Archive

Review: Outbuddies DX

Grzegorz Cebera

-

Mar 24, 2021

Outbuddies DX promises to be a classic metroidvania experience including a varied open world, environmental puzzles, multiple ways of movement and interesting boss battles. It manages to deliver all the core metroidvania elements very well with some clear references to the classic Metroid games. The story focuses on an explorer who following a shipwreck gets stuck in a complex system of underwater caverns and ruins of an old city. Using a futuristic underwater suit, a robot sidekick and various gadgets found along the way you have to find your way out while uncovering secrets of a lost civilization.

True to the genre the basic gameplay consists of the player having to navigate through various areas in a 2D platformer fashion while overcoming enemies, environmental hazards and puzzles. The world is broken up into five different biomes each consisting of many small, interconnected areas of varying sizes. Each of the biomes features a unique aesthetic, different enemy types, hazards and each has a boss to defeat.

The player starts off the game with the ability to run, jump, dodge roll, wall jump, crawl as well as swim underwater and soon after unlocks a projectile weapon and an ability to plant bombs with many more combat and exploration oriented upgrades to come. The player is also always accompanied by a floating robot called Buddy which can be controlled and used to safely scout the surroundings, scan the area for secrets, hack the enemies and use telekinesis on movable props.

The platforming gameplay is very solid and easy to control without requiring major finger gymnastics. Platforms have generous collision boxes that let the character climb up an edge if the feet almost reach the surface which made it rare for me to fail a jump that I thought was manageable. The combat meshes well with the platforming allowing for dispatching enemies in various ways and from various angles right from the start and more different options can be unlocked over time.

One low point of the gameplay for me was controlling Buddy to find secrets. With his scanning ability you can find walls that are breakable with bombs and which most of the time hide useful upgrades. The scanning requires to stop moving, switch to Buddy and slowly move along every wall in the area as the breakable walls look just like the regular ones. Having to do this very often hurt the game’s pacing and made it drag a bit. I think this could be fixed by having Buddy passively scan walls as it is passing them while following me around and mark them on the map when they were found. Alternatively they could be slightly hinted at in the environment making finding them easier.

The game has a retro art style reminiscent of NES and SNES games. It does very well at conveying creepy, mysterious and unknown using colours and shapes. Ingame environments range from dark, wet caverns through coral formations and ancient structures to earth’s core. The colour palettes for various areas consist mostly of purple, navy-blue, blue-green and magenta which usually aren’t bright but saturated which contrasts well against very dark, desaturated backgrounds.

Generally the visuals work great for creating an atmosphere and for gameplay with enemies, hazards and interactable objects communicated well. The HUD is also easy to read and menus easy to navigate. However some visuals can be problematic. Some of the enemies can blend in with some environments leading to unexpected damage or deaths. Another thing I found problematic was the map screen with some of the markings counterintuitively indicating locations where I already picked up a power up or an item leading me to backtrack a long way for nothing several times early in the game.

The audio side is very good like the visuals and compliments them perfectly. The background music adds to the mysterious atmosphere without being intrusive and I never got tired of any track. In addition the music swells up with harder sounds when the player is in danger reflecting the character’s state of mind. In terms of sound effects the game also does well at communicating everything without going against the game’s atmosphere by being too arcadey and silly and without clashing with the retro aesthetic by being too gritty and realistic.

During my time with the game I didn’t find any major issues. I tried to play the game in co-op mode several times and tried many things but could never get it to work as my joy-cons would always go back to default single controller mode. Also the controls while not hard to learn can’t be changed and I found some bindings occasionally awkward.

In conclusion the game is very good. It is a great representation of the metroidvania genre which goes back to the roots, has an intriguing, dark, underwater exploration theme and a lot of polish. It has it’s problems but those are overshadowed by a lot of good game design, art and sound ultimately creating a fun and satisfying experience.

Review: Blue Fire

Krissy

-

Mar 23, 2021

0

Blue Fire is a beautiful 3D platformer that feels like a mashup of Hollow Knight and The Legend of Zelda, with its own unique flavor.

From stellar graphics to a charming soundtrack, this gem is a perfect example of an Indie game that can shine just as bright as any AAA.

Gameplay:

You play a mysterious hooded swordsman as you explore the dark world of Penumbra. This action-adventure game takes you through many worlds as you complete numerous quests, battle enemies, and collect rare items.

The 3D platforming in Blue Fire proves to be challenging but never madly frustrating. For the most part, jumping and dashing can seem daunting at first; however, after getting new upgrades you’ll start to feel like you’ve really mastered the controls. Even if you die from missing a jump, you can easily pinpoint your mistake and advance on your next try – that’s just how precise this game is. As for the combat system, it felt really fluid and fast-paced. On the other hand, I will say the combat system did feel a bit lackluster, especially with the awkward camera.

The design and graphics are beautiful, and I loved all the environments. Even as you backtrack through each world there were a lot of areas to explore after you upgrade. And on top of the game’s pretty aesthetic, I’d say the soundtrack was notably one of the most spectacular parts of the game.

As charming and fun as this game is, sadly there’s not much to be said about the plot, and the characters are forgettable. To be honest, I was more interested in the side quests instead of the main story. With that being said, I don’t think the dull story takes away from the game, but it’s definitely something that could have made this game unforgettable.

Clocking in about 20 hours of gameplay there’s definitely a lot to explore and many items to collect. In addition, there are many challenging platforming levels in the lost land called the Void. Customization and upgrades play a big role in Blue Fire which are much needed in order to successfully complete the game.

While the gameplay does start to feel repetitive later on, I’d say it isn’t that bad and felt more like I was going through the motions. Even so, there were moments where I felt like the game mechanics could have been better. For example, I got excited thinking one of the side quests was a race with the NPC, and I felt eager to try my hand at dashing across the lava. However, it was simply the same formula as the other side quests. I felt like many missed opportunities like this could have really taken this game to the next level. It may seem like I’m nitpicking, but with such a beautiful gem I feel like it was missing a few elements that could have easily made it one of my favorite games.

Pros:

It features a stunning original soundtrack.
It has a lovely dark aesthetic and beautiful graphics.
A fun challenging platformer with fluid fast-paced controls.

Cons:

There was no map so I would easily get lost – but maybe that was just me.
The story and characters were dull.
The camera was pretty awkward; for a platformer, I feel like it could have been better.

Conclusion:

In summary, Blue Fire was beautifully charming and one of the best Indie games I’ve played in a while. I highly recommend you add this gem to your gaming list this year!

Entertainment: 8/10

Replay value: 6/10

Graphics: 8/10

Sound: 9/10

Kid Friendly: Yes

Platform:	Nintendo Switch
Developer:	ROBI Studios
Publisher:	Graffiti Games
Released:	February 04, 2021
MSRP:	$19.99
ESRB:	Everyone 10+

Review: Bob Help Them

Michael Hoade

-

Mar 23, 2021

0

Bob Help Them is a timed resource management game, where your goal is to help all the NPC’s in your village with simple chores.

Produced by Brazilian game studio Gagonfe, Bob Help Them is the latest edition to the increasingly overwhelming catalogue of resource management games. The question is, how does it stand out from the rest?

From chopping trees as a dutiful pixelated lumberjack, to catching fish, the tasks that you will undertake are simple and relaxing. The challenge to be found here, comes with the addition of a time-limit, and a star scoring system based on how quickly you complete each level.

It is clear that the developers have structured the game in such a way, as to entice players to catch the proverbial ‘one more level system’ – with the short levels and simple objectives being conducive for such an approach. Add to this, a relatively relaxing aesthetic, and you can see what the developers were aiming towards.

Thoroughly unremarkable:

–

The problem is that Bob Help Them doesn’t offer anything particularly unique, within a genre that is dominated by huge titles in Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. The simple gameplay is fun for what it is, but unless you’re someone who wants to play every simulator, there isn’t anything particularly unique here; that hasn’t been done better somewhere else.

There just isn’t anything at all remarkable about this game. For me personally, if you’re going to elect for a more simplistic gameplay loop, then there really should be some other draw to the game. Here, the graphical style is fine; the music is good, but there is just nothing that makes the game feel memorable. It would be great if, across the games 35 levels, you had the opportunity to learn more about the 6 regular NPC’s, for example.

Well, at least you can Pet dogs!

The game also has an issue with balancing; some late-game missions are astonishingly simple, and feel like they may have been misplaced. Whilst it can be fun to revise your approach to tasks, to ensure you get three stars, the achievement itself feels completely inconsequential beyond an initial dopamine hit.

A relaxing, timer-based game?

–

Okay, so the previous section was pretty critical of the game. However, I also want to talk about an aspect of the game that does show some promise.

The idea of a game being both relaxing and timer-based sounds damn-near paradoxical to me. Personally, I don’t enjoy time-limits in games. They always succeed in raising anxiety, and causing me to rush through a level without taking in all there is to experience.

So, having a timer slapped on the screen – like in Bob Help Them – sounds like my worst nightmare. Strangely, I never felt any such anxiety throughout my time with Bob Help Them. As a matter of fact, I was pretty chilled out. This is a success.

You see, the time-limit is simply a way of giving the game a modicum of challenge; without it, there is no challenge. The stress of such a limit, is off-set by the calming music and low-stakes of your tasks. The world isn’t going to end. This NPC isn’t going to die if you don’t give them their 40 mangoes on time. One of your tasks is to pet dogs! That is like – the most – relaxing thing.

Bob Help Them genuinely succeeds in being a very relaxing timer-based resource management game(wow, that was a mouthful). Whilst I didn’t find the game particularly engrossing or unique, it certainly offered fun in small doses. I think there is some potential here.

Should you buy it?

–

Bob Help Them succeeds in offering a relatively stress-free gaming experience, with simple tasks and varying time-limits offering a regular sense of accomplishment. Beyond that, the game doesn’t have much more to offer. There are better options out there.

The village and characters general lack of personality is disappointing, and the inconsistency of the games challenge offers little to draw the player back. The game is fine in small doses, but honestly, it isn’t anything you can’t find elsewhere in the genre.

Review: Disgaea 4 Complete+

Jack Boreham

-

Mar 23, 2021

0

Disgaea 4 Complete+ is an excellent addition to the Disgaea franchise. Disgaea 4 Complete+ takes everything we love about the original Disgaea 4: A Promise Forgotten and ports the game over to current hardware with added content. As with its predecessors, Disgaea 4 Complete+ looks excellent, providing stylish 2D graphics all in a cartoon style package. The game offers a friendly art style looking relatively fresh on current generation consoles. Despite the Chibi art style, better suited to handheld devices. Although the original Disgaea 4: A Promise Forgotten came out in 2011. It still holds its own and has aged well due to its art style and graphical fidelity.

Staying true to originality

Likewise, much like its predecessor, the game keeps its charming adventurous soundtrack, providing a lovely backdrop behind all of the intense turn-based action gameplay. The soundtrack has a nice variety and provides the perfect intensity to accompany the games, battle sequences and overworld. Disgaea 4 Complete+ battles systems also offer the ideal level of turn-based RPG gameplay. The gameplay takes traditional turn-based battle systems present in previous games and stays original to them.

The battles provide real challenge and strategy with various abilities and attacks for your characters to use. Each character has different abilities and can be used in conjunction with one another. Some of my favourite moments in the game was creating combination attacks between my various characters. Thus, the turn-based battle mechanics within the game provide a deep level of strategy. But are at face value relatively simple. The combination of deep-rooted strategy combined with relatively easy-to-pick-up and straightforward battle mechanics makes battle sequences a joy to play.

Likewise, Disgaea 4 Complete+ also has enjoyable but specific customisation options. Allowing you to upgrade and choose from a range of different abilities and skills. Similarly, the game has a considerable amount of content. Including extra content from Disgaea 4: A promise revisited on PlayStation Vita. Therefore, offering significant replayability. Thus, like its predecessors, Disgaea 4 Complete+ is a fun strategic but simple turn-based RPG. That is enjoyable to play with a ton of great customisation and content.

Frustrating dialogue

On the other hand, I did find the dialogue within the game, particularly long and unnecessary. Much like Disgaea 4: A Promise Forgotten, this game’s dialogue sections are painfully lengthy between characters and makes the gameplay somewhat disjointed. Similarly, the game’s humour also doesn’t hit home with the same running joke about Sardines granting the main character power being rather annoying after the first couple of attempted jokes. Although I appreciate the game trying to add in humour, it doesn’t work most times and takes away from the game’s enjoyment and pacing. Nevertheless, the game’s pacing is generally good and is only let down by the game’s dialogue.

Verdict

Overall, Disgaea 4 Complete+ is an excellent port of the original Disgaea 4: A Promise Forgotten. It brings over the classic simple but strategic RPG turn-based gameplay we loved about the original and brings new life to the game on current consoles. However, the game still keeps the same bugbears from the original Disgaea 4.

Review: Space Otter Charlie

Daniel Waite

-

Mar 23, 2021

0

When people think of animals in space, I’m sure their first thoughts go to Laika the dog, or Albert II, the first space primate. I doubt very much that anyone would consider the possibility of an otter making it to space. Well, now you must as Charlie the once “normal” otter gets his chance to put on a space suit and take a trip to the stars. Space Otter Charlie is a colourful, comedy laced puzzle game that will have you laughing, screaming and coming back for more.

Developed by Wayward Distractions and published by The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, this outer world puzzle game takes you on a trip across the galaxy. Charlie the hero and his crew attempt to work out where the humans have gone, and why they were left behind. A title of relatively low difficulty, it can be enjoyed by gamers of all skill sets, and is aimed towards a family-friendly audience.

Space Otter Charlie will test you and keep you smiling.

Space Otter Charlie is a single-player game at its core, but Wayward Distractions added in a local multiplayer mode to keep friends and family happy. It’s a nice addition, and acts as a welcome distraction from the challenges of lone space travel. Both modes use the same core principles, and are easy to pick up, with the focus being aimed towards fun rather than a Dark Souls style difficulty. Charlie the cute Otternaut must venture deep into space, visiting a mixture of; labs, space stations and other random locations. Each stage is compact and has a limited number of objectives to complete, making it simple to play casually and when you have limited time.

The story begins with all humans abandoning the Earth, the planet they once called home is ruined and is slowly cooking itself dry. Humanity has left untold amounts of creatures behind, and at first they enjoyed their new found freedom, but then the heat got too much for them. They were sweating their fur off and something had to be done. Luckily for the remaining creatures, the otters understand astrophysics, and advanced engineering (not absurd in the slightest). After many failed attempts, the scientists launch a rocket with 3 brave otters inside. One of them is Charlie, and thus his adventure begins.

A simple premise with in-depth gameplay.

The brilliance of Space Otter Charlie is its simple approach. The main concept is well explained from the off, and once you play the first level, you know what to expect for the rest of the game. This doesn’t mean that it’s bland, or a walk in the park. No, it simply sets out what you need to do, and builds from there. Charlie wears a set of magnetic space boots, these allow him to land and stick to surfaces. His task then is to leap from location to location by hitting walls and platforms, or by floating around using his jetpack. He’s armed with a laser weapon at first, and then further guns are added to his arsenal. Many upgrades to his equipment are found en route, and new blueprints for different tech can be found in the many levels you search.

This evolving gameplay ensures that the game has real depth to it and prevents it from feeling too repetitive. The choice of weapons at your disposal allows you to choose how you wish to take on each of the stages. You can go face to face with your foes, shooting them with lasers and missiles. Alternatively, you can use a beam that bounces off surfaces and sneakily take down your enemy from afar. As well as the space creatures you find, you must overcome traps, power switches and unlock doors.

These additional elements of the map feel very traditional in their design. Gamers who are well versed in this genre will feel instantly at home with these mechanics. I enjoyed the level of difficulty that accompanied these traps as they required a small amount of planning to progress. The balance of challenge was well thought out, and will keep veteran players interested from start to finish.

Space Otter Charlie is all about the collectables.

Though the key focus is the puzzle element, collectables form a massive part of the gameplay from the off. A large variety of resources can be found on your journey; energy, metal parts, crystals, fabrics and more. This excludes the mission objective items such as; the stage map, fuel, matter-crystals and more. Each object forms components that must be used to improve or make your equipment. You must decide whether to increase your; shield, jetpack fuel or weapons. You are also free to improve the suit that you are wearing, after all, who wants a boring space suit when you can have; a pink glittery outfit, a shark costume, and more.

What are you looking at? Never seen an otter in a shark costume?

Though Charlie is looking for a new home, he must also rescue as many friends as he can from Earth. This is where the energy come into play. The more you collect, the more animals you can beam to your ship. They add little to the gameplay, but I enjoyed the challenge of collecting as much energy as I could. After all, space is lonely! What’s the point in finding a new home if you don’t have friends to share it with?

Bright, colourful and beautifully designed.

I love it when a developer spends loads of time and effort into making its game look great. Wayward Distractions have created a beautiful game to look at. Each stage looks similar, but they all have distinct character models and traps to overcome. Each is well designed, easy to navigate and fun to explore. The enemies are unique and all have a nice extraterrestrial appearance. This combined with the amusing and well presented cutscenes made the gameplay flow nicely from level to level.

The Sci-Fi portion of the game is exposed in the metallic and futuristic audio. The classic and almost clichéd approach worked brilliantly alongside the rest of the gameplay. The airy music accompanies everything that you do and takes a back seat compared to the other elements. The softness of the music is overpowered by the volume and crass nature of the sound effects. Crashes from explosions, the shrill screech of lasers being fired, and the whoosh of the jetpack being powered all play a key part in telling the story.

Physics based games can challenge!

Family-friendly and physics based games rarely go together. There are a few exceptions, but mostly they are a tricky beast to handle and can frustrate from start to finish. Space Otter Charlie stands out as an easy game to control. The in-depth tutorial explains everything that you need to know. Though the difficulty increases during the latter stages, you have had enough time to master the controls that the higher challenge is welcome and doesn’t cause any issues. It works perfectly with a gaming pad, and I experienced no input lag or mapping issues. The developers have done well to create a straightforward approach for this fun-filled game.

With many collectables to find, such as; the aforementioned resources and otter based fun facts. There is plenty to make you keep returning to play. Stages contain secret areas that are hard to find, and the moderate achievement list will keep you busy for some time. Chuck in the local multiplayer option that contains 2 game modes, and you have many reasons to keep playing. It’ll take around 5 hours to complete, which is unfortunately short, but at £10 it still proves to be good value for money.

Is this journey to space worth it?

Space Otter Charlie is a title that gets under your skin. Once you play, you will want to keep going until you’ve explored every station and rescued each of his friends. With witty otter based puns, excellent audio and well designed visuals, this is a game that will make you smile from ear to ear. It’s family-friendly approach is a bonus, and I recommend you buy it here! Mankind has ruined the Earth for themselves and for every living being. We can run away and find another planet, but the fate of those left behind lies on the shoulders of one heroic otter. Can you find the animals a new place to live? Will you survive the many bizarre ordeals you’ll face? Grab your space suit, jump in your rocket and let the adventure begin.

Review: Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town

Kara Phillips

-

Mar 23, 2021

0

Review: Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is yet another release in the series to pick up where other farming simulators have left off. After playing Friends of Mineral Town a few weeks ago, this next installment is clear to show some extreme developments in the franchise. For those who have reached New Horizons burnout and played through Stardew one too many times now, this game might be for you. With such wholesomeness readily available on yet another farming adventure, Pioneers of Olive Town inherits all the best bits. Seasons pass and you continue to farm crops and raise animals, and get to know the townsfolk. It’s all comfortable and something you’ve experienced before. Even down to the inheritance of your farmland.

The grind never stops

You are given a large section of map to work on from the moment you arrive, but tasks have to be completed in chunks. As per usual, you need to upgrade your tools in order to face the larger challenges. You can access so much from the get go, including the mine to harvest ore in order to upgrade but progress still feels slow. Stamina depletes slightly slower than it originally did in the Story of Seasons game so more can be achieved per day. Despite this being a definite plus for the game, it is still annoying. When you start out, you want to be able to progress quickly to get the farm going which seems impossible. It feels a bit like you spend more time worrying about stamina than you do actually achieving anything.

Character development

The character creator you are given at the beginning of a game is a first for the franchise. You are able to fully customise your character, including selecting a voice from a wide variety. Rather than having to choose between a standard male or female pre-built character you are open to present yourself as whatever you’d like. The characters already within the game are a little boring though. In the first season, and during your first interactions, they seem excellent. There are many new faces to greet and you have a good time doing so. But as the days pass, they become static and repeat the same things. Interactions are few and far between and you will more than likely lose interest in speaking to others. When there’s an event on, townsfolk will fixate on speaking about that and only that. Even after the event has finished. It feels lacklustre and could definitely use some work. Especially as you are intended to find a love interest in the comfort of Olive Town.

Makers on makers on makers

Additionally, the game does become a little repetitive regarding construction. You need to build a whole army of makers in order to progress. Even though your farm seems extremely spacious when you begin, it quickly clogs up with these eyesores. It seems so tedious and becomes very frustrating in a short space of time. Each maker produces one product, so you spend a lot of time hanging about the farm and just waiting. If you think you can get round this, I can reassure you now that it is inevitable. You will end up with a whole field of these.

Final thoughts

The game recycles a lot of content already featured in the franchise. Although the new character customisation and photo mode is refreshing, it doesn’t seem like enough to tie us over. Despite the art style and location being different, the game as a whole remains the same. It’s enjoyable, sure. But to fans of the franchise it’s a little disappointing since we have all definitely experienced it beforehand.

Review: Windfolk – Sky is Just the Beginning

Alex Chessun

-

Mar 22, 2021

0

Review: Windfolk – Sky is Just the Beginning

Innovation in the gaming industry often comes in incremental steps with new titles taking elements from their successful peers before adding their own distinct flavor. Windfolk: Sky is just the beginning, an action-adventure game developed by Spanish Indie developer Fractal Fall, is no different with a formula that looks like ‘Flying X Fortnite‘.

The game’s opening attempts to separate itself from the expectations its borrowed Fortnite-inspired aesthetic creates, introducing its flight system via a tutorial and has you wondering, if just for a second, whether you’ve stumbled upon a hidden gem.

Well, its not quite a gem. More like an oasis of inconsistency.

As Esen, a soldier in the rebel force, you battle an evil alliance who wishes to take over the world with destructive weapons made from trydian, a priceless natural resource that the world’s population uses for energy, while also taking revenge on the enemy who kidnapped you.

As a huge fan of games with the ability to fly, the idea of jetting off in a beautiful cartoon graphics-infused adventure in the sky is very appealing. Doing this well is easier said than done, however, with many games failing to convey a proper sense of speed and thrill of sailing through the air, but Windfolk succeeds in both with fast, smooth and intuitive movements. Unfortunately, this initial excitement proved to be short-lived, as the second part of the gameplay – the shooting action – changes the experience entirely and feels like a developer stretching beyond their capabilities.

These gunplay scenes restrict the size of the battlefield and populate it with poorly animated enemies with minimal sound effects and feedback during battle, making it feel like you are at a police target range with paper targets moving side to side. The enemies have a lock-on feature that you need to dodge, but with 2 of your 3 available weapons having an overly generous ‘homing’ ability, maneuvering mid-air feels relatively static and is highly unsatisfying. So large is the contrast in quality to the flight gameplay and the effect on the overall experience that you’ll wonder if the gunplay’s inclusion was even necessary.

If I were to shoot at this very moment, it would be a headshot….

Like a parent being disappointed in their child for not achieving the potential that they know he/she is capable of, this monotonous and below-average element is impossible to ignore not only due to the quality of the product elsewhere but because the majority of the action consists of it. It truly gives you the impression that the game’s great concept became victim to a looming deadline and was rushed out the door.

The story mode, for example, is fully voiced and has some nice interactions between characters overlayed on top of the action, but its cutscenes barely justify their inclusion with minimal animation and camera movement. Bugs that include preventing half a level of enemies and a boss from landing any damage whatsoever (ironically this is done intentionally later on) as well as trophies activating for unrelated activities also furthers this theory.

Escorting cargo ships and taking out others is a nice break from shooting the mindless enemies that dance around like puppets

Even the flight system doesn’t escape this shoddy submission with a time-trial course mode that incomprehensibly changes the boost button mechanism for no good reason, making the quick and easy maneuvering awkward and imprecise, and in one motion ruining one of the game’s best features.

An extra mode offers you the chance to replay the challenges included in the story and is presumably meant to add longevity to the title, but their existing issues make neither particularly appetizing. A free roam mode for collectibles would have focused more on the game’s greatest strength, but the only way to enjoy that currently is while gritting your teeth through the action sequences of the 3-4 hour campaign mode.

Windfolk is an ambitious title that unfortunately buckles under its inconsistent gameplay, and leaves it in a rather precarious position. Its formula is far from irredeemable with a story, visuals, and flight physics a good foundation for future projects, but will this inconsistent offering provide enough of a windfall for its developer to potentially develop a sequel? While I hope that Windfolk: Sky is just the beginning truly is the start of something more, I, unfortunately, can’t bring myself to recommend this pie in the sky title to anyone other than fellow flight game fans and PlayStation trophy hunters – if they can trigger the achievements that is.

Review: Die With Glory

Daniel Waite

-

Mar 22, 2021

0

Valhalla, the dream resting place of the world’s bravest warriors. You have served your country, fought with all your heart, and died in glorious combat. You have now earned the right to enter the hallowed grounds and stand next to your fallen brothers. Imagine if you were so good at combat that death never came for you! Wars pass, and blood is spilt, but none of it is yours. This would frustrate, right? This is the reality for the hero and undefeated warrior Sigurd in Die With Glory.

Developed by Veslo Games and published by ChiliDog Interactive, this beautifully presented story-driven puzzle game takes you on many adventures. You must interact with everyone you come across, hoping that somehow one of them will offer you a glorious death and a way into Valhalla. This is easier said than done, and the slightest of mistakes sees you resurrected to the land of the living.

Die With Glory is a game of tall tales.

We’ve all got that friend who can tell epic tales. He can entertain a whole room with his unbelievable antics. Yet, his stories are always flawed, and soon the lies come to the fore. Your friend is exposed for the half-truths he is spinning, but you don’t mind as you were amused for 5 minutes. This is the main concept behind Die With Glory. You flit from story to story, telling different versions of what you believe to be true. If you stray away from your narrative, you are mocked and you must right this wrong.

It’s a simple premise, but boy is it enjoyable. The beautiful settings for each part of Sigurd’s story help to transport you into his world. Each person he interacts with is; witty, rude, sarcastic or just ignorant. The humour runs through every scene, and you will chuckle with joy as each tall tale is recounted. 5 chapters of his life must be looked at, each set in a bold medieval land. There are at least two versions of each event, and as the plot evolves the puzzles get increasingly elaborate.

It’s a wonderful way to ramp up the challenge in the puzzles while gently breaking you into the game. The difficulty is relatively low throughout and is open to most audiences. Younger gamers will need help though, as some logic-based puzzles require forward-thinking.

The perfect death isn’t easy to find!

You may think “just die already, it can’t be that difficult!” I agree, death is just around the corner, but the perfect warrior’s death is not! Die With Glory asks you to complete 3 tasks to unlock the gates of Valhalla. Sadly, this is easier said than done. You must; find the right weapon, encounter the correct foe, and die at their hands. Unfortunately, Sigurd is a mighty warrior who has a habit of decimating his foes. You must think logically, and outside of the box to get to your resting place.

Where better than a tavern to tell a tall tale?

Each story plays out repetitively. There are slight variations in how it is told, and your approach must be altered to account for the key differences. For example; one story will have the red Knight surviving a deadly trap, the other he will face his demise. If you stray off the path, you must start from the incorrect moment. This, however, never got boring. The amusing dialogue and length of each chapter ensured that boredom never entered the equation. Each portion was balanced perfectly and kept you wanting more. Credit has to be given to Veslo Games for their clever writing style.

Die With Glory is beautiful to look at.

A distinct cartoon style has been utilised throughout. The colourful and bright landscapes offer many unusual destinations. You will visit; a lava-filled dragon lair, mushroom forest, an airship, jungle and a keep. Each looks unique and helps to convey the ridiculous tale you are exploring. The characters you interact with are well designed and amusing to look at. Though its approach was crisp and clean, it still had an air of old-school gaming. I loved how it was presented, and it was very easy on the eye.

However, what was odd was the delicate audio that accompanied the action. The music changed tempo, beat and style to match the story, yet it played softly in the background. It was strange that it didn’t take a more pivotal role, as I expected a louder and more intense soundtrack. The comedy continues with the use of childish and amusing sound effects. The over the top noises emphasise each strange death you are involved with. Overall, the audio was a success, even if my expectations were wildly incorrect.

The controls were the bane of my life.

Die With Glory has been ported from PC, and it shows. You can move around with ease, but interacting with objects was a pain. Circles appear on the screen to denote an action to be taken. A hand shows an object to collect, and arrows indicate places to go. The issues occur when over one choice is on screen. The highlighted orb flits between the two and you constantly select the wrong option. This wouldn’t be so bad, except you can’t cancel the action. This is prevalent in the boat scene. You can climb the mast to the crow’s nest. If you do this by accident, and you will, you must clamber up, just to climb back down (ARGGGHHHHH). It was infuriating as hell! The developers should have input a cancel action button, after all the button layout is so sparse it could have been done easily.

As with all great films, the writers leave it open for a sequel. This is usually done in a suggestive way, such as the hero has unfinished business. Die With Glory wasn’t so discreet. Upon finishing the 5 levels, you wander to the end of the tavern. Here you are told of the next chapter that is coming. I know not; its release date, price or if it’s a DLC, but I want it now. I completed this in one 3 to 4-hour sitting, obtaining all achievements, and I have to say I loved every minute. Sadly though, I won’t return to play it again as it lacks replay value.

Will you die with glory?

Sigurd has many opportunities to die, but will any of them bathe him in glory? I won’t answer this for you as I don’t wish to spoil it. What I can say is you will be treated to a beautiful art style, nice sound effects and some excellent amusing dialogue. As a puzzle game, it isn’t the most challenging among its peers, but its simplicity allows you to enjoy every aspect. For this reason, I recommend you buy it here! Death is a complicated affair, especially when you are a master warrior. Valhalla’s Gates will remain shut to those that lack honour. Can you plan your perfect death? Can you Die With Glory?

Review: Lumberjack’s Dynasty

Frances Addison

-

Mar 21, 2021

0

I’ll admit there has never been a point in my life where I’ve harboured aspirations of becoming a lumberjack. I have, however, now spent an entire year all but trapped inside a tiny flat in my own small pocket of the world, seeing the same sights over and over again, and it turns out that that’s about enough time to start idealising the rural life. In that regard, Lumberjack’s Dynasty is a brilliant game that really succeeds in taking you out of the trappings of real life and sets you firmly into the peaceful existence of a woodsman – unfortunately, what the game manages in atmosphere, it sorely lacks in performance.

The general story of Lumberjack’s Dynasty will likely be familiar to many players, following in the same vein as titles like Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon: the protagonist has been given a farm – which in this case also features a lumber mill – and is tasked with getting it up and running again after years of disrepair. The only real change to the trope is that this time the protagonist’s aunt and uncle, from who he has acquired the farm, are actually still alive and present in the game for you to meet. From there, the story follows as you might expect, getting to know the locals, rebuilding your farm, and settling into a new idyllic life in a beautiful mountain valley.

I want to say now, before we get into the rougher details, that I adored my time with this game. Imperfect as it may be, Lumberjack’s Dynasty is a delightful way of becoming immersed in a new, picturesque world and, combined with the soothing music and lack of any sort of threat, the game is a calming escape from the more challenging aspects of our current real world.

There’s more content here than you might expect at first glance too. Beyond the standard rebuilding of ruined farmhouses and chopping down trees, Lumberjack’s Dynasty allows you to collect recipe books to make more elaborate meals, fish in the local rivers, get married and start a family, and so much more that, while superfluous to the main objective of the game, really instills in you that the protagonist’s story is a life being lived, in all its many facets. As an experience, this game really nails the level of immersion it’s going for.

Unfortunately, the things that Lumberjack’s Dynasty does so right aren’t going to be any player’s main takeaway. While its content is, largely, great fun to explore, the game also has a fatal flaw: its mechanics.

By far the biggest problem here is that the game’s performance is extremely hit or miss. At times, it runs perfectly smoothly, while at others it suffers extensive frame drops and input lag, even when the settings are optimised for performance rather than visuals. In the worst instances, the performance was poor enough that I found myself having to restart the game before it could even be considered playable, let alone good.

Lumberjack’s Dynasty also seems to have a number of issues specifically relating to object collision, most commonly in the form of felled trees remaining upright until given a hearty shove. While relatively benign, the problem can also lead to vehicles or the player character becoming stuck on scenery or, occasionally, nothing at all. In one instance during my playthrough, the lack of collision with a window ended up in me clipping through a wall through which I could not get back from without teleporting back to my vehicle. Combined with a somewhat floaty control system – particularly when trying to walk on or climb any sort of slope – it’s a problem that a lot of players are going to repeatedly stumble on.

Outside of the mechanical aspects, there are some content concerns too. The first of these is the incredibly stilted and awkward dialogue, complete with extremely flat voice acting, that makes any conversation you have feel very unnatural. Given that this game is aiming for immersion, this is the one area in which it totally failed to achieve that goal.

Secondly, and perhaps more detrimental to the overall experience, is the general lack of direction the game gives you after the first hour or so of play. There are some tutorial sections at the start that teach you how to do certain things, but once that’s done, players are largely left to their own devices and it can quickly become difficult to know what it is you’re actually supposed to be doing. Having a general goal of ‘use the lumbermill to make money’ is all well and good, but without any real direction on how to do that when you only own a very small section of forest and likely don’t have the money to buy more means that the game comes to a complete standstill while you have to try figuring it out.

Lumberjack’s Dynasty is a game that I wish I could recommend, but in its current form, I’m just not sure that I can. If you are interested in spending a few hours getting away from yourself and relaxing into a peaceful rural life, then you could do far worse than this game, but be prepared going in that you’re probably going to find a lot of frustration here too.

Review: Open Sorcery: Sea++

Charles Ombler

-

Mar 21, 2021

0

Open Sorcery: Sea++ – because who can resist a game with two programming puns in the title?

I love indie games. As much as some of my favourite games of all time are AAA games, indies are where the really interesting stuff is going on. They lead innovation and experimentation and take the risks that your standard AAA developer can’t, due to the amount of money behind their games. Without indies, we’d be at risk of losing the soul of the gaming industry and being left with the big publishers pumping out this year’s Fifa and Call of Duty number 106. So, when I present you with a text-based adventure-puzzler, released in early 2021 rather than the 1970s, you better believe it’s the sort of thing that could only come out of an indie studio (or, in this case, a single developer) and it is glorious.

I’m not going to go into too much depth on the story to avoid straying into spoiler territory for a game I genuinely believe you should play. However, the premise of the game is that you awaken in the middle of an otherworldly sea, made up of emotions and feelings and dreams, as well as your regular underwater paraphernalia (fish). You have few memories of your life so you must traverse the underwater landscape that you find yourself in to pull together the shattered memories you find there and use them to compile coding themed magic to help you on your way. It’s a beautiful combination of computer science, philosophy and magic which come together in a thought-provoking narrative on the theme of identity. Again, it’s the sort of storytelling that you rarely find outside of an indie studio and I really appreciate the content warnings on the opening screen and throughout, as there are some difficult themes explored.

The gameplay itself is focused on exploration and puzzling. In the opening area, you’ll swim your way around a grid of the seabed until you manage to build a webship and can travel further afield. You’ll come across a range of incredibly well-written characters, including ghosts that you’ll be able to set to rest by reminding them of their life. This is done by solving a puzzle using information about the ghost you have gleaned by speaking to it, examining its body and speaking to some of the other beings around the sea. These other beings include slave-owning shopkeepers that you’ll be somewhat less inclined to help, again due to the detestably wonderful way they’re written. You also need to collected motes: physical embodiments of concepts like dark, light, love, life, death, etc. In an interesting gameplay decision, you collect these by completing word-searches – I’m not sure many people want to spend time on a word-search rather than exploring the game they’ve just bought, but fortunately, the developer has thought about that and immediately flags that you can turn on an autocomplete option in the settings menu, making them entirely skippable.

As someone with no familiarity with text adventures, I did find the game a little obtuse on occasion. Sometimes I felt somewhat directionless and uncertain of what my goal was or how doing certain activities would help me progress, like a character in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with an indecisive DM. I found myself wandering around somewhat aimlessly in the opening section, just trying everything I was able to do until something progressed, which was quite frustrating. The lack of a map made it quite easy to get lost because my 12-months-of-lockdown-brain is not up to remembering what’s in every segment of a 7×7 grid (although this is less of an issue further down the line as you can ‘fast travel’ to important locations in areas you’ve already visited). Equally, there is no log of conversations you’ve had, so if you can’t remember exactly what an NPC told you about a ghost you’re halfway through awakening (because, again, lockdown brain) you’ll have to go back to that NPC and ask again. I’m sure these points are features of all text adventures, but the modernisation of Open Sorcery: Sea++ doesn’t do anything to improve on the genre there.

Open Sorcery: Sea++ is very much a relic of an early gaming era and, if you’re nostalgic for those days and miss the concept of text adventures, you’ve almost certainly already bought the game. For the rest of us who’ve never played a text adventure, there’s definitely some interesting stuff going on in Open Sorcery: Sea++ and I think it’s a great introduction to the genre and a truly thought-provoking narrative if you can get over some of the slightly annoying legacy features. If you’re at all interested in trying something new in gaming, you could do much worse than trying out Open Sorcery: Sea++.

Spin Master DC 12-inch Action Figures – Batman and The Joker

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 21, 2021

0

Spin Master DC 12-inch Action Figures – Batman and The Joker

Spin Master have a range of DC 12-inch action figures – we take a closer look at Batman and The Joker.

Create your own epic Super Hero and Super-Villain adventures with the Batman 12-inch Action Figure! This Caped Crusader action figure features three points of articulation, a cloth cape and comic styling that brings your favorite Super Hero to life!

Team up with Robin and help rid Gotham City of its most sinister Super-Villains like The Joker and Harley Quinn. Engage your imagination and pose your action figure as you play out your own Batman storylines and battles!

With 3 points of articulation, you can pose your 12-inch Batman action figure’s head and arms.

The Joker is ready to join forces with your little ones and unleash a reign of terror over Gotham City!

This officially licensed figure of The Joker, which stands at 30cm tall and features 11 points of articulation and detailed styling, is the ideal gift for little fans of Batman and long-term figure collectors alike.

With a range of figures to collect, expand your Batman action figure collection with Rebirth Tactical Batman, Robin, The Joker, Harley Quinn and more (each sold separately). Protect Gotham City with the Batman 12-inch Action Figure!

Each of the 12-inch action figures sell for around £10 and are aimed at children of 3 years and up. They are great fun to play with – you can create your own epic adventures through Gotham City and have hours of fun!

You can learn more about the range, and see other Spin Master toys from the Spin Master website.

Review: Escape From Life Inc

Daniel Waite

-

Mar 21, 2021

0

You may consider yourself a lone wolf. Someone that needs no help from anyone, as the world presents no problems for you to overcome. What will you do when that day occurs? When you can’t overcome the hurdles in front of you. Will you swallow your pride and ask for help? Or will you attempt to fix the issue yourself and fail miserably? These are the questions that are presented to you in Escape from Life Inc.

Developed by PowerBurger and published by Sometimes You, this old-school 2D platform game has taken influence from the much loved game The Lost Vikings. Escape From Life Inc is all about teamwork, communication, and problem solving. It’s not a game that will punish the amateur player, but it contains enough challenge to keep everyone entertained.

Escape From Life Inc is all about the best animal for the job.

The puzzles present themselves in many weird ways. You must; flick switches, move boxes, activate pressure plates, turn on buttons and more. Each of the tasks requires a certain animal to achieve it. Your team is a mismatch of creatures; a stubborn and blunt Eagle, a failure of a reindeer, and a genetically modified fish.

That onion is complex, he has so many layers.

The game opens with Bob; he begins as a normal fish. He starts his day off like any other and he swims off to school. It then flits to Ern, a master pilot bird who joins the Eagle Air Corps. And finally, you pan to Rick the stuttering reindeer. He doesn’t make the grade for Santa, and here you discover Rudolph is an arse. Each of their days takes an unexpected turn when the spaceship of Life Inc swoops in and grabs each of them with its claw. You are now prisoners of this alien lab, and your only way to survive is to escape from Life Inc!

A game with familiar mechanics.

With 5 chapters to play through, and a maze-like world to explore, you’ll easily get lost on your way to the headquarters. You will encounter some odd creatures on your path to the exit, some will be friends and others foes. This surreal environment is easy to explore, but leaves you confused and laughing at what you discover. Your first bout of laughter will come at the expense of little Bob. For reasons unknown, the aliens have genetically modified him to have legs. This innocent fish’s life has changed forever.

For all its unusual imagery, and weird creatures, the gameplay feels familiar. The core mechanics are tried and tested and will be a comfortable experience for veterans of the genre. Rick uses his antlers to flip switches and smash through cracked walls. Bob is the only creature who can touch the water. And Ern soars high in the air, collecting gold rings and activating otherwise unreachable switches. As the game progresses, you will be blessed with further skills that allow you access to secret areas.

Every element of Escape From Life Inc is a pleasure to experience. The well written and comical text based dialogue will make you chuckle. The odd creatures will leave you frowning with confusion, but smiling with joy. And each of the simple puzzles was a joy to solve. However, the straightforward gameplay takes a twist in the latter segment of the story.

It’s no longer about your own survival.

The unlikely team of three heroes starts out as a selfish bunch. Their survival is all that concerns them. This is until their plan is thwarted by the alien leader. You must enlist the help of others to fulfil their desire to escape from Life Inc. The second act follows the same mechanics as the first, but you are now tasked with rescuing 20 animals. These have been visible at all times, but to this point they were part of the scenery. You must revisit every section you have been to, collecting every animal you come across.

It’s a wonderful twist to the gameplay and reinforces the teamwork theme. There are approximately 40 creatures to find, alongside several pieces of fruit. These form the collectable parts of the game and act as a welcome distraction from the platforming action.

Retro looks and a colour explosion.

Using a simple pixelated style, the sprites and the environment have a basic retro style that is pleasing on the eyes. Every part of the world is filled with bright colours and you won’t get bored with looking at it. It doesn’t use the power of the current gen of consoles, but it matters not; the game runs smoothly and is a joy to play.

If you consider that the artistic approach is garish and in your face, it was surprising that the audio didn’t follow suit. An upbeat and classical soundtrack accompanies everything you do. This uplifting audio fills you with hope and is at odds with the situation you find yourself in. You will identify each of your characters’ personalities through the noises that they make. Each has their own sounds for when they speak, and though they are slightly annoying, it works well with the old-school approach.

Escape From Life Inc is easy to master.

Even though you have three different creatures to control its surprisingly easy to master. Each has their own abilities that must be understood to progress. Within 10 minutes you will be an expert in handling each animal and every action will come to you naturally. The simplicity of this title is down to its familiar mechanics and its uncomplicated approach. This is a family-friendly game that can be enjoyed by gamers of all ages.

I’ve already mentioned the collectables that add an extra layer of complexity to the gameplay. This vastly increases the replay value and ensures you want to return. I enjoyed every part of this, but was disappointed by the lack of co-op play. The PC version allows for multiple players to take each role. Including it would be a welcome addition to the console edition. As a solo player, you’ll be expected to take on a small achievement list that asks you to explore the alien craft. If you wish to obtain the 100% status, you’ll need to set aside around 5 hours. At £7 this proves to be good value for money.

Will you want to help the animals escape from Life Inc?

From the moment you switch this on, you will vie for the animals to succeed. Their comical ways and strong desires are infectious and will make you smile throughout. It’s no nonsense approach and familiar mechanics make this a pleasure to play. With nice retro graphics and uplifting music, you will have an enjoyable time solving each puzzle you encounter. I loved my time with this and recommend that you buy it here! Can you help the animals escape their new prison? Will the aliens continue to steal animals and succeed in their evil plans? Leap the platforms, and rescue each creature. You must become the hero of the hour!

Review: Sanity of Morris

Daniel Waite

-

Mar 20, 2021

0

There has long been a question mark around the existence of extraterrestrial beings. Some blindly believe, some believe they have seen them, and there are the ones that refuse to acknowledge their existence. No matter your thoughts on it, it makes for an interesting conversation and has been the basis for many great; books, films, TV series and games. StickyLock look to use this topic as the backbone of their latest game, Sanity of Morris.

Published by Altegro Games, this dark and creepy first-person action-adventure is a million miles away from their last title. Woven was a fluffy and fun game that was aimed at a younger audience. It had a gentle learning curve, a lighthearted storyline, and was shockingly colourful. Sanity of Morris is the polar opposite. It targets an older audience who like; suspense, puzzles, and a dark story.

A bizarre story with little handholding.

The game follows a man named John Morris. He comes from a broken family and hasn’t talked to his father for years. Out of the blue, he receives a voicemail, Hank wishes, no, demands that he come see him at his house in the small town of Greenlake. John thinks the message is odd, but cannot turn down the chance to reconcile. This decision changes his life and sets him on a journey of discovery. He will question his mental state while searching for clues, only to discover that aliens exist.

A psychological horror-thriller that uses the detective theme to perfection. You wander around poorly lit areas with nothing more than a torch to illuminate your way, and a journal to jot down your thoughts. You must use the light to identify; clues, notes, photos and cassette tapes. These collectables help to build up the story and remove the fog of mystery that lingers around this quaint little town.

When John accepted his dad’s invitation, he did not know the trap he was walking into. Hank had uncovered a secret that the government wish to be kept under wraps. He was threatening to blow the cover on the whole thing, and by calling John to the party he places his life in danger as well. This threat is a constant presence in Sanity of Morris. Not only must you; explore, uncover clues, and piece together information, you are required to hide in the shadows, avoiding the light of your enemies.

It’s frightening and full of suspense.

The constant looking over your shoulder, avoiding attention and hiding in the dark was horrendous. Mistakes cost you your life and being chased puts you on edge. Then there is the horrific imagery that flashes before your eyes as John’s mind plays tricks on him. You soon discover that you’re playing a twisted game that is anything but comfortable to play.

This creepy tale is broken down into 3 chapters. Each explores a key area of Hanks backstory. You hear his version of events through audio files and flashbacks. It’s a brilliantly delivered concept that enables you to see both father and son’s view on the same situation, even though they are seeing it at separate times, and with different issues. The documents that you discover are laced with cryptic clues to help you progress. They also help provide some much-needed meat to a confusing and unbelievable story.

Though you are provided with hints, no one will guide you. The answers will be laid out in front of you, yet you’ll not see the obvious. It makes for a brilliantly intriguing title that brings a wry smile to your face when you eventually overcome an issue.

Old mechanics and a tried and tested formula.

Most of the Sanity of Morris gameplay revolves around tried and tested mechanics that will feel comfortable to use. From a gameplay element, it doesn’t scream originality. But, this is more than made up with its brilliant story, well delivered narrative and logical puzzles that you must overcome. Each chapter has a repetitive nature with the developers using the same elements throughout. This wasn’t an issue for me as they matched the environment and setting for each of the segments. I believe that if StickyLock attempted too many ideas, it would have diluted the theme, and would have ended up a confusing mess. It was a well balanced and considered approach that worked extremely well.

3 different landscapes delivered in 1 world.

What was great about this was the delivery of three unique environments in one small area. Each has a different feel, quality and style. And though they all vary, they all have an underlying theme of; darkness, fear and uncertainty. The use of light and shadow creates an ominous and oppressive ambience that fills you with worry. At a distance, it looks great, but sadly this doesn’t hold up when you take a closer look. The finer details do not match up to the overall presentation and appear dated. It doesn’t ruin the game, it simply fails to be as impressive as the staging.

What was great was the sinister audio that was a constant companion. Like in all great thrillers, it set the scene perfectly overpowering no other elements. I loved how it shifted from its slow, sinister form to a shrill fast-paced panicky tone when danger was imminent. The gameplay was influenced by the brilliance of the music, and the excellence of the sound effects. The click of your torch, the heavy breathing, and the slap of your feet on the floor, all added to the suspense-filled atmosphere.

To add to this, the well throughout and acted voice-over work delivered both Hank’s and John’s words and inner thoughts perfectly. Fear, hope, and resignation are all present in the spoken dialogue. It captures the situation to a tee and rarely falters.

Just as you’d expect, glow in the dark footprints.

A control setup that lacks finesse.

The weakest part of Sanity of Morris has to be its control setup. It’s perfectly serviceable, easy to use. But it still lacks finesse and accuracy. I have a hunch that this was optimised for PC first, and console second. The control layout would suit a keyboard and mouse over the controller every time. It works fine on Xbox, and with a small amount of practice, you’ll be comfortable with it.

Whenever I pick up a story focussed game, I know I’m in for a potentially low replay value. If you concentrate solely on the story and gameplay, you’ll agree that there is almost no reason to return. However, 3 different groups of collectables must be located. There are also several “Easter eggs” from previous StickyLock titles hidden, waiting to be found. It was a brilliant little twist, and quite a challenge, as you must remember that you are always at risk of being caught if you venture out of the darkness.

A different direction, but just as good.

I like the work that this development team produces. I was taken back by both the theme and style of their latest game, but what they have released is of a very high quality. It will test your logical thinking, reasoning, and constitution. You need this in your life, so buy it here! Can you help John follow in his father’s footsteps? Can you do what Hank failed to achieve? Travel to Greenlake and see how you get on.

Review: Worms Rumble

Wil Raterman

-

Mar 19, 2021

0

Team 17 returns with yet another iteration of the cult classic Worms series. Leaving behind the turn-based stratagems and incorporating a real time action multiplayer mechanic, Worms Rumble attempts to rebrand again to adapt to the games being played today. Jump into matchmaking alone, or with friends in this online-only title, where you will find the usual Deathmatch game types. Though pieces of the original charm aren’t as present, Worms Rumble is most likely the best deviation from the classic gameplay to date.

Lock n’ Load

The developers have toyed around with their franchise formula in the past (Worms 3D), so this is not their first experiment. You don’t command a squad of worms, and instead play as a single team member, or solo in a free-for-all fight. Traverse a 2D map and collect weapons and other powerups to annihilate your opponents. That’s pretty much the gist of it. It’s essentially a 2D MMO similar to Duck Game. If you’ve played that, then you will know exactly how this title operates. And what’s here is done well enough. It controls like you would expect, maybe even a little better. The roll and wall jump mechanics are a nice touch to get around quickly and smoothly. Use a mouse and keyboard or controller; both work fine.

The maps are expansive and colorful, yet maybe a bit too similar

Finding and joining games online isn’t a slog, and there are a lot of players on the servers. However, there is no ranking or segregation to the matchmaking. As a new player, I got rocked by veterans over and over. Playing in Team Deathmatch was the best bet for me; I needed to be carried to victory. I would have liked to at least see a Casual and Ranked matchmaking option. Or even an offline with bots mode would have been nice. These would have helped curve a difficulty spike when playing with veterans. Replaying the training course doesn’t really provide you with enough to get better on your own. And since there is no offline mode, Worms Rumble cannot be played on the couch with friends. You can, however, party up online.

Suit Up

Choose from a decent selection of headgear, sunglasses, and skin tones to create a unique worm to join the rumble. This is all purely aesthetic, but in game attire seems to be the craze these days. I kept my worm classic for the most part to have a bit of nostalgia while playing. The characters on screen are relatively small, so playing dress up isn’t as rewarding as titles like Fortnite or Diablo, except from the spectator mode. There, you can see an enlarged view of each player in game.

Gotta look good when you get rocked by better players in matchmaking

With any game that emphasizes customization comes an in-game currency. Collect gold and experience from games played to, you guessed it, unlock more hats, weapon colors, and profile backgrounds. And this wouldn’t be the usual micro-transactional experience without different packages you can purchase separately. Maybe my boomer gamer mentality is showing a little, but I’ve already bought the game. Is that not enough these days?

A Familiar Realm

Hearing that recognizable melody from previous installments worked into new compositions brought a me a smile. I was filled with memories of nights staying up late with my friends and family playing Worms World Party on the original PlayStation. Aside from the classic motifs in the compositions, the music was great. I left the game on the main menu and jammed out to the track while sifting through screenshots captured to upload on this page. A lot of the personality is still here, even though I’m a purist and can’t help but want to revert back to the older titles after playing this one.

Also, some of my favorite weapons of the franchise make their return, including the Baseball Bat, Banana Bomb, and of course, the almighty Holy Hand Grenade. Hearing that “Haaaallelujiah!!” before detonation triggers some of my fondest, and most infuriating flashbacks. Staying on the subject of sound, the worms voices do feel a bit annoying and maybe a little too squeaky this time. I had to drop the voice volume down a bit.

Bottom Line

I wouldn’t dive into Worms Rumble looking for the original nuts and bolts if you’re an older player. I can easily picture that scenario since there are already a plethora of Worms titles and remasters on Steam. But if you seek a 2D Run N’ Gun multiplayer experience, you’ll have some fun. This game will stay relevant as long as there are enough players online to carry the torch. Without them, I can easily see it fall into obscurity.