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Review: Manifold Garden

Gaming

Sibonisile Motha

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Sep 8, 2021

Created and developed by William Chyr, Manifold Garden is as much of a wonder and curiosity as the man behind it. An artist with a degree in Physics and Economics decides to create an experience where one can shift their perspectives and go on to experience new worlds, and new ways of seeing them too.

How do I begin to describe Manifold Garden? Words may fall short of this must-play-at-least-once-in-your-life game, but I will try my best.

Enter the Manifold Garden

There is no “plot” to Manifold Garden in the traditional gaming sense, but it still plays out like an adventure filled with puzzles, mind-bending views, and a beauty that keeps you playing for hours. Your task is simple enough: solve ever-increasingly difficult puzzles and finish the game. Its execution is anything but simple. You are able to manipulate gravity by changing the planes on which you traverse on. This causes the need for you to explore your surroundings well for clues and ways to solve each puzzle you come across.

Each completed puzzle opens the door (sometimes quite literally) for new environments. Guided by colors, the boxes will have their unique color as well as pathways. The planes also correspond to the color of the items in that specific plane. My favorite experience in playing Manifold Garden was how it captured the power of perspective. A puzzle may seem straightforward but maybe unsolvable until you’re willing to change how you see things. The element of gravity shifting does make it all the more challenging. You may need to move a box in a plane from point A to B, but you’ll need another box in a different plane (with its gravity) to help you get there. With their gravities working differently from each other, you’ll often need to take a step back and think it through carefully while changing perspectives.

Perspective is key

The feeling of solving the puzzles was a joy I hadn’t felt in a while. My love for puzzle-solving was fulfilled with Manifold Garden. The various environments’ designs each gave the worlds their feel and atmosphere. As though every staircase, wall, window, and ledge had a story to tell you about the world you are now experiencing. These abstract worlds wait for you to uncover their offerings.

The controls were simple enough to get the hang of the movements early on. Adjusting to the switching between planes may take some time, especially in more complex puzzles. It was so much fun to see the walls become ceilings and the windows become floors. There was a particular puzzle earlier on in Manifold Garden where I was so frustrated at the building across that I couldn’t reach. I got so fed up that I just threw myself off the ledge of the one building I was in – only to discover that that was the way to get to where I needed to go. A leap of faith.

Experience the abstract garden worlds…

There is definitely a lot more to Manifold Garden than just solving puzzles. You really, as its webpage suggests, “cultivating a garden”.

Manifold Garden takes the concept of thinking “out the box” to a whole new level. With more than seven years to develop, this is title effortlessly made its way onto the list as one of my favorite games. Gameplay hours are long enough to have you feeling relieved but wishing for more (but then I remembered how hard some of those puzzles were and celebrated my accomplishment of finishing it).

Before beginning the game, I do recommend beginning with the settings. There you can choose between some fancy-sounding physics-based settings (don’t judge me, I haven’t touched a physics textbook in years). I also stumbled across what I thought to be a unique feature – colorblind mode. Manifold Garden also considers those who may be colorblind but would like to experience the game, largely since the role of color serves as a guide of sorts in the game.

Final Verdict…

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this game and I am so glad William Chyr took that risk to go on and create the beautiful experience that is Manifold Garden. A strongly recommended one to play.

Psst…if you go to the official website for Manifold Garden, keep scrolling down or up the page (You’re welcome).

Review: Pile Up! Box by Box

Daniel Waite

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Sep 8, 2021

0

The cooperative gaming market is massive, and many families are screaming out for more games to play together. Luckily, the options are growing at an exponential rate with some fantastic options such as Moving Out, Overcooked, and now Pile Up! Box by Box.

Developed by Seed by Seed and published by HandyGames, it’s a cooperative puzzle adventure title. You’ll enjoy a solo or multiplayer experience involving many boxes and zero violence. It’s an uber family-friendly experience that’s great fun, but one that is cut short far too soon.

Pile Up! Box by Box offers a lot for younger players.

Whenever I hear the phrase family-friendly and puzzle muttered in the same breathe a shudder goes down my spine. I picture many arguments, fallouts, and an incomplete game. Fortunately, however, Pile Up! Box by Box offers a lot for younger players. With its accessible approach to problems and a gentle learning curve, younger and inexperienced gamers will love every minute.

The wonderfully simple game mechanics allow you to enjoy every moment solo or with up to three other players. Your game begins in a central hub. From here, you collect keys by completing levels and use these to unlock new stages. You’ll enjoy a bizarre mixture of levels, each with a unique style and goal. The eclectic blend of stages was fascinating, and I particularly enjoyed the frog rescue and cave cinema level. The first asks you to hunt down four coloured frogs by leaping gaps, triggering switches, and unlocking portals. The latter demands that you activate six switches to fix a broken cinema projector. They were all a little silly, but I admired them all the same.

Though the levels were brilliant to explore, and the unique and unusual level designs were excellent to experience, there simply weren’t enough of them for my liking. We had just got used to the mechanics and had perfected our teamwork when the end credits began rolling…..it was such a shame as we desperately wanted more. The lasting feeling was of disappointment as we wanted the action to roll on to further worlds. Yet, maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel and the developers plan to resolve this with future DLC? One can only hope!

Boxes, springs, and collectables.

The premise of Pile Up! Box by Box is remarkably simple! You control an oddly cute cube that must move and jump around an array of stages. You will pick up other boxes to increase your size, or stack them to form staircases to reach higher points. You’ll be introduced to springs to leap higher, and a frog-like cube that flicks out its tongue to bridge gaps and collect objects. If you are a solo player, you’ll struggle more than those in a team (as long as you work together.) When you are alone, you must find every box to overcome the obstacles, and this requires some planning. However, in a team, you can use each other as makeshift stairs, or gather the resources to do so.

I loved how this idea forced you to work together. Even the inexperienced players in the team were sold on the idea. This worked particularly well when ample collectables were available to gather. This classic 3D adventure mechanic was well thought out and added plenty of replay value. To get the most out of the game, you’ll have to collect hundreds of golden cubes and hoops. These items allow you to access secret areas, unlock cosmetics and find in-game arcade machines. These elements added little to the action but were fun to find and gather, nonetheless.

Pile Up! Box by Box is a cute title.

I adored the cute art style incorporated within Pile Up! Box by Box. Its wonderful pastel tones and cardboard-like imagery were lovely to look at. This strange style added to the bizarre levels you explore, and I never got bored with what I saw. Yet, I found the lack of a free-flowing camera a bit frustrating and this made exploration tricky. It would have been helpful to see the world from different angles, but this never happened. Sadly, you’ll find yourself falling into chasms, missing platforms, and mucking up repeatedly.

The cutesy gameplay was enhanced with the upbeat audio. The fun sounds and music softened the blow of repeated failure, and as a team, you’ll laugh at the constant errors you make. The music matched each level you explore and the change in sounds ensured that the action never became tedious.

Easy controls add to the user-friendly approach.

Whenever a game is aimed towards a younger audience, you’d hope the controls will be simple. Fortunately, Pile Up! Box by Box has an extremely basic setup that’s easy to master. With a thorough tutorial, every player will know exactly what to do in no time.

If more content was added, this would vastly improve the longevity. Sadly, the replay value is impacted by the lack of stages. The collectables and arcade machines will draw you back in, but this will hold your interest for a short amount of time. Additional DLC will resolve this issue, so I hope the developers add some whacky levels to explore.

Pile Up! Box by Box is great, but it leaves you wanting more!

It’s admirable that the developers have created such a family focussed title, but the lack of stages lets it down. It looks great, has interesting audio, and the stage design is fascinating, however, sadly, there just wasn’t enough of it. I loved it and recommend you to buy it here! It’s a short but enjoyable title that’ll keep your whole family entertained. Work together, solve the puzzles, and pile those boxes high.

Review: RiMs Racing

Daniel Waite

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Sep 7, 2021

0

The idea of flying around a track on two wheels gets my heart pumping. I love everything about motorbikes and enjoy the adrenaline rush that comes from speeding across the tarmac. I have been fortunate to review Ride 4 and MotoGP21, so when the opportunity to look at RiMs Racing arose, I leapt at the chance to get a copy.

This has been developed by RaceWard Studio and published by Nacon and BIGBEN INTERACTIVE. It’s a hardcore ultra-realistic racing title that demands you forget about the piddly engined bikes and asks you to focus on the behemoths of the sport. RiMs Racing wants you to spend as much energy on tweaking your ride as it does racing it. It’s a unique take on the genre and one that is sure to divide fans.

RiMs Racing is not for the faint of heart!

I never tire of the difficulty of motorbike games, yet RiMs Racing took me by surprise. It’s a particularly challenging take on the sport and one that truly believes that less is more! With eight monster bikes to choose from, even novice riders will instantly identify the brands; Ducati Panigale, Yamaha YZF R1, and Honda CBR1000RR ABS are, to name but a few. Alongside the limited roster of machines, there are over five hundred licensed parts to choose from, so grease monkeys will have a field day.

The developer aims to inspire players to pick a machine, learn to ride it, and then upgrade it to make it run like a dream. This was a fantastic idea, but this fiddly approach will limit the appeal and the audience it attracts. Yet, if this sort of highly in-depth and difficult racing experience calls to you, then you’ll find a title that will keep you entertained for hours.

Classic tracks but brutal riding conditions.

Racing fans will adore the selection of tracks on offer! With an eclectic blend of road circuits and race tracks, there is something for everyone. You can chance your hand at the Nurburgring, Silverstone, Great Victoria Desert, Passop San Marco, and more. The tracks were great and where RiMs Racing excels is the open experience of the street events. Here you can take advantage of the fantastic fine-tuning of your bike to eke out every ounce of power and balance. However, to get things right is no mean feat, and it has a brutal learning curve.

The constant tweaking of your ride is intriguing, but too much messing with the settings can hinder your progress. You must be sensible with your upgrades and how you approach each race. If you stack it during an event, which you will, your bike will become damaged. This is one of the most realistic elements of the game, but damn, it was poorly executed! Finding broken parts is easier said than done, and then there are the funds required to fix the mess. It’s fiddly and poorly executed and will leave you annoyed.

You will constantly chase your tail as you look to maintain your vehicle. If you are not a fan of micromanagement or don’t adore engineering, you may find this section tiresome and a step too far. I was on the fence with it, as I can see what the developers were aiming for. I simply wasn’t super keen on the constant back and forth and grinding out the required funds for each part.

RiMs Racing looks as good as the market-leading titles.

With no expense spared on the attention to detail, RiMs Racing looks as great as the leading competitors. Motorsports fans will love the inch-perfect tracks, the accurate bikes, and the number of licensed parts to choose from. The game flows smoothly and you’ll enjoy linking turns as you hammer around each course. Its ultra-realism makes it stand out against some much-loved franchises and RaceWard Studio has done a great job of producing a polished title.

If motorbikes are your thing, then you’ll go crazy for booming exhausts and meaty engines. Fortunately, the ear-splitting noises are fantastic and transport you right to the side of the racetrack. The audio is as aggressive as you’d expect, and the adrenaline is flowing every time you jump on your machine.

The tarmac is never your friend, yet you’ll be on it an awful lot.

With three difficulty settings, and tough as hell gameplay, the controls were always going to be difficult. You’ll experience the normal front and rear braking, the challenge to stay on the racing line, and multiple crashes. It will push you to your limits, but the frustrations are worth it, as the feel of winning a race is very rewarding and addictive. It’s just a shame I never got to experience it very often.

If you fall for the brutal but realistic charms, you’ll love everything that is on offer. With its vastly in-depth mechanics and challenging gameplay style, this will tick the boxes for a niche audience. However, for many racing fans, this will probably be a step too far and they’ll want to play it safe and keep with the tried and tested franchises.

RiMs Racing offers a unique experience.

RiMs Racing is a wonderful game that is part bike mechanic sim and part racer. Its brutal gameplay and limited bike roster will put off many players. However, those gamers who love it will have a unique and tough experience. I recommend it, but be aware it’s different from the market-leading titles. If you fancy it, a copy can be purchased here. Choose your bike, tweak the ride, and feel the speed.

Review: El-Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

Jonah Ehlers

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Sep 6, 2021

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Review: El-Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

El-Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is a game that many people may have overlooked when it originally released back in 2011. But 10 years later, with a PC port, you have the chance to experience this cult classic. And you really should.

What’s It All About?

The story of El-Shaddai is inspired by the Book of Enoch, an ancient Hebrew text regarding the apocalypse. You play as the man himself; Enoch. A human who had served in heaven and is now called upon to undertake a massive quest. Seven fallen angels, or Grigori have descended to Earth, bringing about a “false evolution”. This means rapid human development, but at the cost of freedom. It’s up to Enoch to bring these renegade angels back to heaven for Judgement. All before the Earth is hit with a second great flood, like the story of Noah. Enoch is not alone though, he is accompanied by four archangels: Raphael, Gabriel, Michael, and Uriel. They provide support and advice, and Uriel even gives you a hand in combat through an overburst mode.

The story sounds simple enough, but there was more than one occasion where I was seriously stumped as to what I was watching. Things get pretty wild, with all kinds of lore being thrown at you from all angles. Like Nephilim, the hybrid offspring of Angels and Humans that have the potential to devour each other and grow into giant beings of destruction. Or the prophet Ishtar, who leads the freemen against the fallen angels on the ground.

There’s a lot of ancient Hebrew religious inspired lore to take in and it’s at times a bit abstract. While you never feel hopelessly lost in the plot. There will be moments where you’re questioning what is actually going on on-screen.

Jabbing and Jumping

El-Shaddai’s gameplay is broken up into two parts essentially. You spent equal amounts of time in combat and platforming.

Combat is deceptively simple at first, but ended up having more depth than I had expected, without becoming overly complex. You have access to three holy weapons. These are acquired by grabbing them from set points, or by stealing them from a stunned enemy. Enoch will grab the weapon from them and purify it, allowing him to use it to dispense holy justice. The Gale allows the player to shoot projectiles at enemies. It’s the fastest, but also the weakest weapon in the game. Speed is your friend. There’s not much in the way of defense, forcing you to time a parry. The Veil is the slowest, but strongest weapon, which means you can block a lot more and not worry about timing. And then there’s the Arch, a blade that strikes a balance between offense and defense.

Each of these weapons have different attack animations and areas of effect. However, the simplicity in combat comes from the fact that the control scheme for all of them is the same. You can mash the attack button for a string of hits. Hold the button down and you can time a counterattack for enemy hits. Combine the guard and attack buttons for special moves and use them when in the air, on the ground and mid combo. Air attacks, guard breaks, dashes, and air-to-ground attacks are all on the table. There’s a great variety of moves that come from easy to learn controls that just require a little timing. This makes for a simple, yet robust combat system that can be a lot of fun.

My only complaint in its combat were a couple of boss encounters, where its great system was underutilised. Such as a fight with a giant pig that amounted to baiting a charge into a wall, and wailing on him while he was out. Rinse and repeat until the fight is over. However, these moments were a couple of small blemishes on an otherwise great string of fights.

The other end of the gameplay spectrum is the platforming. This one is a tad more straightforward. Only taking things a bit further with the Arch’s ability to slowly descend from a jump and the Gale’s ability to dash forward. Otherwise it’s simply a matter of timing and placement like any other platformer.

El-Shaddai has platforming segments that are more flat and 2D-like, and others that are more 3D. The 2D platforming sections are far better and much more enjoyable than their 3D counterparts. Which requires a bit more to land safely. Enoch usually casts a shadow which shows that it’s safe to land. But I still found myself plummeting to the depths of a level because of this feeling of poor depth perception. Overshooting or undershooting my jumps woefully. I feel like some camera control may have helped me out a bit. Luckily none of my failed attempts made me want to quit. However, if you’re not a fan of, or good at platforming this might be frustrating.

Painted World

I love this game’s art style. The fallen angels you go after, each rule their own realm. You travel from one to the next and let me tell you, not one of them disappointed me visually. Every realm was a painting, even the most artistically tame area, Arakiel’s realm. The use of colours, lighting and scale all contributed to some beautiful levels. However, it wasn’t all beautiful. While art direction and environmental design was great, the character models were not.

The characters were where the title’s age was the most evident. There’s not all too much texture or refinement to character models. And close ups make this painfully obvious, even for a game from 2011 it was surprising. Part of me felt like most of the budget went into other areas of the visuals. But honestly, with how great the environments and lighting are, I can forgive it. To an extent at least, because man, were some of the fallen angels ugly.

To complement the stellar visuals, we’re also treated to some seriously good music. Just straight banger after banger in the soundtrack. From the epic choral menu song and Enoch’s theme to the soothing arrangement of to those of the beloved past. If you’re anything like me, you’ll end up searching the OST and adding a couple tracks to your video game soundtrack playlist before long.

Play It

Hidden Gem is an apt description of El-Shaddai, when I first loaded it up, its older and slightly potatoey graphics threw me off. A small part of me suspected that this would be an underwhelming experience. I hadn’t realised how spoiled the evolution of visual quality in modern video games had made me. But it’s art style, music and combat all won me over. It’s a fun game, with a lot of character and some serious food for the eyes. Whatever negative aspects can be found in El-Shaddai, are easily overshadowed by the positives. Making this a great experience overall.

Review: Hollyland Lark 150 Solo Wireless Microphone System

Andrew Edney

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Sep 6, 2021

0

Review: Hollyland Lark 150 Solo Wireless Microphone System

This is our review of the Hollyland Lark 150 Solo 1-Person Wireless Microphone System.

The LARK 150 is a wireless microphone system equipped with two independent ultra-compact mics designed to record 2-person dialogues.

Never miss any sounds for street interviews, travel vlogging, conversational live streaming, and other types of digital content creation that feature one or two people onscreen.

Specifications

What’s in the box?

The box contains the transmitter, receiver, charging case, storage bag, cables, mic, stickers, furry windshield and instructions.

A Closer Look at the Transmitter

A Closer Look at the Receiver

A Closer Look at the Charging Case

Final Thoughts

The first thing you notice about the Lark 150 is that it is small – very small! It can easily fit into your bag and even your pocket. Both the transmitter and the receiver are very lightweight – you almost wont notice you are wearing the transmitter, it’s that small.

The charging case holds both the transmitter and receiver and both charge up when fitted into the case. The case itself also holds a charge so when fully charged you should be able to fully charge both the transmitter and receiver two and half times. Charging the case is simply a case of plugging in the cable and charging it up. The battery on the transmitter lasts about 4 hours and the receiver lasts about 7.5 hours. You can easily see the status of each of the batteries on the devices and also on the case itself. The case feels very sturdy and will protect the kit when stored. Magnets hold them in place as well so they wont move around when being carried. All the cables can even be carried in the case too making things so much easier.

Setting up the Lark 150 is very quick and easy – power on the transmitter and receiver, plug in the cables and fit them where you need them and that’s it. There really isn’t anything else to do as they just work. They auto pair when you take them out of the charging case.

The audio quality is excellent and I found that using them in a variety of different locations, some inside and some outside worked very well. You should be able to receive the audio signal up to about 100 metres, so for more requirements this will be more than enough. The Lark 150 scans the surrounding frequency 8,000 times per second and automatically connects to the interference-free channel to ensure the system is always connected.

Over the years I have recorded hundreds of interviews, some in nice quiet rooms, and others in the middle of a busy convention centre with thousands of peoples and loads demos going on around, and given all the other kit I had to carry around with me, the Lark 150 would have been perfect. I have used other wireless mics in the past, but none as small or as easy to use as the Lark and none that didn’t require me to carry a lot of spare batteries. This is definitely my go to audio kit now.

If you want to have a wireless microphone for recording videos either inside or outside then you really need to take a look at the Hollyland Lark 150 Solo as its the perfect addition to your kit bag. And it’s also very easy to upgrade by buying an additional transmitter.

The Hollyland Lark 150 Solo 1-Person Wireless Microphone System is available now priced around $270 or £249.

You can learn more from the Hollyland website.

Review: Quake Remastered

Daniel Waite

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Sep 6, 2021

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When a game’s legacy spans 25 years and people still hold it in high regard, you know the developers struck gold. Quake captured the imagination of its audience with its blocky and dark imagery and hard-hitting audio. Roll on to 2021 and would this much-loved title still have the same impact today as it did in 1996? Quake Remastered has been released to answer that question! So, will it survive the test of time and still be adored, or should it have been left well enough alone?

Developed by id Software and Nightdive Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, this is a classic first-person shooter (FPS). I remember much about the core game but didn’t explore the many episodes that were added. I was excited to get my hands on a copy as I wanted to see how it would hold up on a modern console, and I was desperate to experience the additional content.

Mow them down with your ridiculous machine gun.

Quake Remastered retains its charms while adding a shed load of content.

Quake was admired by the gaming industry for being one of the first true 3D games. I remember playing it and being amazed by the engrossing gameplay, and the brutality that ensues. The dark world and tough action kept me busy for hours, so I was glad when I heard Quake Remastered had retained much of its charm and core concepts.

The game asks you to explore a labyrinthine world filled with monsters and ridiculous weapons. The story, or what little that’s explained, asks you to jump through a portal to find an enemy code-named “Quake”. That’s about the extent of the information at hand, and with this minuscule nugget, you begin your journey of bloody violence. You venture through the maze-like dungeons, hunting down your foes while searching for a rune, and this ultimately leads to the final boss Shub-Niggurath (try saying that when drunk!)

So, Quake Remastered is a simple title that doesn’t venture far from its roots. You’ll enjoy the easy to navigate stages that hide multiple secrets, and many resources. There are traps to avoid or destroy, lifts to activate, doors to open, and many monsters to annihilate. It was fantastic reliving my youth on a modern console. However, you may think that this doesn’t offer much for modern players! Worry not, as there is plenty for you to get your teeth into.

Work together and complete every mission.

Plenty of improvements to the performance and gameplay.

I adored how the developers added additional elements to the game without ruining the core concept. New players and old will appreciate the extra layers that have been added and the availability of the original expansion pack. What was instantly noticeable were the enhanced graphics that make the action run seamlessly. You still get to enjoy the blocky and low detailed imagery, but the edges have been nicely polished to make it pleasing to the eye.

Alongside this, Cross-play has been added to spice up the multiplayer action as well as split-screen, co-op and deathmatch modes. These work fantastically on the remastered version and I loved how the genre-defining mode has been carefully supported for this latest instalment of the franchise.

You’ll experience four different difficulty settings, from easy to nightmare in this tantalising FPS. You must consider the weapon you are wielding and the enemies you face as different guns affect each monster you encounter. Whether you blast them down with a shotgun, mow them down with a machine gun, stun them with your lightning gun, or hack them with your axe, you must understand the best way to annihilate your foes.

Quake Remastered has been done justice for a modern audience.

In the future, it’ll run native 4k play and 120FPS and will play incredibly well on the Series X! Currently, you’ll experience 1080p at a smooth 60FPS. I loved its modern finish and its ability to retain its classic look. The creepy and horrific enemies still lack details and the surrounding world is blocky and dank, and this is great. The simplicity of the imagery defined Quake and the remaster has captured this perfectly.

An aggressive game would be nothing without a heavy soundtrack to listen to, and Quake Remastered has this in abundance. The hostile and angry tones generate high energy and demand you sprint and shoot to your heart’s content. I loved scouring the levels while enjoying everything Nine Inch Nails offers. What’s also fantastic is how great the weapons sound. The deafening blasts from your arsenal of weapons were excellent to experience, and it adds to the brutality of the horrific gameplay.

Innovative controls that define the genre.

Quake’s innovative control system has defined the FPS genre. The ability to strafe, leap, and dodge your enemy’s attacks sent shock waves through the industry, and the results are still seen in modern titles. The control setup has shifted to the gamepad extremely well and is accurate and responsive to play on console. Fans of the original will note the addition of a radial menu to select your weapons. This new method adds little to the gameplay and was designed with console gamers in mind.

During the 90s, gamers were addicted to the gory violence and the excellent mechanics, and I can’t see anything changing! With the addition of Cross-play, the original episodes, and modern polish, this will ensure it’s as addictive as ever. The moderate achievement list will test your resolve and add to the high replay value.

Quake Remastered proves its still relevant for a modern audience.

Remastered games are two a penny and some are great while others are not. Quake Remastered, however, is fantastic and proves that minor adjustments and a considered approach can breathe life into a much-loved game. I adored it and recommend you to buy it here! It’s also free as part of the Gamepass subscription, so you have nothing to lose. Can you find the secrets, kill the monsters, and complete your mission? Grab a gun and see for yourself!

Review: PAW Patrol: The Movie Ultimate City Tower

Andrew Edney

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Sep 5, 2021

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Review: PAW Patrol: The Movie Ultimate City Tower

With the PAW Patrol: The Movie just out in cinemas, SpinMaster have released a new range of toys, and we review the new Ultimate City Tower.

This 3-foot-tall playset – the tallest PAW Patrol tower yet – brings the pups’ Adventure City headquarters from the big screen to life. It’s jam-packed with amazing features to discover, including a transforming light-up rescue ramp, command center, vehicle lift, pup elevator, lights and sounds and so much more! With Chase’s cruiser, a clip-on backpack, and all six PAW Patrol figures included, you can get straight to the fun right out of the box.

A Closer Look

The box containing all the pieces of the Ultimate City Tower is big – very big! It is also very well packaged.

The instructions and the stickers for the car and the tower are also included, along with some extra stickers that can be used for whatever you want, which we thought was a nice touch.

The top of the Tower even has the holographic city map used in the film.

There are lots of separate pieces that will need to be fitted together.

The instructions are very detailed and each piece actually has the number corresponding to the piece on the instructions stamped somewhere on the piece out of the way, which really helped when putting it together.

As well as the Tower, there is also Chase with a special pup pack. This one launches three projectiles and can be easily fitted or removed, and it can also be used to hang Chase off the side fo the Tower.

Chase’s Police Cruiser also comes in the box. The cruiser is ready to go but needs it’s stickers to be stuck on.

You also get Marshall, Rocky, Rubble, Zuma and Skye to play with – but no Liberty (who is now my assistants favourite pup).

Then it’s a case of following the instructions and fitting all the pieces together to start building the Tower. My assistant was able to build it himself with very little help from me and all the pieces felt secure when clicked into place.

Obviously during the build process we had to stop in order to test certain functions – obviously!

One of the main features of the Tower is a large ramp that opens up from the front of the Tower (and closes up when you have finished playing with it). This is controlled by a red handle on the rear of the Tower. According to my assistant it was fairly easy to operate and got easier the more times he used it – plus it actually got easier once the build was completed as the whole Tower was more secure when all the pieces were in place.

There’s a lift at the rear of the Tower in order to allow Chase’s Cruise to be lifted up ready to use the ramp. The other pup’s vehicles, which are sold separately, can also be used as well.

The top of the Tower has space for each pup, once you have fitted the stickers. The top turns in order to reveal a picture of the pup along with lights and sounds associated with that pup. There is also a slide so the pups can do down.

When finished being built, the Tower stands 3 feet high, which is huge!

Final Thoughts

With the help of my trusty (almost) 5 year old assistant, we easily removed everything from the packaging, although this took a while as there are a lot of pieces (as you can see from the pictures above).

At the time of the unboxing he had already seen the movie twice (and I was to see it later that day with him).

Unboxing and building the Tower took around two hours – although it could probably be done quicker than that, but we were having so much fun that two hours just flew by. My assistant only needed a little help building it – there were a few tricky pieces to fit together towards the end – so he really enjoyed the challenge and the anticipation of playing with the Tower and the pups. And all throughout the build he tested each step to make sure he was happy – in the case of the ramp this meant opening and closing many, many times!

There are two separate battery compartments that require AAA batteries (5 in total), which are not included. It’s very easy to fit them and the battery compartment is in an easy to access place that doesn’t require anything being dismantled. My assistant has been playing with the Tower for many many hours now and the batteries are still going strong. The first is on the ramp itself, and there is a button that can be pressed to play various sounds and parts of the ramp lights up. Also when a vehicle goes down the ramp the lights and sounds happen which is really cool. The second battery compartment is for the top of the Tower which includes lights and sounds for each pup – it also lights up the main PAW Patrol symbol on the front of the Tower.

The Tower is very secure and sturdy, even with the ramp extended, especially considering its 3 feet tall! There are lots of different features on the Tower, including the ramp, lift, slides, the all new Pup Treat Dispenser, places for the pups and so much more. Chase even clips onto the pup elevator so he can go straight up to the top of the Tower. There’s even space at the bottom of the Tower in the garage to park and fix vehicles.

The quality and attention to detail on the Tower is great and I would say it’s the best PAW Patrol toy so far – well according to my assistant anyway! But I have to agree with him, each new toy that comes out is better than the last and he is looking forward to seeing what comes next.

After a week since the Tower was originally built, a day hasn’t gone by where my assistant hasn’t played with the Tower and the pups, and he keeps finding fun new ways to play and recreate some of his favourite scenes from the film. This is definitely a huge hit with him and I suspect that will be the same with others too!

If you are a fan of PAW Patrol then you are going to want this new Tower, it is the biggest PAW Patrol toy that SpinMaster has released so far and it has a lot of things to do. The inclusion of all pups and one vehicle really added to the excitement, although my assistant was disappointed his new favourite pup Liberty wasn’t included, but then you can’t have everything.

The PAW Patrol: The Movie Ultimate City Tower is available now priced around £160 and is aimed at children ages 3 and up, and is a must have for your child’s PAW Patrol collection.

You can learn more about the different toys from the SpinMaster website.

Disclosure: This product was provided free of charge in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Review: Shadowplay: Metropolis Foe

Charles Ombler

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Sep 5, 2021

0

Do you love the idea of a deck-building card game but have an irrational aversion to getting into crippling debt over buying expansion packs, a severe phobia of your local newsagent due to his recent deeds™ and a deadly allergy to coniferous tree mulch? Is the cyberpunk genre your jam and you’re disappointed that there hasn’t been a single video game release in that genre in the last couple of years? Are you trying to be ethical in your consumption of video games, causing you to avoid a certain video game card game from a certain developer? If you answered ‘Yes’ to all of the questions given above – my calculations suggest that those scenarios apply to 90% of the population so I think I’m on to a winner here – you might want to try Shadowplay: Metropolis Foe, the most generically named video game in the world.

Shadowplay: Metropolis Foe is a deck-building rogue-like card game, AKA an absolutely fascinating combination of genres. You play as four generic cyberpunk characters, all of whom you would desperately want to punch in the face if you met them in real life, metal implants and all, due to their incredibly smug expressions and extra-ness of every fibre of their being. You work your way from a start point through a branching network map where you can choose between fights or other events on your path to the final boss of a stage. The map reminds me of the map from FTL: Faster than Light, which is no small thing to emulate one of the best rogue-likes in existence. The fights allow you to pit your team and deck against an AI enemy, which will reward you with a combination of currency, cards and equipment on a victory. Where the events give you the options to buy cards and equipment, upgrade your existing deck, heal up and gamble with dodgy cyberpunk characters. In true rogue-like fashion, if you drop to 0 HP you’ll reset to the beginning, losing some of your upgrades and maintaining others, but ostensibly returning to the starter deck.

The fights are relatively simple, as deck-building card games go, but they’re still good fun. I think it situates the game in a good middle ground between being easy to pick up and learn, not requiring a bachelors degree to ever win a fight, and having the complexity to allow you to focus your deck towards a particular play-style and set yourself up some clever and devastating plays. There are two things you need to think about in a fight: armour and attack. Armour is the amount of damage you can negate on the enemy’s next turn and attack is the amount of damage you do to the enemy. There are also status effects you can apply to yourself and the enemy, such as a chance to avoid attacks or increases to the attack damage listed on the card. Status effects disappear after a fight but your health is consistent over a whole level, meaning you’re always thinking about the threat of a rogue-like reset. On your turn, you get as many AP as you have characters in your team (4 to start with) and cards cost AP to play, with some card generating bonus AP. Any cards you don’t play on a turn go to a discard pile so you need to really focus on the order you play your cards and which cards you play, to avoid a powerful card going unplayed. There is also an equipment system that gives a passive effect whenever a certain action is undertaken, for example gaining a status effect whenever a card effect causes a card to be drawn from the deck into your hand.

Whilst somewhat simplistic, Shadowplay: Metropolis Foe scratches a lot of my gaming itches. The rogue-like elements are well executed and invite parallels to a lot of other well-loved rogue-likes. The deck-building is quite slow but when offered a choice between cards to add to your collection the gears start turning in your head, contemplating which other cards would make a good synergy and allow clever and sexy manoeuvrers. The fights are easy to follow but challenging, allowing you to pick up the game and know what’s going on almost immediately. I enjoyed Shadowplay: Metropolis Foe and it certainly offers a strong alternative to newsagent induced poverty and anaphylaxis.

Review: WeakWood Throne

Daniel Waite

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Sep 5, 2021

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A sudden change in your life can be a worrying time. You fear the disruption will damage the way you live, and ruin the harmony of your existence! One of the biggest changes a kingdom can endure is when its ruler passes. People mourn, and life goes on, but what will the heir to the throne be like? WeakWood Throne tells a harrowing tale of loss and the dark times that follow.

Developed by Gnelf and published by Drageus Games, this is an old-school action RPG. Set in the sprawling WeakWood Kingdom, you control an unlikely hero who must discover the cause of the sorrow that impacts the land. Using a retro style, and basic mechanics, you’ll undertake a dangerous journey to kill monsters, bosses, and face an enormous final beast.

WeakWood Throne captures the best elements of early RPGs.

The people of WeakWood used to be happy and prosperous. Sadly, though, their once joyous existence has turned to misery and unrelenting work. You never asked to be a hero, but one small quest sends you on a path of discovery. Before you know it, you are helping every miserable peasant across the land while edging ever closer to the Kingdom’s darkest secrets.

You will explore an array of landscapes and encounter ridiculous monsters on your quest for the truth. WeakWood Throne uses simple mechanics to convey its story, and I thoroughly enjoyed its straightforward approach. You choose between ranged attacks, melee, or magic, and you must customise your character to utilise each skill. You’ll discover many villages where vendors will sell you upgraded equipment and new potions. This was a fantastic idea as it kept the gameplay fresh and levelled out the difficulty curve of the higher level monsters.

Plenty of fetch quests and kiting combat.

Much of WeakWood Throne’s gameplay revolves around helping the villagers by completing an array of missions. You’ll experience a classic blend of monster hunting, finding missing people, and plenty of fetch quests. These were sadly a little tedious and were lacking in difficulty, mostly. As the game progresses, you are challenged because of the difficulty of your foes, and not the complexity of the tasks. This was a shame, as I desperately wanted it to evolve, but it rarely did.

Unfortunately, the combat mechanics did nothing to enhance the gameplay either. The simple hack n slash approach combined with kiting your opponents made fighting a cinch. It was regretfully disappointing as the array of weapons was great and I wanted the developers to capitalise on this. Rarely did your opponents put up a fight, and it wasn’t until the latter portion of the game that I struggled.

A wonderful world to explore, but the NPCs lack personality.

Where WeakWood Throne excels is its fantastic world you explore. The open gameplay allows you to venture as far as you wish while using boats and a skateboard to get around. You’ll discover swamps, tundra, deserts, beaches, jungles and more across the kingdom. Each area has unique monsters that enhance the defined features of each zone. This was a simple way to add variety to the gameplay while sticking to the strange yet basic plot.

When NPCs and quests form the backbone of the action, you expect each individual to have an interesting personality that adds to the story. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case and many interactions are a lifeless and bland affair. Yes, some missions will capture your attention. However, it’s a shame that no rapport is built with the locals and it feels like you are going through the motions rather than wanting to help them out.

WeakWood Throne has a lovely old-school aesthetic.

I adored WeakWood Throne’s old-school aesthetics. The colourful world and detailed sprites were great to look at. The aforementioned variety in landscapes was fantastic, and it was easy to lose yourself in this fantasy world. Its classic look will make older gamers feel nostalgic and you’ll fall for its charms immediately.

The audio continues the old-school theme with its blend of chiptune and synthesised music. I enjoyed how the tone and pace changed to match the emotion and location, and the clever use of silence to build tension. The basic sound effects were equally good, and I liked the crashing of broken glass, the slash of your weapons, and the noises each enemy made.

Aesthetically, WeakWood Throne exceeds all expectations and produces a finish that is of much better quality than many of its peers.

Collect the ingredients to make the special potion.

Twin-stick approach and easy controls.

I was surprised that a twin-stick approach had been incorporated into the gameplay. It seemed an unusual choice for the genre, but with a little practice, it worked well. If you struggle with this control method, auto-aim can be used to make things that bit easier. Other than this, everything else is standard and its well-labelled UI makes navigating the menus user friendly.

The world you explore is large. However, it funnels the action to drive the story forward. This linear core concept impacts the replay value and reduces the reason to return. Fortunately, a large achievement list gives you plenty of tasks to complete and this supports the main story and quests nicely.

WeakWood Throne shows promise but doesn’t quite deliver.

Sometimes I wish a game would just be 100% lacklustre and appalling, rather than show promise and miss the mark. WeakWood Throne does just that, as it has so much going for it, but it cannot capitalise on its promise. It has a sound premise, excellent controls, and wonderful old-school aesthetics that are held back by simple combat mechanics, repetitive quests, and heartless NPCs. Even with its shortcomings, I enjoyed it as its positives, fortunately, paper over the cracks. It’s a nice simple action RPG and I recommend you to buy it here! Become the unlikely hero in this retro saga and discover what is affecting the kingdom of WeakWood.

Fan Backlash Leads to Sony and Jim Ryan U-Turn on Forbidden West PS5 Upgrade Path

Gaming
News

Sean McCarthy

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Sep 5, 2021

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Fan Backlash Leads to Sony and Jim Ryan U-Turn on Forbidden West PS5 Upgrade Path

Overnight, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Jim Ryan, released a statement which updated the ‘Horizon Forbidden West’ PlayStation blog post to confirm that all PS4 versions of the game, due to release on February 18th 2022, will have a FREE Upgrade to the PS5 version. This follows the reveal of the different versions of the game available when the Pre-Orders went live on September 2nd 2021 and fans immediately noticed that the only way for someone on PS4 to have an upgrade to the PS5 version was to purchase the higher tier Deluxe or Regalia Editions of the game.

The entire path to a PS5 version of a Sony Studio title should you be trying to from a PS4 version of the game has been a complete and utter fiasco from day one with Sony clearly experimenting with different ways of trying to charge for this upgrade compared to the “Smart Delivery” of Xbox Series X/S games which simply requires you to purchase the game/install from Xbox Game Pass and depending on which console you are downloading it to, it will give you the best version possible at no extra charge.

PlayStation 4 fans have been hit with a variety of different options, many of which cost more money such as the recent Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut’ which for anyone who own the original game, forced them to have to pay $10/£9 for a special “PS5 Features” upgrade even if they owned the game since its original 2020 release, this hit me personally for example. Other games such as ‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’ from Square Enix gave the PS5 upgrade free to anyone who purchased the game originally (Not the free version from PS Plus) so they could purchase the PS5 only Yuffie DLC. To complete the mess, ‘Death Stranding Director’s Cut’ releasing on September 24th will allow anyone who owns either the digital or physical PS4 version of the game, to upgrade to the Director’s Cut version with new content as well as a FREE upgrade to PS5 version for just $10/£10.

What made ‘Horizon Forbidden West’ hurt even more for fans, was that last year, when stock shortage hit the launch of the PS5, PlayStation came out with a blog post that initially indicated that the titles that had been marketed as being PS5 only would also be releasing on PS4 and that they would have a FREE PS5 upgrade, which included ‘Horizon Forbidden West’ but now Jim Ryan has said this:

Thursday was to be a celebration of Horizon Forbidden West and the amazing team at Guerrilla working to deliver it on February 18, 2022. However, it’s abundantly clear that the offerings we confirmed in our pre-order kickoff missed the mark.

Last year we made a commitment to deliver free upgrades for our cross-gen launch titles, which included Horizon Forbidden West. While the pandemic’s profound impact pushed Forbidden West out of the launch window we initially envisioned, we will stand by our offer: Players who purchase Horizon Forbidden West on PlayStation 4 will be able to upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version for free.

I also want to confirm today that moving forward, PlayStation first-party exclusive cross-gen titles (newly releasing on PS4 & PS5)–both digital and physical will offer a $10 USD digital upgrade option from PS4 to PS5. This will apply to the next God of War and Gran Turismo 7, and any other exclusive cross-gen PS4 & PS5 title published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Jim Ryan, President & CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment

So it now seems that PlayStation now have a final method and strategy when PS4 owners of Sony Studio titles move to the PS5 version with a $10/£9 priced Upgrade option, whilst this is still not as good as the Smart Delivery method of Xbox, it is at least a clean and set method. There is also the cost of developing a PS5 title over a PS4 which is why the now £69.99 price tag for a PS5 game compared to the standard £59.99 PS4 price tag. This PS5 upgrade now balances the difference in pricing with a clear understanding of how much and how to upgrade to the PS5 version will be going forward.

Just a real shame it took millions of PlayStation fans and Gaming media to call Sony Interactive out to make them realise the mess they made for themselves!

Review: Ravva and the Cyclops Curse

Daniel Waite

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Sep 4, 2021

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As a parent, you want to keep your children safe, no matter the cost. What happens if you reverse the roles? Children rarely want to see their parents suffering and will do whatever it takes to help. This is the concept behind Ravva and the Cyclops Curse! It’s a wonderfully old-school title about precision, danger, and magic.

Developed by Galope and Eastasiasoft Limited and published by the latter, this is a retro puzzle platform title. With fluid animations, challenging levels, and a high score to aim for, it captures everything that makes old-school gaming moreish.

Ravva and the Cyclops Curse is deceptively difficult.

Set in a fantasy world, Ravva and the Cyclops Curse stretches the realms of reality. Blending precision platform elements with magic and problem solving, you are required to be on point if you want to get the most out of this. The action takes place across three worlds and comprises ten challenging stages. You’ll explore dark forests, desolate wasteland, and spooky castle halls in a title that’s been inspired by classic platforming games.

You control Ravva, a young apprentice summoner who lacks experience but has a kind heart. Her bravery and loyalty are tested when her mother loses her powers after being cursed by the evil Cyclops Lord! She must go on a perilous journey to save her mother and restore peace to their once calm and happy lands.

Unique abilities and horrific monsters.

Ravva’s abilities are unusual, as she commands four companions. Each has a unique role to play and helps you to overcome obstacles, open new pathways, and tackle foes. You have your trusty wand to cast spells that destroy yellow blocks and kill monsters, but more importantly, you have your elemental friends to help. These comprise an ice fiend who freezes and slows creatures, a fire element that shoots upwards, a green mortar that blasts anything you encounter, and a cream all-seeing companion.

Understanding each strength and weakness is key, and using them correctly is the only way you’ll be victorious. Sadly, the Cyclops Lord commands a powerful army and has set multiple traps for you to overcome. You’ll face demonic beings that shoot bombs, chase you down, and float through the air. Selecting the correct companion to slow them or destroy them is easier said than done. You’ll panic, lose your cool, and die repeatedly, but this is half the fun! Ravva and the Cyclops Curse is unforgiving and only the best will survive.

The traps range from simple spikes, falling blocks, gargoyles that shoot fire and rotating moving blades. You must plan ahead, time your action, and pray for some good fortune. The difficulty this added to each playthrough was fantastic, and it made achieving the maximum points that bit more rewarding.

Power-ups, secrets, high scores, and evil bosses.

An old-school inspired platform game would be nothing without power-ups, secrets, limited lives, and high scores. Fortunately, Ravva and the Cyclops Curse has it all! The combination of precision platforming and using your abilities to find secret orbs was fascinating. You watched the stage timer tick down as you slowly worked through each stage trying to find everything, and this added vast amounts of pressure. If you don’t like the thought of this, you can simply ignore the collectables, but your end score is affected. This was a fantastic idea from the developer, as it offered multiple play styles and allowed me to decide how in-depth I wanted to go.

However, the power-ups weren’t too original, but it mattered not! You can collect an improved wand, a limited use shield, and extra lives. Other than this, the orbs you discover contain coins that increase your final score. The hunting of secrets is only achievable if you use your cream companion. He emits a wave of energy that uncovers any hidden objects or secret platforms. I loved this as the solution to your problem could stare you in the face and you’d never know it.

As you complete each of the worlds, you are rewarded with an end-level boss. These gargantuan beasts combine elements of the monsters you have previously faced but offer a much more stern test. However, with a small amount of practice, you’ll manipulate their weaknesses and they’ll succumb to your powers. The story culminates in the expected fight with the Cyclops Lord himself. I won’t spoil it for you, but he’s a bit of a dick, so buckle yourself in, as it’s a bit of a bumpy ride.

Ravva and the Cyclops Curse uses fluid animation and looks great.

I’m a massive fan of retro gaming, and l love Ravva and the Cyclops Curse’s unashamedly old-school look. I also appreciated the nod to classic titles and adored the strangely familiar castle world. It reminded me of Super Mario Bros 3 when you enter Bowser’s Castle. The fluid animation and combination of dank colours and bright tones made it pleasurable to look at and play. The sprites are well-drawn and the enemy models vary for easy identification. I’m grateful that the developers added their twist to some well-trodden elements, and this makes for a unique yet familiar experience.

The brilliantly simple audio-only serves to enhance the retro nature of this game. The chiptune soundtrack and basic shrill sound effects belong in a museum, yet they complement the gameplay. The developers have captured the dated aesthetics perfectly, and fans of older games will adore everything they see and hear.

Fiddly controls that’ll make you scream.

I’m not the greatest at multitasking, and Ravva and the Cyclops Curse highlighted this. Jumping while flitting between companions was no mean feat, and I ballsed up repeatedly! Trying to flick from ice to wand, or fire to mortar was tricky and took some practice. Other than this, the movement controls are fortunately accurate and extremely responsive. If you are not a bumbling fool like me, you’ll have this mastered in no time. If, however, you struggle, it’s still enjoyable, but it takes some effort.

Though the story follows a definitive path, and there are limited levels to explore, this still has lots of replay value. Thanks to its challenging high score system, you’ll need to perfect the mechanics to reach the top of the leaderboard. If you die, your score is wiped which you may consider harsh and unfair, but it’s a necessary evil that forces you to keep playing. Completionists will love the small achievement list that can be finished in a few hours with very little effort.

Ravva and the Cyclops Curse is a simple game that’s both challenging and enjoyable.

There are plenty of old-school inspired titles that are great to play, but Ravva and the Cyclops Curse edges out some of its competitors. With its unique twist on the retro approach, I loved its fluidity, difficulty, and level design. Its simplicity personified and demands you aim for the top of the leaderboard. I enjoyed it and recommend you to buy it here! Can you explore the ten challenging levels and defeat the Cyclops Lord? You best do as your mother and the harmony of the land relies on it.

The above review in video form with gameplay captured on the Xbox Series X, enjoy!

Review: The Big Con

Daniel Waite

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Sep 3, 2021

0

Growing up, you are taught to understand right from wrong, and there is an unwritten rule that you don’t cross that line. However, sometimes the water is muddied so much that the line is harder to define, and you can overstep the mark with the best intentions in mind, of course! The Big Con is a coming of age title that explores this philosophy in its witty and crime induced gameplay.

Developed by Mighty Yell Studios and published by Skybound Games, this is a colourful 90s inspired adventure title. Older gamers will love the trip down memory lane, thanks to the gaudy clothing, old-school tech, and cliched dialogue. However, younger players can experience how cool the 90s was with its ridiculous music, bright attire, and basic technology.

A distracted “mark” ripe for the picking.

The Big Con is a touching story about doing the wrong thing for the right reason.

We have all been there when we’ve been backed into a corner and feel like there is no way out. Can you imagine how you’d feel if you thought your entire world was about to be taken away? You wouldn’t sit back and take it, you’d do everything possible to stand up and fight for what you believe in. This is the core concept of The Big Con, it’s a touching story that shows one girl’s plight and how she must commit multiple crimes to solve her family’s problems.

You control Ali, who is a hip but aggro teen who loves her simple life of working in her mum’s video store. She is being shipped out to band camp for two weeks to get her invite to a prestigious art academy, but Ali protests and refuses to leave. Her mum, who has mountains of debt to support her daughter’s talent, insists she must go, but a chance encounter with loan sharks starts a chain of events that Ali can not ignore.

Her life as she knows it will be taken away because her mum owes $97,000 to a shady individual. You turn to a whacky ghostly apparition of a hip hop poster for help, and then you see a dodgy looking man called Ted who offers further advice. His genius plan is underhand, not legitimate, and involves pickpocketing, shoplifting, and a heist of a cash-rich safe. A once straight-laced girl is about to take a journey of crime that she can’t come back from. You’ll experience a strange but touching story that spans various locations and has many twists and turns.

No one will suspect a thing in this disguise.

Steal everything in sight and listen for clues.

The Big Con brilliantly blends multiple elements to tell its humorous tale while ripping off everyone you meet. No one escapes your sticky fingers, and every person is a “mark”. You’ll creep behind victims, stealing their wallets using a mini-game that involves timing a moving bar to perfection. If you fail, you are spotted, and the person is wary when you approach them. Don’t worry about that, though, simply steal a costume and they won’t recognise you. Theft has never been so easy and you quickly become rich from your crime spree.

Alongside your pocket thieving ways, you’ll steal items, pick up objects, and fulfil quests. A life of crime has some interesting characters at its core, and sadly, Ali meets them all. A dodgy pawnbroker will happily take any items you have acquired legally or illegally. He has no qualms about holding “hot property” and you get rich off of his lack of morals.

Stealing items is all well and good, but the big money is in the long game! Listening to people’s problems and handing them a solution is worth a lot of cash. You must sneak about in the shadows, searching for clues to rip people off. I loved this element of the game, as it required both logical thinking and detective skills. Whether it was stealing a sold-out toy to appease a screaming child, or following around a dodgy safe fitter to get valuable information, it was great fun.

The Big Con is colourful, striking, and spans many locations.

I love it when a game treats you to a variety of locations and The Big Con didn’t let me down! You flit from a quaint town to a shopping mall, a bustling train, and a Vegas-style city. It was fascinating to experience, and I admired the attention to detail that extended to the look of the NPCs. The colourful scenery and garish tones enhanced the 90s theme and made me chuckle at the various fashions on show. I appreciated the Paper Mario 2D character models and the bizarre robotic movement was clunky but worked brilliantly with the zany gameplay.

The audio was equally fantastic and incorporated a mix of 90s styles throughout. I loved the blend of songs and the change of pace and tone that represented the emotion in each scene. Sadly, The Big Con uses no spoken dialogue, and interactions with characters are restricted to odd sound effects and a few inaudible words. This was fine, mostly, but it quickly became an annoyance and I’d rather the developers took a minimalistic approach.

Discover their weaknesses and exploit them!

The mini-games were a joy to play.

Mighty Yell Studios has concentrated on making The Big Con as accessible as possible, and I appreciated the effort. Moving around each episode was easily achieved, and completing any task or mini-game was straightforward. The accessible approach was helped by the excellent UI and well-labelled objects. There is also a diary that highlights available quests and any information you’ve discovered. Every element was well thought out, and this makes it a joy to play from start to finish.

Much of this plays out linearly, which impacts the replay value. However, there are many side quests that you may miss on your first run-through, so you’ll be tempted to complete those. Its longevity is extended thanks to the large and thorough achievement list that requires you to explore every nook and cranny. If you are a completionist, you’ll need to set aside many hours to complete this title.

The Big Con will have you hooked immediately.

I instantly fell for its charms and retro gameplay, and I couldn’t put it down! The characters you interact with are fascinating and I loved the dry and witty humour. If you grew up in the 90s, you’ll adore how The Big Con captures the best and worst elements of the decade. Everyone else will admire its bright colours, interesting story, and accessible mechanics. It’s fantastic and I recommend you to buy it here! A life of crime isn’t for everyone, but sometimes you must do bad things for the greater good!

Here is my video review of the above article with footage captured on my Xbox Series X, enjoy.

Review: Faraday Protocol

Alex Chessun

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Sep 3, 2021

0

Riddle me this – If there is no discernible reason for a puzzle room, but there is an entrance and a solution to exit it, is it worth entering?

As a universe traveling archeologist in Faraday Protocol, your goal is to figure out the purpose for the existence of a very strange space station, one with no living quarters and only switches and a whole lot of buttons.

With sharp unreal 4 graphics providing the intrigue and spooky audio facilitating the tension, you – and your Buzz Lightyear gun – have a legitimate reason to believe you might be about to embark on a galaxy expanding epic within the opening moments, with you exiting a cool space pod and walking through grassy areas and collapsible branches, but you soon come to realize that this title is more a jigsaw puzzle inside a planetarium than the Millennium falcon about to go into HyperDrive.

Settling into a first-person version of The Crystal Maze, you are confined to puzzle rooms for the vast majority of the game with every room looking like the same space-age Egyptian museum exhibit that utilizes the same five gimmicks arranged in a different order. They require patience and there are plenty of them, totaling a runtime of fewer than 6 hours if you get the hang of things quickly, but unfortunately, that is the starter, the main and the dessert all in one.

Without knowing why you are being referred to as a ‘recruit’ you are assigned these levels as ‘tests’ and each new one is progressively harder than the last, until the game decides that your sole tool is surplus to requirements, transforming you into the greatest button-pusher known to man. Pushing buttons on a controller to do so in-game to progress into yet more rooms to push yet more buttons? Just the thought of it pushes mine.

Escape these compressible item-filled buildings and the game shows its potential for a hot moment, only to be fed back into, for all intents and purposes, the exact same building. Looking at what essentially is the same room over and over makes you wish there was at least one other ship/world in which to explore, and that the puzzles themselves could have been more elaborate far sooner. Being congratulated as a recruit for each completed level makes it seem like you’re stuck in a tutorial mode – for the entire game.

There is a sprinkling of a story here, a seedling that explodes into a redwood in the game’s final moments, but like the joy of the puzzles, it loses its ebb early on and by the time it offers something worth experiencing, its almost too little too late.

With the restricted gameplay on a loop from start to finish, the game never really lets loose until the exciting flurry of a story at the end, but – puzzle-lovers rejoice! – this will more than suffice if you’re just looking for a puzzle game with a space-age twist. Personally, I can only enjoy my Rubiks cubes if their existence are justified in a detailed world full of context, otherwise, it feels like I’m disappointing my overbearingly underdeveloped attention span that wants full immersion from an in-game world.

Longevity is also not another of the game’s strengths with nothing extra offered in terms of recordable times or extra challenges, so there’s little pick-up and play value and – apart from the ending which gives you two options to choose from – there’s little reason for an entire second playthrough.

‘A puzzle game with nice visuals and an intriguing but underdeveloped story’, would fit the description of many a title in this genre, and in that sense, this title blends right in with the crowd, but as someone who can love even the worst of stories, the effort is more important than the execution and it’s, therefore, a shame that not enough of one was made to make Faraday Protocol more of a well-rounded offering. Having said that, the story is worth your time assuming you have the patience to stick with the puzzles through to the end.

Review: One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party

Daniel Waite

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Sep 2, 2021

2

Review: One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party

The world is full of individuals and groups who look to the future, rather than what they have now. The grass is always greener, and this is usually to their detriment. One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party uses this idea in a weird and surreal manner.

Developed by DarkChibiShadow and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a point and click adventure that blends other genres. Filled with hilarious one-liners, witty dialogue, and testing puzzles, this is a short but interesting title. The story unfolds using visual novel mechanics and you control how the plot flows and who you wish to interact with. It’s strange, but the combined elements all work well together to create an enjoyable game.

One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party is bizarre and you’ll wonder what the developers were thinking.

Games pushing the limits of sensibilities is nothing new, but One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party is right on the edge. Its weird story requires you to forget normality and to go with the flow. If you do this, you’ll experience an odd but brilliant plot that’ll capture your attention from the off. If you are a fan of Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango, or Sam and Max, you’ll adore this.

The story revokes around Beracus and Lee who are on an adventure to cure Beracus’ suffering village. Clues lead the pair to the entrance of an abandoned bunker where a trap imprisons the duo. Stuck, and with nothing else to do, they explore the well-furnished surroundings. Quickly they discover a cultist group of talking skeletons who accept the pair as their own. They talk of the “old world” dying and their desire for the “new world”. Beracus and Lee capitalise upon the cults’ friendly welcome and explore the bunker freely while looking for a way to escape.

I warned you that this was bizarre as hell! Talking cultist skeletons who are awaiting a “new world”, whatever next, eh?

A helpful map of your prison….er I mean home.

Fascinating characters and interesting puzzles.

Whenever I read a book, I need the plot to hold my attention from the beginning. I’m not a fan of slow-burners, and luckily One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party jumps straight into the action. You are instantly introduced to the fascinating characters, and you’ll be captivated by their strange personalities. The story flows nicely from scene to scene, and you are only held up by searching each room for clues.

Finding clues and solving puzzles forms the main concept, and if you love point and click games, you’ll be in your element. Scouring each scene for hints and information was fascinating, and this was helped with each character interaction. The balance of clues and hints was well thought out, and you are left with some challenging problems to overcome.

The combination of genres was an interesting twist on the usual visual novel experience. You’ll enjoy exploring the bizarre bunker while befriending the skeletons and manipulating them to aid in your escape.

One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party uses colourful and “normal” images that don’t fit the bill.

The striking still imagery associated with the visual novel elements was great to look at. I loved the vivid colours and well-detailed scenes. However, the “normality” of the world was at odds with the bizarre story you experience. This strange choice from the developers didn’t fit the bill, and I expected something much more extreme.

The audio, however, matched the surreal nature of the plot. Its whimsical and upbeat tones were great to listen to, and I loved how it emphasised the craziness of the surrounding world. Sadly, the same enjoyment wasn’t found in the old-school bleeping that accompanied the dialogue. This constant noise was annoying and distracted me from an otherwise excellent portion of the game.

A book-loving skeleton, who’d have thought it?

Easy controls, though the cursor was slow to move around.

One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party is a slow-paced and easy to play title. This is thanks to its heavy focus on the visual novel and point and click mechanics. The clean-cut UI and helpful reminder tools make escaping the bunker much easier, yet, this doesn’t mean it’s perfect! Sadly, the cursor was slow to move around the screen and this was frustrating. However, it’s serviceable, though I would have liked it to be more responsive.

One element I loved was the multiple endings that were on offer. This was a fantastic decision from the developers and it increases both the desire to return and its longevity. Thankfully, it uses the usual skip text function to prevent you from having to reread previously seen dialogue. This is a great tool that helps to stop the gameplay from becoming stale and it speeds up additional playthroughs. The small achievement list can be completed in under an hour, and this makes this a completionist’s dream.

One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party is bizarre and full of old-school charm.

The surreal and weird nature of One-Eyed Lee and the Dinner Party is beautifully complemented by the old-school charm. The mixture of genres is unusual, but it works well. The slow-paced gameplay and testing puzzles are just as interesting as the plot and the fascinating characters you encounter. The witty dialogue will make you chuckle as it incorporates some “dad” humour within the story. I enjoyed it and recommend you to buy it here! Solve the puzzles by interacting with the cultists while searching for clues. Manipulate your hosts and find each ending of this bizarre plot.