Skinny Lister’s guitarist swaps Shanty Punk for Indie Rock as he debuts with an apocalyptic track penned in lockdown sounding like its time travelled straight out of 1998!
Skinny Lister’s electric guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, Sam Brace makes a major departure from the Skinny sound with an epic take on the apocalypse and loose comment on the current state of the world. Launching through California based Stay Free Recordings on limited edition 7” Vinyl with two colour runs, Panic sees Brace step out on his own for the first time as a solo artist.
“This is something I’ve been wanting to do for years but just never had the time to sit down and actually make it happen” commented Brace, “The process has been liberating and I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to get back to making music which I truly resonate with, although it has been endlessly fun running with Skinny for all these years, my influences are very much more on the David Bowie, Arcade Fire, Kate Bush, Elliot Smith and Radiohead side of things which I hope you’ll hear sprinkles of in the record. A full 11 track album is finished and I just can’t wait to release it!”
After spending most of the last 10 years on the road playing major festivals, headline world tours, as well as supporting the likes of Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly and Chuck Ragan with Skinny Lister, Brace was ready for a break, and as Covid struck in early 2020, he was able to finally start work on writing a solo record.
Brace continued: “The songs have all been written and recorded by myself with my old mate co-writer, Adam Tarry who I used to be in bands with at school back in the day, at the start of lockdown one quite out of the blue, he sent over a video of him playing a Longpigs track and we got to talking about doing some originals together, he sent me a very basic verse and chorus which, over the course of the next couple of weeks, I turned into a fully formed, Panic. We’ve continued to work together and now have 11 tracks finished and ready to release later this year or early 2022.”
myFirst Camera Insta 2 is designed to add joy and fun to your child’s learning process. Unlike a conventional instant printing cameras photo, this instant camera for kids uses thermal printing to create vivid and clear photos without needing to wait for the pic to dry. No shaking needed! Your child will be printing memories immediately with our 10-second printing capabilities!
Specifications
Photo resolution: 12M/9M/6M/3M Video resolution: 1920*1080 / 30fps 2.4” IPS color screen Battery capacity: 1500mAh Charging time: 2.5 hours Camera weight: 8.2 oz / 232 g
What’s in the box?
The box contains the myFirst Camera Insta 2, 2 rolls of High Quality Thermal Paper, 1 roll of Thermal Sticker Paper, Charging cable, Neck lanyard and Quick Start Guide.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
When you first take the camera out of its box you will notice that it’s quite large, although it’s easy to hold as you can see demonstrated by my trust 5 year old assistant above.
Once the camera is charged and the memory card inserted, along with a roll of paper, it’s time to get using it.
You can just take pictures using either the front or rear camera – both work very well. Once you have a picture you want to print, you just select it and print. It’s fairly quick to print and then you just tear off the picture and you are done. The quality isn’t fantastic, but its usable and fun! If you want a high quality print then you can always print the pictures on a proper printer. But this is designed for quick and easy prints, and for that it works very well. There’s even a roll of sticker paper so that you can stick your prints anywhere you like. Each roll gets around 80 pictures.
The battery takes about 4 hours to charge but will last all day!
There are other fun features on the camera too so it’s way more than just something to take pictures on.
The myFirst Camera Insta 2 is available now priced around £93.50 and is a lot of fun to use.
There are people in this world who demand structure and order. They fear the unknown and won’t let randomness or chance control their lives. Then there are the ones who love a gamble and thrive off the risks involved. No matter which one you are, why not contemplate this question! How about a world where every rule and event is dominated by randomness and a roll of the dice? Would this excite you? Scare you? Or something in-between? This is the oppressive and exciting reality for the zany people and creatures of Lost in Random.
Developed by Zoink and published by EA, this is a macabre indie action-adventure title. Set in a grim Tim Burton-esque world, you must traverse six zones while helping the citizens of each district. With a distinct fairytale narrative and dark but comical characters, this game hits you immediately with its striking style.
Dicey is your secret weapon.
Lost in Random is the cartoon version of The Hunger Games, without the brutal violence.
Lost in Random core concept revolves around six districts, that each complete a different role for the kingdom. Where you live is decided by the Queen and a roll of her all-powerful dice. Every child on their twelfth birthday must roll the dice to unveil their destiny. Unlucky individuals will roll a one and live their lives in Onetopia a damp and dank dockyard town. The people are poor and life is hard. If you are lucky, you’ll roll a six where the Queen will be your master and you the servant.
You take on the role of one of the twins, known as ‘Even’. Her sister ‘Odd’ has luck on her side as she rolls a six to land a dream life beside the Queen. ‘Even’ should be happy for her sister, yet she is haunted by nightmares of ‘Odd’ screaming for help, and she convinces herself that she must rescue her. This is where the adventure begins and your journey traverses some weird and wonderful lands.
A vibrant world that’s full of colourful characters.
Lost in Random gave me the impression there would be a vast open world to explore. Sadly, this wasn’t the case. The plot flows linearly, with the central quest line highlighted throughout. You travel through each district completing tasks for the whacky and creepy NPCs who add humour and uneasy tones to this bizarre tale. The rigid plot is supported by an array of excellent side quests, collectables, and puzzles to complete. These elements add some freedom to the game and ensure that you don’t feel rushed or railroaded to get to the finale.
If you adore finer details and interacting with the surrounding characters, then you’ll fall for the charm that oozes from Lost in Random. The NPCs are some of the best I’ve experienced in an adventure title. Their bizarre speech patterns, interesting looks, and unnerving one-liners add energy to this sombre tale.
Will these odd people help you?
Excellent combat, but luck can be a pain in the arse.
Though the NPCs intricately piece together the story, much of the gameplay focuses on its interesting combat mechanics. The real-time battles that follow a hack n slash style are punctuated with luck and tactical elements. Your foes have crystals growing from their bodies, and you must dodge their attacks and shoot them with your slingshot while collecting the fallen shards. This powers your deck of cards that comprise fifteen items and allows you to unleash your special ability. It materialises in the form of Dicey! He is your Pip-earning, storage-wielding key to progress, and is also your secret weapon. As you throw him to the ground, time is frozen and a roll of the dice occurs. Depending on the result, you can now play one or multiple cards to add buffs, drop shields, or attack your enemies.
It was an interesting way to add tactics and to reinforce the element of luck. When the roll of the dice falls your way, you’ll love how easy the fights are. However, Lady Luck is fickle, and when it goes wrong, you’ll squeal and shriek with rage.
Lost in Random is a beautifully oppressive world.
Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder, and Lost in Random proves that. This horrendous and sinister world shouldn’t be so beautiful, yet I was captivated by it. The miserable colour palette and freaky character models were enough to give me nightmares for months! Yet, I couldn’t get enough of the surrounding landscapes. Zoink has created the perfect fairytale-inspired world with some of the most grotesque creatures I’ve ever seen.
The audio emphasises the surreal nature of the story, thanks to its excellent acting, classic narration, and haunting soundtrack. The three elements combined brilliantly to add drama and tension to the action. Lost in Random’s presentation borrows heavily from Tim Burton’s films and works fantastically well with the plot. Fans of his macabre yet comical style will love what’s on offer here.
Where you go Dicey will follow.
Complex rules, but easy to play.
Most card-based combat games have a steep learning curve, yet this one isn’t so bad. There are many rules to learn, but most can be studied on the fly and that makes this extremely accessible. Combining this with the well-planned button layout makes it very easy to play. However, to master it and excel during each battle, you’ll need to practise and understand each card you hold. Moving around the world was easy thanks to orbs that highlight interactive objects. This enhances its user-friendly approach and makes it a joy to play.
Thanks to its collectables, multiple side quests, and unique NPCs, there are plenty of reasons to return. Sadly, the linear approach impacts replay value slightly, but the interesting world will drag you back in for another visit. The moderate achievement list will be a challenge for completionists and adds hours to its meaty gameplay.
Lost in Random is an exceptional indie title.
Lost in Random took me by surprise, mainly because of its fantastic story and excellent presentation. I adored the mixture of NPCs, the well-devised side quests, political turmoil, and a heavy dose of luck. It’s an exceptional indie title that I recommend you to buy here! Roll the dice, begin your adventure, and save your sister. Let’s hope that luck is on your side!
If you’re a car enthusiast, you might have thought about restoring a classic car before. Not only can it be a fun, challenging project, but you will also be left with a gorgeous car that you can either sell for profit or keep for yourself. However, before you embark on this venture, it’s important to understand that it can be an expensive hobby. Think about whether the cost of a project like this will be worth it for you, and also if you have the time to dedicate to it so that it doesn’t sit in your garage half-completed for years. If you think this is something you’re able to do, here are a few basic tips on how to restore a classic car.
Find Room to Work on it
Firstly, you will need to make sure you have adequate space to work on your restoration project. If you have a large garage at home that can accommodate this, then great; if not, you might want to consider leasing a space such as a storage unit or workshop space that will be big enough to fit your car, give you room to work, and to store it securely when you’re not around.
Assess the Amount of Work You Need to Do
Some cars will need more attention than others, so once you have your classic car check it all over to see how much work there truly is to do. The seller should have walked through this with you, but it’s always good to double-check in case they have missed anything out. Take photographs of the vehicle if this helps, and this will also help you throughout the project to remember where everything goes. You can always get a professional mechanic to take a look at it for you if you’re not entirely sure.
Take it Apart
When you have assessed the work that needs doing, and you’re confident that you have everything you need to get started, the fun part begins. You will need to remove the windscreen and make sure that the glass is kept somewhere safe unless you are planning to replace it altogether due to damage. Then take out the seats, carpets, and trim from the interior of the car, and you might want to take off the bumpers as well, particularly if they need to have the chrome restored. Take out the dashboard as well, but make a note of where all the gauges and dials go. If you want to replace any of these, you will need to purchase a gauge kit.
Send Off Parts
You will need to send parts of the car to be tested and restored by experts, such as having the engine tested and rebuilt if necessary. Having the body of the car properly stripped and repainted is also worth doing if you have little to no experience doing this yourself; otherwise, you won’t have the best finish. Seats may also need to be reupholstered after years of wear and tear.
Putting it Back Together
When you have all the parts restored, it’s time to put the car back together. Start within wiring in the car and make sure that is working correctly. Then you can put the dashboard back on, followed by the carpets and trim. Then put back on the windscreen and the rear window, the doors and other windows, the seats, and recarpet the trunk. Finally, put the bumpers back on, and voila! Your car should be ready to go!
Restoring a classic car can be a very satisfying project if you do it right, and while there are more intricate steps that aren’t listed here, this will be the basic order you should be working in.
Having a car can provide a great sense of freedom. It allows you to get around at times that suit your schedule, rather than relying on the routines of public transport. You can pick up friends and go out for the day to places further afield or drive to a remote place to enjoy a tranquil weekend break when you need a relaxing break. It even makes it easier to do your grocery shopping each week. Yes, having a car is great, but it’s also nice to make it feel like the vehicle is truly yours, rather than just another model that has been manufactured in a giant workshop somewhere. If you want to give your car a more personal touch, here are a few ways you can customize it.
Rear-view Mirror Accessories
You mustn’t have too many things hanging off your rear-view mirror, as this can be distracting or obstruct your view. However, having some nice car air freshener hanging from there will not only make it smell great, but you can get some that have aesthetically pleasing designs as well. Other people choose to hang good luck charms on their rear-view mirrors or other decorative items.
Body Modifications
If the first suggestions aren’t enough for you, perhaps making some more significant changes is what you’re looking for? You can always make some modifications to the body of your car, such as a new paint job if you don’t like the color or would like to have a pattern painted on your car. You may want to change the glass in the door windows to tinted glass for more privacy if your car doesn’t have this already. You could even give your car a little lift if you find it easier to drive with a view from higher up or that it’s easier to get in and out of the car this way. Look at this Subaru Outback lift kit to see an example of the difference this modification can make.
New Upholstery
If you’re happy with the exterior of your car but would like the interior to be more your style, you can always update the upholstery. You could look at getting leather seats installed if this is a look that you like or changing the color of the fabric. The carpets and interior trim can also be replaced if you think they are looking shabby or again would prefer a different color. This can help to make your car feel more comfortable and is a great way to put your spin on it.
Personalized License Plates
This is possibly the most common way that people choose to customize their car because it is one of the most affordable changes that you can make. Whether you want to include your initials, a nickname, or make sure your lucky number appears on your license plate, having yours personalized is a great way to make your mark.
If you love your car but would like it to suit your style a little bit more, consider the suggestions above on how you can customize it and choose one or two options that work for you.
If technology such as gadgets and gaming comprise a large part of your family life, then this is the guide for you. Compiling some of the best and most fun ideas for tech-loving families, it will make sure that never a day goes past without enjoying all that technology has to offer or without bringing a smile to your family’s faces.
Most of the ideas on this list are one-time activities, that, while being incredibly fun, are often over before you can blink. However, subscription boxes make sure that fun is delivered to your front door every single month. Although you might associate subscription boxes with beauty and food, this is not always the case. Instead, there are subscription boxes to suit everybody, including those who love technology, games, movies, and everything nerdy. Then, there are subscription boxes available for every single member of your family, from children to adults, which will help to give you all a boost regularly. You might even consider sharing the box between you if you cannot afford to commit to more than one box.
Invest in Home Gadgets
As a tech-loving family, you should consider surrounding yourselves with technology by investing in the best gadgets for your home. Some of the basics include a high-quality, HD television, surround sound speakers, and a games console that can bring the family together. You could even decide to dedicate a part of your home to your love for technology by creating a high-tech entertainment room. However, gadgets can also help you to complete the most mundane tasks out there, with voice assistants and smart tech such as smart ovens, locks, and vacuum cleaners helping you to lead a more relaxed life.
Go on a Tech Vacation
You can even make technology a large part of your vacation. Not only can you take tech with you in the form of tablets to watch movies on and portable games consoles, but there are also many destinations around the world that can help you to immerse yourself within the world of tech and to learn more about the latest technology. These destinations can make you feel as if you have been blasted into the future, although, if you don’t want to travel as far as the future, a vacation to Disney World can offer you the chance to spend a day in Tomorrowland.
Combine Tech and Family Time
Although tech time and family time can often seem like they are entirely separate slots in your schedule, this is not the case. Instead, there are many tech-related activities that you can do as a family, from watching a movie or playing a game together, to creating tech quizzes and doing tech craft projects together.
Go on a Tech-Savvy Day Trip
There are also many tech-savvy day trips that you can go on if your family can’t get enough of technology. These include trips to science museums, which often have technology exhibitions, as well as tours around tech sites, such as nuclear bunkers and even space-related locations. Going on day trips can allow you to visit the places where discoveries were made and see tech history in action.
Village life isn’t for everyone! You know exactly what the community has been up to, and secrets are hard to keep. Then, there is the lack of amenities to contend with. If you are lucky, you’ll have a quaint pub and perhaps a village shop. Shockingly, this tiny convenience store stocks everything and it’s more surprising when your requested item is not available. Merek’s Market captures this small town mentality within its hectic action.
Developed and published by Big Village Games, this is a medieval solo and cooperative crafting title. Like the market-leading Moving Out or Overcooked, Merek’s Market relies upon teamwork and a cool demeanour to be successful.
He’s at the centre of all the action.
Merek’s Market is funny and will test your ability to plan.
Like its peers, Merek’s Market tests your ability to plan. You must learn to best utilise the surrounding space to serve as many customers as possible. Slow work or mistakes are costly and errors will downgrade your final score. You must follow recipes, collecting the correct ingredients while using different workstations. The orders come in thick and fast and you must prioritise crafting, selling, and haggling however you see fit.
As the game progresses, Merek’s shop expands, perks are unlocked, and new blueprints for crafting are awarded. The gameplay quickly evolves from being a fun and easy to manage experience to a full-blown headache-inducing menace. You’ll contend with ill-tempered customers, faulty equipment, haggling, and special orders. It can get messy pretty quickly, but the gameplay rarely becomes tedious and you will chuckle thanks to Merek’s amusing ways.
The cutscenes and his relationship with his customers are hilarious to watch. These wonderful bits of cinematic are a welcome break from the fast-paced action, and they usually indicate a new mechanic or special event. The pace and delivery of new elements were well-thought-out and created amusing moments.
Even jesters want to haggle.
Read the clues and remember the recipes.
Merek’s Market will get under your skin as it tests your memory at every stage. If you are happy to receive a low score and simplify matters, you can refer to the recipe book throughout. However, if you wish to speed things up and receive the highest score, you must memorise a ridiculous amount of recipes. Matters quickly get out of hand and you’ll mix incorrect ingredients, use the wrong tools, and mess up repeatedly. It was fantastic fun and this unique approach made it stand out from its peers.
A market would be soulless if you couldn’t haggle and fortunately, Merek’s Market has this covered. Customers reel off a vast amount of information regarding the item they want and the amount of money they have. You must choose what to sell them, decide on your price, and hope they agree. If they don’t, well, it’s haggling time and you have to be careful not to upset them. Like the memory element, this was equally fantastic. I loved the additional challenges it created, and I especially enjoyed kicking out time wasters.
Merek’s Market looks good, runs smoothly, and captures the medieval theme well.
This genre has progressively become a fun and polished arena that keeps improving. Merek’s Market is up there with the best titles, with its crisp and well-finished presentation. The isometric viewpoint and earthy colour palette make following the action pleasurable. The cartoon art style is what I expected, and the imagery worked well with the comical undertones. The constant supply of people and back-and-forth movements could have made it a juddery mess. Fortunately, this wasn’t the case. The gameplay is smooth and even when things got out of hand; I experienced no issues.
The medieval theme continues in the fun and lively audio. The acting will win no Oscars, but I enjoyed the comical one-liners, nonetheless. The soundtrack is interesting to listen to and supports the madness perfectly. I loved the sound effects but expected them to be less realistic and to be more whimsical. This mattered not, as both the visual and audio presentations were completed to a high standard.
Couch co-op at its best.
The easiest game to play in the genre.
I’ve played and reviewed most of this genre and I was surprised by how easy this was to play. Usually, I’m concerned that the controls are clumsy or physics-based mechanics are implemented. Fortunately, neither of these things was true of Merek’s Market and it was a pleasure to play immediately. With a few buttons to memorise and a gentle learning curve, this is mastered in no time.
Thanks to its approachable gameplay, solo and cooperative action, and thorough achievement list, this has ample replay value. Fifty levels stand between you and completion, and every stage is ranked from bronze to gold. To increase longevity, the couch co-op mode has a full adventure for you to enjoy with friends. This additional section was a pleasant surprise, and I thoroughly enjoyed falling out with friends and family while serving the whole town.
Merek’s Market competes with the genre’s leading titles.
In such a competitive marketplace, it’s hard to stand out. Luckily, Merek’s Market has done just that thanks to its unique approach and moreish gameplay. Its wonderful cartoon style, comical audio, excellent single and co-op game modes, and approachable mechanics means it competes with the genre’s leading titles. I loved it and recommend you to buy it here! Open a shop, craft exactly what the customer wants, and get rich in the process.
Tennis Manager 2021 is for all lovers of tennis, but especially for those with an interest in the technical side. You can expect detailed tabs filled with every bit of information, vital or otherwise. Players to keep happy and fit, and a board to impress.
This summary might be what you’d expect from a sport management simulator. However, if I look at a more general manager, like FIFA’s career manager mode. Then Tennis Manager 2021 stands out with how in-depth it’s systems are. Even if you can’t play the matches yourself.
What Kind of Manager Will You Be?
You start out by choosing a Tennis academy, management style and experience level. This gives you attribute points for different areas of expertise in both training and management. You might want to start as a solid communicator who can motivate your players effectively. Or perhaps you’ll role play as a retired star aiming to guide up-and-coming players with your sick backhand and spin techniques. Tennis Manager even gives you the opportunity to create your own academy. Of course this option is for the experienced and confident.
As one would expect you’ll be in control of every aspect of your academy. From players and staff, to press conferences, facilities and finance. But while you may be in control you have people depending on you and people to answer to.
Everyone Wants Something
Your coaches and trainers rely on you to place them in positions where they’ll be the most effective. And to divide up responsibilities evenly so that no one is overworked. Players have goals and ambitions, and they’ll need your guidance to achieve them. They’ve also got contracts for sponsorship deals you can oversee. But above all is your key player. This is the star of your academy who leads the way to winning big tournaments and increasing both the revenue and reputation of the academy. They’ll be your main focus and you’ll be spending the majority of your time working with and thinking about them. Of course, all players will need your attention, but the success of your key player is one of the most important aspects of the season.
And then there’s the board. This group, headed by the board director will also set a handful of seasonal goals for you, from reaching a set financial balance, to recruiting and improving players.
You’ve Got Options
There will be a lot of tabs to switch between and a lot of things to keep track of. The tournaments each of your players participate in should be chosen carefully according to their skill level and surface type. Planning training beforehand and between is also important. You want your player to improve each week, but at the same time do not want to overwork them. There are preset training routines, but Tennis Manager allows you to be very specific about what you’ll be doing every session.
You can also switch up your player’s game plan according to their opponent. Exploiting their weaknesses and employing drop shots, spins, or approaching the net when the opposing player is less comfortable with that. While you can only set other players’ game plans before a match, if you so choose. You watch your key players’ matches live and can adapt to an opponent’s style mid game.
As your key player is your biggest focus, you’ll be attending all of their matches. This allows you to read an overview of their opponent and their style and adapt your plan accordingly. Before the match begins you offer some advice, or motivation for your star. However, once the match has begun your work is not finished. You are in control of their intensity levels when they serve, return, and play key points. If their opponent is giving them trouble you can then change the game plan or edit specifics to get things back in your favour. There’s also the option to talk to your player, calming them if they’re getting frustrated or congratulating a well-played set.
Not About the Visuals
These matches can be fairly enjoyable to watch, but they’re not very pretty. You won’t be treated to any particularly pleasant visuals or crowds. The focus is about the management of tennis, and the live matches are so you can guide your key player more realistically. Outside of matches though, the UI for Tennis Manager is very clean and a pleasure to navigate. Nothing is confusing or difficult to find, there are useful help tabs and in this regard it works really well.
Unfortunately you won’t find any music to accompany your career. So you might want to get a playlist or podcast going and have that be your own personal soundtrack.
Overall Tennis Manager 2021 is an in-depth sport management sim that will definitely appeal to both tennis lovers and lovers of sport sims. If you’re looking to play tennis you might be better off elsewhere. But if the technicals are your cup of tea, then jump right in
I’ve always loved skateboarding, but not for the obvious reasons. I enjoy the culture surrounding the sport and the lifelong friendships that form. Whenever a game uses skating at its core, I always give it a go. I’ve lost many hours of my life playing Tony Hawks and Skate, so when I was offered SkateBIRD, I jumped at the chance.
Developed and published by Glass Bottom Games, this is a cute take on the sporting genre. It combines many elements from the great skating franchises with the madness enjoyed in Micro Machines. In short, it’s a crazy colourful title that is lighthearted and fun to play.
Leap and look cool.
SkateBIRD captures the culture perfectly.
I, like most gamers, love a realistic sports title, but there is a time and place when it’s acceptable for this to slip. SkateBIRD has sacrificed its realism but has focused its energy on capturing the culture perfectly. With super cool and interesting characters to interact with, funky sounds, and fascinating levels to explore, every stage is a playground. You’ll leap over boxes, grind edges, spin across chasms, and grab your board at every opportunity. It’s mindless fun that allows you to explore as much as you wish.
Though you are free to do whatever you like, there is a loose story that you must follow to unlock each of the five levels. As the title infers, you are a bird that loves to skateboard, hence SkateBIRD! It’s a little strange, but the hero of this tale takes up the sport for a very good reason. His owner spends his time working and is sad that he has to give up his beloved hobby. The bird begins to board to cheer up his owner and hopes that this will inspire him to start again. His journey takes him to the source of his owner’s sadness! Will he destroy it and “help”, or will he fail his quest? I think we can all agree that this cool and helpful creature is the best pet in the world.
Collectables, mad missions, and rad tricks.
We all play sports games so we can perform at a world-class level. Whether it’s scoring ridiculous goals, a touchdown from 80 yards, or winning an Olympic gold medal, we want to be the best. SkateBIRD allows you to pull off unbelievable tricks while leaping into the air like a salmon. You’ll ride around each stage looking for collectables while completing mad missions and performing rad tricks.
The story evolves through the use of many micro missions. You’ll be required to collect items, perform certain tricks, and unlock windows and doors. Each quest is timed, and this adds a ridiculous amount of pressure. I loved the blend of tasks and this kept the gameplay from becoming stale. Completing each goal was easier said than done, and there were many times that I swore as I failed or fell from a great height.
That bird is sooooooo hot.
Frustrating lows and euphoric highs.
You may be worried that the difficulty made the action tedious and unenjoyable. Fortunately, the gameplay is moreish and the freedom to ignore missions and take in the vibe balances things perfectly. Yes, failing a mission for the nth time was infuriating, but that’s the joy of skating, and the developers got this element just right.
For all its frustrating lows, many highlights made the grind worth every minute. Finally reaching the highest point, or finding the last collectable, was euphoric, and made the hard work extremely rewarding. There was nothing better than landing a combination of tricks to fill your FANCY bar. Once full, you can speed around and leap to heights that were otherwise out of reach. It was a simple mechanic that adds a bit more challenge to an already testing title.
SkateBIRD looks great and offers much variety.
SkateBIRD’s art style is colourful, cheery, and is guaranteed to make you smile. The crisp lines and well-detailed character models were great to look at and moving through each stage was smooth and trouble-free. I enjoyed the variety of stage designs and loved the nod to Micro Machines and the larger-than-life obstacles that you had to avoid. Yet, for all its positives, there were a few negatives. These mainly revolve around the camera angles that blocked your view or made playing incredibly tough. You are free to pan the view as you wish, but this wasn’t always easy when you were travelling at speed.
I’ve mentioned my love of skateboarding culture, and SkateBIRD captures this with its wonderful array of songs. The ska soundtrack, combined with some bizarre tracks about birds, was fantastic to listen to. The music overpowers the rest of the audio and it makes exploring and wasting time a joyous experience.
Never come down.
There’s no easy way to say it….the controls are dreadful.
SkateBIRD has so many positives that it hurts to mention its woeful controls. The poorly devised set-up ruins an otherwise fantastic title. Moving the bird in tight spaces can be woefully painful and you’ll fall off your board as you crash into the scenery repeatedly. It’s enough to make you scream with rage, and I cursed the developers repeatedly for this shortcoming.
If you can get used to the controls, you’ll experience an addictive and relaxing title. With a range of tricks to perform, collectables to find, costumes to collect, and missions to complete, you’ll want to keep playing. Ten plus hours are required to finish this, and completionists will need patience and skill to get every achievement.
SkateBIRD is a refreshing twist on the skateboarding genre.
With so many serious skating titles available, it was refreshing to get a fun game with a touching, yet silly story. I loved the presentation, the variety in stages and missions, and the music. However, the poor controls and occasional poor camera angle can’t be ignored. These shortcomings don’t ruin the game, they simply make it much harder to play. I enjoyed it mostly and recommend you to buy it here! Grab your board, help your owner, and become a cool skateboarding bird.
My video review captured using footage from my Xbox Series X, enjoy!
Fighting games are best suited to an arcade. The fast button slapping and aggressive style work well with the oversized controllers and old-school machines. Yet, I love to play them at home on my console. Omen of Sorrow is the latest fighting game to enter this cramped market place and it captures the classic 2.5D fighting style within its dark and fast-paced action.
Developed by AOne Games and published by Eastasiasoft Limited, this is a fantastic solo and two-player fighting experience. Featuring monsters of horror, literature, and mythology, this is an experience unlike any other. You’ll identify the market-leading influences while enjoying the unique take on this aggressive genre.
Omen of Sorrow oozes style.
Though the gameplay options are limited, what you choose from oozes a horrific and gory style. Each battle is a fine balance between attack, counter, and defence. How you wish to play, and who you select, is your choice, but you must be tactically savvy to win each fight. The gameplay revolves around the classic four-button setup and demands you combine movement and actions to utilise special attacks to overcome your foes.
The basic story doesn’t influence the game too much, and it’s only near the end of the single-player mode that it becomes relevant. A new terror has awakened in the hidden underworld ruled by creatures of the night. You must complete many battles to face this evil abomination and defeat it.
Eye can see what’s happening here.
Limited modes and fantastic characters.
Omen of Sorrow is sadly lacking in gameplay options, you’ll select from; Training, Versus, Online, Survival, and Story mode. Unfortunately, this limits its appeal and impacts longevity. However, what is experienced is wonderful and rivals some of the well-known franchises. I loved the varied backgrounds, the choice of characters and the unique methods of attack.
Each character has its own style of fighting, special moves, and strengths and weaknesses. You can select from Frankenstein’s monster, Quasimodo, Imhotep, and more. The roster of characters was fascinating and there are many styles available. As you progress, you unlock alternative costumes that add little to the game, but they add some much-needed flair.
Story mode.
A short node based expedition that comprises many fights. Your opponents are selected at random and it culminates in the main boss encounter. Each battle is best to two, and your efforts are scored and recorded on a leaderboard.
Survival.
Set across multiple stages and against every character, you must survive twelve, thirty, sixty, and a mystery amount of rounds. If you fail at any point, it’s game over and you must start again.
Verses and Practice.
Here you can brush up your skills, perfect your moves, take on the CPU or play against friends. It’s mindless arcade fun and allows you to jump straight into the action.
Online.
You can play friendly or ranked matches to be crowned the best in the world. Success here is not easy and the greatest players don’t hold back.
Don’t mess with the dark powers.
Omen of Sorrow is oppressive, sorrowful, looks great, and runs smoothly.
With monsters, horror, and mythology at its heart, it was always going to have an oppressive and sorrowful look. Yet, I was surprised by how great it looked and how smoothly it ran. Each character has a comic book style cinematic that was crisp and interesting to observe. The action flowed nicely, no matter how hectic the fights got, and I experienced no frame rate issues. I adored the different stages, the varied locations and the gothic style. I didn’t expect it to be so dark and sinister, and I was pleasantly surprised.
The audio matched the visuals perfectly with its classic sombre tones and heavy soundtrack. The high adrenaline tunes spur you on to fight no matter the cost. This was supported further by the aggressive sound effects. Grunts, slaps, and screaming are all commonplace, and it was fantastic.
Surely they’re freezing?
Warm those fingers up, as you’re going to bash that controller.
Fighting games are about skill, agility, tactics, and dexterity. The greatest players master each of these areas and destroy anyone that doesn’t. Using only four buttons and an array of special attacks and combos, you’ll whack the buttons like crazy as you try to win each battle.
Because of its limited game modes, Omen of Sorrow has limited replay value and longevity. If you love the genre, you’ll fight for hours. However, a casual player will tire of its repetition quickly. Completionists must invest lots of time to finish this, and this reduces its appeal further, still.
Omen of Sorrow is an excellent addition to a congested market.
It’s a brave move to try to muscle in on such a congested market, but Omen of Sorrow has done a great job. Its bizarre blend of characters, excellent attacks, varied locations, and wonderful aesthetics make it stand out. Sadly, though, it’s repetitive and will offer limited appeal for casual gamers. However, I liked it and recommend you to buy it here! Select a fighter, battle your foes, and remove the new terror that threatens your land.
My video review with footage captured from my Xbox Series X, enjoy!
A grumpy anti-hero snail is hardly the type of protagonist you’d expect to lead up a hit of 2021, but this year is full of surprises and indie top-down action-adventure title Clid the Snail does a great job subverting your expectations.
Within a world of citadels divided by species, reckless and gun-toting Clid finds himself expelled from his own and cast into the cold, war-stricken world with his firefly partner, Belu. Luckily for them, they chance upon a group of fellow outcasts aiming to rid the world of the evil slugs terrorizing it; a samurai frog, a blacksmith hedgehog, and a bat that uses earphones to talk are just a few of the unique and mysterious characters that provide great storytelling and expand this entertaining world.
Such is the intrigue provided by the conceit that I felt compelled to speak to each character at each step of the story, simply to avoid missing any amusing tidbits or background-filling story that might come with it you simply don’t know what’s coming next.
The story of course contributes to this, as you never quite feel confident that your surroundings will remain the same for long, but the whole game makes you feel this way, with a variety in level features and weapon mechanics which can just as easily have you destroying a slug lair in survival type sections with waves of enemies or puzzle sections that need to be solved with your selection of weapons and their unique characteristics.
Framing the presentation is a very appealing art style and an isometric camera angle that conveys the atmosphere of small creatures surviving in a world of humans described as ‘giants’. Whether it’s the smooth animation of grass as the wind blows through it, the blurring of the isometric-view camera to convey the feeling of size or the discarded human items that are being used in the team’s base as furniture, the presentation is a joy to experience.
The legendary group of outcasts consisting of great characters one and all. Notice the mixed CD on the table and the bar in the background. The details, both large and small are awesome.
Beautifully detailed levels, while admittedly small, imbue personality in its unique residents such as a futuristic cyberpunk city inhabited by technology-obsessed fish and frozen tundra by rabbits. Joining your team outcasts to help these creatures is not simply a case of search and destroy, you also need them to pay up the reward they offer you to rid them of their slug problem.
Furthermore, this snail has some bite to go along with its bark and brings the overall package together excellently with great action gameplay. Your eventual arsenal of weapons, which are large enough in number for a small army, is always introducing something new to introduce to your elongated eyeballs, but more importantly, they are very satisfying to use.
Your main weapon is a laser-guided beast that when unleashed at full charge will explode all but the largest of enemies in a glorious shower of blood and body parts that can see you roll enemy body parts down stairs and off paths – it’s far more amusing and less morbid than it sounds and makes perfect sense that its caused by our gruff protagonist.
“What the shell?”
Supplanting your all manner of death-dolling weapon is yet another instrument that can be used to best take advantage of your situation and in this case, is your natural protection – your shell – which can house some pretty epic special moves such as missiles for airstrikes and electric shocks.
These weapons are not only great for defeating the enemy but they are also used in the game’s puzzles which are specific to the area that you are in, such as a lightning gun that can charge mobile phone batteries and flame throwers that can melt frozen areas and divert lasers. An honorable mention must also be made for the little robots that can fight alongside you like a personal guard dog, that most importantly, you can stroke – good developer.
Use your weapon to charge your phone. Because it always runs out at the most inopportune moments.
The main downside to this title is not that it’s particularly missing anything essential nor did it include anything egregiously bad – it’s simply not as long as you want it to be. The game’s linear nature means there’s little to do other than follow the story and there isn’t anything particularly different to do in a second 6-7 hour playthrough, but despite this, considering how enjoyable the playthrough was – like a rollercoaster ride you enjoy repeatedly because you know its features – you wouldn’t require too much of a push to encourage you to jump straight back in for another round. It’s just a shame that you can’t carry over all your acquired weapons that can only be acquired deeper in the story.
There are some smaller things that could have been improved, such as slightly stupid AI that means that in enclosed areas with obstacles you can pretty much run in circles to avoid enemies and the gibberish voices take some getting used to, but overall there is little to grumble about here as even these minor issues are minor are overshadowed by some of the game’s better features such as the personalities of the characters and the unique boss fights that require quick thinking and various tactics.
Creating a subdued and melancholic mood from the go the soundtrack, like the game itself, starts slowly, and might make you think that the small developer use of philosophers names for snails was showing signs of pretentiousness and misplaced concepts, but the atmosphere of its colorful world where blood and guts, witty comments and world-shaking events are an everyday occurrence, bringing you right around and by the end, positively steals the show.
Clid the Snail ticks so many boxes with its enjoyable action, great visuals and dark narrative that not even my general dislike for gibberish audio and its short play length can affect my enjoyment of it. Therefore I can only keep my fingers crossed there’s more to come from indie developer Weird Beluga Studio as there is a risk that this unique title flies under the radar, but nonetheless, this well-made adventure is one of the better indie Playstation titles and deserves a look.
1080P HD + SUPERIOR NIGHT VISION 1080P HD camera lens and two 940nm infrared LEDs. Night vision up to 32ft (10m) in pitch-black. Optional status light.
360 °MOTION TRACKING Automatically senses and tracks the action in your home in full 360°. Nooie Cam 360 has a 101°field of view — rotates 355°horizontally and 94°vertically. Pan and tilt easily with the Nooie Cam App.
MOTION + SOUND DETECTION, TWO-WAY AUDIO Live streaming 24/7 with real-time motion and sound alerts. Listen and talk to family or pets with built-in anti-noise mic and speaker.
STYLISH, INTUITIVE, EASY SETUP Camera and app are easy to install, simple to control, and a breeze to maintain. Compatible with 2.4GHz WiFI network. Download app from App Store or Google Play. Works with Alexa/ Google Home.
SECURE DATA & STORAGE Continuous or motion-detected recording options. Multiple security protocols to keep your data and privacy secure. Continuous or motion-detected recording options. Micro SD card (buy separately) or cloud subscription service (sign up via Nooie Cam App).
What’s in the box?
The box contains the Cam, a manual and set of stickers, power cable and plug, microSD card, mounting plate and screws.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The Nooie Cam 360 is small and lightweight. You can easily place it one a desk, a shelf or even fit it to the wall or ceiling using the mount and screws that come in the box.
Setting up the Nooie Cam 360 is really simple – just download the Nooie app and follow the instructions. The cam is then ready to be used. You can control the cam from the app and then have it just do it’s thing – it’s all very simple. You can even take screenshots and record manually if you need to.
The camera itself is on a swivel base so can you control the movement of the camera left, right, up or down. It also records audio if you want and enables you to speak through it if you need.
There is a microSD card included in the box, which is very helpful – usually you have to buy one separately. You can also set up the card to automatically overwrite when it gets full meaning you will always have the latest recording. You can also subscribe to the Cloud service which will upload and securely store your recordings for 7 days. This is worth considering as the only other footage is stored on the camera itself.
The camera quality if very good, especially for a camera with such as low price point. It even works very well in night vision mode. There are various options you can set on the cam, including motion tracking if you need it, and it works very well.
You can also use Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant third-party controls if you want to include them in your existing ecosystem.
If you are in the market for a good quality security camera at a great price, then take a look at the Nooie Cam 360.
The Nooie Cam 360 is available now priced around £39.
We have all at one time use a biro to doodle something when our mind wondered or work, school or just the phone call we are on happens to be a little on the dull side. Those doodles would only live on the page, but what if those doodles were to come to life and tell an emotional story as well as fun puzzle solving experience? Well then you would have the delightful and rather lovely game in ‘Inked: A Tale of Love’.
As I continue my journey into gaming on the Nintendo Switch, I have really started to rekindle my love of deceptively simple looking Indie titles, and this is certainly one I am adding to the “so pleased I have a Switch console’ list. Inked: A Tale of Love places you the player, as the ‘Nameless Hero’, a Samurai Ronin type character who has reached the end of their fighting days, so much that the opening scene is this hero putting down his sword for the last time now that all the battles he faced are over. We watch as he joins his wife Aiko, a woman who is dearly in touch with the wildlife of their world and very much the focus on the Nameless Hero’s devotion and love. They are suddenly faced with a sick bird, and Aiko so desperate to find out why the bird is so sick, encourages her husband to open a portal for them to travel through to discover what is happening to their world.
Two of the elements that have an immediate impact the moment you start this game are naturally the visual art style and the music. The art style is striking with a pure paper white background with every drawn in clearly blue biro pen style lines and shading that give this world a 3D aspect in its 2D setting. Combined with an astonishing beautiful musical score that brings it all to life just so effortlessly that it never made a difference playing this game in handheld or when docked to the bigger TV Screen which is something I truly welcomed with his game as it quickly became an experience I wanted to take on the move with me, and it helped with the couple of instance of having to wait a few hours for a hospital appointment that was delayed to the point I never noticed the two hours that vanished as I played the story.
Storytelling is very much the core strength to Inked and the heart of that lies in this being a very welcoming puzzle game which is introduced during the prologue as our Nameless Hero accompanies his wife Aiko on a simple walk which requires the player to move 3D objects to complete the pathways on which they must walk as Aiko is carrying her paintings of the wildlife she clearly adores back home. This section also replaces the sword the Ronin would usually carry but now put down, with the giant paint brush Aiko uses instead. This interaction with the world is key as Aiko is carried away all Mary Poppins umbrella style suddenly and we must guide the Nameless Hero as he tries to follow and rescue her.
Whilst the puzzles never become too difficult to solve, they do require thought as they cycle through the usual moving of objects to activating pressure plates and switches to continue to progress through the world. The clever design of each section prevents the rotation of these sections becoming too boring and there is a genuine satisfaction once you have solved a puzzle and you are able to move on. Due to the solutions being often rather obvious or the more mechanical based puzzles never being too demanding or difficult, it allows the pacing to be maintained so you the player always have the sense you are moving forward and even if you do become stuck on a puzzle, the solution will present itself rather quickly. If you are a casual puzzle fan or perhaps even someone who has been put off by puzzle sections in other games, Inked hits just the right balance to keep the enjoyment going.
The story also has very clever twists such as the moment after becoming so immersed in the world and storytelling that when a pair of human hands appeared on screen to draw an object, I needed to solve a puzzle, it took me completely by surprise. This added a whole other level to the storytelling with some very clever 4th wall breaking as we are so used to just being in the story that we do forget what it takes to create the world and story we are in, which in this case happens to be the artist who has created this world for us to be in now very much being a character in the story itself. Without providing any spoilers, the way in which the story of the Nameless Hero connects or more reveals the story of the person who drew the world in the first place is a very touching one, making Inked even more of a special game to play.
Inked: A Tale of Love strikes the right balance on so many factors that make this such an incredible game to experience. It has a puzzle system designed to be challenging at times for some but never in a way that hinders progress for players which in turn prevents that level of frustration that can be very off putting when hitting that puzzle stumbling block. The visual style is comforting in its simplicity but establishes a world so full of wonder and life and having the interaction of the “artist” who drew that world popping in on screen never feels out of place once you understand why this pair of hands suddenly appears in the world. The music is elegant and exquisitely binds all the aspects together making this really a must have story experience for Nintendo Switch as the switch from playing in TV mode to taking this game on the move with you is just so seamless.
This has been one of the stand out game experiences I have had yet on the Nintendo Switch and just reaffirms how brilliant indie games can be, a game for those who love a good story but also for those who enjoy a satisfying puzzle game without it requiring a Mastermind to find the solution.
Hardcore games attract a niche and insane audience. I understand the desire to complete brutally hard titles, but normally I give them a wide birth. Gaming is supposed to be relaxing, yet these tough experiences are anything but. Struggling is a game that will punish you at every opportunity and make you scream with rage!
Developed by Chasing Rats Games and published by Frontier Foundry, this is a tough physics-based platform title. With a loose story to enjoy and a meaty and gross protagonist, this isn’t a game for the faint of heart. My fears of rage quitting, swearing repeatedly, and hating life came true instantly, yet I couldn’t put down this difficult endeavour.
What a beautiful creature.
Struggling by name, Struggling by nature.
Hatred is a strong word, but I spent much of my time hating the developers. Their disgustingly brilliant title will have you sweating, screaming, and failing repeatedly! It’s a dream for sadomasochistic people and one that made me wince repeatedly. The irony that its name matches its difficulty wasn’t lost on me, but yet I didn’t want to put it down.
Played as a solo or couch co-op title, you control a meaty blob called Troy. It’s an experimental beast that is horrendous to look at. The entity is formed of conjoined twins that have one working arm each. This blob-like creature must explore by grabbing surfaces, swinging from ceilings, and rolling around. The gameplay evolves as you progress, and new abilities are learned that add further challenges.
Don’t let the nuclear waste drip on you.
Puzzles, platforms, and physics-based madness.
I don’t mind when a title has difficult elements. In fact, I enjoy the challenge. However, when every mechanic is unfairly difficult, it leaves a sour taste in your mouth. This is pretty much Struggling in a nutshell….it’s just too tough. Though you’ll curse your luck repeatedly, you’ll love the stage design and the ways you traverse the landscape. You’ll avoid spikey blobs, push scientists into the abyss, swing over nuclear waste, ride a motorcycle, and more. There are boss fights to endure, puzzles to solve, platforms to cross, and plenty of physics-based madness.
Yet, it’s the latter element that hurts Struggling so much! The controls are tough, and Troy ties himself into knots repeatedly. You begin by controlling just his arms, and this evolves into the ability to detach them. This causes each arm to become entangled and creates an unforgiving mess. What should be simple to work with isn’t, and it will make you grind your teeth and become enraged.
This sadly knocks on to impact the puzzle and platforming elements. Moving items or bridging gaps is easier said than done, and you’ll be morally deflated throughout. As a solo player, you’ll have fun if you can battle through the tough gameplay. Yet, as a team, it is more forgiving if you can work together and use good communication.
Struggling is graphically brilliant but grotesque.
Struggling is awful to look at because of its gory meaty theme. However, once you become accustomed to its grotesque ways, you’ll love its striking style and 80s cartoon aesthetic. I adored the vivid landscapes, the variety of worlds, and the disgusting images. If the gameplay wasn’t so tough, I’d have spent longer admiring the scenery. Sadly, you’ll spend hours with your head in your hands repeating the same sections.
The agonising brutality of the action is alleviated by the excellent audio and comical sound effects. The wonderful soundtrack enhances this weird title and distracts you from an otherwise tortuous experience. The pain is reduced further thanks to the hilarious noises that flow from Troy’s mouth. With agonising screams and weird shrieks, you’ll chuckle just before you rage quit.
Nice to see you branching out.
Controls that’ll bring tears to your eyes.
Struggling had me grinding my teeth, and constantly on edge, thanks to its controls. I despised them from the off and never got used to them. Sadly, they taint the experience and made the simplest of tasks much harder. Moving at speed is nearly impossible, and swinging across gaps is a fine art. However, when you are successful, the sense of achievement is euphoric, and it makes the struggle worth it. The action is controlled using the two analogue sticks, and when new abilities are added, you must remember an array of buttons that add to the complex gameplay.
If you are brave enough to get through every level, you are a better person than me. Its difficulty will put off many gamers, but for those that stick with it, you’ll experience interesting levels and challenging puzzles. There is an array of hats to be found, and these add to the replay value and force you to explore each stage. Alongside this, you have a tough achievement list that will make the best players cry. If you finish this, add it to your CV as one of your greatest successes.
Struggling is great, it’s just too difficult.
The keyword of this review is difficult, and that’s the lasting impression Struggling gave me. Yes, I loved the audio, the horrific and striking graphics, and the boss battles, but it always felt unfair. It will attract those crazy gamers who love to brag about their completion rate, but lesser players will be put off. I can’t say I enjoyed it, but I admire its style and recommend that you buy it here! Can you help Troy across each level without smashing your controller? I doubt it, but it’s worth a try.
