind.

Forgotten Hill Disillusion is challenging and skin-tingling.

I’m a massive fan of chilling horrors, so when I get the opportunity to become lost in one this good, I relish the chance. The game revolves around the Forgotten Hill Museum and its many exhibits. However, this is no ordinary establishment, as you soon discover. Not everything is as it seems, and the macabre front hides many ghastly secrets. You must search countless rooms, piece together the clues and riddles, and progress slowly.

I should have guessed that my eyes would play tricks on me when the game was titled Forgotten Hill Disillusion. Yet, I loved this twist to the gameplay as it adds many additional layers to each puzzle. You effectively search the Forgotten Hill Museum for symbols, patterns, colours, and so forth. As you find books, posters, and notes, you must combine the information to solve every problem. Along the way, you encounter a variety of interesting characters, strange imagery, and disgusting creatures. It is an eclectic blend of elements that are both intriguing and confusing, and this may lead to frustration.

Limited handholding.

Depending on your puzzling ability, you may prefer no hints or obvious clues. However, I don’t like to be stuck for hours with no idea of how to progress. Fortunately, though, FM Studios has incorporated a simple but effective hint system to keep you going. It has been cleverly designed to be ignored if you wish or to act as a guide if needed. I suspect that even veteran gamers will use the facility as much of the action is shrouded in mystery and hard to fathom out.

You will be tested from the start thanks to the 60 unique puzzles and riddles that must be solved. You’ll adjust skeletons, capture birds, harpoon fish, find keys, use swords, play with electricity, and more. The mixture of approaches was interesting, confusing, and captivating! Having to memorise the sequence of an owl’s wings or working out how to destroy a man-eating plant was equally odd but fascinating. Fortunately, the gameplay sticks to the riddle and pattern-based problems, so once you are familiar with the intricacies, you’ll enjoy solving the puzzles you face.

Forgotten Hill Disillusion is grainy and horrific.

FM Studios has concentrated on creating a wonderfully dated title that harks back to the prime of the genre. Focussing on cliched imagery, sombre tones, and a grainy finish, you soon lose yourself in this horror environment. I loved how the contrasting images of the past and present lived side by side. The clever use of a camera to uncover the gruesome secrets was excellent, and there are some truly stomach-churning moments.

With much of the gameplay relying on fine details and a thorough investigation of each room, it was essential the UI was understated. Luckily, this was the case as the developer used submenus and a clever inventory system to keep things organised but easy to find.

Relying on bloody and gory images is not enough to scare most people. Instead, there is an expectation of skin-tingling audio that is full of drama, emotion, and shrill sounds. Luckily, Forgotten Hill Disillusion has all that and more! Its interesting audio blends slow and emotive sounds to create a truly eerie atmosphere. Whether it’s the impatient banging of a walking stick on the floor, the creak of a door, or distant bloodcurdling screams, this title has it all.

Better with a mouse and keyboard.

I’ve been a fan of the point and click genre since Monkey Island and I’ve played on both PC and console. Subsequently, I know that a mouse and keyboard is the right combination to get the best experience. Therefore, I found the console version of Forgotten Hill Disillusion a little clumsy to play. The cursor moves slowly, and moving through the menus can be time-consuming. It is perfectly serviceable; however, it would be 100 times better when played with a mouse and keyboard.

Like many linearly focused titles, this one limits its replay value and longevity. Luckily, however, there is an array of collectables hidden in the museum and the 60 puzzles you face are challenging to overcome. Furthermore, unless you use a walkthrough, you’ll spend hours piecing together every clue you find. Moreover, its small but difficult achievement list will challenge completionists.

Forgotten Hill Disillusion is wonderfully old-school.

If you love puzzle games, old-school horror, or the point and click genre, then Forgotten Hill Disillusion is perfect for you. It blends the right level of difficulty with camp, cliched characters, excellent aesthetics, and some wonderful riddles and puzzles to solve. It creeped me out while testing my mind, and I adored it from start to end. I, therefore, recommend you to buy it here! Can you discover the mystery hidden in the Forgotten Hill Museum? Or will you fail and become the latest exhibit?

Review:《Drifting: Weight of Feathers》

Jordan Kirkpatrick

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Dec 24, 2021

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Ever wondered what you would get if you crossed Spiderman and Bayonetta? Well, Drifting: Weight of Feathers is certainly a good start.

Drifting: Weight of Feathers is an indie game I would class as easy to learn but difficult to master. You’re thrown straight into the deep end with an introductory cinematic showcasing our protagonist and the very little story plot that the game provides.

Faye, a wanted criminal, is trapped on planet Blue Star and you need to assist her in her escape using her acrobatic and expert fighting skills. As simple as that, you’re then thrown straight into a quick tutorial level where you learn how to wall run, glide, slide down walls and grapple your way around to avoid the chasms at the bottom of the level.

Faye’s movements NEED to be precise, which is the toughest thing to pick up on. If you’re even slightly off course when you try to grapple an enemy or slide down a wall, you’ll find yourself in the chasm faster than you can recover. Because of this perfectionism, the gameplay can tend to be quite clunky and irritating, especially since checkpoints can be sparse throughout each level.

Each level is unique in design and utilises all of Faye’s abilities to the max, often requiring you to learn the correct moments to switch from grappling to gliding to then dodging the odd enemy rocket and so on. Add in the factor of the chasms and puzzles that you need to complete to progress, it all adds up into a frustratingly fun time.

One excellent factor in Drifting: Weight of Feathers is graphic design. Whilst the levels themselves are rather simple and clinical in appearance, Faye herself has clearly had a lot of thought and effort put into her design and how she appears dynamically in the fast-paced environment. In terms of in-game collectable items, you have the opportunity to grab and find different hairstyles for Faye to equip by completing puzzles in certain levels, which is a nice addition—this potentially gives the scope for more collectable items in the future, like different outfits for Faye as well as skins for her weapons for example.

The parkour element of Drifting: Weight of Feathers is certainly one that is decent, but needs some further polishing. As I was trying to complete some of the earlier levels, I found myself scrambling to activate Faye’s abilities all at once in order to collect some items and replenish her energy bar, which resulted in me dying regardless of the order I did it in. Without a doubt, Drifting: Weight of Feathers has a very steep learning curve, and if you tend to be quite impatient or easy to frustrate with parkour games, especially ones that require such specific precision with movements, then you may find this game infuriating.

One thing that is enjoyable is the in-game leaderboard that you can toggle on and off. This gives you the ability to compete with your friends and other players for the best times on each level, which somewhat makes up for the lack of any main story plot.

Depending on how quickly you can learn the basic mechanics and apply them to your runs, Drifting: Weight of Feathers completion time could be anywhere from a few hours up to 10+ easily. Again, this is all dependent on your skills with parkour games as well as finding the best routes to complete each level.

Overall, Drifting: Weight of Feathers definitely does have its moments. The combination of grappling hooks, drifting, wall running and fighting was what intrigued me the most, and the mechanics were surprisingly well put together and they do work well if you know how to use them correctly. From personal experience, it was absolutely a case of easy to learn and hard to master, but if you enjoy the learning curve of parkour games then Drifting: Weight of Feathers will be right up your alley.

Review: Guardian of Lore

Alex Chessun

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Dec 24, 2021

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There is a magical median in video games that houses those that somehow manage to fail at nearly everything, but still manage to be enjoyable. Affectionately categorized as ‘So bad, it’s good’, Guardian of Lore, a largely inept 2D platforming adventure, might just be one of the lucky few to find refuge there.

As a self-important prince who’s bestowed an ancient duty to protect knowledge (yes, all of it), you play out South American folk stories as stages from a library hub world and aim to correct changes made in these stories by a nefarious individual. It’s not made immediately obvious why but each level has hidden sections within its linear structure that contain enemies that must be defeated to complete the missions, doing it the normal way will just end the stage, which any normal game would make you logically think that you’ve successfully completed the level – well, this game isn’t exactly logical.

For better or for worse, instead of adding to the mystery of the story, confusing gameplay mechanics and their crude implementation transform the title into an unpredictable platformer which initially bemuses, before morphing into something quite amusing, regardless of whether it’s ironically or unironically awful.

Inconsistency might be the game’s saving grace as you never quite know what to expect. Finding a bug that makes you fall through the level to your death might be frustrating in any other game, but is actually the only time you’ll receive falling damage in Guardian of Lore, as falling from ridiculous heights results in zero damage whatsoever. Jump into a branch with broken damage physics though and you’ll die from banging your head on it. Will your character be flung across the screen from a slight hit or will it cause the previously solid platform which you are aiming for to lose all its physical properties causing you to fall straight through it to your death?

For some reason, it is genuinely amusing to find out. Thankfully the communication between characters and the enemies themselves also do their best to contribute to this like the cheetah boss who can only run forwards and if attacked from behind can do very little to stop you as it sits there motionless or the main character who expresses extreme confidence in himself and then moments later loses all confidence for no real reason.

The 2D platforming action calls back to the SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis platformers of the past and so it’s perhaps intentional that the storybook illustration environments have water effects that look like static theatre stage props lifted by two people hidden behind them and hit with a fake cartoon punch sound effect.

This booby-trapped game does have a few good features though, in that the character animation and attacking moves are actually quite smooth in their movement, so despite the character’s ridiculously poor interaction with the world, it creates a strangely satisfying yin and yang combination and has me questioning what is up and what is down and whether or not I’m in some sort of alternate Interstellar dimension of opposites.

As well as wielding a weapon and a shield the game bizarrely opts not to use a ‘weapon wheel’ feature for its magic abilities, but instead uses a 3-button input menu. Why it ignores an industry-wide feature that games have now used for decades is puzzling, but in order to provide some clemency, we’ll it slide, even though accessing your abilities this way slows the gameplay down unnecessarily. Other than playing as the prince you can also control a bird in a side-scrolling shmup section which unfortunately is only moments long as it’s the best part of the game by far.

I am more than a little sympathetic to the difficulty of creating something even remotely playable and wish to support indie titles wherever possible, but Guardian of Lore has me in two minds. On one hand, it’s clear that few will persevere to see this short and objectively awful title to its end, but on the other, its unironic charm is impossible to ignore and because of this, I write ‘buyer beware’ with an asterisk, because it might just become your guilty pleasure.

Review: Horatio Goes Snowboarding

Daniel Waite

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Dec 23, 2021

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My vvideo review with footage captured using my Xbox Series X, enjoy!

For the third year in a row, my snowboarding holiday has been cancelled! COVID-19 is a deadly menace that ruins everyone’s lives and plans. So, am I going to throw my toys out of the pram and complain, or will I find a solution? The answer? Horatio Goes Snowboarding!

Developed and published by Infinite State Games and Eastasiasoft Limited, this is a simple sports title. It’s a no-frills, amusing, points-based game about near misses and surviving for as long as possible. Therefore, it’s mindless fun, casual as hell, and will scratch that winter sports itch.

Horatio Goes Snowboarding is all about luck!

You control a snowboard loving Welshman who has no concept of risk and fears nothing. His day begins by avoiding traffic while attempting to get to the chopper. You must evade the cars, collect your snowboard, and make it to the piste. If you manage this, you’ll carve your way down the mountain, avoiding the obstacles, while hitting the skiers, slaloming through poles, and escaping a rampaging yeti.

The objective is clear! Get from the summit to the chequered flag without dying. However, this is easier said than done. The action flows from bottom to top and trees quickly appear in your path. You’ll narrowly miss them if you are lucky and staying alive rarely happens. If you are fortunate enough to complete a run, you’ll earn a small amount of cash and the action starts again. If, however, you die, you’ll be airlifted to a hospital where you must pay $100 to be revived. The moment you run out of cash, it’s game over and your score is recorded.

No gnarly tricks.

It was clear from the start that Horatio Goes Snowboarding was a simple, fun title. Yet, I expected a bit more depth to the action. It was wonderful to slice through powder while narrowly missing rocks, trees, or smashing through boxes. But Horatio cannot jump. He performs no tricks, and this leaves you wanting.

A small rudimentary list of tricks would have added mountains of depth while improving the basic gameplay. This was an oversight from the developers and one that may undermine the potential. I enjoyed what was presented, but the desire to survive day after day with little change could become tedious. Therefore, I yearned for a further challenge that didn’t make the core concept almost impossible to achieve.

Horatio Goes Snowboarding transports you to the mountains.

If you love skiing or boarding, you’ll know the joy of absorbing the beautiful crisp environment. Luckily, Horatio Goes Snowboarding captures this essence in its imagery. With contrasting cool colours, you are transported to the mountains instantly. The cartoon art style combined with interesting level design also keeps you focused. No stage is ever the same and you are always on edge. Subsequently, this was an excellent decision by the developers as it reduced monotony considerably.

Winter sports are fast-paced and fuelled by adrenaline. Therefore, a loud and banging soundtrack is a must. Luckily, the developers delivered this with a variety of tunes that demand you ride faster. Alongside the wonderful music are some crunching and amusing sound effects. Horatio has a hilarious, thick Welsh accent and some brilliant stereotypical one-liners. Smashing into trees, hitting skiers, or colliding with cars will make you wince. Moreover, the OTT noises are brutal, ear-splitting, but perfect for the theme.

Basic commands = basic controls.

Horatio Goes Snowboarding can’t be accused of being complex. There are limited commands to learn and a simple layout makes it easy to play. You must move Horatio with either the bumpers or analogue stick, and that’s it! Fortunately, the controls are responsive, accurate, and this helps to keep you alive. Its simplicity may not be for everyone, but it makes it accessible to a larger audience.

The game’s core focus is to stay alive while scoring the maximum amount of points. However, an endless mode can be unlocked to test you further. This additional option increases longevity if you can stomach the repetitive nature of the gameplay. Alongside the two modes, there is a challenging achievement list to unlock. Therefore, there is some replay value and longevity to be had and this makes it good value for money.

Horatio Goes Snowboarding is a casual title.

If you want an in-depth and serious snowboarding title, then look elsewhere. However, Horatio Goes Snowboarding is a casual, fun game that understands its limitations. It’s great to pick up between major titles and will scratch that winter sports itch. I liked it and I recommend you to buy it here! Avoid the traffic, grab a board, and hit the slopes.

Review: Gardener’s Path

Daniel Waite

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Dec 22, 2021

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When our future is in question, all we want to do is to live in peace and harmony. However, this rarely happens as this fine balance is easily disturbed. When a hero is called upon to restore order, there is always one person who’ll heed the call. You are that individual and you’ll battle any monsters that threaten your existence in Gardener’s Path.

Developed by Viridino Studios and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a nature-inspired puzzle title. Using a beautiful hand-drawn pixel art style, you must overcome problems, find collectables, and help the gnomes save the world’s food supply. The puzzles all appear simple at first glance, yet they are deceptively tough and will frustrate you throughout.

This will lull you into a false sense of security.

Gardener’s Path balances new mechanics perfectly.

Gardener’s Path comprises 60 hand-drawn levels that vary in difficulty and style. The core concept revolves around moving the protagonist like a slider puzzle. He can navigate North, South, East, or West, and only stops when he hits an obstacle. Therefore, you must plan your moves before you attempt each stage. The goal is to reach the crystal by destroying every bug in sight. You’ll slide from one creature to another while avoiding cacti and other obstacles. It’s annoyingly simple but unbelievably challenging to complete.

This is a tough nut to crack, but the developers aren’t monsters and they want you to have a fighting chance. Therefore, they have utilised drip-fed mechanics to balance out the learning curve. This was an excellent decision that made the latter stages extremely complex while making the opening gambit attractive to inexperienced players. Furthermore, you are free to skip any stages you can’t complete. This ensures you were able to progress even when struggling. This was a user-friendly approach that I welcomed as unfortunately there is no hint system.

Use any tool at your disposal.

I love how Viridino Studios combined fantasy elements with logic-based layers. You’ll use magic, swords, poison, and brute force to solve every problem. It was intriguing to see how each element worked and how quickly the puzzles expanded.

You must decide when to use each item you collect and only one solution is viable per stage. This limited approach will frustrate some players, but I enjoyed the restrictive nature of the action. Whether you are gathering poison to destroy bugs, teleporting to your last position, or hiding in a bush, each option is key to solving each stage.

The wonderfully intertwined layers will test most logically minded players. Therefore, I think the latter stages will be too challenging and complex for newcomers. This was a shame, as it will alienate a percentage of its player base. Potentially, a hint system would have overcome this issue, and this was an oversight from the developers.

Gardener’s Path looks great but lacks detail.

I love the retro aesthetic that comes from a hand-drawn pixel art style. Gardener’s Path looks wonderfully dated, with its earthy tones and rough exterior. Yet this old-school approach has its downside. In a genre that requires you to plan your approach, you’d expect the visuals to be detailed. Sadly, they were far from it! I repeatedly made errors as I confused cacti for rocks and bushes. This caused me to die, fail repeatedly, and get annoyed. If the developers had made distinct models for each element, then this would have been resolved.

In a world filled with danger and dread you’d expect there to be a dramatic soundtrack. However, Gardener’s Path delivers a varied, yet calm collection of songs. The oriental-inspired music was at odds with the overall theme, but worked brilliantly with the genre. Alongside this, the action is supported by some strange but uninspiring sound effects.

Easy to master thanks to the UI.

Though the puzzles are challenging, the controls are not. A well laid out setup is supported by a clean and easy-to-understand UI. Every command is clearly explained and there is no confusion surrounding each mechanic. This was fantastic, as an already tough title could have been much harder.

Thanks to the 60 unique levels and garden-inspired logbook, you get a lot of action for your money. Sadly, though, the difficulty of many of these stages undermines its accessibility to less skilled players. Therefore, its appeal will be limited, and this is a shame. However, its longevity is increased thanks to the progress-based achievement list. Moreover, completionists must be logically minded or patient enough to skip each level.

Gardener’s Path is let down by its complexity.

It’s rare that I negatively focus on a puzzle title’s difficulty. However, Gardener’s Path is far too hard in the latter stages. I hated relying on a bye into the next round, as you feel like you are cheating. I take on the puzzle genre for both reward and a sense of achievement, yet these are missing the moment you skip a level. It’s good and I recommend you to buy it here despite its shortcomings. Can you destroy every monster and save the world? Slide around, use your tools, and hit every crystal.

Review: Rain on Your Parade DLC

Daniel Waite

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Dec 21, 2021

0

My video review with footage captured on my Xbox Series X, enjoy!

Game Pass has allowed players to experience a wide array of titles. There are many times I’ve wanted to play a game only to be put off by the price. Fortunately, however, I rarely have this problem anymore! Rain on Your Parade is a cooky experience that I looked at last year free of charge on Game Pass. I now return to explore the Rain on Your Parade DLC.

Developed and published by Unbound Creations, this is a funny adventure title. With razor-sharp humour and a Paper Mario aesthetic, it’ll make you laugh while being easy on the eye. The main game comprises fifty levels, many objectives, an NG+ mode, and a sunny twist. The DLC follows suit in both style, humour, and mischievous quests.

Rain on Your Parade DLC is short but brilliant.

The story revolves around a juvenile rain cloud called Cloudy. He must learn new skills to save the city while stopping Dryspell’s dastardly plans. Whether you are dropping rain or snow, shooting lightning, or creating a tornado, there are always shenanigans to be had. Sadly, The Rain on Your Parade DLC forgets about Dryspell as it has no central story. Instead, it combines an array of events for you to overcome. This was disappointing, as I would have liked to see a twist to the original plot. Subsequently, the extra levels are fun, but they lack direction.

If you ignore the missing story, you experience a brief but brilliant addition to the game. Its mindless action is reminiscent of both the Untitled Goose Game and Donut County and this is a great thing. With silly slapstick humour, nods to much-loved franchises, and more, it’s easy to fall for the immature charms. Though much of the action is stupid, there are puzzling elements and moments of finesse. These challenging layers test your patience and skills while demanding perfection. Therefore, you can rush through every level or painstakingly complete every objective.

So it was the clouds that made the dinosaurs extinct.

Soak all hoomans.

No matter what tasks await you, you are assured it’ll be laced with mischief. At the centre of the madness are the unsuspecting humans, or hoomans to Cloudy. These individuals will be soaked, shocked, frozen, and more as you master each stage. You must combine oil and fire to engulf vast areas, soak floors, fill moon craters, derail a roller-coaster, and so forth. The objectives are usually obvious, however, when they are more subtle, it takes a logical mind to complete them.

Alongside this, you must play golf, grow plants for cash, help a dragon, defeat a wizard and more. Every successful task awards a star and completion of any level unlocks a new cosmetic. Subsequently, it’s addictive and will push you to perfect every stage.

Rain on Your Parade DLC looks great.

I’ve always liked the art style from Paper Mario and Rain on Your Parade DLC is similar. Cloudy is a 2D image moving through an isometric, colourful world. This juxtaposed approach adds depth while focusing on a simple look. Furthermore, its combination of vibrant and pastel colours was easy on the eye. Moreover, the interesting characters and fun stages will keep you focused and interested throughout.

Like the base game, the audio in the DLC is eclectic and crazy. There is an array of hard-hitting and soft, calm songs that beautifully reflect the action on screen. The clever combination of tunes adds energy and emotion and was an excellent decision from the developers. This was rounded off by the loud and OTT sound effects. It matters not if you are spewing rain, crashing lightning, or sucking up rubbish. Every noise is equally wonderful.

Plenty of actions but easy to play.

Cloudy is a surprisingly complex character with plenty of tricks up his, umm, sleeves. He has four main powers that are activated with separate buttons. It could have been a tricky game to master, but fortunately, a fun and thorough tutorial helps to clear things up. Subsequently, this is a title that can be played by gamers of all ages and abilities.

The Rain on Your Parade DLC may be short, but it’s great value for money. Thanks to its variety of stages, interesting characters, and tough achievement list, this will keep you playing for hours. Completionists will need to be patient and calm as you need to be perfect to finish this.

The Rain on Your Parade DLC is stupidly brilliant.

DLC can be hit and miss while adding little to the base game. Fortunately, however, the Rain on Your Parade DLC is different. It captures the crazy essence of the main title while adding some unique moments. It’ll make you chuckle from beginning to end and is tough to put down. I loved it and recommend you to buy it here! Being a cloud is silly, fun, and a little mischievous. Complete every task, soak the hoomans, and collect every star.

Review: A Good Snowman is Hard to Build

Natosha M

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Dec 21, 2021

0

Building snowmen or just one snowman was always hard for me. I could never do it! Maybe it’s the snow, maybe I just don’t understand the concept, but as a young child playing in the snow, I never could build a snowman. TV made it look so easy, but it really isn’t.

Fortunately, some awesome new game came out called, A Good Snowman is Hard to Build for the Nintendo Switch console. Perfectly allowing me to build snowmen on the go or any time of the year, even in the summer. Better yet, it’s actually a puzzle game, and guess what? I can finally build a snowman perfectly, and not just one but many of them without getting my hands wet or cold. I know the title says it’s hard to build, but honestly, it’s been the opposite for me. Of course, it is a puzzle game and some may appear challenging, but with a little planning, it’s a piece of cake! Especially, if one gets confused or makes any mistake, there is that option to restart or undo what you’ve just done, and get the snowman done correctly in just a few minutes! That’s just one reason this game is awesome!

Another reason I love the game is that it’s just so much fun and not created for one age group or range, but for all ages. Plus, who can’t love that theme of snow. Especially, if you feel the same about snow as I do. I begin to start thinking of the holidays like Frosty the Snowman and all those adorable movies growing up watching and still watching. Additionally, I find myself unable to stop thinking about how it just brings back some beautiful memories of times with my family outside playing in the snow. Even if it isn’t to build a snowman.

In addition to the memories, there is one thing that really makes this game fun is that it’s easy and not frustrating as it would be to build a real snowman in the snow. Instead, what I felt this game brought to the table is something more of a relaxing and calming game. Perfect for those anxiety and stressful times of the year, and when you need to just take a break. Plus, being not too hard, you won’t need to use too much mental power to figure out the puzzle, making it simply fun to waste any time you want to play!

There is one thing I’d like to mention. Some may find this a pleasant approach to any game that really cares about gender equality. The game doesn’t leave out the female or male gender of the snow person. It could be either when you finish creating the snowperson. So maybe I should call them snowpeople as each challenging puzzle, building a snowman can be either a snowwoman or snowman. Either way, the cute snowpeople you can make or try to make all have a fun additional style that gets added when you finally put them together.

How to play? Well, all you need to do in this game is just roll the small snowballs already made and push them, making sure the right size to the next ball of snow. They automatically are placed on top of each other and after all three snowballs are placed on top of each other as the large, medium, and small balls, the entire snow person is done. Plus, you get to see the finished creation of the snowman which is automatic, by the addition of adding a few features like a hat, face, and other nifty characteristics to these snowpeople, male or female. Plus, it comes with a name.

I do want to point out that this puzzle game is so easy to get used to, I know I’ve mentioned it to be easy above, but what else makes it super easy is the controlling of the character in this game. Nothing difficult with moving the arrow keys to go left, right, up, or down. Plus, three other keys, to undo, restart, and the menu is also noted on the screen at all times. Very simple to not forget what one can do with such simple buttons to press or hold on to.

Also, the graphics and the sound is nice and simple as well! Don’t expect something to pop out of anywhere, or anything to distract you in this puzzling cute game. It’s meant to be relaxing, as I’m getting from the vibe and super easy as well!

In conclusion, this is quite an amazing puzzle game for the holidays, and being winter, it’s even better! However, it can be played all year round. There is no need to play this fun game at any specific time of the year. In addition, being a bit challenging and easy to build makes it a perfect game for all ages. I honestly, find myself loving the ability to build a bunch of new snow buddies!

Review: Hell Architect

Ethan Goldreyer

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Dec 20, 2021

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They say first impressions are everything, and while that’s an unhelpful perspective when deciding if you want to keep your slimy screaming newborn, I think it’s generally conducive to determining if a video game is worth your time. Despite its charmingly playful depiction of Lucifer’s domain and the myriad torture techniques it employs, Woodland Games’ Hell Architect does not make a good first impression. Even its title screen immediately confuses, with over a half-dozen options to click, among which “New Game” or “Begin” are perplexingly absent. Once I overcame the main menu and found myself in the game proper, this inexplicable obfuscation of user interface elements persisted, with illegibly small text and a comically cluttered assortment of buttons and labels. Indeed, the singularly stressful experience of playing Hell Architect is largely similar – I’d imagine – to the devil’s punishment for sinners with particular aversions to feeling overwhelmed.

I should preface this review by stating I am not, nor have I ever been a fan of simulation or management games. Certainly, I enjoy watching ants scurry around on the sidewalk, but that sort of organic fun loses something when I’m entrusted with ensuring each ant arrives at its destination on time, and that it’s carrying the correct bread crumb. I suppose this type of game occupies an unpleasant gray area of interactivity. There’s enjoyment to be had in overseeing a team of gormless construction workers as they occasionally injure themselves horribly, but that visceral amusement always tends to dwindle with each second I spend watching a tiny man on my screen hack away at his fiftieth pile of rocks. Granted, I have no intention of disparaging this genre or its fans. I’m sure there’s plenty of entertainment to be found here, which I’ve simply been unable to tap into as of yet, and I hoped that Hell Architect’s sense of humor might ease me into a style of gameplay I’ve otherwise considered cold and clinical in its approach to player engagement. Unfortunately, even Hell’s interpretation of these mechanics seems to be icy as ever.

Given my aforementioned relationship with building and management sims, I don’t feel my opinion of Hell Architect’s quality would be particularly helpful or insightful, so I’ll instead use this space to discuss the ways in which the game failed to engage me as a newcomer to its genre. When beginning any piece of entertainment, I have an instinctive reaction to the tone or atmosphere the work is attempting to exude. Here, it’s apparent Hell Architect draws inspiration from a breadth of influences, from modern television shows that liken the underworld’s bureaucracy to the mundanity of the American desk job, to games and movies which attempt to humanize myth’s most legendary figures. Unfortunately, Woodland Games largely fails to synthesize these seemingly discordant thematic elements into something original, or at the very least engaging. There is a distinct creative direction on display here to be sure, exemplified by Hell Architect’s ever-present satirical self-commentary, but in lampooning well-trodden illustrations of Satan’s great beyond, the game’s writers neglect to inject life into their concept beyond what the likes of Adult Swim and Grim Fandango already offer.

As for what exactly you’re supposed to be doing in Hell Architect, I’m not entirely sure. Or I should say, I’m not entirely sure why its developers expected me to care. Upon starting the game’s “easy” mode, I was bewildered within seconds by the sheer volume of icons and unintelligible descriptions of gameplay principles I’d yet to be exposed to. When asking players to understand and employ a series of complex systems in conjunction with one another, it is imperative that players be introduced to those systems gradually, like a probing toe dipped into a jacuzzi. Not only does Hell Architect grab its players by their swim trunks and throw them headlong into the hot tub, but it ensures, too, that the water is spiked with Ayahuasca for optimal disorientation. This refusal to educate those attempting to interface with its mechanics makes Hell Architect exceedingly taxing to get into, and alienates those of us unwilling to make flashcards to remember every tool in the game’s expansive shed.

If you’ve devoted your life to management sims and simply adore every entry the genre has to offer, Hell Architect’s light-heartedly morose setting and character-ful voice work might make it a worthy addition to your collection. But if, like me, you’ve been waiting an eternity for this sort of game to unravel, exposing to you its glowing gelatinous core of fun, I’m afraid you’ll likely have to wait a bit longer.

Review: Asteroids Recharged

Daniel Waite

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Dec 20, 2021

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My Asteroids Recharged review with footage captured on my Xbox Series X, enjoy!

Whenever I think of simple yet addictive arcade shooters, I always lean towards Asteroids. This 80s smash hit captured the attention of a generation of gamers and I was one of them. Roll on nearly forty years, and Asteroids Recharged leaps onto the scene with a modern interpretation.

Developed by Adamvision Studios and SneakyBox and published by Atari, this is a fixed-screen shooter. This is the third Recharged game I’ve reviewed, and like the others, this is retro as hell. Comprising a simple core concept, you must destroy asteroids and UFOs as you attempt to survive.

Asteroids Recharged lacks energy.

I’ve recently covered Black Widow Recharged and Centipede Recharged, and I was thoroughly impressed. These reinvigorated titles capture the high energy and addictive gameplay of their original counterparts. Asteroids Recharged, however, does not! Its action feels lethargic as you spend more time stationary than moving. This was disappointing and somewhat tarnished an otherwise interesting game.

The Recharged series splits its focus between an arcade mode and thirty challenges that vary in difficulty. Furthermore, you can play either solo or couch co-op. If you’re a lone wolf, you’ll play round after round while comparing your efforts on a global leaderboard. If you team up with another, you can face off to achieve the highest score, or work together to overcome the challenges.

My Black Widow Recharged review with footage captured on my Xbox Series X, enjoy!

My Centipede Recharged review with footage captured on my Xbox Series X, enjoy!

Interesting goals and crazy power-ups.

Though much of the action appeared slow-paced, this was wonderfully counteracted by the developers. During the challenge mode, you must overcome an array of difficult tasks. Whether you are aiming for a particular score, surviving a set time, or destroying asteroids or UFOs, there is plenty to focus on. The goals are deceptively simple and lull you into a false sense of security. You will die repeatedly, curse your luck, and start again, and this makes it moreish as hell.

The action is helped further still, thanks to the excellent power-ups. With rapid-fire, mines, black holes, deflector shields, and more, there are many twists to the gameplay. I loved the variety of weapons and the array of challenges you face. This helped to keep the action fresh while keeping you on your toes. The limited-time upgrades make you extremely powerful, but they run out at inopportune moments. This was both annoying and intriguing as it added a tactical layer to each stage. You must decide whether to blast your way to victory, or be defensive and bide your time.

Asteroids Recharged is brilliantly retro-futuristic.

The developers have done a great job of retaining the original charm while polishing it for a modern audience. Furthermore, the clean lines and contrasting colours make this easy on the eye. I adored the infusion of neon tones and the madness of bullets flying. The fixed-screen quickly fills with enemies and rocks, and this makes it extremely hectic. However, no matter the number of objects, the gameplay never stuttered. I experienced no issues and enjoyed everything the enhanced Series X version offered.

This continued in the 80s inspired soundtrack. The synth music complemented the action perfectly while balancing high and low moments. Moreover, the hard-hitting and futuristic sound effects added to the clean neon imagery. Sadly, though, the audio failed to explore new avenues and subsequently; you know exactly what to expect. This wasn’t a bad thing. I just hoped for more from this modern interpretation.

A lack of a tutorial.

Playing Asteroids Recharged was as simple and basic as its core concept. However, a lack of a tutorial leaves you scratching your head. It took me around two hours to fathom out how to teleport, and I still don’t know if there are more secrets. Yet, the lack of direction won’t stop you from enjoying yourself. If the developers had incorporated a straightforward tutorial, then this would have overcome this slight annoyance.

Like the original Asteroids, this version is moreish! It is helped by the addition of the challenge mode and the couch co-op option. Furthermore, there is a large achievement list to keep you playing for hours. If you love arcade shooters, then you’ll adore every element of this well-polished title.

Asteroids Recharged is a great re-envisioning of a classic.

Though remastered and reworked games divide opinions, I love what the developers have achieved. They have retained every moment that made the original great while making it palatable for a modern audience. Yes, the gameplay is slow in places, but the weaponry and challenges counter this brilliantly. I enjoyed it and recommend you to buy it here! Are you good enough to destroy every bit of space debris? Grab the power-ups, avoid the bullets, and be victorious.

Review: Super Kickers League

Luke Maguire

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Dec 20, 2021

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Super kickers League is a 3v3 soccer game similar to the likes of Super Mario Strikers. Characters have unique abilities to use against each other to get the upper hand. There’s also no referee, so there is no rules.

The co-op is probably the best attribute of the game, still it doesn’t work great as teamwork doesn’t feel necessary to use. However, playing against a friend is fun for a while. Having said that, it becomes tiresome regardless, simply because the gameplay isn’t up to scratch. Unfortunately you can’t play them online, so it has to be a LAN party.

Super Kickers Gameplay

The main concept of Super Kickers is to use the abilities to gain an advantage to score a gaol or to stop your opponents from scoring. Some of the abilities flow quite well into the matches like gaining a speed boost, but some of the powers used are over powered and irritating to come across. One of the female characters drops a disco ball and makes all opponents dance for three seconds. Using her power was just broken because nearly every time it was used a goal would be scored. One power was a UFO that would take a player away and make it 3v2 game making it a bit unfair. As a whole the idea of abilities are good, unfortunately some just don’t fit in well and tend to make it unfair as there is no counter to most abilities.

What about the gameplay in general? The no rules concept is interesting, being able to topple an opponent over is satisfying. The gameplay itself isn’t that good though. Dribbling feels like the ball is just attached to the players feet, the passing is poor at best. Instead of passing I’d just sprint with one player up the pitch, as when I passed I felt that I was always liable to losing the ball. Shooting feels extremely random at best. I would have shot from the exact same position with the same player and same power and the ball ends up in a different place each time. I can score a screamer from the halfway line, yet I can’t score right in front of the keeper. Also, the keeper will just come out of the semi circle and still catch the ball or handle it. I know there is no rules, but having the keeper catch the ball wherever he wants just contradicts the sport.

Replayability

It doesn’t make you want to keep playing unfortunately. It is fun to mess around in the the first few games, but there’s never anything different in the game. There’s also little progression after half an hour. I had unlocked half of everything locked in game. A multiplayer mode would of definitely helped the game. Almost every sports game relies on on multiplayer to keep the game going for their annual release.

The gameplay wasn’t good enough to keep me playing and the progression certainly wasn’t. You play in different league cups and the objective is to win all your games and win the cup. After I won my first one I didn’t feel a need to play the next cup. It was just the same thing except a different cup to win at the end. The games never really went differently, bar different abilities for various opponents.

Conclusion

I could see children enjoying it for maybe a few hours, even so an adult wouldn’t be kept occupied for long at all. It’s not a terrible game, but comparing it to Super Mario Strikers, which is over ten years old and you see all the flaws in Super Kickers League. To sum it up, it’s an inferior version of Super Mario Strikers in almost everyway. If the gameplay was better the game would of naturally had better longevity. Sadly Super Kickers League can’t be recommended for the price of €14.99.

Two Minute Review: Juice 65W Dual Port Mains GaN Charger Plug

Andrew Edney

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Dec 20, 2021

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Two Minute Review: Juice 65W Dual Port Mains GaN Charger Plug

Here is our Two Minute Review of the Juice 65W Dual Port Mains GAN Charger Plug.

Introducing the Juice ‘Charge Everything’ 65w charger plug. This charger packs an incredible 65w of power which means it can charge basically every device from Laptops and Tablets, all the way down to your phone.

Charge your device up to 2.5x faster than a standard charger, none of us have any spare time to wait around for your device to charge, introduce yourself to rapid charging. It’s especially handy if you forgot to charge your device and need that juice quickly.

Not only does this charger sport all the features of a power delivery charger, it also has the ability to charge 2 devices at the same time including your Laptop / Tablet and Smartphone!

Plus with Universal compatibility, no need to worry if its an Apple, Samsung or even Google device – we don’t discriminate, and the 65W GAN Plug has you covered. If you are wanting to charge a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, make sure you grab yourself a USB-C to USB-C cable for optimum charging.

The charger plug also features Sure Grip Technology, no need to fight with the plug socket to remove your fast charger.

Features

Universally Compatible – Phones, Laptops, Tablets, PS5 Controllers
65W Rapid Charger with Sure Grip Coating
USB-A and USB-C Port
Charge two devices at once!
Supports Power Delivery – Delivers your device the optimal charge.
Supports QC3.0 Charging
One Year Warranty

Specifications

Input: 100V – 240V AC
USB-A Output: 5V-3A, 9V-2A, 12V-1.5A, 18W(max)
USB-C Output: 5V-3A, 9V-3A, 12V-3A, 20V-3.25A, 65W(max)
Dual Charge Output: USB-A: 5V-2.4A. USB-C: 5V-3A, 9V-3A, 12V-3A, 15V-3A, 20V-2.25A

What’s in the Box?

The box contains the plug, a carry case and instructions.

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

The charger is small and lightweight – it’s black and has a rubberised grip to make it easier to insert and remove from plug sockets. It also comes with a small white carry bag.

There are two ports on the charger – one USB A and one USB C port. Both ports can be used at the same time to charge two devices which is really useful.

The charger is also capable of charging devices at up to 2.5 times quicker than a standard charger which is really helpful if you are in a rush and need a quick charge.

The charger works with various devices, including laptops that charge using USB C such as an Apple MacBook.

Having a single charger than can be used to power and charge my laptop and my phone is great and means that I only need to carry one charger with me if I need to leave the house, and in the house it only uses a single plug point

The Juice 65W Dual Port Mains GaN Charger Plug is a must have addition to your bag or your home!

The Juice 65W Dual Port Mains GaN Charger Plug is available now priced around £49.99.

You can learn more from the Juice website.

Two Minute Review: Juice 20W Duo Wireless Charging Pad

Andrew Edney

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Dec 20, 2021

0

Two Minute Review: Juice 20W Duo Wireless Charging Pad

Here is our Two Minute Review of the Juice 20W Duo Wireless Charging Pad.

Introducing the 20W Duo Wireless Charging Pad from Juice. A 10+10 Watt Wireless Pad that is perfect for charging your wireless compatible smart phone and wireless charging earphones. Just pop your compatible device down onto the Duo Juice Pad and walk away!

What’s in the Box?

The box contains the charging pad, power supply and instruction manual.

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

The charging pad is small and lightweight and is quite thin. It looks very good too – its not plasticy like some other charging pads so it looks good sitting on a desk or on a bedside table.

Plug the power supply in and away you go.

There are two pads – one on the left and one on the right. They can be used separately or together – after all, that’s probably why you want one!

To use the pad, just place the phone or other device on the pad itself and it should start charging. The LED on the front will change colour from green (showing available) to blue (showing charging).

The Juice 20W Duo Wireless Charging Pad is really useful if you have more than one device you want to charge – such as a work and a personal phone.

The Juice 20W Duo Wireless Charging Pad is available now priced around £34.99.

You can learn more from the Juice website.