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Review: Rogue Company

Daniel Waite

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Mar 11, 2021

Shooting games have come on leaps and bounds recently. First-person, third-person neither matter as the quality has improved vastly. Yet a massive leap in performance sees a surge in mediocre games. The market becomes awash with developers trying to get their piece of the pie. Thus, it’s challenging for a gamer to find decent titles from the mundane. Triple-A games are always a safe bet, but they rarely move away from their reliable and much-loved formula, so when I was offered Rogue Company I was intrigued.

Developed by First Watch Games and published by Hi Rez Studios, this free-to-play third-person shooter aims to offer a unique experience in a much loved, yet congested market place. You may scream at the thought of another free-to-play product sneaking its way into the game store, I normally do as microtransactions are the Devil’s work. However, this genre lends itself to the culture well and in this case, at least, the extra items are mainly cosmetic so offer no in-game advantage.

COD and Apex Legends.

When your closest rivals are; COD Warzone and Apex Legends, you’re going to have to do something special to stand out. I think they’ve done exactly that! This 4V4 shooter prides itself on its no nonsense, simple approach that allows gamers to crack on and play immediately. Having played a fair amount of shooters in the past, I instantly noted how accessible everything was. Player stats, character selection, game choice and the store were all available at the click of a button. It was refreshing that everything was so easy to find.

Unlike COD, Rogue Company doesn’t rely on a class system. You must select between 1 of 17 agents known as rogues. Each has a unique loadout and plays a specific role in each fight you compete in. There is no right or wrong when it comes to your selection, it’s just gameplay style and character preference. Each has its own progress tree known as “Mastery” the more you use them, the more XP they earn, and the quicker they progress. It’s brilliantly straightforward and matches the simplicity of the UI.

If they can’t see you, they can’t kill you.

It’s all about the game modes.

Ease of access, detailed stats and great character choices are all good, but they mean nothing without great game modes. Luckily, Rogue Company has a small, yet fantastic match-list waiting to be explored. At the time of playing there were 3 categories and 4 game modes; Limited time games, Verses and Ranked. Countdown, Demolition, Strikeout and Extraction.

Limited time and Verses.

This is where you’ll spend all your early gaming time. A wide range of player ability can be seen at this level, and all game modes are open to play. Each follows a classic shooter approach; Demolition is Search and Destroy, Strikeout is Team Death Match, Extraction is domination and Countdown is all about holding a bomb.

Ranked Mode.

This is where the big boys and girls play. With an entry restriction of level 30, this isn’t for noobs. A different mode is added to this at regular intervals, and this allows you to test yourself against the best global players.

Some new Mechanics, some old!

What I loved about this was the requirement to communicate clearly with your 3 teammates. Great comms make a difference, and teamwork was the winning element. With only 12 lives available per run, failure to speak ruins your chances greatly. Everyone loves being the all-action hero, but a slower approach is required. Lives can be saved by reviving downed teammates and this is as important as shooting the opposition.

For older gamers, or fans of Esports, you’ll recognise a key mechanism from Counter Strike, and that’s your ability to alter your loadout between games. Money is earned per round for; assists, kills, objectives and the win. Money buys; perks, primary weapons, gadgets, grenades and upgrades. This was a superb way to make each character unique with a reward for succeeding in each match. There could be an argument that this benefits the better player, but everyone is awarded some form of cash, so new equipment isn’t unobtainable at the start of each round.

It wouldn’t be free-to-play if there wasn’t an in-game currency. “Rogue Bucks” allow you to boost ranks, gain cosmetics and kit out your character with garish skins. It’s mostly cosmetic so doesn’t impact the gameplay, and anything that can be purchased with “Rogue Bucks” can be brought with Reputation Points. These are earned through natural progression, but items take a little longer to unlock. There is also a battle pass to keep the hardcore fans interested.

It runs like a dream.

I’ve not played this on anything apart from the Series X, but boy does it run great. Its transition from menu to menu is slick, loading times are nominal, and it plays better than many triple-A titles. But it doesn’t stop there! The graphics are great, character models are brilliantly designed and move fantastically, and each map looks interesting and contains many details. Talking of details, no area was missed by the keen eye of the developers. The weapons look great and the walk-in cinematic look amazing. In short, it’s a free game with a premium presentation.

This quality flows through the audio with an amazing soundtrack that creates a high-tempo and aggressive atmosphere. The music is great, but what I want is ear-piercing shots and thumping bangs, and this is exactly what I got. The sound effects range from; the delicate pattering of feet to skull shaking explosions. It’s awesome and sucks you right into the action.

Tutorials and addictions.

If you’ve played any shooting game in the last 5 years, you’ll feel at ease with this. However, if you need to brush up on your skills, a full tutorial that lasts around 10 minutes walks you through all the fundamentals. This is also available for each game mode alongside a gun range and a private lobby. All bases have been covered, and this easy to control shooter is easy to pick up and a joy to play.

Rogue Company is like Pringles! “Once you pop, you can’t stop!” It’s addictive as hell, and the phrase “just one more go” will be muttered repeatedly. Like every shooter ever released, the replay valve is based on your friendship group and your love of the game. If you have a good team, you’ll play this for hours. Chuck in the battle pass, character progression, cosmetics and the ranked matches, and you’ll find plenty to keep you busy.

A pleasant surprise.

I genuinely didn’t know what to expect when I loaded into another free-to-play game. I had my concerns it would be clunky, look ugly and would force me to spend real money. Gladly, none of these things happened, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had with this genre for a long time. I recommend you download a copy here as you have nothing to lose! Rogue Company is a slick, well designed third-person shooter. It’s brilliance puts a lot of its peers to shame! You should grab your rogue and join the fight……. Now!

Review: Those Who Remain

Wyatt J. Sinclair

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Mar 11, 2021

0

There are three types of people when it comes to horror video games. The type that will put on a good pair of headphones, turn all of the lights out, and relish in the psychological terror felt at every turn. The type that will play the game with all of the lights on to make sure that no one sneaks up and murders them. Lastly, there is the type that will not play horror games under any circumstances.

If you fall in either of the first two categories, Camel 101’s Those Who Remain will pique your terror-seeking interests. But is it a game worth playing?

Are you Afraid of the Dark?

When I was first offered Those Who Remain, the title sounded like a not-so-subtle nod to Last of Us. In practice, however, this game shares a lot more similarities with Remedy Entertainment’s Alan Wake – an absolute favorite game of mine and Hideo Kojima’s playable teaser, PT. There are also some nods to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and even a sprinkle of everyone’s favorite Netflix series, Stranger Things.

On the surface, this sounds like an incredible combination. However, Those Who Remain is not able to live up to its promise.

The protagonist, Edward, is an apologetic man intent on heading to a dingy motel to break things off with the woman with whom he’s been cheating on his wife. Things quickly go sideways when Edward’s car is stolen and he is forced to travel by foot to the nearby town of Dormont.

Edward learns he must stay in the light to survive, as there are ghastly figures awaiting him in the dark. How does our hero survive? In the simplest terms, by turning on light switches. Spoiler alert: Edward doesn’t think to just carry a flashlight with him.

Paging Agent Cooper

The set pieces in Those Who Remain, while creepy, have a very disjointed feeling to them. Every chapter takes place in a distinct location. The motel, a house in a corn field, a diner, a library – they’re all supposedly in the same town but you’d never think it. There is no way to travel between these places. Edward is seemingly placed in these locations as the game progresses.

The Stranger Things’ Upside Down-esque world that Edward enters at certain points are a highlight. These are used to reach areas Edward cannot reach in the real world. He can move heavy objects or reach light switches in this spiritual realm that change their place in the physical realm as well.

I ask myself the same question every morning.

Much like the aforementioned PT, the game is seen entirely from a first-person view. The game directs your attention to one side, only to have the room change behind you. The most memorable instance being a bathroom wall turning into a jail cell engulfed in the fiery flames of Hell.

Dancing in the Dark

There is no actual challenge to this game. Yes, there are puzzles to be solved, but they all boil down to the same formula. Hover your cursor over an object and press A. Trial and error is all you need to beat this game.

The controls present the most frustration in the game. Those Who Remain was certainly built with PC players in mind. An Xbox controller just does not give the preciseness needed to swiftly target a tiny light switch to escape death.

I found myself growing increasingly aggravated every time Edward died because I could not creep him just enough around the corner to turn a light on.

On second thought, I’ll wait until morning to use the bathroom.

These downsides could be overlooked if the story, characters, or even locations were engrossing. Instead, there is a very rudimentary plot that never builds towards anything gratifying and a complete lack of character development.

For example, along his light-switching way, Edward meets a shadowy figure that tells him he needs to decide whether other characters, not yet introduced, deserve to die. The life or death decisions are made after gathering evidence such as a note written by the “offender’s” teacher or a criminal complaint written by the police chief.

If there was any character development before I had to make these choices for Edward, this would have elevated the intensity of the game. Instead, I made my decisions based on my own personal philosophies without regard for the characters themselves. There seemed to be no right or wrong answer as far as the game was concerned. Or was there?

Imperfect Dark

According to the developer, there are three different endings depending on how you decide the fates of our subjects. I played through the game twice and made totally opposite decisions in both playthroughs, but still ended up with the same ending. It is entirely possible that there is a certain combination of decisions that need to be made to achieve a different ending, but there is absolutely no indication in the game to say what you “should” do.

The team behind Those Who Remain clearly have a love for psychological horror. While I believe they have a good starting point, this entry may be better left in the dark.

Review: Jet Kave Adventure

Frances Addison

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Mar 10, 2021

0

As opening gambits go, a caveman with a jetpack from outer space is a pretty solid tagline. So it is in Jet Kave Adventure, where you play the titular Kave as he explores his prehistoric world – which also has dinosaurs, by the way – in search of an alien who crash-landed near his village. It is from said alien that he acquires his mysterious jetpack, giving him a small boost to his jumping abilities and inexplicably allowing him to bust through sheer rock walls face first without encountering major head trauma. With Kave, players will have to navigate 2D platforming sequences, fighting dinosaurs and dodging environmental hazards, in the hopes of catching up to the extra-terrestrial visitor before they can trigger a volcanic eruption that would destroy Kave’s home.

At first glance, most players are going to notice that Jet Kave Adventure isn’t particularly original, in terms of both its design and its mechanics. Platforming is one of the oldest video game genres around and the general principle hasn’t really changed since the original Donkey Kong in 1981, but while this might seem like stagnation, there’s one very good reason for it: they’re really fun to play.

In that regard, Jet Kave Adventure nails it. The controls, while a little hard to get used to on PC and clearly better suited for a controller, are responsive and accurate, and the levels are both challenging and varied enough to keep the game engaging. In keeping with the style of the genre, gameplay is kept relatively simple, with clear, silent tutorials presented whenever a new mechanic is introduced. While it’s undoubtedly not going to be for everyone, if you have enjoyed other 2D platformers, then you are almost guaranteed to get something out of this experience.

Even without being revolutionary, the developers of Jet Kave Adventure have put in a substantial effort to make their game stand out, with particular attention to detail being paid to the variety of content. Alongside the standard platforming expected of this type of game, Jet Kave Adventure features chase sequences, boss battles, and gliding and flying sections, amongst others, and the range of content on offer helps to keep the game engaging long after you might expect it to wear out its welcome.

Extending its longevity further still is the inclusion of challenges and collectibles. These are available in each level and task players with completing the course within a set time, collecting certain items, or making it to the end without taking any damage. To help players with these challenges, Jet Kave Adventure features an upgrade tree of sorts, in the form of purchasable items that expand your inventory, your health bar, or your jetpack fuel. While the main game never strictly requires players to obtain such upgrades, they can certainly offer a helping hand once the difficulty starts to ramp up.

Setting aside the mechanics themselves, this game does have one truly standout feature: Jet Kave Adventure is beautiful. Each of the levels has its own location and environment and it’s clear throughout that a huge amount of effort has gone into making the game feel vibrant and alive, with spectacular results. The developers have crafted a series of stunning backdrops that make Kave’s world a genuine joy to explore and coupled with the cartoony art style used to craft player and enemy models, the game’s visuals are one of its greatest achievements.

Jet Kave Adventure is not perfect, of course. For one, the game is surprisingly short, made up of just 36 levels, each of which only takes a handful of minutes at most. This is somewhat mitigated by the inclusion of challenges and collectibles, but it does mean that players will be able to see everything the game has to offer within a few hours.

The most frustrating flaw to me was the music. As with other games in the genre, Jet Kave Adventure features a simple backing tune that plays over menus and at times during gameplay itself, which I initially enjoyed as an effort has clearly been made to make it fit with the prehistoric setting. However, after spending some time navigating the ‘world map’ menu in search of challenges and upgrades, it quickly becomes apparent that the main theme’s loop is extremely short and as a result, it starts to grate on your nerves very quickly. This isn’t a critical failing by any stretch, but if you’re trying to aim for 100% completion, you’re likely going to want to nudge that volume slider down.

Overall, Jet Kave Adventure isn’t going to surprise you, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good for a few hours of fun. If you like 2D platformers, or just want to look at some really impressive prehistoric environments for a nice lockdown-friendly change, you could certainly do worse than this.

Review: Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning

Jack Boreham

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Mar 10, 2021

0

Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning was always a fantastic open-world fantasy RPG. Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning builds upon the game in an excellent remaster. With tons of new content and updated graphical capabilities, that makes Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning one of the very best open-world RPG’s.

A Stunning Remaster

The Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning is absolutely stunning; from the lush forests to the craggiest mountains, the game is breathtaking on the new consoles, especially next-gen. I played the game on Xbox Series S, and the game blew me away on next-gen systems. Having played the original Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning on the Xbox 360, the differences in graphical fidelity stood out.

The open-world game looks breathtaking and shows off the excellent art style Kingdom’s of Amalur is known for. Surprisingly, Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning also uses the quick resume functionality, harnessing the next-gen consoles’ power. Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning uses this quick resume functionality to launch you back into a previous save immediately. Regardless if you have switched games in the meantime. The use of the feature surprised me but greatly improved the pacing of the game. It allowed me to jump back into the game almost instantly. But that’s not to say the pacing of the game was initially bad; it was not.

Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning has excellent pacing and perhaps has one of the best pacings within the open-world RPG genre. From completing a story mission to completing several side missions, each task is well-paced with quick and rewarding completion—the story missions and DLC, like before, offer considerable depth and lore to the Amalur universe.

A Universe Steeped in Lore

Likewise, the side missions are also full of folklore and depth, fleshing out the world. They are also exciting and engaging, making you feel like a monster-slaying adventurer discovering new secrets and lands previously undiscovered. A personal favourite was an expedition to the teeth of Nagros as part of the games DLC, a land once forgotten by the creatures of Amalur. What went from a casual outing quickly turned into a monster-slaying story involving ancient gods. Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning’s missions are standouts from a storying telling perspective but are also rewarding.

The game rewards the player for their effort in a fun and challenging way. Like its remastered counterpart, the game offers multiple difficulty levels. It throws you straight into the action. You can complete side missions and explore the world without even having to tackle much of the main story. Allowing you to gain great loot whenever you choose too. Thus, the game opens up the world of Amalur for you to explore at your leisure. Ultimately, this makes the game stand out, making the whole experience fun but challenging due to having limited restrictions.

Furthermore, much like its predecessor, Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning has superb gameplay. From combat to exploring the many towns and villages, everything feels fluid and natural. The action itself is exceptional, just like its remastered predecessor with classic RPG combat mechanics, skill trees and class types. Likewise, the addition of quick-time events, when you activate your unique ability, is, as before, brilliant. Making you feel like a monster-slaying machine. Thus, from a gameplay perspective, Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning is one of the best open-world RPG’s out there.

Furthermore, Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning is chock full of content, from the expansive story and DLC to the several hours of extra content the game provides as part of this remaster, Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning has considerable replayability. From a content standpoint alone, the game is more than worth picking up.

Annoying Dialogue and Poor HUD

Now it is worth mentioning on a more negative note. The mini-map still isn’t that great. Although I eventually found my way to my points of interest, the mini-map is unclear and should have been improved. I often found it difficult to successfully locate a specific store due to the mini-maps lack of clarity. Likewise, I also found issues with the games dialogue choices and rather annoying repetition of dialogue from NPC’s. Although an issue amongst many open-world RPG’s, it would have been nice if this remaster could have improved the NPC’s dialogue or perhaps stopped the constant repetition. Nevertheless, these are small nitpicks for an otherwise outstanding game.

Verdict

Overall, Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning is an excellent remaster of an already great open-world RPG. The game takes everything we love about the previous remastered game, making it look fresh with updated graphics and extra content to create an outstanding remaster. If you are a Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning fan or a fan of open-world RPG’s, pick up this game.

Review: Capcom Arcade Stadium

James Willmott

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Mar 10, 2021

1

With most of the world currently in lockdown, Capcom Arcade Stadium (CAS) might just be the closest any of us can get to a real-life arcade. Re-releasing classic arcade games from 1984-2001, CAS offers players a taste of times-gone-by with over 30 games at your disposal. From beat em’ ups like ‘Captain Commando’, to vertical scroller-shooters like ‘Giga Wing’, there certainly is a little something for everyone in CAS. However, considering how much of this collection is only available as paid DLC, just how does CAS compare to its competitors in the emulation market? Also, although centred around the re-release of decades-old games, what does this collection bring new to the table? However, most importantly, will this help alleviate the global phenomena of lockdown-boredom? Well, slot in another quarter and press continue to find out.

Probably the most notable thing you will notice when looking to purchase CAS is its pricing. Despite being advertised as a free-to-play game, the reality is that you’ll have to dish out more than a few quarters to get the full experience. By downloading CAS, you’ll be gifted ‘1943: The Battle of Midway’, which is a nice gesture, however the remaining 31 games must be purchased separately. These are neatly bundled into collections based on their decade of release, each setting you back £11.99. Alternatively you can purchase the entire collection for £29.99. One on hand, although this does offer players the opportunity to only purchase collections featuring the games they specifically want (therefore saving money), on the other, you may have to pay double just to get that one-extra game that happened to be released 3 years later. Furthermore, £29.99 for a collection of re-released games? To put that into perspective, many modern AAA games fall to prices lower than this only one year after release, which you’ll easily get just as much enjoyment out of. Nevertheless, whether you feel that the value of these games matches its price is up to you, as some have a much greater interest in retro arcade games compared to others. Just a word of caution though, unless you do, it is unlikely you will feel like you have gotten your money’s worth here.

Anyway, I’m sure you’re far more interested in the game itself, not Capcom’s pricing strategies. CAS essentially takes place in a virtual 3D arcade, where you play each game on its own dedicated machine. This was quite different to what I was expecting, but in truth, I felt this was a great design choice. It offers little outside of giving the game a unique aesthetic, but playing each game on a secondary, virtual arcade screen, and being able to look around outside of the machine whilst playing was a nice touch. As an owner of a SNES Mini, CAS definitely felt like it had taken a step further in this regard. Switching between games is smooth and sleek, with the option to create favourite lists, search by genre, and more. Considering this was the only area where the developers were actually given creative freedom, I applaud them on a job well done.

In regards to the games themselves, I obviously won’t go into detail on every single one, as most likely if you are interested in CAS you have already played many of these games before. However, that’s not to say there is nothing worth mentioning here. For the most part, each game plays just as you would expect. At least, I imagine… I’m too young to have played the originals. You are given a range of settings for each game, giving you the option to change the difficulty, adjust the game speed, as well as save/load your progress. To be honest, this is very similar to almost every game/console released in the emulation market, so again, there is little in way of surprise here. Similarly, the ability to ‘rewind’ your game is nothing new, albeit a handy little feature. For the most part then, CAS is very much a familiar experience to those who have already played emulated games.

So, aside from the games themselves, what does CAS offer that is different? Well, this can be found in the way of online leader-boards and challenge modes. For every game, different challenges are presented to the player, in the form of score challenges, time challenges and even ‘special’ challenges. This was something I found surprisingly fun, even if they felt a bit lacklustre. Being set (reasonably) difficult milestones to reach is great motivation to keep playing, and winning bragging rights by having your name plastered atop various leader-boards is certainly an incentive for many. However, this is really the extent of the online functionality offered in CAS. Yes, the satisfaction of placing 8th on the weekly leader-board of your favourite game is good, but the motivation to do the exact same next week isn’t quite the same. This is only compounded by the notable lack of reward for such achievements – virtual player points and a medal isn’t enough for most. Subsequently, CAS will almost certainly need more long-term support and updates to appease its player-base.

There’s just one last thing I wanted to mention… the performance of the games. You might be a bit confused – surely an arcade game from 1986 would play just fine on a modern games console, right? Well, in reality, that’s not always the case. A few of the games I played suffered from fairly significant frame-rate issues, especially when the screen was crowded with countless enemies, bullets, lasers, etc. I would like to give some benefit of the doubt, as yes, the chaotic nature of some of these games does lend itself to some performance issues, and yes, I did notice this only on a handful of games. But really, it’s quite disappointing that almost any issues are present considering the age of the titles. Especially when you consider CAS is entirely based on re-released games, with little in the way of new content, one would expect ensuring smooth performance across the board would be a priority during development. This may well be a consequence of playing on the Switch though, and so it will be interesting to see whether these problems persist when released on other platforms. Nevertheless, for those looking to pick up the Switch version, this is definitely something to be aware of.

All in all, I found CAS to be a fun, fast-paced and action-packed game, albeit one of little long-term interest. If you can get past the pricing, I’m certain most players will have a blast playing the collection of classic games, even if you are unfamiliar with them. I for one became quickly hooked on ‘Giga Wing’, despite having never played it before. There is something in the way of online multiplayer, however, much like the game as a whole, it is unlikely this will keep you going for very long. As a result, although regular arcade-goers might find CAS to be a great opportunity to pick up and play their favourite retro games on the fly, I don’t expect many casual gamers to see much value in their purchase after a week or two of playing.

5 Good Life Lessons to Take from Gaming

Gaming

Andrew Edney

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Mar 10, 2021

0

You may or may not have noticed, but gaming is an extremely popular form of entertainment these days – one that virtually everyone under the age of 40 engages in, at least occasionally.

Obviously, there are a bunch of reasons why gaming is such a runaway success – including the fact that it’s really fun, it offers an immersive way of engaging with deep and powerful storylines, it allows friends to enjoy competitive activities without being together in the same physical space, and more.

But gaming isn’t just fun because of bright colours, explosions, and interesting fictional settings. Part of the reason it’s so engaging is because it can put us into certain states of mind that we all, more or less, associate with a sense of thriving.

So, here are a few good life lessons you can take from gaming, so that your everyday existence can become more exciting, interesting, and fun as a result.

Be willing to think outside the box

In many games, and especially in puzzle games, whether in the form of an online escape room or a horror game that is based around escaping from a Gothic castle, the only real way to progress and to make it to the end is to get comfortable with thinking outside the box.

It is specifically because puzzle games demand that we think outside the box that they can be so frustrating on the one hand, and so satisfying on the other hand. Because, in other words, we need to engage with tricky situations, invest energy, and move past those obstacles.

Then, after the inevitable setbacks – when we do succeed – victory feels all the more sweet as a result.

In life, it’s often very useful to think outside the box both with regards to figuring certain things out in your personal life, getting your professional life on track, and any number of other things. And it’s often really satisfying, as well, to overcome the bigger obstacles you might have been facing in everyday life, because you were able to successfully do a bit of creative thinking outside the box.

Focus on pursuing things that you find meaningful and exciting

Almost by definition, no successful game has you spending a lot of time working on things that you find really dull, uninteresting, and meaningless.

Contrary to this, we all tend to take it as a given that our real everyday lives will inevitably require a bunch of grinding away at tasks that we really don’t like, and ultimately find deeply unfulfilling. And it’s certainly true that most people likely aren’t going to enjoy doing the dishes.

Keep in mind, though, that it’s always possible to make changes in your life so that you are spending more and more time focusing on pursuing things that you actually find genuinely meaningful and exciting, and less and less time working on things that you find hollow and soul-destroying.

If you keep moving in the right direction for long enough, you may even be able to escape the mindless drudgery altogether, and to have your life structured around meaningful, engaging, and exciting activities, pastimes, and avenues.

In either case, there’s no reason to give up on an exciting and meaningful life, without a fight.

Treat your life as a great story that’s busy unfolding

In addition to fun and engaging gameplay mechanics, the leading reason for the success of many of the most highly acclaimed games of all time – such as The Witcher 3, for example – is the fact that these games often have deeply compelling stories and narrative elements.

As human beings, we all view the world in terms of stories and narratives, in a wide variety of different ways. We think about the meanings of events, the development of relationships, the directions we want to head in, and the influence of fate, rather than just calculating everything in a strictly rational sense and “crunching numbers.”

Cormac McCarthy once said that “each man is the bard of his own existence,” and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t think of yourself as the hero or heroine of your own great and unfolding life story.

Instead of getting swept along by the currents of life, or trying to calculate everything in purely rationalistic terms, start thinking of your life as a great story, and pay attention to how you want to write the chapter you’re currently living through.

If you begin approaching things in this way, you will likely find that your life becomes a lot more magical and exciting, overnight.

Take the time to recognise and enjoy the beauty that’s already present in your life (and add some more whenever you can)

For a huge number of games today, cutting-edge graphics and breathtaking visual elements are a key selling point that many gamers find really important and engaging.

If you’ve played a game like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla or Red Dead Redemption 2, you’ve probably spent a decent amount of time just sitting in one place and savouring a great landscape, or the attention to detail that was put into the animations of the different characters.

Translate that lesson to your real, everyday life. Instead of always being distracted, take the time to pause periodically and actually notice and enjoy the beauty that’s already present in your life.

Savour the taste of your first sip of morning coffee. Get lost in the majesty of the sunrise or sunset. And, wherever and whenever you can, add some extra elements of beauty to your life as well.

Stay in motion, don’t let yourself stagnate

In every good game, there are things to do, and staying in one place and stagnating is never on the cards. At least not for long.

In real life, many of us end up giving in to passivity and becoming stagnant, from time to time.

But if you are sitting in one place and doing nothing (as opposed to just pausing regularly to savour the moment and relax for a time), you are missing out on a lot of the excitement and adventure of life.

Take this lesson from gaming: stay in motion.

Review: Untitled Goose Game

News

Edward Bobincheck

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Mar 10, 2021

0

Something I, as a game reviewer, constantly have to balance are my cynicism and optimism. Going into every game I aim to have an open mind, but the human side of me often will influence things. The trick is to not let the negatives overwhelm the experience, while also not letting the positives completely negate any criticism I might have. To assist in doing this I give myself a buffer between putting the game down, and writing my review. Normally this is a few days’ time, but I spent a week between writing this, and last playing Untitled Goose Game.

Many of you already know what this title is. Released as early as September 2019, Untitled Goose Game is a self proclaimed “slapstick-stealth-sandbox” genre game also available on PC, Switch, and PS4. It was the Xbox One version that I reviewed, and this was my first time ever playing it. I had heard of it before starting it up, having seen the memes, but never had the urge to play it.

I want to right off the bat say something positive about the game, so let me tell you about the artistic direction. Visually I find the use of cel-shaded graphics in any game a plus, as this choice always helps to keep it from aging into a blocky, optic nightmare. Untitled Goose Game combines them with a strong color scheme that distinguishes objects in a very pleasing way.

However despite the success of those choices, the selection icon is a miss for me. Object interaction is context sensitive, so it’s hard to tell at a glance what is manipulatable and what’s just set dressing. Also in terms of art direction, the audio is something that is just there. I would actually call it a negative because while the background music is unmemorable, I felt that muting the game weakened the overall experience.

The honking noise the goose makes is actually a positive though, despite it being extremely annoying. It’s supposed to be obnoxious because that’s what your character is, a horrible goose. The game description for Untitled Goose Game is very meta and humorous, mentioning that you have “a dedicated honk button (!!!)”. The description downplays it as this button is actually extremely important to the gameplay.

This brings me to the controls and here’s where I start bringing the mood down. I hate them. The actual layout is simple and minimalistic, giving you only a few seemingly important actions. One of which is spreading your wings, a button I personally believe to be useless. These are all fine, but drags things down is the way you move the goose. It has a weight problem, giving it lasting momentum that makes walking feel unresponsive. In open spaces this isn’t so much a problem, but it becomes one when trying to maneuver yourself into an item’s context sensitive range, or when humans chase you away.

Here we lead into another massive issue I had; the townsfolk. Ironically the game’s description page again provides a perfect quote, “you hate them”. These human beings are the main reason why I find the game insufferable. Each area features a list of tasks to complete, all of which involve the aforementioned humans. Untitled Goose Game proclaims itself to be a “slapstick-stealth-sandbox”, but I would argue it’s more of a puzzle game.

Having to work against these people is extremely difficult, and navigating with and around them was unfun. To solve some of the puzzles you need to do things like distracting the citizens to lure them away from areas or objects. Problem is they’re fickle, jumping from displaced items in a way only the lord of chaos knows. This caused massive anxiety in me when trying to collect items for my tasks. Early in the game, one of the assignments is to gather items for a picnic. The gardener would ignore my created distractions and instantly start erasing all my progress, causing me high levels of anger and sorrow.

There are so many problems with these villagers that I could go on and on. From the way they run faster than you so it’s pointless to try and escape them when they see you. From the way they cause the goose to flail uncontrollably when they touch it, making you wait a solid 10 seconds to recover and do anything. From the delay in them resetting their positions and forcing you to wait and fall into boredom just to get another attempt at solving a puzzle. They are absolutely terrible and I despise them.

I hate that I couldn’t find the same joy as many have, but in my frustration I think I have found the answer as to why; the lack of a proper tutorial. Quick spoiler about one of the chores, involving making a boy wear the wrong glasses. I learned from looking online that you could untie his shoes, causing him to bend over to re-tie them and allowing you to scare him. This causes his glasses to fall off and be replaced. I questioned why I would even think of that.

It was inquiring about this that made me realize the game never put me in the mindset to naturally come up with this plan. Tutorials are often thought of as hand holding moments, like throwing up button prompts to walk out of a starting area. I think back to She Remembered Caterpillars and how it was able to use visuals and gameplay to prepare me for the challenges ahead. If Untitled Goose Game had a tutorial that used gameplay examples to teach me what to expect, I think I could have found the game much less aggravating.

When I worked at Blockbuster when I was younger, I realized an important fact about personal tastes. No matter the quality of a given media, there will always be someone who loves it, and someone who hates it. There is no unanimously praised or loathed form of entertainment. If you need proof of that, here I am talking down about a game that many would say they really enjoyed. Many of my friends told me I was going to be happy playing Untitled Goose Game, and the fact I’m writing so negatively brings me no joy.

At the end of the day I don’t recommend Untitled Goose Game. Between clunky controls and the lack of context or information I rage quit on 3 separate attempts to progress. I only made it to the third area by consulting an online guide. I asked myself, If I’m only progressing because of continuous help, why am I even playing? I desperately tried to have fun, tried to get into the proper mindset, and failed. I had anxiety breakdowns and felt enraged to unhealthy levels.

That said, I would suggest that you evaluate yourself if you’re thinking about picking up this game. There are definitely many people who have found enjoyment in it, and you might well be one of them. But know that it’s possible that you, like me, might be massively let down by Untitled Goose Game. I hate having to say this, but “HONK” this game

Review: Shady Part of Me

Daniel Waite

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Mar 10, 2021

0

No matter how alone you are in this world, you will always have someone with you. You can attempt to hide from them, but they are always attached to you. Your shadow has been forever by your side, experiencing the highs and lows of your life. Douze Dixiemes explores this premise in its light manipulating puzzle game Shady Part of Me (SPoM).

Published by Focus Home Interactive, this melancholy title has you controlling a lonely girl whose existence is dominated by the continued feelings of isolation and despair. A recluse child whose fear of the light has kept her in the dark. Her only companion in her “prison” is her silhouette, her shady pal enables her to journey to places otherwise off-limits. Alongside this solitary friend is a person known as “the other”. This controlling being is the authority figure in her life and offers no contact or warmth.

A familiar mechanic.

Light manipulation is nothing new, many puzzle games of late have used it to great success. Projection First Light is one such title and one I’ve recently reviewed. SPoM plays with the use of shadow alongside visual perception. What once appeared flat, turns into a climbing frame along another plain. Paths are forged through unseen layers and moving torches and boxes alter both the fore and the background.

It was a familiar and comfortable place to be, with a gentle learning curve. Her phobia of the light forced you into analysing the situation and thinking about how to venture through the shadow. Her shady partner loves the light and isn’t simply a passenger in this puzzle game. She can pull levers and change objects in the other realm. Each child works together to reach an illuminated circle. Both characters’ progress is delicately balanced, but not complicated.

A story veiled in mystery.

Other than the opening cinematic that explains the main game premise, very little is uncovered. The world in which the girls live, changes in how it looks, and the atmosphere it creates. You never know if it’s simply a nightmare or something more sinister. “The other” takes many forms and tricks the mind into thinking it’s all a dream. No matter the reason for being there, the aim is clear! The two friends must work together to escape their fate.

Even though the story is kept a mystery, how the gameplay unfolds is a delightful experience. It never bothered me that I never pieced together every part, and that its conclusion wasn’t entirely fulfilling. The journey from beginning to end was a sombre awakening with some brilliantly designed puzzles chucked in.

A library full of questions, but no answers.

A monochromatic delight.

When you are playing with light and dark, the world is going to be monochromatic by nature. The beautiful use of silhouettes and hidden imagery strengthened the dreamlike nature of this title. And a gothic art style powered through helping to enhance the melancholy and depressing tones set by the odd story. Each of the 4 chapters that you experience has a unique look and progressively deepens the insane and confusing nature of the storyline.

The power of words is an under-used commodity, but not in SPoM. Phrases and emotive tags are splashed across the world, giving hints and meaning to the actions that you are undertaking. It’s a clever approach from the developers, though it wasn’t always necessary.

The artistry wouldn’t have been as successful if it wasn’t for the wonderful audio. The mournful yet airy soundtrack keeps you going along this confusing and unnerving path. Its quiet and gentle tones patter away in the background, never overpowering the action or the storyline. It supports every other element with a strong yet subtle platform.

Easy to play and odd collectables.

Whenever I play these perception manipulating titles, I get concerned that it’ll be a complicated mess. From the off, it’s clear that it’s going to be a pleasure to play. A simple tutorial offers advice covering all aspects of the game. A small amount of trial and error ensures you master everything within the first 5 minutes.

So with simple puzzles, and a short gameplay length, approximately 1 evening, you may think it lacks depth and replay value. You needn’t worry as the gameplay and story offer enough to keep you interested, and bizarre origami birds act as collectables to keep you coming back for more. These odd birds add a layer of gameplay that strangely does nothing to clear up the main story. I cracked a wry smile when it simply added another layer of mystery to this strange story.

A beautiful and touching story that’s worth a look.

The gaming world is getting better and better with delivering touching tales and emotive plots. Shady Part of Me is a prime example of an interesting mechanic mixed with an excellent story. You may be disappointed, confused, or annoyed with the outcome. Don’t let it tarnish the journey you have taken. With a distinct art style, sombre music, and well-delivered pace, I can’t help but recommend you try this. Buy a copy here! Darkness and light must come together to help you escape your personal prison. Grab your shadow and solve the problems you face!

Review: Road To Guangdong

Bryan Applegate

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Mar 10, 2021

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INTRO

Road to Guangdong is a 3rd-person dialogue-based, 1st-person car driving simulator. It released in August of last year for Nintendo Switch and PS4. It also went on to Xbox One at some point. It was developed y Just Add Oil, and published by Excalibur Games.

With the basic info out of the way, is this game any good? Let’s find out!

STORY

After the death of Ba Ba, Sunny and Ma Ma have to go on a country-wide trip to 6 different locations to convince her remaining relatives (and a few friends) to join a family reunion dinner at her restaurant. Convincing them to attend, however, is easier said then done. . .

The dialogue in Road to Guangdong is absolutely beautiful, for starters. The game is brimming with beautiful characters and wonderful dialogues that showcase the character’s personalities. The character designs are interesting, their struggles and the ways to solve them make going through the game worthwhile, and that’s all I got.

GAMEPLAY

The goal in Road to Guangdong is to reunite the whole family (and friends), and subsequently get all of the family recipes in the process. The game is part dialogue-based, and mainly a Zen driving-Car maintenance hybrid experience.

The game’s dialogue has several choices, and choosing the right/wrong option at the wrong time is very well the difference between getting more people to attend the reunion, and missing out on the best ending. Speaking of endings…

When I first played the game last week, I took up too much time and gas and money in game to make it to my first destination (Si Fu’s dojo). They were the only ones who made it to the family reunion in my ending that I got as a result. The game was only made by 5 people, and it shows. The driving is boring, since you need to do it at a slow-enough speed to get to the next garage or destination. And also, it’s easy to accidentally guess the wrong options, ruining your chance at getting one or more people in a location to join the reunion and making the ending less satisfactory as a result.

Thankfully, the Asian-inspired soundtrack and music is beautiful to listen to, aside from one or two punk songs that would actually fit in a rock-based game or Rocket League.

Maintaining your car requires a good amount of Petrol and Oil. Getting to locations you can get them at is where

CONCLUSION

Road to Guangdong is a decent game IF you’re just driving around listening to the music. Getting the parts needed to get the car running, and keep it running is where the game falls just short.
Decent enough to warrant a buy, for sure.

Review: Horace

Josh Tyler

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Mar 9, 2021

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Horace was a lot more of a roller coaster than I was expecting when I saw the cover, which to me almost looks like a LEGO knockoff. No, Horace was a full-fledged assault on all front experience. Story, gameplay, music, it’s all here! Well, maybe the music is pretty unimaginative, but it’s still pretty good. The gameplay also has its downsides, but overall solid. Actually, the story can get a bit messy too.

So yeah, maybe it’s a mixed bag, but it’s a very full bag.

Starting with the gameplay, Horace is a pretty interesting platforms as it starts off slow and then ramps up over time, constantly introducing new gadgets and gimmicks to keep it interesting. The whole time you’re getting used to each new mechanic, you’ve also got to worry about collecting junk, it’s Horace’s purpose after all. It also determines which ending you get, but it seems rather unnecessary. The problem comes with the pacing. Everything just goes on for a little too long, and furthermore the endless rule of x number the developers employ just seeps into your brain. You just keep seeing it all the time, almost every single level. The game could have done with some trimming and some level design that flowed a little better and have me noticing the get three this, do this four times, and so on.

There’s also a bunch of mini games that show up throughout the story, completely mandatory, and there’s a lot of them. Lot of repeated ones too, and others that show up once but intrude on the story at the most inopportune times. There can be a thin line between platformer bosses and mini games in most game, but actually having a mini game in the final boss is a bit much.

As for the story, I loved a lot it. It was funny, charming, had twists and turns. The whole thing is told from Horace’s perspective and in his voice, which I’m sure saved a lot of money, but also created some hilarious jokes by use of this narrative device. The whole game is also very British and that style of humour permeates the tone of the game in a really fun way.

It all starts with Horace’s birth, the tutorial is integrated well into the story, as are the later tutorials even mentioning the button pressed in universe. So much is set up and built upon and done so in an intriguing way, which is saying a lot because there are so many moving parts in this story. All the characters had dialogue that was particularly well written, probably more so than the plot, which started losing steam after a certain big event. There were a lots of risks taken, and in typical British fashion the ending it bittersweet. I think it could have been a little less bitter and a little more sweet, or perhaps had a little more closure, but overall it was satisfying.

That’s the thing with this game, it’s full of heart and hard work, but everything just doesn’t come quite together for me. It’s like a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle and around ten of them are just missing. Speaking of which the pixelated art style does wonders for the game’s character and really sells some of the game more emotional moments. It certainly gave Horace a really great happy face. The music and sound design are also great, but it uses a lot of recognisable compositions. Maybe I have liked them better if I hadn’t heard them so many times before elsewhere, but they were well implemented.

In conclusion, Horace is certainly a game worth experiencing and I would recommend it to anyone who knows their way around a platformer.

And I mean that, this game can get pretty tough, but maybe it’s just that I’m bad at platformers.

The story, gameplay, and presentation are all almost totally spot on and even if you don’t like platformers you should get someone to play it for you so you can experience the story for yourself.

Review: Starlit Adventures

Daniel Waite

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Mar 9, 2021

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Is there any greater sight than looking up at a clear night sky and seeing the twinkling stars above you? This glorious sight fills your heart with joy and shows how small our little planet is in the great scheme of things. Could you imagine looking up and seeing nothing? The jewels of the night sky missing, stolen from your life forever more! This nightmarish concept is the backbone of the plot of my latest review title Starlit Adventures.

Developed and published by Rockhead Studios, this free-to-play single-player platform action adventure is a colourful family friendly affair. Originally released in May 2018 for PlayStation, its popularity ensured that it would port to Xbox One, and it eventually arrived in July 2020. It’s a title that is easy to pick up and play and is aimed mainly at lower skill level gamers and a younger audience.

A cute story.

The plot oozes charm and a sickening cuteness that puts most kid’s TV programs to shame. Colourful and adorable creatures live peacefully in their own world when an evil bunny-like monster known as Nuru appears and steals all but one star that these animals protect. His disgusting actions rid the sky of its stunning sparkle and allure, and it’s your responsibility to right this wrong and begin an adventure to return the stolen stars back to the night skies.

Two game modes and 64 levels stand between you and your destiny of destroying the menace known as Nuru.

The story mode.

It follows a standard platform adventure routine. Grab the collectables and take on a main boss at the end of each world. A variety of unique gameplay mechanics must be understood and used correctly to progress. You may prepare for a stage incorrectly, and have the wrong tools for the job at hand, but it matters not. You merely have to reach your goal, alter your approach and outfit and start again.

Infinite Tower.

It’s exactly as it sounds, it’s an endless trial of monsters, treasure, and challenges. It compliments the main game perfectly and acts as a welcome distraction from the demands of the story mode.

Microtransactions…… ARGH!!!

Whenever you have a free-to-play game, there is always a catch. It’s the pay-to-play wall that surrounds nearly every aspect of the gameplay. Levels can be opened up, but this costs in game currency. Costumes that are required to progress also cost you money. It’s an unnecessary evil, especially in a family “friendly” title. Credit can be purchased for minimal sums of cash, but the transactions soon add up. You can ignore all of this and earn your coin by levelling up and grinding results. However, I don’t see many children having the patience to replay levels merely to buy another cosmetic item.

Costumes and collectables.

This cute platform adventure is as much about getting to the end of each stage as it is the costume you wear to get there. Each level has; jewels hidden behind destructible blocks, stars to find, monsters to kill, keys to collect and sticker packs to grab. This is the point where the game deviates from its entry level player model, as a lot of these collectables require planning and skill to collect.

The correct choice of costumes matters, as the wrong one could prevent you from progressing. Each different outfit allows for a special skill to be used, whether it is; throwing bombs, dropping fire, shooting electricity or flying. Each has its use on every stage, and some levels can only be fully overcome when the correct outfit is selected. There is a catch, however, as most of them are hidden behind the aforementioned pay-to-play model, or require an awful lot of grinding to get them for free. It’s a shame as it taints a great concept with an unfair approach.

A colour explosion.

For a game that has been out for 3 years, it looks great. Well designed levels are met with detailed and cute character models. A vivid colour palette and varied backdrops make this a colour explosion with little visual repetition. The animation and movement is smooth, and I noted no issues while playing, even when the screen was filled with enemies and treasure.

Whenever I play a cutesy family friendly game, I expect a light-hearted and wholesome soundtrack to match the theme. That is exactly what is delivered throughout. A nice pace and tone flows alongside the action, giving everything a sickly sweet aura. The sound effects are crass, in your face, and will make your ears ring. Shrieks, squeals and high-pitched noises accompany most things. Every part reminded me of The Sims, and though it wasn’t as memorable, it was just as enjoyable to listen to.

Different costumes, same controls.

No matter the outfit you wear, the approach is exactly the same. Jump, shoot, special attack and destroy the blocks. Once you understand the fundamentals, it is easy to play. Certain costumes have their own special attacks, but you’ll learn how to use those as and when the time comes. The simple approach means a child can play this with no guidance or supervision.

With so many outfits to choose from, collectables to find and high scores to beat, this has plenty of replay value. A friend’s leaderboard allows you to compete with online friends, and the infinite tower pushes you to keep going further. If you combine this with the grind for in game currency, there are a lot of reasons to return to play.

Does the pay wall ruin it?

I despise microtransactions, and would rather pay for a game outright. I don’t mind cosmetic items that offer no stat boosts, but necessary equipment hidden behind a pay wall should not be allowed. Luckily, the in game currency can be gained relatively easily. Even with its pay-to-play model, I recommend this as it’s fun to play and offers some challenge for younger players. You can download a copy here! A starless sky is never a good thing. Begin your adventure, grab each stolen item and defeat Nuru once and for all!

Review: Decay Of Logos

Wil Raterman

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Mar 8, 2021

0

Rising Star Games invites you into what they claim to be a “vibrant interconnected fantasy realm.” What’s really present here is the lovechild of Dark Souls and The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, with quite a few birth defects. Play as an elf-like and relatively silent protagonist in order to restore peace to their homeland. Explore dungeons, fight enemies, equip armor and weapon upgrades, and get ready to die. The territory is quite familiar here, for this title introduces nothing new and doesn’t refine any existing mechanics or themes.

Exposition

Upon beginning a new file, the game introduces a tiny bit of backstory. The protagonist’s home village is on fire after an attack and it’s only necessary to retaliate. I assumed this to be the tutorial, since I was immediately thrown into combat, but found no hints or guidance. As someone with little to no Dark Souls experience, I quickly realized what I was getting myself into.

Your home is destroyed. Time to team up with your elk friend and go fight evil.

After this brief intro, you are then taken to the main game. Interactive magic stones placed along the pathways will tell you about the controls and game goals. It would have been nice to have some of this knowledge beforehand. I actually died fighting the one enemy from the beginning since I had no time to figure things out. The burning exposition could honestly have served as an intro cinema instead. This would have saved some confusion.

From Point A To Point B

Once you get into the campaign, you’ll find a relatively generic story arc: Find those who destroyed your home, and eventually put yourself in position to rid the land of all evil. As you progress, you’ll encounter other characters and discover new quests to move the plot forward in this seemingly empty world. Decay Of Logos is very linear, at least as far as I could endure. There isn’t much variety as to how to play the game. Having trouble at a certain checkpoint? Too bad. Try again and again until you finally make it through. Tired of walking the same pathway? Well, there’s no climbing mechanic to help you find shortcuts. With little emphasis on side quests or a fully explorable environment, you can easily get stuck stuck at certain points and lose interest.

Respawn and Repeat

With long distances between checkpoints, and death imminent, you will respawn and cover the same ground many times over. Any Dark Souls fan will be used to this, but those coming from Zelda: BOTW are in for a rough time. Fortunately you won’t lose items or quest progress upon dying. But this means that there is no need to play it safe. You can easily run past most enemies without a need to encounter them a second or third time. And that I did, for the combat has faults of its own. For example, the hit boxes failed to register at an alarming rate. Neither the player nor the enemy took damage in several encounters despite contact being made. The time spent enduring the glitchy combat mixed with the same hallways being traveled is unnecessary. This is exacerbated with the inescapable slowdown that Decay Of Logos suffers from.

SNES Era Slowdown

I experienced a lot of slowdown playing this game. It’s not clear where it comes from and why. The graphics aren’t too complex, the draw distances don’t span very far, and there aren’t many enemies on screen at a time. I believe the dev team was small, but this doesn’t always excuse an unfinished product. Games such as Axiom Verge and Stardew Valley were each programmed by literally one person, and those are quality titles. Yes, the 2D pixelated graphics may be a reason behind their success, but you see where I’m getting at. While I don’t mind a little slowdown here and there, it becomes a huge problem when it lasts minutes at a time. As a result, this can make travel an absolute slog and the game borderline unplayable.

Equipped utility belt of potions looks like Christmas Tree lights

Bottom Line

It’s never enjoyable to read off a list of all of the things wrong with a game. I did my best to keep an open and optimistic mindset during my experience with Decay Of Logos. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find many good things to say and can’t recommend this title. It’s not necessarily a broken game, just very rushed and unfinished. The glitches, slowdown, and mundane collection of motifs that have been done to death don’t add up to anything worth seeking out.

Review: Dreaming Sarah

Daniel Waite

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Mar 8, 2021

0

Dreams are a wonderful journey to a beautiful and magical place where our imaginations lay down the rules. They can also be a place of utmost terror where your greatest fears are laid before your eyes. Whichever experience you have, it is your subconscious trying to make sense of something playing on your mind.

This is the main premise of Dreaming Sarah by the developers Asteristic Game Studio and publishers Ratalaika Games. A side-scrolling 2D platform title that ventures into the realms of the surreal, you will; leap, fall, shrink and solve puzzles, all while trying to figure out the world you now exist in.

It’s an odd, dreamy realm.

The game begins with our female protagonist waking on a lush grass bed. From here you are free to choose your path and how you wish to progress. Obstacles will prevent you accessing areas, and magical items must be collected to overcome them. Each of these objects form a piece of the puzzle that is Sarah’s mind. If you fail to collect them all, you cannot reveal the true meaning of our heroine’s dreams.

To crawl into the lava, or not to crawl into the lava? That is the question!

These items are truly bizarre, but once you finish the game, their odd status becomes clear. You will find; an umbrella to float, a pill to return you to the start, glasses to see the invisible and more. Each has a Through the Looking Glass feel to them and help to add depth to this strange dreamlike experience.

The freedom to move around the game with little guidance was confusing, but it emphasises the fleeting nature of the sleeping mind. The deeper you explore, the more sinister the atmosphere becomes. It quickly dawns on you that perhaps there is more to this than originally assumed. I for one was desperate to get to the end, I wanted to know if there was a greater meaning to this. This is how you will feel, and you’ll want to find all the objects to unlock the ending.

A game to play in one sitting.

You have little control over the recording of your progress, and you will search for it to save if you wish to take a break. This wasn’t so much of a problem as sections are relatively small. However, each time you load back in, you revert to the lush grassy bed. This was particularly irritating when you had stopped near the end of a section and had to redo all the work that had then been undone.

This mechanic reinforces the repetitive nature of dreams, but forces you to consider a one sitting playthrough. This isn’t an unachievable task, as a run will take approximately 2 to 3 hours if you don’t use a guide. Your journey will take you across some weird and wonderful landscapes; an eerie mansion, a blackened room with overseeing eyes, a spaceship that takes you to an alien bar, a lava filled volcano and more. It’s fantastically bizarre and will have you wondering what the heck you’ve got yourself into.

Simple pixel sprites.

Pixel graphics are synonymous with the indie world. But the standard varies. Luckily, Dreaming Sarah falls into the better end of the scale. It has well detailed sprites and nicely designed landscapes. The developers combined this with an interesting use of colour and tone to give the game a dreamy ambience. The variety of different backdrops made this both an enjoyable and odd title to look at. Every element of the art style worked well with the surreal theme.

This dreamlike realm has been enhanced with a soft, haunting audio that plays throughout. The gentle sounds while away in the background, reinforcing the developer’s ideas. It’s a well paced soundtrack that shows the lethargy of this bizarre dream world. The minimalist sound effects allow you to focus your attentions on the odd story, and the fine combination of music and simple imagery.

*Talking to a dead-looking guy is standard protocol for a dream, I guess!*

Easy to play platformer.

Platform games have got a reputation of being simple to pick up, but frustratingly difficult to master. Fortunately, Dreaming Sarah doesn’t follow this trend. The platform element allows the story and puzzles to take a front seat, meaning the difficulty is entry level, and will challenge no one. Sadly though, the actions are slow to respond, and the use of a radial submenu for the gathered objects was a bit fiddly. As the game is slow-paced, this doesn’t impact it at all, but it’s a noticeable issue, and should have been tightened up before release.

This isn’t a game that you will play for days on end, nor is it one where you’ll lose hours of your life. If you have a good mind for puzzles, and you get lucky, you will have this completed in a few hours. For the short time you spend with this, you will have an enjoyable and strange experience that is not found in other titles. A small achievement list will be mainly unlocked through natural progression, but some can be missed meaning some replay value can be had.

Odd, but enjoyable.

As you delve further into your run, you will wonder what you are playing. This thought soon passes and you will love the odd atmosphere and surreal imagery that is presented. The unveiling of the true nature of this story doesn’t come clear until the very end, so I suggest keeping with it. At around £4 it’s great value for money, so I suggest buying it here! Can you help Sarah walk through her mind and piece together the objects that stop her waking? Traverse many surreal landscapes, solve the puzzles and awaken from your slumber.

Review: Castle Kong

Thomas Dacombe

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Mar 7, 2021

0

Castle Kong is a nice little homage to the legendary arcade classic Donkey Kong. Complete with 22 levels to slowly jump through, its brutally difficult in sometimes completely unfair ways leaving you lost for ideas on how to progress.

Castle Kong follows the typical donkey kong story tasked to save a princess; however, this time, replace the plumber with a pauper and the monkey with a king. And that’s about it, sweet but straightforward save the princess and avoid whatever the king might throw your way.

The story is not where the donkey kong inspiration stops, with Castle Kong takes a lot more inspiration from the original Donkey Kong, possibly to much. The speed of the game is painfully slow. When controlling the pauper, you gain minimal momentum when you jump and move at a gruelling pace making every jump seem like a leap of faith. And not to mention, if you miss a jump and fall a “level.” you die using up one of the very few lives that you have.

Castle Kong is painfully difficult with each run starting with three lives, and a single continue once you run out of lives its back to the start. This makes it almost impossible to progress to some of the later levels, especially with how unfair some of the enemy AI is. Most of my deaths felt incredibly cheap. I never felt challenged by the game; I just felt like everything was out to get me, and one wrong move would leave me trapped. And one miss-timed jump would end the run. To add to the annoyance of having to start the whole game over after running out of lives, the game takes about 15 seconds to go from death to playing again. Ultimately instead, the felling difficult or challenge castle kong is just annoying and overly punishing.

The level design in Caste Kong is a lot more creative than the gameplay mechanics; however, tasking you to dodge arrows and cut down chandlers to progress gives some diversity to the gameplay rather than the classic climb the tower and gain score. However, the game does become stale after you run through the first few levels over and over. So you can have another go at one jump that took all your life’s the first time around.

Stylistically the game does look great using a classic 8bit art style with bright, vibrant colours that pop wonderfully of the screen. Most of the character design is pretty standard but shout of to the king for looking particularly like Lord Farquad and making him even more detestable. However, my desire to save the princess and take out the king does not help me overcome painfully slow movement.

Overall, Castle Kong tries to recapture the original Donkey Kong’s original feel and succeed in doing that but maybe slightly too well, leaving the game to feel very slow. Castle Kong is also frustratingly difficult, and the long respawn times make the temptation of switching over to something out very appealing.