Review: Necromunda: Hired Gun

Christopher McNally
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Review: Necromunda: Hired Gun

Necromunda: Hired Gun is a first person shooter set in the darkest fathoms of Warhammer 40,000’s most famous hive city, For the uninitiated a hive city is basically a self contained area occupied by humans somewhat like a beehive. Within Necromunda: Hired Gun you are a bounty hunter who picks their contracts and hunt them until you get the reward. In what could be quite a lonely existence amongst all the killing you are lucky enough to have a companion, a dog to help you with your hunting, a dog you can……. upgrade!

The general plot of Necromunda: Hired Gun revolves around you playing as a mercenary who is trying to unravel a conspiracy involving one of the most powerful and organised gangs in Necromunda. The story starts of interestingly enough but after an hour or so you sort of lose the plot to an extent as it just doesn’t hold your attention a great deal whilst many of the characters are pretty forgettable. In between the missions which are set in a pretty linear way you can have some downtime and upgrade various attributes to help you kill more quickly, imagine Doom but with a lot more customisable skills.

In Necromunda: Hired Gun you spend a lot of time running and gunning, this is a very bloody and gore induced game. The actual violence and action is quite a lot of fun as you jump across large gaps using your hook or run along walls to your hearts content firing into hordes of enemies, some from Warhammer 40,000 lore. The weaponry on offer is suitable entertaining to use but the close up one hit kill is probably one you’ll use because you’ll be invincible whilst you perform it, which is especially useful when other enemies see you. Whether that invincibility was meant is up for discussion because it will often result in enemies running up to you unable to kill you, so when you perform one up close kill you just perform another. The enemy AI doesn’t have a lot going for it, they seem to have zero tactics and will just run close to you shooting, you won’t need to play much hide and seek to find them. There is a dog you can upgrade with cyber technology and it’s pretty useful in finding enemies and damaging them.

There are side missions you can take part in that are designed to help you garner more loot but they are not much deeper than killer a certain amount of enemies within a level you’ve already travelled through. the loot and credits allow you to either upgrade your various abilities or buy new weapons. This adds an RPG element to Necromunda: Hired Gun which some may find involving but you’ll find you don’t need to upgrade much because it doesn’t really matter as most are easy kills. The campaign in Necromunda: Hired Gun is fairly short whilst the ending lacks a fair bit of fanfare you may ask what was the point of it all.

Graphically Necromunda: Hired Gun gives a perfect dystopian perspective, all the mission environments look fantastic and suit the Warhammer 40,000 history it operates in. Art wise Necromunda: Hired Gun pulls you in with it’s dark and dingy world. On the PS4 I vary rarely have to experience clipping or a slowed down framerate, unfortunately Necromunda: Hired Gun suffers more than its fair share which is big shame, it’s not something I expect in 2021. Generally the sound in each mission is pretty scene setting. The dialogue and voice acting is a bit on the bland side, that probably explains why so many of the characters you come across are not engaging.

Necromunda: Hired Gun could have been a very good and extremely fun first person shooter, however there are a number of technical issues and forgettable characters which hinder it somewhat. If you’re looking for a no frills shooter then Necromunda: Hired Gun will keep you interested for a few hours, if you’re looking for something deeper and more challenging then Necromunda: Hired Gun will have you shooting blanks.

Review: Dragon’s Crown Pro

Alex Chessun
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Review: Dragon’s Crown Pro

Tis the season to be re-releasin’.

Throwing its hat back into the ring is Dragons Crown Pro, a 2D beat ’em up – a fantasy RPG version of Streets of Rage if you will – with addictive action and great 2D visuals, but does it hold up to the 2013 PS3 and PS Vita version and does it justify a repurchase for fans of the original?

Well, yes and no.    

First of all – and I say this as a hands-up disclaimer in every fantasy game review I’ve written – fantasy is not my cup of tea. It does not get me out of my seat and it does not grab my attention. Some games have overcome my general dislike of these stories with other aspects that excel – with enjoyable gameplay mechanics (i.e. Dragon Star Varnir) or character-led stories that it creates immersion or context, but most fall down the slippery slope of a repetitive story with characters whose entire personality consist of their role (i.e. a Knight or Wizard). This facet is something some enjoy, but for me is only a face a mother could love.

With that in mind, the story to restore the glory of a castle and land regardless of your chosen character is already stale and then made worse by a narrator commentating on the main character’s actions in the past tense ruining any feeling of freedom of choice or character building during the proceedings, even though you do have some – to a degree – with side missions and the occasional situational choice.

Commanding our ‘helper’ to open the door with the PS4 touchpad button. A nice touch.

Thankfully the story isn’t the main draw of the game though, as Dragon’s Crown Pro is an action game first and the core of which is genuinely good fun. With up to 6 characters of different fighting styles to choose from, there is an enticing variety added to the traditional beat ’em up fighting mechanic that can – in short bursts – provide a whale of a time. There is also relative depth in upgrades and up to 4 players can play in your party at the same time whether as CPU help or with 3 friends through local co-op.

While I was initially excited by the thought of 4 characters on my team, this feeling soon changed to slight bemusement as to why so many characters were made playable (and how PS Vita players could see anything at all on their small screens) as it soon becomes difficult to discern who is fighting who during battles too busy with enemies. This feeling is increased two-fold when there are two of the same warrior type on your team as you’ll not only not be able to see your character clearly, but you won’t know which one you are controlling.

Furthermore, this party feature does not allow you to switch characters mid-play (if playing single player) nor does it accrue experience for the felled warriors as they always remain at their experience level and require selecting after each mission. This, once again, makes the characters feel rather worthless within the story.

This limitation aside, the sharp responsive controls allow you to pull off some very satisfying combos – ending a combo of kicks that launch an enemy into the air before finishing them off with an arrow on the way down is awesome enough to keep you wanting to sink into the battle system through the sufficiently deep upgrade system.

When you aren’t sat two inches from your TV screen and when the screen isn’t swamped with minor enemies, it allows you to appreciate the great visuals on offer with a storybook-drawn art style that reminds me of the PS1’s Mickey Mouse and the more recent Cuphead. The huge bosses are the best part of this visual presentation and your battles with them represent the best of the game and cap off the levels with an appropriate level of epicness and sense of achievement.

The Link looking rip-off is the most enjoyable character that I played with.

There are also some interesting gameplay gimmicks in play both during battling gameplay and outside of it. The PS4 controller’s touchpad button can be used to point to and command your slightly useless – but immune to damage – pick locking sidekick to unlock doors and treasure chests. Your town area, where you have access to your standard load-out inn, shops and side mission guild, also has a temple where you can reanimate the bones of felled warriors found in each dungeon. They can be added to your team as you load out to each mission or you can choose to lay their bones to rest and potentially receive an item to act like a greedy grim reaper. Weapons can also be appraised or sold after the finishing of a mission which adds an interesting bit of decision-making as selling them straight away (when unsure of their worth) could be less than if you spend the initially larger appraisal fee and then sell them on afterwards.

These gimmicks perhaps should have been more focused on the battling itself, with co-operative moves between players missing and its online play, deceivingly hidden in the single-player mode, present but barely advertised.

Back to whether or not this game is worth the double-dip, and ultimately, it’s a tough sell as this is a near-exact replica of what has come before adding only a 4k resolution and including cross-play with those already playing online on PS Vita and PS3. Unfortunately, it’s also presented in such a ham-fisted way that it makes you wonder if the developer was even trying.

For those who haven’t played this before though, this is a well-made 2D action beat ’em up ride best suited to a multiplayer experience with friends but, in my mind, doesn’t book itself a place at the roundtable of must-play single-player experiences due to its rather inflexible gameplay mechanics and boring story.

Supernatural sensation WYNONNA EARP Season Four and Complete Seasons 1-4 boxset out now

Andrew Edney
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Supernatural sensation WYNONNA EARP Season Four and Complete Seasons 1-4 boxset out now

Dazzler Media proudly presents the supernatural cult sensation Wynonna Earp: Season Four and the Complete Seasons 1-4 boxset, available on Blu-ray, DVD & Download-to-Own from 5th July. Experience the action from the very beginning!

Based on the popular comic series, Wynonna Earp follows the life of the great-great granddaughter of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp. She inherits his famous gun ‘peacemaker’ and the demon-fighting family curse that comes with it. With the help of her younger sister Waverly, Agent Xavier Dolls, notorious gunslinger Doc Holliday and Officer Nicole Haught, Wynonna must rid her hometown of the Revenants, all 77 of them, to finally break the curse. 

Experience the adventures of Wynonna Earp from the very beginning in this critically acclaimed, supernatural cult smash hit series. 

Dazzler Media presents Wynonna Earp: Season Four on Blu-ray, DVD & Download-to-Own from 5th July

Find it on Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Wynonna-Earp-Season-4-Blu-Ray/dp/B092JXH7QN

Wynonna Earp: Seasons 1-4 boxset also available on Blu-ray & DVD from 5th July

Find it on Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Wynonna-Earp-Season-1-4-Blu-Ray/dp/B092JLCXS8

Review: Onirike

Daniel Waite
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Review: Onirike
https://youtu.be/rdf9BKY7448

Dreams are a weird and wonderful thing. Some of us never remember where our subconscious takes us, and others are lucky to remember each beautiful or horrific moment. Have you ever wondered what happens to the wasted dreams, the ones that have never been seen? This is the narrative of Onirike. It’s a bizarre and creepy title that is both chilling and heartwarming.

Developed by Devilish Games, Spherical Pixel S L and BadLand Publishing and published by the latter two, this is a 3D platformer with a puzzle twist. Set in a surreal landscape, you control a strange creature. He wants to discover the truth about his existence, all while helping the residents of their home called the Orb.

Onirike is extremely unusual.

When a developer uses dreams as their core concept, there is always a risk it will be unusual. Onirike takes every opportunity to push the envelope and creates a strange landscape for you to explore. It’s an open-world game that has a non-linear structure to its narrative. You are free to wander the danger-filled lands, using your powers to avoid enemies while solving the many problems that you face.

You control Prieto, a confused fellow who doesn’t know the power he possesses. He can dash at lightning speed to avoid his foes, and he can also turn invisible. This allows him to use stealth to avoid conflict and to reach otherwise blocked areas. However, each of these abilities comes at a cost, and if Prieto doesn’t plant or collect the flower of the gypsophila plant, he sadly dies.

This isn’t the only problem you face. No, if dawn arrives and you have not found a checkpoint known as a “Memory Stone”, your memory is wiped and all the action for that day is lost. You must stay alert, observing your stats to ensure you only turn invisible when necessary, and you reach a Memory Stone when the time comes.

Time to visit the Putrid zone.

Basic platform elements.

Though the story and core concepts are unique, the platforming elements are well-trodden. Timing jumps, failing platforms, moving bridges, and plenty of collectables make up a familiar setting. However, it doesn’t get boring because of the requirement to be patient, knowing when to turn invisible, and the constant movement of the sun.

Onirike takes you on a journey across some strange locations; A maze filled with minotaurs, a deadly sea that kills you instantly, a miniature village with cardboard people, an enormous volcano, and more. You will explore these areas with the desire to find key fragments to open the Well of Truth. This powerful place will tell you how to keep your memory, but opening the lock is easier said than done.

As you venture around the Orb, you will encounter many foes who desire to take your life. Spiders, wasps, minotaurs, and the Devourers of Souls. You must think fast, use your powers, and have enough seeds to ensure you don’t lose your life. Your enemies hide behind walls and around corners, so you must be prepared to act quickly or you will lose your life repeatedly.

Ever fancied becoming a dentist?

The quests are varied, test your patience, but lack difficulty.

Onirike has tried to blend some light puzzle elements within its gameplay that add a nice layer of variety but doesn’t add difficulty. Most problems are solved with minor amounts of logical thinking and some keen observation skills. You’ll experience many of the same mechanics for each puzzle, but thankfully the settings all differ which prevents them from becoming repetitive.

The puzzles go hand in hand with each quest you must undertake. Whether you are saving the tiny cardboard people to restart a train, dropping pizza slices from the sky, or draining a poisonous ocean, they have a reoccurring theme. Most ask you to work with pressure plates and switches to solve the problems and to make the quest progress. The difficulty doesn’t arise from the puzzles. No, usually, the deadly environment or aggressive enemies hold you up. You are required to think on your feet, to create solutions with your abilities, and to use stealth to your advantage.

This pair talk in riddles.

Onirike has a striking aesthetic.

I’ve played some dark games, but Onirike is something else. The environment and earthy tones make this overbearing and oppressive, ensuring the Orb is a depressing place to explore. The characters add life and colour with their strange dreamlike looks, whereas Prieto has a bizarre puppet-like appearance that is creepy to look at. The NPCs are equally strange and the weirdness enhances the surreal nature of this dream world.

Each portion of the Orb is well designed, offering something different. The claustrophobic maze is difficult to navigate, the volcano is laced with danger, and the memory stone transports you to the wonderful gypsophila fields. The bright endless field represents hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

The audio is equally strange, with eerie sounds and haunting music playing throughout. Each of the creatures shrieks and screams, filling you with fear. The story is punctuated with cutscenes and plenty of narration. The fairytale style is in keeping with the overall theme and was well delivered, mostly. Subtitles help you read along, but oddly they don’t match up with the dialogue. It was strange but didn’t impact the gameplay.

Where it all begins.

The camera is clumsy.

The simplicity of the game is reflected in the basic control setup. A well laid out mapping makes it easy to pick up and play even when new mechanics are added. You have control over the camera at all times, but it’s clumsy to use. Until you get used to it, you’ll crash into platforms, get caught by your enemies, and fall to your death. However, once you’ve mastered it, you’ll love exploring the Orb, taking in all it offers.

Open world adventure games usually offer a lot of replay value. Onirike follows this trend because of its non-linear style and the gypsophila spores that you must collect. Hundreds of these glowing dots are hidden around the Orb and you must collect them all if you wish to complete the game. With different quests to undertake and a large world to explore, this will keep you coming back for more.

Onirike: a weird but wonderful adventure.

If you, like me, don’t remember your dreams, now’s your chance to live through one repeatedly. With creepy aesthetics, a wonderfully bizarre story, and beautiful and horrendous characters to interact with, this is part dream and part nightmare. I loved it and recommend you to buy it here! Time is not on your side, and your memory is poor. Can you collect the key fragments to open the Well of Truth, or will you be stuck in this nightmare cycle forever? 

Review: Say No! More

Wil Raterman
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Review: Say No! More

Tired of toxic office environments? Are you being pushed to the edge without recognition or respect? Don’t want to be a “Yes” person anymore? Studio Fizbin, and Lux Games may have the right answer, then. Say No! More is, as the developers put it, the World’s first ever NPG (No-Playing Game). Customize your gender-friendly player and choose the language you want to hear “No!” in. Go on tirades from the bottom level, and climb your way up the corporate chain rejecting and refusing demands of all sizes. On paper this narrative title holds the recipe for a great playthrough. However, Say No! More is a bit of a one trick pony that won’t be funny to everyone, but it may lift some spirits for those with a little social anxiety.

The Magic Word

Getting some real Katamari Damacy vibes here

You begin the story as an intern at a some corporate office job, and immediately get your lunchbox taken by your new supervisor on day one. The workplace is vile and everyone is at each others’ throats for their own personal and professional gain. After being shown your workspace, you pick up a cassette tape and listen to some evangelical being tell you that it’s time to say no! With this new confidence begins the actual gameplay, broken up into 8 chapters. Say No! More is like a rail shooter almost, where you’re taken from one interaction to another finding new ways to say no!

“Grab me coffee please?”

“NO!”

“Fix the Printer, intern!”

“Nnnnoooooo!”

Is there any underlying issue about the message from this game?

And that’s the entire game, literally. There is no way to fail each confrontation. Just go A to B and follow the story. There may be a conversation where saying nothing is the best option, but that’s about it. You could theoretically blast through portions of the game saying the same firm “no!” the entire time without trying new ways. For experienced gamers, this playthrough will be a slog. Especially if the player doesn’t enjoy the story or get the humor.

Saying “No!” In Style

Since this is in-fact a story driven narrative, for those who want a light-hearted and easy experience this may be the right fit. The music pushes the positive message well, and the art style is clean and fun, albeit a bit strange and cringe at times. The characters walk funny and their faces are a bit creepy. If creating a sense of awkwardness was the developers’ main goal then I declare a job well done in this regard. For the use of simple voxels, Say No! More really does feel like it has it’s own swagger about it. There’s not really another game like this one.

Choose which expressions fit your demeanor the best to say no!

For a game with such simple mechanics, the character creation has a lot of options to fully realize your protagonist. You can choose which creepy face to roll with, or whether to rock overalls, or a leather jacket. Modern offices have a relatively relaxed dress code these days, so kudos to the game for being with the times.

Bottom Line

While I appreciate the attempt at a quirky new take on narrative games, I personally didn’t find the humor all that good, though the subject matter was very relatable. The first couple of chapters were entertaining enough, but the rest of the playthrough dragged on a bit, even though it’s only like a 1.5 hour story. If you’re not hooked from the beginning, you won’t find much the rest of the way. That’s not to say it’s a bad game, however. There are many out there who have praised and said good things about Say No! More. I apparently fall into the category of the players who just didn’t seem to get it, and for that I will say No [thank you]!

Review: Winds of Change

Charles Ombler
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Review: Winds of Change

This review has caused me difficulties. There’s a thing. The Thing. I can’t decide whether or not to talk about The Thing (for clarity: it’s a topic from the game which merits referring to with capital T-capital T, not to be confused with Ben Grimm from the Fantastic Four). The Thing in question is fairly obvious from the screenshots surrounding this review and is used in a lot of the marketing for the game – the rather ‘distinctive’ art style, shall we say. While I understand that The Thing is inherently absolutely non-sexual, there are some associated sexual themes which it’s difficult to untangle and Winds of Change goes in a direction that leans into those themes at points. In an effort to avoid tarnishing the family-friendly non-sweary reputation of this particular reviewer, I’ve decided to go for this hopefully humourous and non-judgemental euphemistic approach as a bit of a balancing act which I hope isn’t pushing me too far into sounding like a prude and shaming people for their interests or even kink-shaming at an extreme.

Those efforts might have been in vain, however, as I’ve used the phrases ‘sexual themes’ and ‘kink-shaming’ in this opening paragraph, so the USS Family Friendly might have already sailed.

Winds of Change is a visual novel with a branching narrative that’s as grand and intricate as the great tree Yggdrasil. You play as the last Seer and it’s your job to use the gifts granted to you by the spirits to ensure peace and good prevail in the world of Alestia. You’ll do this by leading a rebellion against the Triumvirate, the sinister faction that leads the kingdom. In a fully voiced (by some seriously talented voice actors) story, you’ll explore a vibrant and detailed world and make decisions that will set Alestia on a path to a brighter tomorrow, building relationships along the way.

The core gameplay is dialogue choice based, with the novel playing out in front of you until you have a choice to make – standard interactive novel stuff, nobody is expecting a Devil May Cry hack-and-slash combat system from a game like this and those who are will be sorely disappointed thanks to their insane expectations. But beyond the main branching narrative there are a few other ways that you can interact with the game, to save it from the interactive novel pitfall of becoming a wall of text with a choice every twenty screens. There’s a map for you to direct your character towards the next bit of story and to give the game world a little more realism. There are some point-and-click areas with some side dialogue and world-building mixed in with The Item You Need To Click On To Progress The Story. You can get some additional optional perspectives on areas and events by seeing them from the perspective of your companions and you’ll also build relationships with those companions, as well as influencing the story, by your choices in the rest of the game.

Speaking of relationships, this is where The Thing moves from being an interesting and family-friendly genre choice to pushing into a more connotationally-laden area. You can 100% romance your way through your companions in the story, with ‘romance’ being a term for the system that’s earned the game a ‘Sexual Themes’ warning in the ESBR rating. On the really positive side, you can romance companions regardless of your/their gender as it’s always great to see no enforced heterosexuality in a game driven by the player’s choices. For me though, considering the heavy theming of the game towards The Thing, the romance system shifts Winds of Change along the scale from a game for general audiences to something more targeted towards people who are interested in The Thing.

The Thing means that Winds of Change has a very well defined, if niche, target audience who I’m sure will absolutely love it. After a very quick google, this is apparently about 3 million people worldwide that Winds of Change has got on-side immediately, which is nothing to sniff at. I’m also sure that those of us who aren’t into The Thing could get something from the game but, I personally don’t think it has a huge inherent mainstream appeal. Winds of Change is certainly a competent fantasy visual novel but with The Thing always loitering at the back of the player’s mind, it’s difficult to dissociate and be fully lost in the narrative. Or maybe after all my agonising over being furry-agnostic, I’m just an old prude after all.

Review: Treasure Hunter Simulator

Daniel Waite
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Review: Treasure Hunter Simulator

Beep…….beep……..beep, beeeeeeeeeepppppppp. Crunch, crunch, crunch, clunk. Ahhhhh the joyous sounds of success when metal detecting. Have you struck gold, or is it another worthless rusty nail? Who knows, but finding it made your heart skip a beat. This is the excitement that you could have if you try Treasure Hunter Simulator.

Developed by Drago Entertainment and published by MD Games, this is a calm story-driven simulation title. You explore vast locations armed only with a spade, metal detector, and PDA. You’ll lose hours of your life searching for buried treasure in this fun arcade, take on the metal detecting hobby.

One of the many beautiful locations.

Treasure Hunter Simulator is more than just searching out gold.

You may worry that a simulation title that solely focuses on metal detecting would be boring. Worry not! This has more to do than simply digging up random patches of soil. You are asked to complete tasks and jobs in various historic locations around the globe. Completing each goal will earn you prestige that enhances your job prospects and allows you to purchase improved equipment. In short, the better you do, the better equipment you can buy. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want the biggest and best tools when they are searching for priceless treasure?

With two game modes available, you can choose from story or exploration. The exploration section allows you to select every location in the game. There are no jobs to take and you are detecting for the fun of it. The main portion of Treasure Hunter Simulator is the story mode, and this is where you’ll spend most of your time.

The story you experience is pretty far fetched and silly, but you go with it because of the rewards you receive. Your uncle has passed away, leaving you an inheritance. You are advised of this fortune via a rather dodgy looking email. It’s like those emails we all get from scammers that promise us twenty million US Dollars, but let’s roll with it. To get your share of the estate you must prove yourself in the metal detecting world, completing all missions while maximising your prestige. Like I said……really realistic!

Ohhhh a shiny penny

Plenty of missions and wonderful locations.

You soon forget the silly nature of the story as you take every job offered to you. You are asked to clean up locations by hunting out metal trash, find specific objects, take photos of monuments and plants/landscapes, and so forth. The missions have an underlying theme but there is enough variety to keep you interested at each job site.

Where ever you go, you are free to keep whatever you find. Nails, pegs, old bullets, coins, jewellery. You name it, it’s yours. This is important, as junk equals money. As you up your prestige better detectors become available to buy. These allow you to search for objects hidden deeper in the ground and without the newer equipment you can’t hope to find all the items.

The locations you visit are great and have historical significance and interesting facts for you to discover. Many of the objects you find are related specifically to that area and offer an educational insight into cultural impacts, showing the serious side of treasure hunting. Don’t worry if this isn’t your thing though as you can simply skip it and get back to digging. Like the new equipment, new locations become available once you level up. You are offered new tasks to complete but getting to these sites costs money. It quickly becomes a juggling act of choosing new equipment or new missions.

Treasure Hunter Simulator looks nice from afar but lacks polish.

Playing out from a first-person perspective you feel like you are the metal detecting enthusiast. The surrounding world looks beautiful from afar, but as you get closer, the textures become rougher, losing their polish. It doesn’t impact the gameplay, and the performance is smooth, it’s simply noticeable on every stage. There are a few glitches where the detector sweeps into the ground, or you look through the map when collecting items. This was a shame, as it gave the impression it needed a little longer on the development table.

Though the game takes a more arcade approach, it doesn’t skimp on the realism. The audio is key to this with some incredible atmospheric sounds that enhance each location. The noises from your equipment were great and the shrill beeps from your detector fill you with giddy excitement. I enjoyed how the serene and relaxing audio juxtaposed the thrill of the high-pitched equipment sounds. It made the effort of searching worthwhile.

Beep..beep..beeeppp

Digging for treasure is super addictive.

Whenever I play simulation games, there is a niggling worry that it’ll be complicated to control. I’m concerned that there will be loads of buttons to learn and it’ll feel like I’ve taken on another job, rather than playing a game. Treasure Hunter Simulator is remarkably easy to play and its straightforward tutorial eases any fears. Finding treasure is aided by visual and audio clues and digging requires one press of a button. It lacks complexity, and this made it fun from the first moment.

Searching in the dirt to find treasure is super addictive. From the moment you hear the first beep to the ear-piercing constant tone, it’s oddly exciting. You find tons of junk, but this doesn’t deter you because you know the good stuff can’t be far away. This is the main reason I kept playing and why I’ll return to play it repeatedly.

Treasure Hunter Simulator: A diamond in the rough.

There is no doubt this needed more time to be polished. It’s very rough around the edges but its core concept is sound and it’s playable. The variety of tasks, the ability to level up, and the new equipment kept things fresh throughout. I enjoyed Treasure Hunter Simulator, but it is a diamond in the rough. I liked its arcade approach and various locations and I recommend you to buy it here! Help people out, find priceless treasure, and inherit your share of the estate. 

Review: Wingspan

Daniel Waite
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0
Review: Wingspan

Wildlife is a wonderful thing. To watch and study creatures in their natural habitat should be cherished. People get hooked on watching animals and one such group is known as “Twitchers”. These bird watchers enthusiastically sit for hours spotting different species, studying their habitats, while observing their natural behaviour. Wingspan attempts to replicate this hobby by allowing players to learn about different birds while enjoying a competitive game.

Developed and published by Monster Couch, this is a deck-building tactical board game that is complex to master. Originally available as a board game, computer gamers can now enjoy the experience of local or online play from their living room. You must adhere to the same rules as the original, so if you’re a fan you’ll jump into this with no issues. New players are in for a rough ride but keep at it as there’s a lot to love about this title.

Eggs to score points and hatch new birds.

Wingspan: a challenging but calm experience.

Now, I love a difficult board game, but Wingspan is something else! With many rules to learn, powers to combine, and goals to aim for, it’s unique and pretty complex. I’ve tried it for many hours but still, the computer beats me. It’s annoying and frustrating, but it’s also addictive, wholesome, and will get under your skin.

The core concept revolves around hatching birds in their correct habitats. You’re required to select their favourite food from the feeding bowl and use collected eggs to bring them to life. Each bird has a value and special power that alters your approach. Playing them may increase your food level, automatically lay you eggs, or allow for additional actions per turn.

Each game takes place across four rounds, each with a specific goal for bonus points. The first round has eight turns which reduce by one for each subsequent round. Each turn you choose to; hatch birds, collect food, lay eggs, or draw cards. Once your turn is complete, other players can go and the scoreboard automatically shows who has won that round. Each player is then allocated their points based on their position and the game continues. Clear as mud, right? Don’t worry, it becomes clear with some practice.

It’s all about the tactics and the long game.


Though Wingspan is complicated at the start, its core concept is simple. Select the correct bird for each habitat (woodlands, grass, or water), hatch eggs, and feed your animals. To win, though, you need to study different tactics, understand the power moves, and focus on the bonus points. Using each bird’s power to your advantage is key to getting one “wing” ahead. You know that your computer opponent knows the rules perfectly, so no errors can be made.

It’s all about the long game, and players can move from last to first in the blink of an eye. Each habitat holds a maximum of five birds, these can be altered at any point from the cards you are holding. The more birds hatched, the bigger the bonus per habitat. In the woodlands you gain food, the more birds, the more food will you collect per term. The grasslands produce eggs and the more birds that live there the more they produce. Finally, the water habitat offers new bird cards to be used. You must decide which approach works for you, score the maximum points, and you will win the game. Your tactics must be fluid and playing the long game is vital. Still clear as mud? Honestly, it becomes clear while playing.

Make your selection at the start of every game.

Online is great but local gaming is flawed.

Half of the fun of board games is the mystery behind your tactics. Your opponent doesn’t know what you’re doing until you play your hand. Sadly, local play removes the secretive element. Your cards are there for everyone to see and this undermines the tactical advantage. It’s still enjoyable to play against family and friends and it retains the board game charm. But it’s hollow and removes the element of surprise as you lay down a match altering hand.

The online mode, however, keeps all these elements while allowing you to find gamers who are not as well versed as the computer opponents. Where the online mode falters is its lack of personality. Sessions feel cold and isolated and the sense of friends bonding across a table is removed. It’s very clinical and devoid of emotion unless your online buddies have invested in a copy.

Wingspan has simple graphics, original artwork, and a clean UI.

If you’ve played any of the board game to computer game deck-builders, you’ll know what to expect. The graphics lack complexity and present an easy on the eye simple finish. With original artwork and nice character models, this is a wholesome title to play. The pastel tones enhance the relaxed ambience, making it a pleasant experience. With so many elements, the screen could have looked messy. A simple clean UI with removable hints reduces clutter allowing you to enjoy the slow-paced action.

The lighthearted and gentle audio supports the visual presentation. The calm tunes play in the background quietly and they are nice to listen to. Like a piano in a high-end restaurant, you soon forget about them. It’s nice to have, and it enhances the mood. However, it knows its place, and it doesn’t overpower the situation.

The woodland where food is hunted.

It’s surprising how easy it is to play.

The mechanics may be complex with all the little parts working together, but it’s surprisingly easy to play. With a limited amount of buttons required to complete each activity, you’ll know how this works long before you master the finer points. The button mapping is well thought out and clear references on the screen help to clear up confusion.

People love board games because of the competitive and addictive gameplay. Wingspan the video game captures all of this so you’ll struggle to put it down. Even when you are being beaten mercifully by your opponents, you’ll still want to keep playing. Its challenging achievement list and many birds to study will ensure you keep playing for hours.

Wingspan will make you a virtual “Twitcher”!

With plenty to learn about each species, you’ll soon become a virtual “Twitcher”. You’ll need to understand; nesting requirements, favourite foods, and their desired habitats. There is a lot to learn, but you’ll have fun mastering the different tactics. I loved it, though it bested me many times. If you enjoy board games, then I recommend that you buy it here! Study the bonus points, remain flexible, and aim for the long game victory. 

Review: Xbox Wireless Headset

Sean McCarthy
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Review: Xbox Wireless Headset

By the time I was finally able to secure my own Xbox Series X at the end of April 2021, I already had my eyes on the just announced Xbox Wireless Headset. Hard as it is to imagine, but this is the first “first party” headset made by Xbox for quite some time, in fact for the entire seven-year length of the Xbox One Generation, Xbox never released their own headset but instead relied on partnering with third party headset makers. As someone who has used mid to low budget range Wireless gaming headsets in recent years, I was extremely interested in the many features the Xbox Wireless once would offer and though it also took quite a bit of effort to find a retailer with one in stock, having now used it for the last month, I can quite happily say, Xbox have followed up the Series X/S consoles launch with another hit.

What is in the box:

  • 1 X Xbox Wireless Headset
  • 1 X USB C Cable for Charging

The presentation of the Wireless Headset is exceptionally clean and precise with no fancy extra stylings as you see the box, open the box and the headset is presented with only the stand warranty and setup guides along with the USB C Charging cable. The first thing that struck me was the how the headset is clearly modelled in the standard black and green colour scheme of Xbox, and I really like it as it goes very nicely with my Xbox Series X but also not so bad if you have the Series S. The other thing you may notice if you have used other wireless headsets is that there is no USB dongle you must plug into your console’s USB port in order to connect your headset, something that has been a previous pet peeve of mine when using a wireless headset on console.

Instead, we are hit by the first lovely feature that this headset will use the same wireless connection technology that allows the Xbox Controller to pair with your console, which for me is a complete game changer because I already have quite enough things connected to the USB ports of my Series X. Now the headset itself is mostly plastic, which some may complain about given the not exactly cheap £90 asking price for the headset but I really do not mind as the headset looks nice and more importantly, it is comfortable to wear because it is quite light compared to other wireless headsets. The reason for this is because there are none of the usual digital button setups that would add quite a bit of weight to the ear cups, instead Xbox have decided to go with a classic dial system to control volume and party chat/game mixing. The refreshing design however means that the dials are on the outside of the ear cups, with the right dial controlling overall headset volume, with the word Xbox etched into the outside whilst the left ear cup dial manages party chat and game audio mixing. The Microphone is also different in that is is shorter, almost half the length of a conventional microphone bar and can be curled up to move it out of the way.

In fact, the only two buttons on this headset is the mute button for the microphone and the power on and pairing activation button also on the left side of the headset. There is a USB C port on the back of the right ear cup for charging and that is it, simplicity in design but incredible in performance which brings me to the microphone first, which is quite honestly the best microphone I have had on any gaming headset I have used. The clarity of the microphone is sharp and crisp which is perfect for those hectic party chatting when the action gets heated in MP games but also made a big difference when I stream from my Xbox Series X with the reaction from viewers believing I was actually using a studio mic plugged into my laptop rather than a console gaming headset, it really is a fantastic microphone and the bar being short was never an issue for me and was actually quite nice not to have a microphone constantly in my eyeline when gaming with an auto mute setting via the Xbox Accessories App so that when you are not speaking, the microphone will mute until you speak again.

The sound quality with the headset straight out of the box can be hit and miss at first due to the high level of bass the headset naturally has. With the Xbox Accessories App on console and PC, there is a basic equalizer that can be adjusted to personalize the sound, but the true power of this headset really is when you set it up to use any one of the three sound options the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One consoles can use starting with the Windows Sonic tech and then either Dolby Atmos or DTS Headphone: X. Now the Dolby sound schemes require installing of their own apps to your console and they will require purchasing an additional license in order to keep having the option to use them. Now when I purchased mine and connected it to my Xbox Series X for the first time, it automatically installed the Dolby Atmos app and gave me a six-month trial of it without me manually installing the app or signing up to it though friends who picked this headset up after me have said they each received a lesser length trial, so perhaps this was a launch-based perk.

Of the three options I must admit that the Dolby Atmos impressed me the most and will be the main sound scheme I stick with going forward, it just works so well with the games and with streaming services like Disney + and watching videos on YouTube. I always raise the bass levels with my music and sound equalizers but with Dolby Atmos everything from the low end just sounded incredible when playing games like Warzone and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla whilst returning to Ori and the Will of the Wisps, GEARS 5 and the HALO Master Chief Collection all came to life whilst using this headset. I also found it to be amazingly comfortable over long gaming sessions lasting more than six hours in titles such as Sea of Thieves or just general party chatting, there was no heat buildup in the large well cushioned ear cups nor any head strain from wearing it with the very adjustable headband. So, to say that when you do see and feel that the plastic build might be off putting after paying £90, all the tech that is inside this well-designed headset is where you feel that price’s value.

One surprising feature is that this really is more than just a gaming headset due to the Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity that allows it to be paired to your phone, tablet and even to a PC with a wireless adaptor and they can all be connected at the same time so for example, when connected to your Xbox console it can also be paired with your smart phone enabling you to use Discord for chatting or a music app to play music as you drive around in a Forza title or take down teams in CoD Warzone. The versatility of this headset to be used beyond just your Xbox console, especially at a time when a good number of people are still working or communicating with family from home, provides a great additional solution for that.

The spatial or 3D Audio that was hyped up quite a bit before the Series X and S consoles launched works incredibly well with this headset and the game titles that are making use of it, hearing footsteps in a shooter and knowing what direction they came from is an added advantage with this headset. The control dials are so intuitive when wearing the headset that you will quickly be able to adjust game audio to levels you prefer but especially in controller the party chat to game mixing too. Battery life is also particularly good with this headset, though I have never gotten to the fifteen hours Xbox say you can get with a single full charge, I have had exceedingly long gaming sessions over a weekend for example where I have gamed up to twelve hours before instinctively putting the headset on charge. I will say I found the USB C Charging cable that comes with the Xbox Wireless Headset to be rather short, though you can purchase longer cables yourself, I was surprised to see just how short it was meaning that for my gaming setup, I must connect it to the front USB port on my Series X to leave to charge overnight which can take up to three hours to fully charge up. Due to it lacking a 3.5mm jack port, should it run out of power it will just turn off so do make sure to keep it charged for when you want to use it.

Final Verdict:

Quite honestly the Xbox Wireless Headset is the best gaming headset I have used, nudging past the Razor Kraken headset which I now use for my PS5. I love the design of it which is rather creative yet deceptive design because just looking at it, you would never know the amazing tech that is built into it from just the appearance. Performance wise it has not let me down on any of the games I have played over the last six weeks or so I have been using it as my main Xbox headset though I will say for those hoping to use it on their phone or laptop/PC just for music, it is clear this was designed for a good gaming experience first though I have no real complaints when I have used listened to music or watching a film of TV show via my Xbox but I am aware that this can be quite subjective which is why experimenting with the three main sound schemes to find one that suits your tastes is very important

This is the first time I have broken the nearly £100 price tier for a gaming headset, but the fact is has the versatility to be able to connect to different devices for use as well as the performance I am getting from it, means the £90 price makes this a top tier headset for the high mid-range price point. For the asking price you will not find a more diverse capable headset than the Wireless Xbox Headset and I am already looking at Xbox games still to come such as HALO Infinite, Forza Horizon 5 and Starfield in 2022 to really appreciate just how good this headset really is. If you are in the market to upgrade your audio game to meet the new generation consoles in the Series X/S or if you are still on an Xbox One, this headset is well worth the investment.

The Xbox Wireless Headset is available now from most retailers for the RRP of £89.99, an additional single license purchase will be needed for the Dolby Atmos and DTS Headphone: X sound apps.

Review: Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

Daniel Waite
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Review: Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

Citius, Altius, Fortius! Faster, Higher, Stronger! These are the three words that athletes live and die by. Their whole life is spent building up to the pinnacle of their career. They train hard, eat healthily, and compete at the highest level to be crowned Olympic Champion. Hours of heartache melt away when a gold medal is draping from their neck. Do you wish to know that feeling but don’t want the hard work? Now you can by playing Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – The Official Video Game.

Developed and published by Sega, this is the first official Olympic title since the London 2012 games. With an arcade approach and plenty of events to choose from, you’ll be laughing and smiling as you aim for gold. With single-player, co-op, and online modes, you’ll push yourself to be crowned number one in the world.

Ready, Set, Blast Off!

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has plenty of variety.

I’ve loved athletic games for as long as I can remember. I wore out several controllers playing International Track and Field and played it like my life depended on it. When I saw Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 advertised I couldn’t wait to get started. As I loaded in I was struck by the colourful graphics and cartoon style. It felt strange, as I expected a more realistic approach from an official title. However, once I got over my initial shock, I adored how the game was presented. It was bright, fun, and instantly makes you smile.

With a mixture of events to compete in, eighty countries to represent, and an array of custom options, you are spoilt for choice. Your athlete, your rules! Choose your hairstyle, skin colour, height, build and look. Pick your costume and change its colour. It was fantastic to line up against some whacky outfits. My first online race saw me compete against: Sonic the Hedgehog, a Caveman, a chap in a tweed jacket, and me in my pink suit of armour and tiara. It had no impact on gameplay, but it was pretty funny to look at.

Great fun but fundamental flaws.

From the first event, I fell for its charms. I loved learning the ropes, breaking records, and competing with the computer. Sega has done well to capture the essence of the Olympics in every event they chose. Sadly, though, some fundamental flaws hold it back. As a solo experience, it’s wonderful, but it quickly becomes lonely, especially when you are breaking every record. There is a choice to increase the computer’s difficulty, but even this plateaus once you master each event.

The easy way around this is to spend your time playing with a friend, or online with strangers. Yet, here is where the issue lies! Waiting for other gamers can take forever, you sit in a lobby hoping that someone of your skill level wants to play. Once the game starts you get that overwhelming sense of competition, and this is brilliant. There is tension and the desire to succeed as you compete, which is why we all play sports titles. However, this feeling is short-lived. You’re winning your event, the game stutters and your opponent quits. They are not penalised; you get no reward, and your time is wasted. It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth that doesn’t fade.

It ruined what should have been an amazing aspect of this title, yet; you avoid playing others because of this problem. It’s a vicious circle that Sega needs to address before it undermines their whole project.

Dive straight into the action.

The negatives are outweighed by the positives. 

Though I was disappointed with the negatives, they are outweighed by the overwhelming positives. When you had a good group to play with, the online mode was a joy to experience. Friendly chat through pre-written choices will make you smile, and there was a lack of toxicity. For solo gamers, you can compete against licenced official athletes to see if you can beat the best in the world. This was brilliant and tested you to your limits. There is also the chance to create custom medleys and alter your characters abilities. These elements increased the longevity and helped to keep the gameplay fresh.

The hearty mixture of track and field, swimming, fighting, team sports, and climbing was brilliant. With a unique approach to each sport, you’ll need to study what is required to be victorious. Helpful tips are hidden behind locked screens and only by competing will you be able to read them. This was a genius move as you must smash records, win events, or beat the pros to be told the tricks of the trade. This may not interest all gamers, but I was desperate to excel, so the more tips I could see, the better.

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is brilliant to look at.

When I saw the cartoon style, I was initially disappointed. It concerned me it would impact the gameplay and make the whole thing childish. Luckily, my concerns were way off and the content was as competitive as any other Olympics game I’ve played. Other than the issues with connecting online, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 runs smoothly with no problems. The animation is spot on and the arenas and playing areas all appear as they should. It was a little OTT, but this is expected from the arcade style and won’t disappoint you.

No matter the sport title, you want the atmosphere to be electric! The ambience was created with wonderful crowd noises, the ability to interact with them, and the grunts from the athletes. There is genuine excitement from your character when you win an event, and disappointment when you fall short. Even with its arcade approach, the audio adds a sense of realism and drama and was well thought out.

Fast, furious, and guaranteed to make you shout!

You have plenty of sports to master.

I’m glad the developers created a varied system for each sport as it could have been easy to use a generic control setup and hope we didn’t care. Luckily, a unique approach for each one ensures it’s always interesting, it’s not too easy and for those that struggle a practice mode is available to improve your skills. Every event has a “how to play” section which is great as you have a lot of sports to master, but you are given every opportunity to do so. With little effort, you’ll be able to compete, but a gold medal is only achievable through practice and dedication.

Undoubtedly there is plenty of replay value to be had. With new sports added recently, I hope more will be included soon. With tips to unlock, medals to aim for, and pros to defeat, you’ll have lots to keep you busy. A moderate achievement list takes some time to unlock and increasing your online rank will challenge you. If Sega can improve the online experience, this will be an incredibly addictive title.

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 hasn’t quite reached the top of the podium. 

With many positives, I wanted this to be awarded the gold medal, but sadly it hasn’t quite achieved that standard. It’s let down by its online play, and this has to be the priority to make it more appealing. If you love sports games, you’ll enjoy playing this. I had fun with it and recommend you to buy it here! Compete solo or with friends to become the number one athlete in the world. 

How To Teach Your Children Responsible Tech Use

Andrew Edney
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How To Teach Your Children Responsible Tech Use

Are your children at the age where they want or need a digital device of their own? Whether they need a phone for emergencies or a laptop for homework after school, it’s time to have the digital device talk.

As technology evolves and we all use it more than ever, it’s even more important to teach your children how to use it in a safe and responsible way. 

The interest isn’t going anywhere, so the best thing you can do is show your children how to use it to their advantage. Now, even toddlers seem to immediately know how to use apps, so it’s never too early to start discussing guidelines and what’s suitable for your child according to their age and maturity. Get these rules in place while your children are young so they can grow up with a healthy attitude to mobile devices and the internet. 

If your children are older, it’s not too late. They can still benefit from an ongoing conversation and safe internet use. 

Decide When Your Child Gets A Smartphone Or Tablet

Many parents are choosing to give their children phones at a younger age than before. However, it’s maturity that really matters, rather than age. Nobody but you can decide when the right time is to give your child a device of their own, whether it’s a laptop, a tablet, the latest smartphone, or a budget phone with a Sim-only plan from SMARTY UK. Generally the later you can wait the better, as devices can be a distraction from homework, while also exposing children to online bullying, grooming, and other dangers. 

To decide if your child is ready for their own device, you should ask yourself a few questions:

  • Can they usually be trusted to look after and keep track of their own belongings, or are they always dropping, losing, or forgetting their things? 
  • Do they follow your rules without arguments, and follow your directions in other areas of their life?
  • Are they familiar with the concept of photo editing, and do they understand that what they see online might not be a realistic depiction of real life? 
  • Do you trust them to keep up an open conversation with you about the internet and what they do with it?

Sign A Contract

You need to make sure that your children take what you agree with them about their use of technology seriously, whether it’s screen time or what websites they can use. To make sure they’re taking it seriously, it can help to create a contact about their smartphone and internet use. This contract might include some points such as you having to have access to their device passwords, them asking for permission before they download anything, which hours the device can be used between, and what activities can be done on the device. Create this contract and talk about what you’re putting into it and why. Make it a collaborative effort and explain the purpose is to keep them safe, not to stop them from having fun or because you don’t trust them. Sign the contract together. You can use it as a conversation starter so you know they understand why these rules have been put in place. Let your child ask questions about the rules if they have any, and be willing to negotiate, so the contract doesn’t feel unreasonable to them. 

Discuss The Dangers

It might feel hard to talk about the dangers that can be lurking on the internet, but it is important that you do have this conversation. Your children need to know what they should and should not share online and why. There are a few key points that you should make sure that you cover during this conversation:

  • They should never give away any personal information, such as which school they go to, to people that they don’t know in real life. Tell them never to post their location publicly. 
  • Explain that people aren’t always who they say they are on the internet. Someone they meet on social media and speak to for months could be anyone and could be lying about their identity. 
  • Explain that social media is not reality and is just a highlight reel of people’s lives. Remind them that everybody has bad days, but they don’t usually talk about them on social media. Just because someone’s life appears to be perfect on social media, that doesn’t mean it really is. 
  • Make sure they know to treat everyone online with respect. They shouldn’t ever engage in online bullying, like name-calling or rude conversations. They shouldn’t post anything, whether a photo, video, or comment, that could end up hurting someone’s feelings. 
  • Explain what to do if someone, even a friend or a family member, is making them feel uncomfortable online. Let them know that they should come to you and tell you about it as soon as this happens. Explain that you will discuss together what to do about the situation, and reassure them that you won’t make any decisions about it without getting their input. 
  • Talk to them about the kind of photos that they post. They should know never to post nude pictures or anything that could be seen as suggestive, even if they are sending these pictures to someone that they know and trust. Discuss the possibility of what could happen if photos like that were stolen or shared without their permission. 

Lead By Example

The best way to encourage responsible behavior online is to demonstrate the kind of behavior you want to see yourself. Show your children what you want them to do online and with their devices by modeling it yourself. For example, if you want the children to turn their phones off at the dinner table, you should too. Leave your phone outside of your bedroom, never check your phone while you’re driving, and make sure that what you post online is respectful. If you’re can’t follow your own rules, then you can’t expect your children to follow them either. 

As part of your contract that you wrote together, you may agree that you will have to be friends with or follow each other on social media. However, even if you decide that you don’t want to enforce this rule, remember that your child or one of their friends could find and look at one of your social media profiles at any time. To make sure they don’t anything there that you’d rather they didn’t, it’s a good idea to spend some time going through your profiles and cleaning them up a bit. Remove any rude or disrespectful comments, and take down any pictures or posts that you find hard to explain to your child. Put yourself in their shoes, and remove anything that could be embarrassing to them. Other children could use your embarrassing posts, such as photos of them when they were small, as a way to make fun of your child. 

You will find it a lot easier to enforce your technology rules if you’re committed to following the rules yourself. Of course, you might different hours for smartphone use and other slightly different rules to your children, but having some measures and guidelines in place is good for everyone. 

Use Parental Controls

No matter how well-behaved and obedient your children are and what you agree on in the contract, sometimes the temptation to check a notification or reply to a message when they’re not supposed to might be too much. You can take away that temptation and make your job as a parent a lot easier by using some parental controls on your child’s devices. 

Don’t put these controls in place without their knowledge and don’t use them to spy. This is a breach of your child’s trust and can invade their privacy. Instead, use these controls to block internet access or certain apps during set hours so your child can focus at school and get to sleep without distraction. You can block certain sites or categories of sites. A lot of adult-oriented sites can be easily accessed by kids if they just lie about their age, so block them instead. 

Never underestimate how easily even very young children can figure out how to use mobile devices. Even if you think your child is too young for the internet, remember that an environment of responsible internet usage is something they will notice, even while they’re young. If your children grow up seeing you using your devices responsibly, it will feel more natural for them to do the same when they are old enough for devices of their own. 

When you start the conversation early about how to safely use the internet, mobile devices, and other technology, you will find it much easier to maintain an open and natural line of communication between the two of you. You won’t have to force these conversations when your child has grown up enough to want their own device. No matter how old your child is, start talking about responsible tech use now.

Preview: The Tower

Daniel Waite
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Preview: The Tower
https://youtu.be/A6e3g_boSnU

At some point, we have all been “the new person”. Whether it’s a job, school/college, or a sports team, the underlying emotions are the same. Will you be good enough? Will anyone like you? Am I the right person for this role? These are normal feelings, but can you imagine taking a job because the last person got sacked for asking too many questions? This is the starting point in The Tower. A vacancy has come up because one security guard couldn’t keep their mouth shut.

Developed by Kyle Simpson and published by Vherb Media LLC, it’s an action-adventure title about secrets, lies and survival. This is Kyle Simpson’s maiden voyage into the gaming world, and so far, so good. The Tower is still under development and could change between now and release. From my beta viewing platform, I’d say little needs to alter and the game should continue on its current trajectory.

You stay down!

The Tower takes you on a path of mystery, danger, and intrigue.

What I loved from the start was the immediate clues showing how The Tower would play out. Cagey conversations, security locks at every turn, and a boss that puts you in your place. It was clear the story would be a slow-burner and clues would be drip-fed through puzzle-solving and exploration. 

You are a security guard who has started a new role at the most secure building in the city. Questions are frowned upon and your role is very specific. You are not to use the lifts and the stairs are your new best friend. The Tower comprises 89 floors of unusual and classified activity. You may wish to see what happens on every level, but you only have clearance to wander around four of them. Your day starts quiet, almost mundane, and then all hell breaks loose. An incident is followed by fire, blocked exits, and an unnamed group of mercenaries. You no longer want to explore the 89 floors…..you have to! The only way out is down, but fire, murderers, and mystery stand between you and the exit. 

A story told through linear missions. 

The linear, focussed narrative forces you to progress by completing one task at a time. You are funnelled through labyrinthine offices, tight air vents, and locked spaces. Minor puzzle elements ensure you explore the surrounding area for clues or ways to progress. You will move objects to reveal hidden access points, find items to unlock doors and solve puzzles. The concept is tried and tested, but the way it has been designed makes it flow nicely from one point to another.

In this short beta comprising three chapters, I was given a taste of armed combat, the level design, interaction with NPCs, and problems to solve. I was thoroughly impressed with each element and look forward to seeing them evolve over the predicted ten-hour gameplay. The mysterious nature of the plot will allow the developer to venture into the realms of surrealism and this would be an interesting twist. The current format of “move here, and fight that” could become tiresome if followed strictly over every floor. If Kyle Simpson blends the straight-laced ideas with some unusual Sci-fi layers it would make for a very interesting concept.

I also enjoyed finding notes left on desks and tables. Their memos gave an insight into the secrets that lie within the tower while adding depth and emotion to the NPCs. It would be nice if this was expanded upon to allow for side quests. This would give a break from the linear structure while letting the player decide their focus.

Has anyone got a fire extinguisher?

The Tower made my laptop hotter than the sun!

I’m mainly a console gamer, so I combined my reviewing and gaming into an MSI gaming laptop. Now purists will say I should have purchased a desktop, and I agree, mostly. Playing The Tower turned my laptop into a molten ball of fire that I swear was hotter than the sun (minor exaggeration, but you get the point). The performance-heavy game requires a reasonably good rig to get the most from it. I could play at the top settings and it looks great and performed to a high standard. The textures look nice, and the panels and switches contained lots of details.

Sadly it juddered in places, but this is probably a hardware issue rather than anything to do with the game. I experienced some minor issues, but this is expected at the beta stage. All issues were reported so hopefully the problems will be ironed out. For his first project, it was impressive how good it looked and how stable the performance was.

The developer has a talent and passion for sound and audio. The star of the show is the music and the acting. The choice of songs perfectly matches the action on screen and it puts you on edge waiting for someone or something to jump out at you. The acting is reminiscent of cinematics found in triple-A titles. The well-delivered lines ensure that every character is realistic and you buy into the story much quicker because of it. The sound effects were good but the pistol fire lacked depth. This gave the impression of an underpowered weapon and this undermines the enjoyment during combat scenes.

I’m going to be check over here!

Full controller support or mouse and keyboard.

When a game offers multiple control methods, it’s very much appreciated. I took the time to try both, and each had advantages and disadvantages. The game favours neither mouse and keyboard nor controller use, because of its dynamic tutorial. Both methods perform well yet the controller sensitivity made combat tricky. The pistol moved too quickly and made aiming a challenging experience, I recommend playing around with the settings to get the most out of this. The layout is easy to understand and can be altered to your liking. A handy schematic shows your preferred button layout and this helps to reduce confusion. This approach was spot on and makes this an extremely user-friendly title.

Discussing replay value in a preview is like trying to predict the future. I’m no clairvoyant, but I’ll give it to go! With plenty of levels to explore, a story-rich linear narrative and the potential for some unusual twists and turns, this should keep you busy for hours. Ten hours of gameplay is a good return from an indie title, with the potential of a large achievement list, this could stretch to be much longer.

The Tower is great at the moment and offers a lot to be excited about.

A demo rarely leaves you wanting more, but The Tower does just that. With many unanswered questions and the action hotting up, I wanted to keep playing. With minor issues and plenty going for it, you have nothing to lose by trying the demo here! The project is still under development and the Kickstarter campaign is available for you to support here! Taking a new job is challenging, but this is something else!

Summary.

The Tower is currently under development and shows us glimpses of what is on offer in its demo (available July 1st 2021). With a story-rich narrative, excellent audio, and high-quality graphics, this has a bright future. There are a few issues that will be resolved before release so don’t allow that to put you off. Who’d have thought an office job could be so challenging?

(Reviewed on PC using Steam.)

Review: Ender Lilies: Quietus Of The Knights

Kara Phillips
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Review: Ender Lilies: Quietus Of The Knights

Ender Lilies, a dark 2D action RPG was brought to life by Binary Haze Interactive. The game was initially released on Steam but eventually found its way to Nintendo Switch. Within the depths of a derelict kingdom, the player must battle their way through to discover what chaos destroyed everything in the first place – and how they can stop it from happening again. Despite Ender Lilies seeming like just another Metroidvania in a clutter amongst Nintendo’s eShop, this game stands out as one of the most promising. 

How the world fell to ashes

You take on the character of Lily, a princess who awakens within the ruins of her castle. ‘Land’s End’ (the kingdom in which you spawn) has been cursed by what’s referred to as ‘Blight’. All the people you once knew and even referred to as friends are now against you. But luckily you’re not alone. Alongside Lily is Umbral Knight. Lily is essentially useless on her own, with no combat ability, so the help of spirits along the way aids your battle against the blighted. Umbral Knight is the first spirit of many which you encounter throughout the game. As you progress, Lily is able to purify the blighted spirits and they are able to join the journey. 

Much like Bloodstained: Ritual of the night, these spirits can all be used across two menus in battle. At first it’s a bit confusing to remember which spirit does what and which button to press to activate, but after a while you certainly get the hang of it. Unlike Bloodstained, these spirit menus are customisable and a little easier to use. Upon reaching the various checkpoints scattered amongst the map you can switch and change which spirits to use for combat. 

As you begin to explore the world of Land’s End, Lily comes across a multitude of written artifacts. These all play into understanding what has happened to the kingdom, and occasionally feature key elements to understanding the story. But sometimes these elements aren’t easily obtained. Quite a few features are hidden where you cannot reach until you have gained certain spiritual abilities. 

A fight with all you have left

Ender Lilies is an aesthetically beautiful game throughout. Lily stands out in white against such a monochromatic colour palette, and even the Blighted seem pleasing to look at. Nothing takes too long to load, and battles are high strung and tense with accompanying music. It’s a sombre masterpiece, and everything runs exceedingly smoothly. Especially during combat, where you really have to focus as nothing comes easy. It’s the right level of challenge without being controller-crushing frustrating. But practise makes perfect, and these battles certainly aren’t easy. 

The most important controls are combat and dodging. Each spirit you gain on your adventure is capable of different attacks in battle, and sometimes they hold vital moves in order to unlock new elements of the map. With the allocated spirit menu, it lists the buttons needed to summon certain attacks. There aren’t any combos to master, but the buttons can be a little confusing when you have two rows of three spirits and all of them do different things. Over time you’ll get used to this and you’ll be bringing all spirits to battle.

Dodging bullets

Dodging however is a little difficult. Most of the time it works fine, you’ll miss attacks and be able to bring the pain. But sometimes it just seems hit and miss. Half the time, you dodge too soon and end up throwing yourself into the enemy and taking quite an unreasonable amount of damage. The other times you dodge directly into where your enemy is landing their attack. It’s one of those controls where if you don’t hit it just at the right time, it’s not going to work. This comes with practise, but with the rest of the controls running so smoothly it’s a shame that this small thing lets it down. 

Aside from challenging encounters, there is an extensive amount of platform jumping within Ender Lilies. These can be executed fairly successfully since Lily is more than capable of pulling herself up a platform if your aim is a little off. Most of the time I didn’t think I’d make a jump but Lily grabbed a hold of the edge and hoisted herself up. Upon gaining the ability to double jump, all platform elements are fairly simple. Unlike games like Hollow Knight where one slip up can send you spiraling to the other side of the map. Ender Lilies gives you a little leeway with fumbles, so it’s not as perilling when you accidentally lose a battle or plummet into a pile of spikes. 

Graveyard whistling

Ender Lilies is accompanied by a haunting soundtrack to mirror the sombre appearance of the game itself. Boss battles are accompanied by high strung, tense pieces of music. Sound design also subtly hints at approaching threats or the unwanted second form of bosses. Even when the game falls silent you find yourself clenching your jaw awaiting what is next to come. In a way, Ender Lilies utilises how important audio is within games and uses it against the player. Causing tension where there doesn’t need to be, leading you towards boss battles whilst you think you’re avoiding them, it all leads to you sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the next move.

During one of the first encounters with the blighted spirits, when he takes his second form in battle the game falls silent. Whether this was done to allow you to focus or to make everything more nail-biting, it certainly works. The switch is also equipped with absolutely fantastic rumble input during combat. Although, this put me to shame more than once as the epic rumble that occurs when you lose all health is incredibly intense. It definitely had heads turning when I was playing around others. 

However, none of the cast is narrated. Ender Lilies relies quite heavily on the audience’s engagement with it’s subtitles. These appear quickly and are very often missed since it doesn’t stop you from moving. On more than one occasion I missed Umbral Knight trying to tell me key backstory passages because I was too busy double jumping away from the blighted. The environmental and written additions to the story are not narrated either, so be prepared to do quite a fair bit of reading. 

A visual masterpiece

The same level of intensity has been poured into the game’s visuals as well. As mentioned, it is extremely aesthetically pleasing. It’s dull and dreary and all things gothic literature. Despite the game being 2D there is an extreme amount of depth implemented in all levels. Enemies are massive in comparison to Lily, and their designs are worthy of a mention as well. Each enemy is equally as intimidating as the last. Whether you’re fighting fungal sorcerers or demonic demons in churches, they’re all as terrifying as you’d imagine. Unfortunately these immense encounters lead to a slight drop in frame rate. It’s not enough to hinder your fighting performance but it certainly sticks out when the rest of the game is capable of running so smoothly. 

Final thoughts

I am not ashamed to say that Ender Lilies has rapidly become one of my favourite games. I’d argue it to be one of the strongest Metroidvanias in 2021, and it most certainly suits the Nintendo Switch. In a kingdom full of melancholy, this game is still bursting with life. All elements of Ender Lilies are strong, from gameplay to story to combat, it’s all excellent. There are few faults to list, and to any fans of games such as Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night or any fans of the Castlevania franchise I cannot express enough how much you need to give Ender Lilies a chance. It’s the right level of challenge, with a beautiful soundtrack and a compelling storyline. So when are you jumping in to save Land’s End?

Review: Ninja Gaiden Master Collection

Michael Hoade
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Review: Ninja Gaiden Master Collection

The Ninja Gaiden series is painfully unforgiving. Enemies are fast, intelligent and absolutely relentless. Combat is brutal, with flying limbs and blood spatters a regular attraction.

As a newcomer to the series who hasn’t had the chance to compare the ‘re-worked’ titles found in the master collection, with the original – and seemingly preferred games – I can only speak of my singular experience with this collection. 

The Ninja Gaiden Master collection is a robust, punishing anthology of gaming greats that all have their own strengths and weaknesses. The collection consists of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge.

In an effort to get this review out in a timely manner, I have spent the last couple weeks being humbled by this series of difficult games. And, I loved it.

The pinnacle of combat:

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One element that never wanes throughout the collection is the absolutely brilliant combat. Thankfully, each of the games are built around the excellent combo based combat system.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma, the first game in the collection, feels a tad more precise – dare I say slower – in comparison to the latter two titles. Personally, I preferred the more tempered – but still objectively fast – pace of the first game.

As the player, you have a great deal of control over what you do in combat. Each combo has a deliberate purpose and unique series of functions that encourage a sense of mastery seldom found in other games. 

The games smart and relentless enemies mean that mastering the combat isn’t an optional choice; reserved for the most elite players. It is a prerequisite just to get through the game. 

The most impressive part about the combat is the way in which it retains a certain simplicity when it comes to core mechanics. Nothing about the system is particularly obtuse or overtly complex. 

Having said that, there is still considerable thoughtfulness when it comes to combat. For example, player positioning is incredibly important. With this factor in mind, a simple mechanic such as wall running becomes not only a flashy maneuver, but also a strategic addition to your arsenal. 

This level of thought and strategy is prevalent across the games combat, which helped me – as a complete newcomer – find a satisfying balance between learning to understand the subtle nuances in the combat, whilst not being overwhelmed with layer upon layer of tutorials and hidden mechanics.

Across the collection, players will mainly control series lead, Ryu Hayabusa, however, there are some instances where you will also control members of the large female ensemble. Sadly, the other characters fail to live up to the high standard of gameplay that Ryu has to offer. 

I welcome variety wherever possible, but playing as someone like Rachel massively slowed the games otherwise excellent pacing for me. With a bit more time and perhaps consideration for how these characters would interact with enemies -who feel specifically designed with solely Ryu in mind – there is potential here for even greater gameplay variety.

Overall, the combat has aged extremely well. This isn’t a case of having to contextualise the game’s combat in relation to the time; even today, this is some top tier action combat. 

Other aspects of gameplay, such as puzzles and platforming, fail to reach the same standards as the combat. Not bad by any means and at times a fun reprieve from combat (who am I kidding, I couldn’t get enough of it), but the poor camera (which also is an issue in combat), is particularly frustrating during platforming sections.

Certainly a story:

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Having even a casual knowledge of Team Ninja as game developers, you would know that their games are not particularly story-driven experiences. This isn’t to say that the narratives found in their titles are bad, but the gameplay is the prime focus. Given the popularity of their recent titles (looking at the Nioh series particularly), this formula works for them.

The Ninja Gaiden Master Collection certainly doesn’t lack in spectacle and Ryu is an absolutely badass character. The voice acting and cutscenes are also surprisingly good for such a gameplay focused title. 

Complemented with some great music – and of course the absolutely brilliant combat – the story can hardly have a negative effect on the experience.

In some ways, the silly script (the writing is pretty awful) and mindless nature of the stories compliment the bombastic, brutal and chaotic gameplay. With gameplay this good, why bog it down by attempting to develop a more thoughtful narrative? 

I think this is certainly a fair argument. And, whilst it would make the collection even more impressive if there was a half-way decent story; attempts in Ninja Gaiden 3 to develop Ryu’s character falling flat suggest that perhaps the gameplay focus was the right choice.

The serious tone shift in 3 isn’t met with an improved script. The bad writing undermines the more serious tone and made me feel grateful for how much the first two games did not take themselves seriously at all.

Still the student:

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For a first time experience, the Ninja Gaiden Master Collection provides plenty of gameplay variety, challenge and even a little bit of innovation between titles (for better or worse).

Ninja Gaiden 3 feels decidedly weaker, but the quality in the first two titles made this collection extremely rewarding for a newcomer like me.

Sadly, the collection struggles to live up to the ‘master’ title – the performance on the Switch for these games is really poor. And from what I have heard, the PC port is also especially bad.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma fares a lot better than the latter two games, with the increasingly fast gameplay in the latter games having a tremendous effect on frame rate. 

The game often ends up looking incredibly pixelated and blurry. 

The camera is noticeably poor and whilst the combat remains absolutely excellent, nearly every other area could have done with a lot more work to live up to the ‘master’ label.

The story here is that the Ninja Gaiden Master Collection offers new players the chance to experience this excellent series in one complete package. The collection is packed full of content and challenge that encourages replayability. 

For more long-term fans however, this half-hearted attempt fails to elevate the game in the way you would expect of a remaster. 

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