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State of Play 27/10/2021 – All the News and Trailers

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News

Sean McCarthy

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Oct 27, 2021

State of Play 27/10/2021 – All the News and Trailers

Here we are once again with a surprise ‘State of Play’ which was suddenly announced at the start of this week but once again, PlayStation have actively played down expectations of fans to say that this briefing will be only 20 minutes long and will be focusing on third party news more than any massive PlayStation reveals. That said, 20 minutes is still a lot of time to have one or two surprises, I personally am hoping for more on Final Fantasy XVI perhaps but below, you will find all the news and trailers as it happened in this briefing:

Deathverse: Let it Die – Reveal Trailer

Presenting the multiplayer melee survival action game “”DEATHVERSE -LET IT DIE-”! Greetings to all of you looking to relieve your daily stress and fulfill an insane desire for extreme self-expression. We invite you to take part as a contestant in a literal survival game show that has enthralled the world over! !

We are OFK – Reveal Trailer

From indie pop band OFK: We Are OFK follows the lives of four friends in their 20s as they attempt to break into the music business, fall in and out of love, and figure out how to pay rent and make art in Los Angeles. Coming in 2022 to PlayStation 5.

Bugsnax: The Isle of BIGsnax – Reveal Trailer

In the Isle of BIGsnax update, explore a mysterious new land crawling with supersized Bugsnax. Back on Snaktooth, you can complete challenges from your mailbox, collect decorations to personalize your hut, and most important of all: put hats on your favorite Bugsnax! This free content update to Bugsnax will be available early 2022 on PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5.

Death’s Door: PlayStation Launch Date Trailer

Reaping souls of the dead and punching a clock might get monotonous but it’s honest work for a Crow. The job gets lively when your assigned soul is stolen and you must track down a desperate thief to a realm untouched by death – where creatures grow far past their expiry.

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach – Reveal Trailer

Gameplay and announce date for Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach.

Kartrider: Drift – Reveal Trailer

King of Fighters XV: State of Play Trailer

Beta announcement trailer, Players can choose from 8 characters, including our newest one, Dolores. Features modes like Online Casual Matches and Room Matches.

First Class Trouble – Reveal Trailer (PS Plus Title for November 2021)

Six players enter the game together, but two of them are naughty Personoids, secretly trying to stop the Residents from escaping. Who can you trust? Social deduction is your key to survival! In this video, the Invisible Walls team outlines the roles of both Resident and Personoid, and provides strategic insights to help you come out on top—no matter which side you’re on!

Star Ocean: The Divine Force – Reveal Trailer

Star Ocean 25th Anniversary commemorative product. Square Enix and developer Tri-Ace present the latest title in the Star Ocean RPG series. Featuring a story that blends fantasy and a sci-fi settings, a plethora of different playable characters and side stories, and a unique battle system that allows for thrilling fights using simple and instinctive controls. Due for release in 2022

Little Devil Inside: Gameplay Trailer

Official gameplay trailer for Neostream’s upcoming PS5 title – Little Devil Inside.

and that’s all Folks….

….Final Thoughts!

Short and Sweet, literally zero fanfare or big surprises as PlayStation confirmed before the event, just a nice “this is what you can look forward to”. First Class Trouble coming to PS Plus next month (Next Tuesday actually) is a welcome surprise as the PS Plus line up has yet to be announced. Otherwise, Little Devil Inside does have my attention with this gameplay trailer whilst Deathverse: Let it Die becomes the third BR revealed for PS this year, does look interesting.

Safe, solid and non spectacular, bit of a confusing surprise briefing if honest but it has people talking all things PlayStation this evening which is probably the whole point.

Review: Crysis Remastered Trilogy

Sean McCarthy

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Oct 27, 2021

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Back in September 2020 the original Crysis game was remastered and released and whilst it was fun to revisit the game that launched the Crysis series, it was a remaster that left me disappointed as it was your standard lazy remaster, adding a new visual shine to it but not taking the time to fix original issues and as such I ended my review saying that they would have been more successful in releasing the entire trilogy as a remastered collection than just the opening game. Well, someone paid attention because that is exactly what has happened, the entire Crysis Trilogy has been remastered and released for current consoles and PC.

Whilst I was less than impressed with the performance and quality of the first game’s remastered offering, the game itself still works as the introduction to the world of Crysis. The team that made it also made the original Far Cry games which is very evident when you start the game in a forest environment before the sci-fi element kicks in. The weapons are standard FPS favorites and the world felt linear rather than a playground. Technical issues aside, the best thing about the game was the introduction of the Nano Suit, something which would become the core element in the sequels as the suit is used better and levels designed to give the player a greater choice in how to use the abilities the suit gives the wearer. On it’s own, as someone who played the original, the first Crysis Remastered game is a base, it feels even more dated only looking “nicer” but as the opening to a Trilogy experience, it is very much worth the experience.

The very fact the whole trilogy is included for the single asking price is a big reason why I would recommend this collection to FPS fans, both if you played the original games and especially if you never did because having them all together, despite the faults the games still have, and still an annoyance that original issues were not fixed yet again, Crysis 2 and 3 are a far more complete experience than the original game. The story expands and changes from the island in the original to New York and improvements are impactful right away both in the story telling and the gameplay, which is why for me, Crysis stood out against the big-name FPS franchises of the time like HALO and CoD.

Crysis 2 introduced a new hero in Alcatraz, member of a military fire team on route to a mission when their submarine is attacked, and the team is forced to abandon the sub. A cutscene plays showing a wounded Alcatraz being found and rescued by Prophet, the surviving Nano Suit wearing soldier from the original game, now taking the fight to the Ceph alien race in New York, as the cut scene plays out however, Prophet is forced to give his suit to Alcatraz as he himself has reached his end and in a bid to continue his mission, puts the suit on you the player with the hope you will finish his mission and fight.

Crysis 2 right away is a big step up from the first game is a variety of ways from the visuals and sound systems to the scale of the world despite it being focused on New York City. The Nano Suit is really the launch pad for all the improvements in gameplay for the sequels as I said above, this begins in two improvements, the Visor and Nano-Vision. With the Visor, players can now scan the wide area in front of them and tag enemies to plan their next move and Nano-Vision is no longer just Night Vision, instead moving to thermal vision to identify moving targets. The other Nano suit abilities are still present in “MAXIMUM Armour” and “CLOAK” and activating them has that satisfying suit announcement sound to confirm they have been activated. All the abilities still use up the suit’s power, so players are still required to monitor battery levels to manage when these abilities are in play.

Something that Crysis 2 brought to the series was player choice to either go stealth, using the visor to tag enemies and then taking a route that would avoid them or go full tactical and take out all the enemy forces. Either way is great fun, personally I prefer to go stealth with the challenge of managing the battery when using the CLOAK but having two styles to play and a world designed to allow it is such a difference compared to the first game. The story is far more enjoyable as well as any sequel should have, and this was the next step fans wanted. Sadly Crysis 2 like Crysis also has many bugs that were never addressed. Playing on both Xbox Series X and S, there are instances of terrible screen tears quite often and moments where whole sections of a level failed to render at all enabling you to see under and through the world which is never good. Hit detection can also be problematic with straight shots either not registering at all or hitting off to the side of the intended target. Game sound would also cut out, requiring me bringing up the Xbox guide then switching back to the game to get it to return after cutscenes. As frustrating as these issues are, the gameplay and the story kept me moving forward but as with the first game remaster, it was just super annoying to still hit bugs that should have been corrected.

Crysis 3 is by far the best in the series with improvements across the board, visually it is the best looking, building on the two previous games and the story itself is nearing its climatic conclusion and let’s be honest, if you have made it through the first two games you are already heavily invested in the story. Crysis 3 Remastered is also the most stable of the three games in terms of issues though the sound issue was still present on occasion but overall, a far more robust remaster. Where Crysis 2 built on focusing the action on the Nano Suit, Crysis 3 is a celebration of the Nano Suit and the ability to go stealth thanks to the sudden inclusion of the NANO Bow, adding archery for extra stealth and trick arrows that offer even more tactical decisions along with the same human weaponry of the series. I say human because now in Crysis 3, the player is now able to pick up and use Ceph alien tech, think HALO when you pick up and use a Covenant weapon.

Working through the levels using the NANO Bow and NANO suit abilities was everything I had hoped for as my play style through each of the games reached this point of just feeling like a true super soldier badass, something which at the time when I said this to my friends that this is how I wished playing as the Master Chief would feel like earned me harsh looks. The gameplay is just incredibly satisfying at this point, the story after so many twists and surprises feels like it is nearing the end in that way good story telling should do. My journey through the series is all coming together nicely, I am one with my Nano Suit, I know its strengths and weaknesses, but the game still offers some new tricks in the skill upgrade system which now allows the player to create and save a “build” of enhancements that can be switched too at any time, allowing for a focus on stealth or combat when the situation demands it. This is the game that made me forget the tech issues and limitations of the first two games and you can feel how improved each game was from before getting to this stage of the collection.

Looking at this as a collection of an FPS series that dared to do something different against the big hitters in the FPS genre has been a big nostalgia trip for me, but this is a collection that for this asking price, I would easily suggest to someone who likes a good single player FPS run. Though all the Multiplayer has been stripped out from the series to leave it as a campaign only experience, there is still a lot of gaming for the price. I standby my original view that the Crysis series would have benefitted from having a full remake rather than a remaster because the original flaws are still there without the “aww this is still broken then” acceptance but more of a “why wasn’t this fixed?” reaction. Currently there is no optimization for Xbox Series consoles or PS5, which again, is a shame now nearly a year since their launch.

If you are looking to perhaps discover why Crysis is a name still talked about now, this collection is for you and even if you played the original games back in the day, this is a great way to revisit them. The tech issues of the first two games are a distraction however and glaringly so but the gameplay and using the NANO Suit is still as gratifying now as back on the original games. I opened by talking about how I ended my review of Crysis Remastered in saying how the entire series should have been remastered and released for the asking price of it and well, I got my wish.

As the gaming world prepares for the latest CoD game in Vanguard before Battlefield 2042 is released to show the world the series has evolved and just under two months before the huge return of HALO with Infinite, Crysis is a series firmly set in the gaming generation it first released it, dated but still very playable, this is a collection worthy of an FPS fan with a solid asking price for three games.

Review: Ruin Raiders

Kara Phillips

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Oct 27, 2021

0

Ruin Raiders is an action-packed tactical roguelike, where players are tasked with gathering certain materials and completing hard hitting battles in order to progress. At first, this seems like an easy game to pass the time with. It’s a simple idea with new mechanics to ensure you have to run the same level time and time again. But with such a repetitive nature you’d think the developers would implement some sort of refreshment to each level. Stopping players from feeling like they are playing the same level over and over. Unfortunately, Ruin Raiders doesn’t quite manage that.

Roguelike games are renowned for making players crawl through levels repeatedly, whether that’s to gather materials or kill a certain number of enemies. But with most games falling into this genre, maps are different in design to keep the gameplay fresh. Sadly, Ruin Raiders began to feel stagnant after a few runs. Levels are different, that’s a given. You aren’t literally walking around the same map until you complete the games, but there are few changes made between maps. So it really does begin to feel like dejavu. Each level is made up of the same components which are across the whole board of roguelikes.

Over and over again

You are responsible for controlling teams of explorers, trekking through the ruins of what was once civilization. The cartoonish style of characters and environments is fun and engaging, and it reminded me of Starfox in terms of character design. There’s a very strong futuristic feel to the game, which is aided by the desolate dungeon crawling. It definitely looks the part, but gameplay definitely lets the side down when it comes to taking the game as a package deal. At first, engaging in battle is new and fun. But turn based combat which never really changes no matter how far you get in-game, feels like a broken record.

There is a lot needed before you begin to feel like you are making any sort of progress. Blueprints to upgrade your base can be found whilst exploring new places, but they are few and very far between. It’s more frustrating than boring as you can see how much potential Ruin Raiders has, but the repetition really makes it lose its charm. Treasure chests litter every few rooms, but hardly ever contain things you need. The main material you search for is Entium, the one thing responsible for crafting items and upgrades. But good luck crafting these without blueprints, basically taking us back to square one.

Final thoughts

My main issue with this title is the lack of drive. There isn’t enough to keep you coming back unless you really respect the grind. If you are willing to put the time into Ruin Raiders, it would be a genuinely enjoyable game. But it takes so long to get the ball rolling and I found myself getting tired before really getting anywhere. It’s a shame, as certain mechanics could be amazing, and the game definitely holds potential. It’s just a shame that it feels so repetitive and for what?

Review: Inscryption

Vasilis Tatsiopoulos

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Oct 27, 2021

0

Let me tell you how it feels to play this game, Inscryption. It feels, looks and sounds like playing something you found in a garbage bin, a CD with some indiscernible words marking its side. You put the disc in the drive and you find yourself immersed in a soaked, swampy, dark atmosphere, playing cards with a creepy, mysterious entity, while it’s raining outside. Oh, and let me tell you, there is no swamp really. No rain either. There is nothing actually, besides a small cabin in (presumably, we don’t know) the woods. A set of eyes, always watching our every move. A clock on the wall. A safe with a combination lock. Creepy music. We have no idea why anything is where it is. Hell, we don’t know why we are there to begin with.

Then, the entity invites us to play a card game. The atmosphere begins to take form in a way only possible in VR. The cards are almost tangible, the entity feels as though they are actually sitting in front of us. We are explained the rules of this weird card game, that are -at first- pretty straightforward and reminiscent of other similar games’, but little by little they start to get way more complex. Oh, also, some cards talk with you, and seem to have their own agenda regarding this strange place and the nightmarish set of eyes that inhabits it.

You’re not expecting this

I say that the rules are familiar, but I’m oversimplifying really. You see, in Iscryption you do play with cards, and these cards do have stats like health and attack, and also some extra conditions like “flying”. It’s familiar, yes, but also it’s eerie because it is interwoven with the game’s overall narrative in interesting ways that more often than not end up in some kind of bloodshed. You have to sacrifice cards to gain “blood”, after all, which is then used as a resource to summon stronger cards. Every time you pull up a vicious wolf-card, the other cards on the table start to tremble because they know they’re about to be sacrificed; what’s a puny squirrel next to a mighty wolf?

One of the better parts of Inscryption’s card game systems is found in the conditions you have to meet to win a match. You have to “kill” the enemy cards and then hit the “health” of the player, until you bring it down to zero, as in most games of this type. But, here, it’s not that simple. In Inscryption, every bit of damage you inflict on your opponent tips a scale to one side. If you bring it all the way to one side, you win. But every time the enemy damages you, the scales tip back to the opposite side. So, it’s a constant battle of wits and luck, never entirely predictable and always fun in a grim way.

A haunted card game

The rules get expanded on, you find some ways to upgrade your cards later, and in general Inscryption is a very good card game, built on a weird, unsettling cabin that looks like the backdrop of an escape room experience. And, what a surprise, it also kinda is one! I mean, the puzzles you’ll see around this otherworldly room are not plain decorations: they have actual meaning and uses. You can get up from the table and roam around the cabin, with the ever-present eyes always there, so you get to meddle around with the machines and strange items you find. At first you will not know what any of it is. But give it a while and the card game will merge with the room, you’ll start understanding what you need to do and why, and then you will actually do it and encounter the most surprising twists you couldn’t think of.

Listen, I could tell you exactly what happens, I could explain why Inscryption is superb, but I absolutely will not, because I will ruin it. This is a game that must be experienced with zero knowledge about its intricacies. Believe me, if it sounds even a tiny bit interesting to you, you should just play it without researching anything. It’s made to be experienced this way. It surely helps that the game looks and sounds absolutely gorgeous, exactly how it should: like a haunted, unknown game found in the garbage.

Go in with an open mind

While it is one of the best games to come out lately, and one of the most interesting ones you will ever play, there are a few structural problems and in some parts you might actually get a bit bored. This is because Inscryption is in its heart a roguelike. Yes, it’s a card game, a horror experience, a roguelike and some other words that I will not utter, in fear that I’ll spoil the entire thing. Its roguelike aspect is interesting and downright creepy at times, but it does, in some instances, get in the way of enjoying the well-crafted narrative and the excellent card mechanics. Then again, I am not sure how it could be improved upon, but I think lowering the ambitions a tiny bit could maybe be beneficial. Also, the controls could definitely be better, especially in the walking-around parts, and some puzzles and mechanics could be explained in a more clear way. However, the core of the game is so interesting that all these little problems get washed out and feel like noise. As it stands, it is absolutely unique, mind-bending and well-made, even taking into account those little parts that bring down the experience. A superb experience, beautiful, one of a kind, fun, occasionally funny, and very unsettling.

Review: The Plane Effect

Daniel Waite

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Oct 27, 2021

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The thought of office work fills me with dread. Sitting in a little cubicle filing paperwork all day must be mind-numbing. How about you blend this cold environment with a dehumanised existence in a dystopian future? How would that make you feel? The Plane Effect sells this horrendous image in its bleak and heartless isometric world.

Developed by Studio Kiko and Innovina Interactive and published by PQube, this is an adventure puzzle title. This grey and oppressive world lacks empathy and warmth. The protagonist wanders the landscape silently as he pieces together clues to overcome the many obstacles in his path.

The Plane Effect is a surreal and depressing game that’ll catch your attention.

Finishing your career is supposed to be a happy occasion. Years of your life have been invested into your work and you are supposed to be valued. However, The Plane Effect emphasises its dystopian outlook by creating an empty existence for our retiring hero.

The plot revolves around a man who leaves his office for the final time. His journey to reach his home and family is stranger than usual and you get the sense that something or someone is trying to stop him. His usual trip isn’t normally this complicated, however, the simplest of tasks are challenging and time-consuming.

The isolation of every portion of his journey is soul-destroying, and the story has a depressing undertone. This wouldn’t usually be my thing, but the distinct and controlling vibes work perfectly with the setting and create an eerie and oppressive atmosphere.

Tricky puzzles and three difficulty options.

The Plane Effect isn’t the easiest of puzzle adventure games I’ve played. Its gameplay focuses on exploration while scouring for answers. This was a great concept that worked perfectly for veteran puzzlers, but for less experienced players, the developers offered a helping hand. The choice of three difficulty settings enables you to play with no hints, limited help, or a permanent guide. This was an excellent approach that levels the difficulty curve. I selected the middle option and found the balance between freedom and advice to be just right.

However, even with the hints, many of the puzzles were tricky to solve. There is a heavy reliance on tasks being completed in a specific order, and missing finer details can hold you back. Moreover, many of the problems were environment-dependent, and each location generated new and interesting mechanics for you to try to piece together. Whether you are finding a lost ticket, scrambling around for coins, playing with electricity, or more, you’ll test your brain while enjoying the bizarre surreal landscape.

The Plane Effect is striking to look at.

Using a cold colour palette is an effective way to highlight the oppressive nature of a dystopian future. However, The Plane Effect has also captured this within its sparse environment. Moreover, the empty locations and lack of human contact are worrying and the lack of emotion is downright cruel! Yet, I loved this callous approach, and I also adored the weird dreamy locations and the smattering of vivid colours. They were cleverly incorporated to guide you from A to B or to highlight danger or an obstacle. It’s a deceptively simple method that works with the genre while maintaining the futuristic and damning outlook.

With no spoken dialogue, the gameplay relies on text and music to enhance the atmosphere. This is beautifully achieved with its calm but haunting piano music. The slow-paced soundtrack matches the methodical approach required to solve the many problems and the occasional noises from the protagonist. These were nice touches that completed the game’s emotionally starved ambience.

Controlling an office worker has never been so easy.

I didn’t expect this to be challenging to control, and I wasn’t wrong. The developers have created a well thought out button layout that is simple to understand. The controls are responsive and you are assisted by helpful icons that highlight interactive objects. Furthermore, there are no requirements to select items in your inventory. Therefore, if you are holding the ‘solution’ to a puzzle, this is sufficient to remove the obstacle in your path. This was a fantastic decision as anything more complex would have been frustrating and an unnecessary layer.

As with most puzzle adventure games, the desire to play it again is somewhat reduced. With no additional game modes or NG+ options, you won’t experience something new the second time around. Fortunately, however, the longevity is increased because of the achievements you can miss. Completionists will require luck and a fine eye for detail if they wish to finish this.

The Plane Effect is a fantastically cold and depressing look into our future.

If my future is anything like The Plane Effect, I don’t want to get there! However, I loved the sparse environment, cold and sterile atmosphere, and the lack of emotion and warmth. The puzzles and exploration aspects will push you to your limit and test your logical approach. I loved it and recommend you to buy it here! Will you be able to navigate the surreal journey or will the oppressive world get the better of you?

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

Review: The Caligula Effect 2

Alex Chessun

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Oct 27, 2021

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Will you take the red pill or the blue pill? One of the most memorable choices in movie history is now yours to make in The Caligula Effect 2, a JRPG that combines effortlessly the dual world of The Matrix to an Anime high school drama.

Originally released as a digital-only PlayStation Vita title in 2017 from Persona scenario-writer Tadashi Satomi and Director Takuya Yamanaka, The Caligula Effect was remastered for modern consoles in 2019, as The Caligula Effect: Overdose, overhauling the title for newer consoles. Copying and pasting virtually all of the gameplay mechanics from the rerelease, the sequel goes a step further to improve the game by removing previously ‘unnecessary’ elements and providing a more interesting story with a more unique cast of characters than its predecessor.

Created by a pop music idol, this digital world consists of fans with regrets large enough to be pulled from the real world and has them relive their high school years. With each and every character holding onto a secret it’s interesting finding out what that might be for each character and seeing their character progression throughout.

Sometimes a concept is too similar to be ignored….

Like The Matrix, the world will sometimes change its form and provide some weird and wonderful environments to have its sometimes bizarre narrative play out in, but due to the slice-of-life element of the game, the characters remain grounded by their normal routines, which allows the change in their lives to be more profound, especially as you learn about the characters’ lives in the real world, which are often completely dramatically different and makes for some tremendous storylines for the main playable characters.

The best part of this RPG though is not its concept, but its thrilling battle system that places your 4 characters’ actions on a timeline, with each action taking an allotted period of time to complete before pausing when the next character’s waiting period is up. What makes this system click superbly is a preview feature that plays out the entire timeline before you commit to your move, allowing you to synchronize your team’s moves to perfection for some great combos or to avoid enemy attacks with split seconds to spare.

With satisfying moves that launch enemies up into the air and a great soundtrack with lyrics that appear in an eclectic background design, this is by some way the most enjoyable battle experience I’ve had with an RPG battle system. Its dynamic flexibility to change a battle on its head, while not affecting the enjoyable flow of action is top-notch.

I cannot overstate how much I love this battle system – I would buy this game just to play with it. The turn-based timeline system gives you the feeling of complete control of while the cast of characters (Tank, Attacker, Support and Debuffer) offer a variety of abilities, weapons and strategies. I want all RPGs to use this – not joking.

Also carried over from the original is the social bond system which links a large number of interactable characters via a social web called its ‘Casuality Link’. Each character has their own profile, specific conversations, and an associated quest, the completion of which improves your stats.

While this is certainly impressive on paper, it only carries a tenuous link to the world, as its entirely separate from the main story and has little to no effect on other characters, meaning that the characters’ list of generic answers to random questions seems a bit pointless in the larger scheme of things. It is interesting as unrelated side content, but considering that you could recruit all those NPCs as team members to fight within the original, it seems like a step back.

This is the profile of Shuka Uno, and the girl who I gave tips to improve her Go (a Japanese board game) game in her quest. You can see the Causality Link board behind her profile showing the links between characters. If you click on X to ‘Dive Deeper’ you can see her real-life profile and why she is in the current fake world. There’s no doubt that it’s interesting, but it clearly has potential for so much more.

Another missed beat is the inconsistent visuals. The UI is sleek and smooth and the character design is more varied from the original, but the cutscene animation, which the game relies on heavily, is quite poor considering the platform this particular game is now native to. The protagonist’s entire range of movement, for example, seems to feature in the opening cutscene alone, and his woodenness is hardly aided by making him/her intentionally mute in a game with near full voice acting.

Regardless of these faults, with a concerted effort to offer up something new throughout, The Caligula Effect 2 constantly feels fresh and enjoyable. New characters add twists to the story and add an extra ingredient for varied battles and new moves for existing characters ramp up the action.

Most aspects are also integrated well into the game – the excellent j-pop/Vocaloid soundtrack is relevant to the story as the fake world’s creator is a pop music idol who is supported by a band of musicians, and whose music plays in the background. Integrating excellently with the battle system is the same music – but with a small adjustment – the lyrics kick in when battles start. It doesn’t sound like it would make much of a difference but it raises the excitement for the battle ahead and is just one small added detail of many that make this game seem like a labor of love for the developers.

With a concept and a battle system that rivals the best in the genre, The Caligula Effect 2 punches high above its weight, only to then disappoint with its average visuals and a world lacking depth. Assuming that you haven’t been dissuaded by its inconsistent qualities, however, following the story is still very much a good time, and overall, is an easy recommendation for JRPG fans. Hopefully, the series is allowed to build iteratively in further sequels, as better visuals, an expanded world, and a more meaningful social bond system could make this something special.

Review: Happenlance

Gaming

Brendan Freeman

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Oct 26, 2021

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Woo, got to the next platform, an easy jump left to go…Darn it. Happenlance is an action/puzzle game available on Steam. Phillip Trudeau-Tavara developed and released it on the 22nd of October 2021. I couldn’t find many details about the developer. This title is the only one listed for this developer.

Happenlance Premise

The aim of the game is to use your lance to conquer the obstacles and make your way to the exit. A simple goal, but very difficult to pull off. I had to watch another person have a go, to get past the first level. You use the lance, like a pole vaulter. It can be very difficult to position it in a way that means you get to the next platform. There is a small sense of achievement when you do. If you’re not the type to put up with failing this isn’t the title for you.

I have to say that the first level is far harder than it should be. There are no checkpoints so if you fall then you have to make your way back. Tips are not present either. You’re stuck by yourself to figure out how to progress I took to YouTube to see how to complete the first level. Tips appear on the second level which feels late. The first level is where I expect most people to give up.
I wanted to give multiplayer a try, yet there was no one to play with at the time of the review.

Happenlance Presentation

The style feels like a mid-00s flash game. There is attention to detail so it wasn’t too blocky. But it isn’t beautiful. For a not-free game, I would at least expect the graphics to have a more premium feel. But, I wouldn’t say it was ugly either.

For the soundtrack, the developer has stuck to ambiance noises. Such as birds tweeting and leaves in the wind. I felt this was a great choice. It is hard enough to focus on not falling without an annoying soundtrack in the background. The ambient noises are high quality. It sounds like they recorded it in a forest.

Final Verdict

I always try to go into games with an open mind. But when the first level is an infuriating introduction to the mechanics of the game. It puts me off from progressing with the title. In the end, I watched someone play it online and suprised by their skill. The first game that they have developed, it is a great entry. I would love to see what they come up with next. I understand that I’m not the target audience. Even though I grew up with platformers I have moved on.

This has made it difficult to give a fair review of this game. I don’t think it’s a bad game, but a very difficult one. So I have given this title a 5 out of 10. If there had been more hand holding on the first level then it would have at least a 6.

Review: Dandy Ace

Derren Bennett

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Oct 26, 2021

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Dandy Ace, available on Xbox, PS4, Switch, PC and Mac

What is Dandy Ace? Dandy Ace is an over the top fast-paced roguelike experience that follows a fabulous magician seeking to combine and use his magical cards while fighting and looting his way to defeat the Green-Eyed Illusionist, Lele, who has imprisoned him in a cursed mirror.
– Xbox.com

Fans of the dungeon crawler genre will feel right at home playing Dandy Ace, with gameplay akin to the likes of Diablo and the recent Game Developers Choice Awards Game of The Year winner, Hades. Dandy Ace is sure to delight fans of the genre with its faced paced, hectic gameplay with some unique features, skills and brilliant voice acting.

When I first started playing Dandy Ace I was immediately met with a very unique and vibrant art style and almost anime-like character design. The art style is very vibrant with a bright colour palette, not ashamed to be loud and proud and it matches the theme of the gameplay perfectly.

Dandy Ace has a very vibrant art style

One thing that stood out and impressed me the most was the character design and voice actors. The characters have an anime style design which I know a lot of people are very fond of, but may not be everyone’s cup of tea. One thing that does shine however, is the voice actors. The performance is nothing short of incredible. Every line is delivered with emphasis and passion which adds to the immersion and makes everything much more believable and engaging.

Another weapon in Dandy Ace’s arsenal is the endless replayability. Dungeon crawlers have always been know for their endless replay value and Dandy Ace is no different. Each time the player dies they are sent right back to the beginning, however this time the levels change and the skills that the player is given are different. This encourages the player to try out different tactics and combinations of skills to try and get further and further each time without the serving of repetitiveness that comes with a lot of modern titles.

Dandy Ace has great replay value

After each and every run the player will be presented with stats based on which skills and trinkets were used as well as performance in various areas. This small detail is welcomed warmly, especially when each run is different. It gives the player motivation to beat certain personal targets and even compete against friends.

There were a couple of issues that I had during a few of my runs and I think a lot of players will share my frustrations. Firstly as the layout changes each time, some areas can become very tight and narrow which is intended to create a challenge and force tactical thinking, but sometimes it can become difficult depending on how many enemies spawn in those small areas.

Tight level design can make for some tricky encounters

Combat in general is very fast paced and tactical and can be very satisfying with particular combos however it’s missing one vital feature… lock on. After a few runs I quickly found myself begging for a lock on feature to enable me to attack enemies on the move. Instead players are forced to stop and aim while attacking which not only disrupts the flow of gameplay but can also put players at a tactical disadvantage when fighting against tougher enemies.

In summary Dandy Ace is a very familiar experience for dungeon crawler fans, but with its own unique spin in terms of skills, trinkets and fantastic voice acting. Players may however have issues with not having a lock on mechanic which can have an impact on gameplay and put the player at a disadvantage.

A Closer Look at the Funko Snapsies Mix and Match Surprise Series 1

Andrew Edney

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Oct 26, 2021

0

A Closer Look at the Funko Snapsies Mix and Match Surprise Series 1

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 Funko Snapsies Mix and Match Surprise Series 1.

SNAPSIES are Funko’s exciting new capsule collectibles with a whole world of fun inside! Collect animal characters like unicorns, llamas, goats, and dragons — each with their own distinct personalities, looks, and accessories that you can customize for endless combinations!

Funko’s snap technology lets you play your way! Mix and match, create in a snap! Which Snapsies surprise will you get?

Vinyl figures range in size depending on characters/parts combined, though are approximately 2.5-inches tall.

Capsule includes: 1 head, 1 body, 2 butts, 2 faces, 5 accessories, 1 sticker sheet, 1 checklist.

There are 18 different characters to collect, including rares and ultra rares.

Opening the Snapsie was a lot of fun and finding out which character we got was also fun – once built it was easy to swap over faces and body parts.

Snapsies are aimed at children from 3 years and up and are available now priced around £6.66 (at the time of writing).

Here is a short video from Funko:

You can learn more from the Funko website.

Disclaimer: The Funko Snapsies Mix and Match Surprise Series 1 was sent to us for the purposes of an honest review. All opinions are the opinions of our reviewer.

Review: Disciples: Liberation

Daniel Waite

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Oct 26, 2021

3

Old-school RPGs had a generation of gamers hooked to their dark and in-depth stories. The evil creatures that lurk within these tomes were the thing of nightmares. Modern games have appeared to have lost this edge, so when a new RPG hits the market that is full of retro charm, I scrambled to get my hands on a copy. Disciples: Liberation is a wonderfully deep fantasy adventure that will grab you from the opening gambit.

Developed by Frima Studio and published by Kalypso Media, this is a classic RPG. With its wonderful hand-drawn aesthetics, creepy and dank dungeons, turn-based combat, and minor base building, this is a title that offers a lot of elements. However, unlike other games that complicate the matter by putting their fingers in many pies, Disciples: Liberation blends each ingredient beautifully.

Disciples: Liberation has a rich and intriguing world.

People play RPGs for many reasons, but for me, I want a story full of twists and turns. Disciples: Liberation offers this in abundance with its choice-based narrative, many recruitable characters, and a large intriguing world. You’ll enjoy in-depth grid-based combat, murky dungeons full of monsters and more.

You control a lowly mercenary known as Avyenna who doesn’t know where she belongs in this world. She is unaware of her potential and must use her savvy to build an army and forge her destiny. The plot revolves around the land of Nevendaar and the Denizens that reside within it. The landscape of this world is yours to shape, and who you wish to work with is entirely your choice. You must inspire an army, recruit warriors, influence clans, and build a beautiful city to house them all.

Venture through the daunting wilderness.

In-depth but much-loved mechanics.

What I particularly enjoyed about Disciples: Liberation was the use of tried and tested mechanics. The overworld area allows you to encounter monsters, raid dungeons, and progress the story. Alternatively, you have the option to build your city with resources earned through quests. This minor layer allows you to buy and sell items, place buildings for unit training, and so forth. It offers little originality, but its familiarity works beautifully with the rest of the gameplay.

This feeling of deja vu extends to the combat and narrative elements. Don’t look at this as a negative, because it certainly isn’t. These well-done moments ooze old-school charm and capture your imagination throughout.

The grid-based combat proudly uses buffs and debuffs, magic, ranged and melee attacks. There are tactical elements to understand and the environment plays a key role within your strategy. You must select your units and recruitable character for each encounter. You’ll face an array of creatures and gargantuan bosses who have weaknesses and strengths that you must exploit and avoid.

Clans and multiple endings.

Where Disciples: Liberation truly shines is its freedom to experiment and its array of story options. With multiple classes to specialise in, four vast locations to explore, four clans to interact with, and nine unique recruitable characters to pick, the developers have been generous. Moreover, they haven’t shackled you to a right or wrong path and every decision matters. This empowers you to steer the hero and guide the story to match your style. Will you negotiate, be forceful, romantic, or more! The choice is yours and it’s truly fascinating.

Fortunately, this approach heavily influences the flow of the narration. Every conversation has multiple options that drive the plot, alter relationships, and impacts the clans. You may worry that this is too in-depth. Luckily, its simplicity is wonderful thanks to its system of symbols that define the outcome of each decision.

Disciples: Liberation has a grimy world that is beautifully illustrated.

I’ve never needed my RPGs to be ultra-realistic. What I want is for it to suck me into its fantasy realm with a magical soundtrack and exciting imagery. Luckily, Disciples: Liberation does just that with its darker colour palette and wonderfully dated character models. The stunning landscapes you witness and the dark dungeons you explore are breathtaking, and I was never disappointed. The developers have balanced the insanity of its fantasy world perfectly and this ensured I was never overwhelmed.

It was easy to lose yourself in the wonderment of both the story and the gameplay thanks to the dramatic and varied soundtrack. The audio generates a wholesome and magical aura that ebbs and flows with the many twists and turns. I loved how the shifts of power were shown through the use of sound and this supported the ever-changing plot.

The dark theme is evident in every realm.

A clever UI.

With so many elements working together, this could have been messy as hell. However, its clever and clean UI makes understanding the fundamentals a really easy task. Subsequently, you’ll get to grips with it quickly, but mastering it is something altogether different.

When a game offers eighty-plus hours of enthralling action that can be played repeatedly, you know it’s great value for money. With multiple playthroughs offering a unique experience, it’s easy to keep returning. Furthermore, its obscene achievement list demands you revisit the action and completionists are in for the long haul.

Disciples: Liberation is rewarding and highlights why this genre is great.

RPGs have branched off into weird and wonderful ventures. Yet, a retro focus always gets me excited. Disciples: Liberation has captured the essence of what makes this genre great and has delivered a rewarding and well-structured experience. Thanks to its wonderful story full of lore and excitement and its interesting roster of characters, you’ll never tire of what you see. I loved it and recommend you to buy it here! Lead your army to victory while influencing those around you. Remember your decisions matter and the land of Nevendaar is shaped by your choices.

Review: Train Station Renovation

Christopher McNally

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Oct 25, 2021

0

Flight Simulator was a game that came out many years ago and found a niche, a very big niche which allowed to basically be a pilot amongst other things and fly around the world at your own leisure. Since then gamers have found solace in playing games that reflect real life, even the most mundane of jobs or tasks have been turned into games ranging from Farming Simulator, Ranch Simulator and even Fernbus Simulator. This time round it’s something very niche, which goes deeper than just a Train simulator, welcome to Train Station Renovation.

Train Station Renovation is pretty much what the title represents, you are in charge of renovating old train stations. In Train Station Renovation you become responsible for the cleaning, repairing, painting and replenishing of a train station. The premise is fairly simple in Train Station Renovation, you need to complete a series of tasks to improve the train station you are dealing with. There will be several areas within a train station that will usually need at least some cleaning and redecorating. Once you’ve completed enough of these tasks your ‘progression’ increases to a point where you can then move onto the next station. You see 100% renovation is not needed, once you hit that first progression star you can move onto the next station

Train Station Renovation is a slow but very relaxing experience. There are no time limits or restraints, these abandoned train station have been given to you to replenish and then you simply move onto the next one. The tasks themselves are fair in number and can be a little repetitive at times. You pick up litter, get rid of said litter, you order skips to get rid of larger rubbish, you wash off graffiti and so on. You can fill in holes, you can smash stuff up which is hugely satisfying and you can order several things to bring your station back to its former glories such as benches, windows etc. You can even fix things should you come across such situations. In terms of an ‘arsenal’ you can choose from tools like trowels, brooms, sponges and crowbars. You have a Tablet which is where you will order all your items and also acts like a scanner which will highlight anything in the environment that might need some action which is particularly useful. The developers also know the Scanner could be overused so they’ve conveniently added a cool down feature to it.

Outside of the renovation in Train Station Renovation there isn’t much else to do. There are 10 maps that start off in simpler rural settings before you move into renovating more metropolitan stations. Navigating around and completing some tasks can be a little clunky at times but not enough to make things frustrating. Graphically Train Station Renovation will not win any awards, visually it’s not much to look at but I guess we are looking after dilapidated train stations that time has left behind. You can ride around in a model train to see how things are coming along and you do notice the detail, especially where you’ve had some input into the cleaning etc. Audio wise Train Station Renovation is quite simplistic, some sounds are replicated across different stations but nothing out of the ordinary

Train Station Renovation is a the perfect game to relax to, it doesn’t ask much from you nor does it demand anything. It lacks a fair bit in graphical prowess and modes but Train Station Renovation is a simple game where you can pass a few hours rebuilding a train station in your eyes. If you are a fan of simulators or train stations (there isn’t much in terms of train action) then Train Station Renovation is a game you’ll lose many hours with.

Review: Spacebase Startopia

Luke Maguire

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Oct 25, 2021

0

After getting home from work you want to play videogames to relax and enjoy. Unfortunately with Spacebase Startopia it feels like another job to deal with.

Spacebase Startopia is an RTS, base builder type game set in space. The predecessor called Startopia came out in back in 2001. For such an old game to be reimagined for the current gen is an exciting proposition. Was it worth reimaging?

Poor Optimization

Usually I would describe the plot first, yet I felt this was the most important thing to say. My experience is based off the Switch which is the weakest console on the market. However no matter how weak the current consoles are this is awful. The graphics are extremely poor reminding me of a PS2 game, but graphics aren’t everything so how does it run? Not good. The game was often dropping in frames heavily for me when it was populated particularly when I had the Switch connected to my TV.

My biggest problem was the menus functionality. The menus are full, not in a good exciting way but mostly with things that just fill the screen confusing you especially for the first hour. The menu kept freezing on me while trying to hire workers and so on. It would often just stop for a few seconds then go to a species of aliens I hadn’t clicked onto. I looked at gameplay on other consoles to see how it runs on a stronger system. It did run better from what I seen, however the graphics were still extremely poor.

This sums up the entire plot of Startopia

What do we do on Startopia?

Our mission after being appointed commander is to make a utopia for many alien races. The AI named VAL who helps us on Startopia will give you guidance during this important mission. At first her humour is refreshing and entertaining while building and doing tedious tasks. Unfortunately VAL never stops and the cheesy outdated dialogue and the poor jokes start to get annoying. You can turn her dialogue off which almost makes it feel like the developers knew she would get irritating. We have three decks to manage on Startopia. The first being the sub deck which is for your employees and to keep the station in order. Then my favourite deck, the entertainment with a disco inside it which was a nice change. The third being the bio deck which had flora and fauna to manage.

As you progress each deck you earn more items to place in them like the recycling facility in the first deck. You’ll then be able to pick up bombs and garbage which helps the recycling facility. The game does not hold your hand when starting off. The tutorial was little help at best giving you no tips on how to do objectives. The menus at first are overwhelming with so much on the screen it was hard to know where to start. You get use to it after about thirty minutes, still a decent tutorial would teach you how to navigate the menus especially in a base builder type.

Working on the first deck of Startopia with my employees

There is a single player campaign to delve into with ten missions, but it feels pointless and unsatisfying compared to the free roam. There is multiplayer and co-op available if you can stomach playing it after getting through the main game. Excitement can occur on the station as pirates can invade and set bombs off. Even though it was never thrilling or nerve wrecking when something went wrong it was nice that the station had an urgency for the commander (you) to do something.

Just poor in general

The game doesn’t really offer anything a consumer is looking for now. The gameplay at its core is fine, but it never felt satisfying building my base since it always looked ugly no matter what I did. It never really felt like my base was running better because of me either. Even though you get rewarded with gaining more space on the deck by opening the huge doors on each deck, yet I still never felt any satisfaction. The game ran poorly making me not wanting to even start up my Switch again. I could see a sequel improving upon this and becoming a good game, except I can’t see this Spacebase getting another chance to create another Utopia.

Review: Hell Let Loose

Daniel Waite

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Oct 25, 2021

0

War has plagued mankind’s existence since the dawn of time! Many lives have been lost and multiple families are broken for minimal gain. People picture each battle as an all-out encounter, yet they rarely are. These long drawn out fights are masterminded by the generals and usually extended periods of silence and tension fill the air. Hell Let Loose captures the brutality of these events in its WWII setting.

Developed by Black Matter and published by Team17, this is a hardcore first-person shooter. Players slug it out in iconic WWII battles across the Eastern and Western fronts. The expansive maps and RTS elements make this an intriguing but slow-paced affair. Its tense and often quiet times will not be for every fan of the genre, yet I loved its alternative approach.

Hell Let Loose is bloody hard work.

I’m not the best FPS gamer, but I can hold my own. Even so, I struggled with the brutally tough gameplay and the constant back and forth across the epic maps. In short, Hell Let Loose is bloody hard work, however, it’s a fantastic experience once you break its back. Unlike other games in the genre that reward “Rambo-like” behaviour, this one will chew you up and spit you out if you try anything so stupid! It’s a tactical game where communication is key. More often than not, it’s the squad that works together that tops the leaderboard. Therefore, make sure you dust off your microphone as you are going to need it.

A match comprises two teams of 50 against 50. These are then broken down into squadrons of six for Infantry, three for Armour, and two for Recon. There is a commander who oversees the battle while calling in support items. The Squad leaders control the Infantry units and they play a key role in pushing the enemy back when placing Garrisons and Outposts. Finally, you have your grunts, medics, and engineers, as well as other specialists. Each soldier must work as a unit to complete each objective, otherwise, failure is guaranteed.

Avoid the tanks or pay the consequences.

The Americans Vs the Germans and Soviets.

No matter which side you punt for, you’ll be surprised by the limited choice of game modes. At launch on console, there are only two to choose from and these are Offensive and Warfare. This lack of modes doesn’t mean that the gameplay becomes stale quickly. No, because many mechanics have been implemented to ensure the action is fresh during each fight.

However, the familiar approach may disappoint veterans of the genre. Effectively, you are playing either capture the flag, or domination as the map is separated into sections that must be secured and held. Yet, let me not simplify it too much, as each mode has its own objectives.

Offensive.

A team of defenders must hold its line and repel the attackers. The defending side holds all the objectives and the attacking team must take them all before the timer runs out. This is an excellent game of cat and mouse and you must decide to spread your defences thinly, or heavily fortify a few locations.

Warfare.

This is the more free-flowing option, where both teams aim to capture each section. The winner is the team who holds the most areas as the timer runs out or all the sectors at one time. It’s a game of tug of war, and the strongest and most organised will be victorious.

Master your role and work together.

With many squad roles to select, you must master your specific task. Each squadron has limited specialist places available, so each player must decide where their skills are best utilised. This is especially key when you take on the part of Squad leader. This person is the difference between a fun tactical experience or a running simulation from hell.

Every map is a vast expanse and traversing it feels like it takes forever. The Squad leader can reduce the grind by placing down Outposts and Garrisons. These create spawn points that enable you to jump right back into the action. If your leader is woeful at their role, you’ll spend more time running across fields than you will be shooting your gun.

Alongside this, communication is a key tool to organising the troops. Each officer can contact the commander to relay orders and discuss tactics. Likewise, squad members can speak directly to their leader or listen to nearby troops. This was a fantastic idea that makes the gameplay super immersive and adds to the RTS mechanics.

Hell Let Loose has you on edge throughout.

Using vast open spaces is risky business as these large areas can appear hollow and empty, and the action can feel gutless and without purpose. Fortunately, Hell Let Loose has created a tense and suspenseful atmosphere with its slower gameplay and hardcore mechanics. Hiding in dilapidated buildings or creeping through fields and trenches was exhilarating. The fear that your enemy could kill you at any moment was a genuine concern. With era-specific imagery and an earthy colour palette, you’ll enjoy the accurate representation of each iconic battle.

My only disappointment is that many of the buildings are inaccessible. This created an unrealistic representation of war and reduced the tactical choices. It was a shame the developers didn’t take a leaf from Battlefields playbook. Destructible buildings and the freedom to manipulate the landscape would have been very welcome.

As discussed, headphones are the key to success, yet a decent pair highlight the audios shortcomings. Unfortunately, the sound is flat and uninspiring when you are wandering around the vast maps. This impacts the ability to pinpoint your foes and reduces the quality of the final product. However, when in the heat of battle, the sound effects are incredible. The booming noises will fill you with fear as you wait to lose your life.

Keep your eyes open as your foes can be hiding in plain sight.

No tutorial = mass confusion.

When a game is as complicated as Hell Let Loose, you’d expect there to be a thorough tutorial. Sadly, though, this isn’t the case! You’ll fumble around in the dark, trying to work out what you need to do. Subsequently, the gameplay is much harder than it should be. Moreover, many casual players will be put off by the difficult learning curve. Fortunately, though, once you understand what you are doing, you’ll love the brutal action and the realistic nature of the controls.

This is addictive as hell if you have a good group of friends or a great squad to play with! You’ll lose hours to this realistic title as the tide of each battle ebbs and flows. But, if you end up in a poor team, you’ll be frustrated, curse your luck, and hate every minute! Its longevity revolves around the many classes that need levelling up, its tough achievement list and the long matches you’ll endure. When these elements work together you’ll experience a phenomenal but tough game.

Hell Let Loose won’t be for everyone.

With many FPS fans preferring an arcade approach, Hell Let Loose will only appeal to a niche market. If you fall for its tough and realistic charms, you’ll enjoy the slower action and tactical nuance. I sucked at it, but I recommend you to buy it here! Choose your side, pick your role, and remember communication is key!

Review: Another Eden The Cat Beyond Time and Space

News

Jonathan Barbour

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Oct 25, 2021

0

Review: Another Eden The Cat Beyond Time and Space

I want you to take a moment and envision your favorite dessert. It can be cake, brownies, ice cream, a donut, whatever. Now imagine eating said dessert after a long day of work or school. How are you feeling afterward? Satisfied? Refreshed? Awesome, have another serving. How are you feeling now? Okay, let’s go back for thirds, and now a fourth, and how about a fifth. At this point, you’re probably sick to your stomach, and it’s gonna be a long time until you want to eat that dessert again.

That’s how I felt while playing Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time and Space. To be blunt, the game is junk food. Yeah, it’s good junk food, but it’s also incredibly repetitive, and by the end of my time with the game, I felt a bit ill and just wanted to eat a salad.

Another Eden is a mobile, single-player RPG that’s recently been ported to PC, and as a mobile game, it’s got a lot of the negative kinds of trappings you’d expect from the platform. Timers, extreme grinding, loot boxes, all sorts of icky stuff that should warrant you to stay as far away from the game as possible…it’s just a shame that the game is fun to play.

Another Eden might have originally been designed for a more casual audience, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to like. The anime art style is visually appealing, the music is fantastic, the story, while it won’t be setting the world on fire, is well-written, and the combat is fun.

Combat works like most turn-based RPGs, but with one very fun twist. You go into fights with six party members, four in your front-line doing the actual fighting, and two in the reserves that are on standby and can be swapped in at any time. Characters that are moved onto the front-line either buff your party or debuff enemies and characters in the reserve will regain health and mana for every turn they’re out of combat. This small twist to the standard RPG formula makes combat a lot more fun and mentally engaging, especially during the game’s excellent boss fights, where you need to continuously swap out teammates for strategic healing and buffs.

The game’s boss fights are definitely a highlight.

Unfortunately, this is where the more mobile aspects of the game start to rear their ugly heads. Combat is challenging, like really challenging, like to the point where you’re not gonna win most fights unless you do some serious grinding and add high-level characters to your team. You acquire new teammates by spending Chronos Stones (the game’s currency), and this lets you spin a wheel to determine who’ll be joining your party, and what rarity they’ll be. Each character is sorted by star level, with basic characters having three stars, and the more powerful having four or five stars.

If you want to have the best team possible, then you need characters with a higher star level. That makes sense, but this causes you to view your party as nothing more than numbers and stats, and you’re heavily encouraged to play with the characters that have the best star levels, and not the ones you like. This is unfortunate because there are lots of really cool characters in the game I wanted on my team but was discouraged from using since they were statistically inferior. I wanted to go through the entire game with Riica, my awesome robot healer, but I had to switch her out with the much less interesting Pom when I saw that she had one extra star and thus automatically had access to better abilities and stats (some characters can have their star levels raised, but it requires a lot of time and resources).

As the title suggests, cats play a minor but fun part in the game.

This also messes with the game’s narrative in a minor yet annoying way. The story follows the perspective of a handful of main characters, but you don’t even need to use them during gameplay since they all have low star levels. It’s entirely possible to have the main cast make a grand speech about giving it their all in this next battle, only to have them disappear and be replaced by a bunch of randoms who’ve only spoken three lines of dialogue the entire game.

Another unfortunate aspect of summoning new characters is that each one starts at level one, regardless of their star rating. So if you have a level 40 three-star character and you suddenly roll a level 1 five-star, you’ll need to devote a good chunk of time leveling up your fancy new character to have them be strong enough to replace your three-star in combat. Thankfully there are several high-level dungeons where you can train up new characters, but you have a finite amount of tickets you can use each day to access these areas.

Even if it’s a grind to level them up, it’s always fun to summon a cool new character.

I was also surprised by how little variety there is in the game. I hope you like combat–besides going through the admittedly entertaining story and its side quests, that’s all there is to do in Another Eden. The combat is still a lot of fun, but this is a game that’s designed to be played in short bursts, as playing for long hours can quickly become tedious and repetitive.

Ultimately I’m left feeling conflicted on whether I should recommend this game or not. On one hand, the combat is way more fun than it has any right to be, and the story is light and breezy. On the other hand, this game expects a ridiculous amount of time invested to level up your characters, and you can get stuck with a really bad team if the RNG is stingy with its four- and five-star characters. Thankfully, you can go through the game without having to spend any money (the microtransactions in this game are thankfully not very aggressive), but playing for free is gonna require a ton of time to grind levels and resources, and ultimately, time is not something a ton of people want to waste.

In short, if you enjoy the grind, and like seeing numbers and stats go up on the screen, you could do a whole lot worse than Another Eden. It’s one of the better casual RPGs on the market, and I’d recommend you play this on mobile instead of on PC since you can play the game in short bursts on the go. However, if you want a game that’ll respect your time and has a bit more variety, you should probably look elsewhere.