With Christmas not too far away now, we are going to be looking at various things you might want to consider – here we look at the Shoot the Poop game.
Hi folks, meet Tank! He’s the talking toilet who loves to play. It’s up to you and one other player to get your fun flingers and form a doo-doo duo! Be the first player to launch all six of your poopy projectiles into Tank’s mouth.
Tank will cheer you on as you take aim, ready, and fire away! This family dexterity game helps children develop fine motor skills, and it’s finished in a flash. Sink your last floater and win the game! Don’t forget to flush! When you pull Tank’s lever, he’ll always have something to say.
Features
Contents: 1 Shoot the Poop Toilet, 12 Plastic Poops and 2 Launchers
2 player game
Shoot the Poop is a fast-playing game of reflex and humour
Includes a talking Tank the Toilet who’s flush with funny jokes
Enjoy some family toiler humour
Batteries Required: 2 x AAA (not included)
Shoot the Poop is available now priced around £26.99 and is aimed at children 5 years old and up.
Disclaimer: Shoot the Poop was sent to us for the purposes of an honest review. All opinions are the opinions of our reviewer.
Most people just want an ordinary life that’s free from worry and drama. They’ll hold down a respectable job, fall in love and attempt to live happily ever after. However, this existence is fragile, and it takes very little to pop this bubble. Whiskey Mafia: Frank’s Story explores this concept while mixing in violence, alcohol, and a bag full of criminal activities.
Developed and published by ChiliDog Interactive LLC and FastGame, this is a retro linear adventure title. With a heavy dose of deja vu, you’ll experience the hero’s mundane existence before all hell breaks loose. It combines a strange array of mini-games with a rigid linear storyline. Sadly, however, this rigid and repetitive approach stagnated early and decimates its potential.
Burn it all down!
Whiskey Mafia: Frank’s Story should have been epic.
When I first heard about Whiskey Mafia: Frank’s Story I was excited. It seemed my sort of title and was something I could play casually. Sadly, though, I was wrong! Its potential is there for all to see, but unfortunately, so are the shortcomings. It comprises many wonderful mechanics, interesting characters, and intriguing storylines, but it fails to build on any of them. I admit that I was disappointed! I was given a game that should have been amazing, but it was a damp squib.
The gameplay revolves around Frank and his abysmal life. It is set in wartime America in the 1920s. Many of Frank’s friends have gone to the front line, but he stayed behind to deliver the mail. He’s certainly one of the “stay at home heroes”. Lying in a trench while being shot at is dangerous, but at least you have food and a wage coming in. Unfortunately, though, this can’t be said for the army of delivery personnel.
Months pass and no money exchanges hands! Frank is broke, he hates his job, and he can’t take his sweetheart on a date, so what’s a man going to do? He’ll team up with a dodgy pal who is morally corrupt, that’s what. This turning point changes a law-abiding citizen into a criminal monster overnight, and it is brilliant (in theory).
Fight club! Fight club!
Mundane mini-games and missed opportunities.
As you can see, there is plenty of potential, yet every element failed to evolve. Many of the storylines wither and die without a full explanation or exploration of every avenue. This was infuriating as you experience no closure and much of the plot feels heartless and devoid of emotion. Moreover, Frank’s gangster lifestyle dominates proceedings and his mundane family existence disappears. Therefore, the story is imbalanced and is too “Hollywood” but without the razzmatazz.
Disappointingly, the problems don’t end there, though! The mundane and repetitive mini-games lack challenge, finesse, or any level of enjoyment. You open by collecting and delivering the mail to pre-designated addresses. This is dull as dishwater as you meander through the busy but lifeless streets. As you turn to the dark side, you’ll fulfil barman duties, beat the snot out of punks, and earn money from illegal brawls.
These activities should have been enthralling and enjoyable, but they are not! The bar work comprises the ordering of stock and delivering drinks by clicking on the patron’s heads. Fighting is equally shallow, as it requires nothing more than two buttons to complete any battle. Unfortunately, the spicy moments within the story didn’t heat things up, either, and you are left desperately wanting.
Whiskey Mafia: Frank’s Story captures the era nicely.
Most of Whiskey Mafia: Frank’s Story failed to impress me, yet I liked its presentation. Graphically I was reminded of the Sega Mega Drive or SNES thanks to its side-scrolling pixelated world. It lacked finer details, but it oozed charm and used vivid and garish tones. The fighting sections reminded me of Streets of Rage, and this thankfully tugged at my heartstrings. I also loved its era-specific imagery and the faithful representation of motor vehicles and clothing. However, the lazy use of repetitive backdrops quickly became tiresome, and this was disappointing.
The use of jazz music was an excellent choice. Walking around the classic wartime suburbs listening to the buzzing tones was great. The developers cleverly blended upbeat and sombre heavier songs to enhance the emotion and I appreciated the effort. There were isolated moments when the story was captivating and this was enhanced by the wonderful soundtrack. However, annoyingly these times were painfully fleeting.
Stop those goons.
Anyone can control a mobster.
If becoming a gangster is this easy, then anyone can become one. Thanks to the simple controls and minimal input options, there is little to think about. Yet, even with a straightforward approach, there were still issues. When walking, you crash into the scenery repeatedly, and it wasn’t responsive. It was minor, but it was infuriating nonetheless.
The small mercy of this title is how short it is. Fortunately, you can rattle through every achievement in no time and barring one decision, the story has no impact upon the gameplay. If the mini-games were interesting, this would have been disappointing. However, I was glad it ended.
Whiskey Mafia: Frank’s Story is underwhelming.
If you look hard enough, you’ll find a few positives. However, sadly, it’s not really worth the effort. Much of Whiskey Mafia: Frank’s Story is underwhelming and disappointing and I don’t recommend you buy it. Can you leave behind your mundane existence? Forget your morals, step over everyone, and become a wealthy man, no matter the cost.
Clickers have always held a somewhat strange position in the gaming community. Characterised by their overwhelming simplicity, they nonetheless have the ability to scratch some primitive itch in us to keep tapping away. Lord of the Click II is another such title, and given the constraints of its genre, it’s a surprisingly engaging experience.
The game places players in the roll of a king who has to use his army to defeat a series of eleven rival rulers. To do so, they’ll need to continually spawn units that move towards the right of the screen, while their enemy’s units march ever leftwards. When opposing forces collide, they’ll fight to the death and the victor continues on their path. Get enough units all the way to your enemy’s castle alive and you can claim victory before moving onto your next conquest.
It’s in the spawning of units and purchasing of upgrades to strengthen their army that players will interact with the game. All purchases use up either meat, mana, or gold. Meat and mana both continually increase over time, with meat being used to spawn new units and mana being used to cast spells that can heal your troops or impede your enemies. Gold, which is used to buy upgrades like improved spawn times and access to new unit types, is initially collected by killing enemy troops. Once players have enough, however, they can pay to open a mine that will generate income over time like meat and mana.
In terms of mechanics, that’s as complicated as Lord of the Click II ever gets. All players really need to do is keep track of the resources they have available and then use them as quickly as possible. Enemies are continually marching on their base without pause and if they start getting too close, it can be a real struggle to reclaim any ground lost. Far better, then, to always have as many troops on the board as it’s possible to have while amassing upgrades as soon as you can. It’s here that the game’s title proves itself an apt one: despite the simplicity of the gameplay loop, the unceasing nature of the opposing army draws players into having a hyperfocus on micromanaging their own resources and clicking away at the control panel.
Fortunately, despite the simple system, Lord of the Click II does have just enough player unit types, spells, and upgrades to continually give players genuine decisions to make. Instead of just spamming the same base unit over and over again, there are choices to be made about whether it’s better to save up money to access new unit types or to spend it sooner on increased food production for faster spawn times, for example. Even minor choices can have a big impact on the battle and the enemy’s relentlessness really serves to add a level of pressure to each one of them.
Outside of the mechanics, the visuals are certainly charming. So much so, in fact, that it’s a shame that players can’t enjoy them more while their attention is entirely taken up by the control panel at the bottom of the screen. During battles, the screen is split down the middle to indicate which side is winning the tug-of-war that ultimately determines the winner. If the player is losing, then more of the screen will be taken up by a dull, barren wasteland; when they’re winning, the land becomes green and luscious. It’s a nice touch as both a clear indication of the state of the battle and as something of a story hook to show you the cost of your failure should you lose.
Likewise, the character models have all been given unique appearances, attacks, and moves that are surprisingly interesting to examine. Unfortunately, their impact is dramatically lessened by your inability to focus on them during the rapid-fire activity of each battle. That said, this can be something of a blessing; while the character models are interesting, they’re extremely limited. Across the eleven different matches, you’re only going to see a handful of different unit types. For a fully-fledged console game, it doesn’t feel unrealistic to expect each level to have its own unique enemies. That you’re going to see the same few spiders, trolls, and skeletons over and over again is something of a failing.
On the audio side of things, Lord of the Click II feels similarly underwhelming. There’s some well put-together background music, but not a lot of it. If you play more than one match at a time, or if you just happen to have one match that lasts longer than you expect, you’re going to notice the audio looping. It’s not intrusive enough to really throw off the game, but it could have been better served with a bit more variety.
Making the repetitiveness of the game’s visual and audio design worse is that the game is incredibly short. There are only eleven levels in total and they can each be cleared inside of a few minutes. A reasonably low difficulty also means that players likely won’t often have to redo levels more than once. The runtime is padded out slightly by the inclusion of a local multiplayer mode, but this consists of a head-to-head button-mashing contest that grows old very quickly.
Ultimately, these negatives don’t really impact Lord of the Click II’s quietly addictive gameplay. They certainly don’t add to the experience, but the game sets itself up as an incredibly simple product and fully delivers on that promise. In some ways, these criticisms largely stem from the expectations associated with a PC or console game; in both its feel and its gameplay, Lord of the Click II acts much more like a mobile title and if it was one, the failings discussed here wouldn’t be at all noteworthy.
With that in mind, there’s a lot to enjoy about Lord of the Click II. It offers a very stripped-down experience, but the little that it does, it does very well. There’s certainly not enough content for more than an hour or two’s entertainment, but if you’re looking to just relax for a little while, then this one’s worth a look.
Recently, there have been so many sim-style games released, but many don’t compare to Youtubers Life 2. They would normally be designed in a way that provides such a realistic environment and true-to-life gameplay action. Requires you to take the time to understand how to play. For example, you’ll be required to operate or run a device, a vehicle, work a specific job or a few of them, win a race, helping animals thrive, raise money, and many other mechanics needed to play the game. Nevertheless, this game is not anywhere near those games, it doesn’t come close!
So before I started playing this game, one question came to my mind. Will this game make me a top Youtuber in real life, or is it just a bit far from what you really have to do to succeed? I guess it could, but to tell you the truth, there is more to it than what you get from this game. It’s a bit more just for fun and to entertain verse what you could really do to obtain a huge following. Don’t get discouraged, I do feel and see that there are a few relatable ways this game can be similar to reality, but it’s more just a fun sim game.
To be honest, I noticed when starting the game from the first time that Youtubers Life 2 was way off from being realistic. It’s more like the My Sims games, which was a version of The Sims, but a little easier, and felt it was perfect for kids to play. At least, this can be perfect for all ages, especially for the younger crowd, and a safe game for everyone to enjoy. The bright and cheerful music really makes you feel entertained, even feels perfect to play during the holidays or with a group of others.
In my opinion, it ends up feeling a bit too childish, than what it could have been. I guess I could say I’m thankful that this game is one you don’t need to do too much of the work that a real-life Youtuber would have to. Instead, it can be looked like a joyful game if you are looking for an easy, fast way to build a lifestyle as a video content creator on Youtube, especially just for fun!
Plus, I really kept getting reminded of My Sims and how a child or teen may find this more enjoyable. I mean it is very easy to understand and has an inevitable charm to it. Especially, by the colorful and adorable design. Also since you can create your own character, which may be one positive piece of news about this game.
You can avoid the entire sex question when it comes to your choice. It allows you to freely choose your body and what you want for hair, skin color (green is a choice), clothing, and accessories you want to have on your character. It’s awesome to have that ability to be free and not be judged by the appearance you’ve come out with. Just one thing I felt was lacking is the option of choices. It is very limited and I feel could have had more options in colors for the skin. Who knows, maybe a purple character would be awesome! Plus a few other things could have maybe had a bit more options to choose from.
Sadly, a limited way to choose how one’s character may appear, well this was a part I always enjoyed in simulation style games, taking the time to enjoy creating a character is what makes the game a blast and might take a while, but that is just because I love to design my person to be unique as I am. However, that is one issue I had at the beginning. At least it will make that portion of the game a bit quicker for me.
So from my first assessment of the actual game in action, it just doesn’t really hold my attention as much as other games. The gameplay sort of turned me off from the game. Being asked a series of questions, not many but just a few, or having to push certain buttons to make sure you get the right one to make the video correctly. If you do everything correctly in these puzzles, you will get a bigger win. However, it seem like it was ok, but I guess I was thinking this game would be something different.
One last thing, regarding the game, after a few more tries and play-throughs. Even though above is how I felt from the first gameplay. I did happen to play it a few more times and each of the other times I played, I felt a bit differently. Actually, I had to take myself away from the game for a little bit of time. So when I played it again I realized that it’s not as horrible as I felt it to be. Yet, I still feel the game was missing something and was going to be something different.
Therefore, the game is quite different than my first opinion. I will keep playing and yet I still feel it lacks a bit of what I wanted the game to be. It does still bring this charming and original gameplay. So I wouldn’t decide it to be a bad game at all, just don’t expect it to be too complicated, as it’s just a fun version of making it as a Youtuber!
With Christmas not too far away now, we are going to be looking at various things you might want to consider – here we look at Heroes of Goo Jit Zu Dino Power Thrash the Shark.
The Heroes of Goo Jit Zu are back with Dino Power action. Thrash the Shark is a Super Hero like no other, super squishy and ready to bite. Thrash can stretch up to 3 times his size and return to his original shape. Squeeze and twist his goo-filled body to feel his squishy water bead filling stretch and squish.
Heroes of Goo Jit Zu Dino Power Thrash the Shark has fearsome Chomp Attack jaws. Press down on his head to activate jaw-chomping action for epic adventures.
Each Goo Jit Zu character has a unique goo filling with a different texture and feel. Collect all the Goo Jit Zu Dino Power figures for squishy gooey fun. Each sold separately.
Goo Jit Zu toys are amazing squishy fun, providing a tactile sensory experience for children. Sensory toys can help develop communication, fine motor skills and creative play.
Features
Contents: Heroes of Goo Jit Zu Dino Thrash the Shark
Squeeze to feel his squishy water beads
See the fish squish around inside
Press Thrash’s head to activate Chomp Attack jaws
Stretch Thrash up to 3 times his size!
Prepare for the ultimate squishy prehistoric battle
Collect all 7 Goo Jit Zu Dino Power Heroes, each sold separately
Heroes of Goo Jit Zu Dino Power Thrash the Shark is available now priced around £9.99 and is aimed at children 4 years old and up.
Disclaimer: Heroes of Goo Jit Zu Dino Power Thrash the Shark was sent to us for the purposes of an honest review. All opinions are the opinions of our reviewer.
With Christmas not that far away, we take a look at the Treasure X Monster Gold Mega Monster Lab.
Bring your Monster to life and find guaranteed real gold dipped treasure inside the Mega Monster Lab! With 20 levels of Adventure, the Mega Monster lab playset has so much monstrous unboxing fun in one gruesome place! Full of mysterious places, hidden chambers and secret hatches to discover.
Find the Monster’s body part swimming in the Glow-in-the-Dark Ooze. Inject the Ooze into the Monster’s guts and reattach his limbs. Search through the spider webs to find the eyes and heart, then place the brain inside his head! Now it’s time to bring your Monster to life. Connect the power generator and flick the switch… 3.. 2…1 “It’s Alive”! As your Monster’s brain and eyes light up, his mouth opens to reveal real gold dipped treasure! It’s just what the scientist has been waiting for! Upgrade your Monster using the power tools in the lab!
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
This new Treasure X Monster Gold Mega Monster Lab is so much fun! As usual with all Treasure X toys and sets, there are many levels to go through. These levels including unboxing and putting together which is also fun!
I don’t want to ruin the surprise, or fun (there’s that word again) by going through each of the steps, but needless to say your child (and you) will enjoy it!
And yes, there is ooze, lots and lots of ooze! And this set comes with guaranteed gold dipped treasure!
There is even a light up element included in this set – my trust assistant loved it! This was by far his favourite Treasure X set so far!
The Treasure X Monster Gold Mega Monster Lab is available now priced around £29.99.
Disclaimer: The Treasure X Monster Gold Mega Monster Lab sent to us for the purposes of an honest review. All opinions are the opinions of our reviewer.
Do you love relaxing puzzle games with beautiful illustrations? Then look no further, because Mosaic Chronicles was made just for you!
Mosaic Chroniclesis a story-driven puzzle game inspired by Olga Gromyko’s fantasy stories. Released in August 2021, the early access version of the game is available for players to play 14 out of the 51 puzzles.
Gameplay:
Each level features a lovely illustrated image that players must complete by dragging puzzle pieces onto the board. As the title suggests, the puzzle pieces are broken stained glass, and they snap into place when you find the correct spot. Since they aren’t your typical jigsaw shapes, it makes it more challenging to complete each puzzle. But if you ever feel stuck, you can use the hint button; it has a cool-down feature, so try not to rely on it too much.
At any time, you can change the difficulty level from the main menu. There’s an easy mode if you just want to sit back and relax, a normal mode, and a hard mode if you want a challenge. Depending on the difficulty level, each puzzle can last anywhere between 20-60 minutes.
Whenever I’m working on puzzles, I like to have an area to organize the pieces without cluttering the frame. The glass pieces can be rearranged in the bar, but unfortunately, you can only see about nine glass shards at a time. It would be great if there was a pull-out menu or something where you could organize the pieces better.
Mosaic Chronicles features two main stories: A Bit of Horoscoping and The lucky knot. Even though it’s a story-based game, I didn’t care much for the story. It’s not that it’s written poorly, but by the time I started another puzzle after a day or two, I had already forgotten the story. It would have been nice if the story was interactive, such as having parts of the story unlocked within the puzzle the more you complete it. I think it would make the story aspect more engaging and memorable.
Pros:
Stunning illustrations
Relaxing
Nice soundtrack
Cons:
Mundane gameplay
Needs a better interface
Wish stories were interactive
I loved relaxing to the music while putting together each puzzle. The soundtrack was charming and went perfectly with the art. However, with the number of puzzle games out there, I wish there was something unique about the gameplay to make it stand out from the rest.
Conclusion:
While I’m not a puzzle connoisseur, I do enjoy casual puzzle games. It didn’t make it to the top of my list, but I’d still recommend it. Since Mosaic Chronicles is still an early access game, I have high hopes that it will be much more polished by the time it’s officially released. If you like relaxing games or just puzzles in general, I think Mosaic Chronicles is definitely worth checking out.
Your childhood should be a wonderful thing. The world is still full of mystery and wonderment, and you should have a carefree existence. Unfortunately, however, what is supposed to happen rarely does and many obstacles stand in the way of true happiness. The Prince of Landis explores the cruel and dark side of child neglect and bullying. This may seem heavy and depressing, but there is a light at the end of this miserable tunnel.
Developed by Lorestrome and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a horror exploration adventure title. Utilising visual novel dialogue and a sci-fi theme, this odd game will confuse and intrigue you. It opens with a warning about culturally appropriate language that players may turn off if this offends them. I loved this sensible approach and applaud the developers for allowing their player base to decide.
The Prince of Landis blends its elements brilliantly.
When an indie game experiments with multiple genres, it usually ends in disaster. Fortunately, though, The Prince of Landis blends its elements perfectly. Its dark story is brilliantly juxtaposed by the sci-fi theme, while the story-driven exploration distracts you from the oppressive plot. The mechanics are cleverly intertwined and they create a challenging, chilling, and well-paced story. You must unravel the mystery by listening to the clues while searching for quest critical objects.
Set in America in the 1980s, the choice of language and social relationships is a painful experience. Yet, they work brilliantly with the theme and story. The use of the words “Fag and Pussy”, and other derogatory terms, belittles the protagonist and this helps to build rapport and empathy. This was an intelligent move, as the heavy sci-fi influences could have undermined the touching and hard-hitting moments.
I’d probably run away.
You are not alone.
The Prince of Landis has taught me to always be kind, no matter the situation. When an alien crash lands into your backyard, most people would run a mile. Evan, on the other hand, has other ideas! He assists the extraterrestrial in his quest to repair his ship. You soon discover that one good deed deserves another as the alien helps Evan to overcome his bullies.
Sadly, the alien’s advice isn’t free and here is where the puzzle and exploration moments kick in. You must explore the small wintry map to scour for objects that’ll progress the story. The game cleverly drip-feeds new items into each area and this ensures that you’ll search each location with fresh eyes. This simple idea prevented the gameplay from becoming stale and increased longevity.
Sleep, wake, go to school, repeat.
The story revolves around Evan’s everyday routine and this potentially could have been boring. However, the brilliantly written story and touching subject stopped it from becoming tiresome. The early sympathy and rapport created for the protagonist ensure you want to see him defeat his bullies, or discover whether the alien is more sinister than it appears.
The combination of every element shouldn’t have worked, yet I couldn’t put it down. Though there was a considerable amount of back and forth as you gathered quest items, this never bothered me. However, the complexities of the puzzles were low, so this balanced the high amount of wandering to and fro. If you are looking for a challenging puzzle title, you’ll be disappointed. But, if you want a story-driven adventure with light puzzling moments, then The Prince of Landis is for you.
Someone looks pleased with themselves.
The Prince of Landis takes simplicity to another level.
I admire the developers’ love of the 80s and their pixelated world with dated imagery captures it perfectly. The Prince of Landis lacks detail and finesse, but it’s still great to look at. Its simplicity is taken to another level, as its minimalist approach dominates proceedings. The wintry world is beautifully presented and the isolation of this small town is evident from the off.
The presentation may have been basic, but the cinematic and dialogue stood out for me. It was fascinating to watch the relationship evolve between the alien and Evan, even though it was a little bizarre. I also enjoyed the Spectrum style text that delivers the dialogue in an old-school visual novel manner.
The eerie isolation and minimalist approach weren’t restricted to just the graphics. No, the audio joined in too. With vast moments of nothingness, you have plenty of time to think. Its empty world is uncomfortable to explore and the lack of acting works brilliantly. Using only written words to convey the speech could have been a step too far. Yet, ThePrince of Landis balances every layer appropriately to deliver its raw and powerful message.
Can you find anything useful here?
Old-school game, retro controls.
With rigid movement and limited controls, this captures old-school gaming to a tee. Subsequently, it’s a little uncomfortable to play, and the responsiveness is reduced considerably. These issues could be perceived as problematic, yet they don’t impact the game and they somehow add to the dated charm.
If you have a logical mind, you’ll fly through this! Its short playtime was disappointing, though there is some replay value thanks to the missable achievements. Moreover, this list is unusually large for an indie title, yet it detracts from the main story. Sadly, many of the achievements are gained through random interactions that force you to spam the A button. This undermines much of the brilliance of the game and adds to the lack of finesse.
The Prince of Landis is surprisingly touching despite its heavy theme.
With such a heavy theme, I expected this to be dull and depressing. I was wrong. Instead, it was refreshing and insightful with a brilliant sci-fi twist. Saving an alien to help yourself is cathartic and oddly enjoyable. I didn’t expect to like this, however, I really did and I recommend you to buy it here! Being bullied is soul-destroying, but only you can stop it! Uncover your inner strengths and take that bully down once and for all.
Indigo 7 Quest for love is a competitive and challenging game, which can be played by one player or four others through the multiplayer option. However, it can easily be played against the CPU as well. It’s also an original-style puzzle game that is quite challenging and played fast. It’s not super hard to learn or figure out how to play. So if you are looking for a game that is easy to get a hang of right from the start, this game can provide that request. However, it’s not going to be super easy to win, as this game really puts your mind to work requiring you to concentrate and strategize what color to play next.
The other thing that is quite different and adorable about this game is that its story is done in a comic style and the characters are cartoon in style. It sort of makes it a very interesting and pleasing visual design for all ages. In addition to the game’s design, there is that fully energetic style of music that plays in the background. Honestly, it really fits the story as it’s like these characters are in a band and the sound that you hear is upbeat and even makes one feel a bit pumped to go and take on a puzzle challenge.
From my first experience, starting with just turning on the game. I felt a bit ready to play by the music and couldn’t wait to see what this game had to offer. I was intrigued by the options and many other modes that can be played within each choice. I started with the adventure game, which is honestly the smart option when starting this game for the first time. Since in the adventure mode you will learn how to play the game through the tutorial stage. Unlike many, this tutorial stage is quite quick and you will pick up the game fast. Plus, get to meet each of the characters such as the 4 main ones, which are Nathan, Amelia, Guille, and Raven. They are the first players you can even choose in the multiplayer or single-player verse game.
What the puzzle is like when you actually play it. The design may remind you of Tetris in a rectangular-shaped box. Now for the puzzle, it will have you changing the color of a grey hexagon style piece, which has no color like the rest of the pieces in the puzzle. It just has this cute smiley face, that is related to the character you are playing. It normally is positioned in the lower left-hand corner, but in some games, it will or can be on another side of the box. So while playing the tutorial stage and first game against another in the adventure stage, you’ll start with 4 colors to choose from for the grey smile face, hexagon shape. The colors are either red, yellow, green, or orange and each time you choose a color it chains or connects the pieces together.
Basically, you keep changing between the 4 different colors, until you completely change each colorfully to just one color. So the board can only be cleared when you finally have the entire board in one color. However, there are some difficulties, like energy may run out and you can play anymore, allowing the other challenger a chance to win. You don’t change the colors to connect fast enough and the other player wins.
Also, you can be too slow and time runs out. It really is a bit challenging even if it’s easy to play, so don’t feel that you won’t be challenged, because there are so many ways to play and so much going on that you won’t always win the game. I found this out after playing my first challenger, a skeleton-style Grim Reaper. I did the game quickly and actually thought I was winning but I lost. There is so much you really need to keep an eye on and so much that can go wrong. The score can play a big part in winning, even if you think you’re doing quite well during the gameplay itself.
Again, those can be a big factor and one other, which I should tell you about the adventure story mode gameplay. If you are going through each level of the adventure, there are stars you would want to earn to move on to the next one. Each will have a few challenges and I guess you can call them missions to accomplish to get these stars. They make the game a bit more entertaining while playing. So if you don’t win it could be because you didn’t earn the stars you needed and have to replay the level again. However, if you achieve the amount needed, you can move on and try the next challenging puzzle.
The colors and style of the puzzles are always different, just like the missions or challenges you need to complete. So be prepared to have something exciting to play as there are many unique and original puzzles to enjoy. Plus, an adorable comic story to watch after each completed stage.
In conclusion, this is an excellent game. Not super easy or super hard, but just right! It’s got a cute and unique styled story, with a character that has their own personality and is playable options. Plus, many more fun characters and levels to unlock. Making this game is extremely fun to play and reveals something new as you move along each challenging level!
There are only several things you can be sure of in life, and one of them is that technology will continue to advance all the time. Technology is arguably the one thing that can positively impact multiple areas as it progresses, and one sector where its presence is felt the most is gaming. Gaming had advanced alongside tech at breakneck speed, and even traditional games have adapted.
Right now, gaming is in a fantastic place. Some of the content released onto console, PC, and other devices is out of this world visually, and the gameplay is right up there. But, then, when you bring the multiplayer aspect into the equation, you could suggest that gaming has never been better. And a lot of this is down to technology advancing remarkably fast.
But, while developers are keen to produce new content that takes advantage of all the tech advancements available, we also see traditional games adapt to what’s out there. Yes, new and fresh is exciting, and it will always be the number one choice for the majority of gamers. However, sometimes, a dose of nostalgia is more than welcome, and it can be delivered with modern twists.
One of the first examples of traditional games adapting to tech and becoming a modern version of itself is content that started on arcade floors around the world. Games such as Pac Man, Tetris and Streetfighter are all excellent in their own right and in their original guises, but they have adapted to stay relevant over the years. There has been an embracing of the new, and with modern twists applied, they have never been more popular.
Using Pac Man as an example, the game’s original release was in 1980, which is over forty years ago. And when you consider the latest Pac Man release was April 2021, you can see how essential adapting to advancements in technology has been for this award-winning game series. Of course, Pac Man isn’t alone in this, either, as multiple old school video games have travelled this path.
It’s not just video games that this applies to from the traditional games category. Board games, which were hugely popular decades ago, have also embraced technology to become relevant and popular in different guises. You can look at games such as chess, counters and battleships, as a trio of traditional offline titles that are now very much online across multiple disciplines.
The rise of Monopoly is arguably the most impressive, however. It’s undoubtedly one of, if not the most popular board game of all time. And, it’s gone from this setting to console, handheld devices, mobile, and as far as appearing at online casinos as Monopoly Live created by Evolution Gaming, where players can enjoy an interactive experience and win money.
None of the above would be possible if traditional hadn’t adapted to and worked with the latest technology. Games such as Monopoly and others would have remained as offline games that, over time, found themselves stuffed in a cupboard and forgotten about. So thankfully, those who make the games and developers decided to ensure this would never be the case.
Are you looking for a game that allows you to follow a passion you may have, a farming lifestyle? Then you’ve found the perfect game that puts you in that position! Real Farm is all about being able to take on the career life as a farmer, riding around in big vehicles, planting crops, taking care of animals, and doing what you must to keep your farm thriving through all weather conditions and as the days go by.
Real Farm is also a game filled with realistic vehicles, buildings, environmental style background, and even the sounds that you hear perfectly compliments the game. I felt like I was transported to a realistic farming lifestyle, a countryside with clear fields and paths, trees, and everything you’d see on a professional, large-style farm. Not many loud noises, just that of the birds and wind, and it just made me feel even more relaxed.
Additionally, knowing that it’s not all about sitting back and enjoying the scenery, I do need to learn the ropes of farming. So as a sim-style farming game, there are skills to be learned and new challenges to come my way. However, after all the work and learning to do things, it’s honestly become a very relaxing game. As long as you follow a routine.
Also, don’t expect to complete this game super fast or rely on this to be a game you can play quickly when you need to play something for a short time. Instead, this is a game that needs you to take your time, get to know the work that a farmer needs to do and keep up with any issues that may occur unexpectedly. The missions required by you as part of the career gameplay will require you to complete them before you can do anything else. It’s another way to learn the ropes of the game and understand how the mechanics of each machine and vehicle needs to be used.
You will notice these missions being nicely listed on the right side of the screen and can be also accessed in the menu section of the game. The one thing you will probably find enjoyable as I have is that the controls are quite easy. It’s not as complicated as many simulated games and still has some difficulties, but it does seem still a bit easier to move and control everything on the screen while focusing on the task you have to do next. It is a challenge and this is where the practice and learning come in handy, but after getting everything figured out and used a bit, it becomes simple from thereon. So that each time you need to use a certain contraption it’s going to be like you’ve ridden and worked with them for years.
One thing I want to return to. When I mentioned you shouldn’t play if you are limited on time or want to play something fast. Well, it is true it is required you play it as if you’ve got time to enjoy the game and work as if you were on a real farm. As the time in the game is as long as it would be in real life. It’s not meant to be faster or quicker. There is a time that tells you how much should be spent on an activity, which might push you to work harder, but it is a very slow count as in real-life. Its time seems to go as it would if you were using a real clock.
Therefore, don’t expect that you can prepare the field in 5 minutes, especially if it’s a large area that needs to be worked upon. This is another reason I really loved and still love this game. It’s so real and builds that true experience for those who live in the city or nowhere near a farm and want to enjoy that type of lifestyle.
After figuring out how to work everything and do the job as a farmer through the career mode. There are a few new additional things you can have added to the farm. This could be purchasing new farm animals, crops to plant and grow, and even more farming equipment and upgrades. So this game can change and be as unique as you want your farm to be. It all depends on the work of the gamer; you.
There was one problem for me when playing this game. So please don’t get discouraged, since it may just be annoying to me, but may not be for others. However, when playing Real Farm on the Nintendo Switch, I found that the game squeezes in the map and the missions on one side. They tend to be a bit small and hard to see when everything appears to show with tiny images on the map. It can be a bit hard to see or understand where you need to go.
I felt this made it a bit crammed together and I couldn’t find any way to adjust or change the camera’s focus. Just enough that I can see what I’m doing and the map, as well as the mission list, is easier to read. Plus, not being too squished on one small screen.
Lastly, if it’s farming you are interested in, working as a farmer. Possibly if it’s the joy of taking this position as a career or remember what you once did before moving to the big city, well now you can jump back into that driver’s seat, doing everything a farmer would need to just by playing this awesome game! Oh yes, one other thing to be happy about when playing Real Farm. There is no need to get dirty or smell like you’ve worked all day on a farm when you can just play this game!
Chess. The game of kings. The game of queens. The game of explosions?
Chess is a game as old as your standard geology professor and as dry as the conversation at a geology department’s Christmas party. So, it’s about time something was done to shake things up a bit in the way that geologists are always shaking upon their rocks. Cue Chessplosion, the game that surgically grafts the concept of explosions onto the concept of chess, except the surgeon is completely unconcerned whether the patient survives the procedure.
Chessplosion borrows quite a lot from Bomberman, the bomb-laying and friendship-ruining arcade game. The main innovation that Chessplosion makes is swapping out the bombs for chess pieces, which are also bombs. This change is more than just cosmetic, as the pattern of the explosion generated by one of these bombs matches the direction in which the chess piece moves (rooks explode horizontally, bishops blow up diagonally and the queen just nukes the whole postcode). This allows for some genuine strategy, control and skill, which is sometimes missing in the game’s spiritual predecessor.
There are a few different modes in Chessplosion, each of which plays as an almost completely different game. As such, we’re going to go through each of the modes in turn and undertake a mini-review of each. Unfortunately, I’m burdened with the crushing reality of only being one person, despite the assumptions you might make from the size of the ego. As such, I haven’t dived into the tasty chunk of the game that is the multiplayer. However, the final mode I’m going to talk about is basically a multiplayer mode with bots instead of real people, so feel free to draw some conclusions about the multiplayer from there. Anyway, without further ado, here are some mini-reviews of the modes in Chessplosion for your perusal.
Mode 1: Adventure Mode
Adventure mode is interesting because it feels like the ‘default’ mode of the game due to being the first option you come to on the main menu – ‘the way the game was meant to be played’ if you like. The reason this is interesting is because it is the worst mode in the game. In this mode, you need to kill some little dudes on the chessboard by planting the chess-based bombs. The little dudes can kill you by charging into you, so you need to explode them before they smash you to death with rocks that they probably acquired from those blasted geologists. The problem here is that the bombs take a few seconds to explode and the little dudes move randomly and in real-time. This means you can’t really apply any strategy, as placing a bomb to attack a specific square is pointless because the little dude could be in a different hemisphere by the time the bomb explodes. In the end, you need to spam bombs in a way that won’t kill you and hope that the explosions eventually take out the little dudes.
Mode 2: Puzzle Mode
Puzzle mode is probably my favourite mode of the game as it strips out some of the randomness of the explosions and breaks the game down into a purer skill-based art form. In puzzle mode, you have a specific set of bombs that you need to place in such a way that the first bomb will set off the subsequent bombs in a chain and, more importantly, so that the combined effects of the bombs will destroy the targets placed around the arena. This starts quite simply where you’re only using rooks and all the targets are perpendicular from each other, but quickly ramps up into genuine puzzle territory where you have to study the placement of the targets to reverse engineer the correct places to put your bombs. This mode pairs satisfying puzzle-solving and gratuitous explosions in a package that leaves a nice, if gunpowder-y, taste in your mouth.
Mode 3: Survival Mode
In this mode, the exploder becomes the explodee. All your bombs are taken away and you’re put on the back foot, needing to avoid explosions rather than cause them. Bombs will appear on the chessboard and you’ll need to move your little dude to a square that won’t be hit by the inevitable explosions. This combines some elements of puzzle-solving with the mad panic of being in a room full of short-delay explosives. You’ll need to make quick and accurate decisions to determine where the plethora of bombs on the board are going to destroy and where it will be safe for your little dude to cower. You’ll be bathed in sweat by the time you manage to successfully navigate through the increasingly deadly waves of bombs and manage to use some tricksy manoeuvres to survive for the requisite minute.
Mode 4: Arcade Mode
Here it is, what all your training has been leading to. In true Marvel movie fashion, it’s time for a same versus same boss battle. It’s you versus another you in a 1v1 battle to the death. Armed with only your wits (and a lot of high explosives), you’ll need to carefully place bombs to trap and kill your enemy without blowing yourself up, all while your enemy tries to do exactly the same thing to you. This is the mode that channels that real Bomberman energy and feels the most like the multiplayer. Unlike Bomberman there is some real skill to be deployed here, assessing the bombs you’re randomly given and placing them strategically to outmanoeuvre and outmurder your enemy. It’s almost like chess or something.
Chessplosion is a lot of fun. It’s got a real party-game feeling and the range of different modes on offer means there’s almost certainly something in there for you to get your teeth sunk into, no matter where you sit on the spectrum between chess and explosions. I love the way that all the modes train you up in a different skill that you’ll need in the arcade/multiplayer. You feel like you’re getting abilities pumped directly into your brain like Neo in the Matrix except it’s less “I know Kung Fu” and more “I know adventure mode”. If you’re a fan of Bomberman, this is definitely one for you to give a try. If you’re a fan of chess, maybe not so much – you may even weep at the Frankenstein’s monster of a game that your beloved chess has become. Probably blame a geologist.
The clocks have gone back, Halloween has come and gone, and every firework has sizzled. So now it’s time to relax, and take a moment for yourself. Wrong! You have 6 weeks until Christmas, and every retailer, including LucidSound, want you to buy their products.
So, are you one of those super organised people who has Christmas planned in January, or will you be running around on the 24th panicking about what to buy? Whichever you are, there is always room to add some more computing peripherals to your list. Now, I know what you are thinking. It’s an absolute minefield to get the right item, and technology can be very confusing. How about I help you with a short guide to LucidSound’s latest products?
LucidSound offers something at every price point.
No matter your budget, you’ll find something suitable to gift your loved ones. With an array of headsets available, I’ll do my best to keep things simple and easy to understand.
Great quality sound and comfortable headphones are key when you are immersed in your favourite game. Subsequently, poor audio or crackly microphones just won’t make the grade and will ruin the experience. With a price point starting at under £50 rising to £240, younger or casual players and pro or veteran gamers can get a headset to suit their needs.
This entry-level wired headset is as vivid as it is comfortable. With high fidelity surround sound and a detachable boom mic, it’s not restricted to just the gaming world. Moreover, it has long-lasting comfort with memory foam over-ear design earpads. This means you can use them for hours with no discomfort. Subsequently, these are great to wear without breaking the bank.
The big brother to the LS10X, this bright blue wireless headset, offers crystal-clear chat, lightweight comfort, and all the other positives from its entry-level sibling. It’s perfect for PlayStation and PC gaming.
Rechargeable batteries offer up to 15 hours of gaming.
Windows Sonic Surround Sound.
Detachable boom mic.
LucidSound LS35X Wireless Surround Sound Stereo Gaming Headset for Xbox Series S/X£174.99
Designed for wireless freedom using Xbox Wireless technology, there are no cables, dongles, or set up required as you switch on and start to game. Experience crystal-clear chat thanks to the precision-tuned 50mm drivers. Alongside this, they are supplied with the next step in comfort, thanks to the gel-cooled cushioned earpads. No longer will your ears overheat while you game the night away.
Rechargeable batteries offer up to 15 hours of gaming.
Detachable boom mic and LED indicator for mute option.
Quick-Access Audio Controls to focus on the action.
The pièce de résistance and the flagship headset from LucidSound is the LS50X. This premium Hybrid Wireless and Bluetooth Gaming headset for Xbox is a head-turner. It features lag-free wireless audio for Xbox gaming and simultaneous Bluetooth connectivity for total wireless freedom. You experience the gel-cooled earpads combined with dual noise-cancelling mics and powerful custom-tuned drivers. This is a headset that’ll compete with the best and is a welcome addition for pro and veteran gamers.
Rechargeable batteries offer up to 20 hours of battery life when gaming.
Intuitive Quick-Action controls allow you to focus on the game and not the controls.
The choice is yours!
With many similarities and excellent build quality, you won’t go wrong with any of these headsets. The intuitive controls are a must-have for serious FPS gamers. Therefore, fans of COD or Battlefield should look no further. The wireless option is the ultimate extravagance, but the freedom is worth every penny. Enhance your gaming experience while taking it to the next level by treating yourself or a loved one to any of these headsets.
Christmas is just around the corner, and the cost is already mounting up. When your loved ones ask for gaming paraphernalia, you begin to sweat. How much will the latest tech set you back? That is exactly what you worry about! Stress no more as PowerA has you covered with its stocking fillers.
Coming in at under £25 PowerA has made shopping for gaming mad people a little easier. Let me talk you through three of their latest products and why you may need them.
MOGA Mobile Gaming Clip 2.0 for Xbox controllers. £14.99
Mobile gaming has blown up this year and will only get bigger. It’s much-loved as it’s convenient, fun, and lets you play on the move. However, holding a phone and your controller is tricky business! Let that be a problem of the past with the MOGA Mobile Gaming Clip 2.0. With adjustable grips, this handy tool will hold a Bluetooth ready controller and an array of phones. Lose yourself in the action with this convenient and inexpensive accessory.
Twin Charging Station for DualSense Wireless Controllers. £19.99
Are you fed up with hearing the moaning of the controller running flat? Your gaming loved ones have forgotten to charge their pad again and now they have nothing to do! This needs no longer apply if you fill their stocking with the Twin Charging Station for DualSense Wireless Controllers. A convenient method of juicing your controllers and it looks stylish alongside your machine. Place your pads onto the connectors, lock them into place, and be ready to game whenever you want. Charge two controllers at once and never run empty thanks to the helpful LED indicator.
PowerA Dual Charging Station for Xbox One and Series X/S controllers.£19.99
Ploughing through batteries at an alarming rate, or running flat during a hectic all-out battle? Let these frustrations melt away with the awesome PowerA Dual Charging Station for Xbox One and Series X/S controllers. Each station has 4 charge-thru battery doors and 2 rechargeable battery packs. Get up to 40 hours of gaming fun from one charge, allowing you to focus on the action, not the batteries. A convenient LED indicator changes from amber to white when the pack is at optimum performance.
PowerA focuses on the little things.
These inexpensive peripherals will not break the bank but will enhance a gamer’s experience considerably. Take away the stress of battery life, or improve your mobile session with any of these stocking stuffers from PowerA.
