Turnip Boy Robs a Bank highlights every vegetable’s lack of morals! This amusing but repetitive title will test your patience and accuracy as you try to get rich through elicit means. Moreover, it is free to play if you subscribe to Game Pass, so you have nothing to lose.
This action-adventure title was developed by Snoozy Kazoo and published by Graffiti Games. Additionally, it utilises rogue-lite elements and is laced with amusing moments. This is the first Turnip Boy game I’ve tackled, and I was pleasantly surprised by the witty dialogue and interesting gameplay mechanics.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank takes a dark turn.
Turnip Boy is a career criminal. However, he has a line that rarely gets crossed. Unfortunately, he gets into some deep water and crosses paths with the fearsome Pickled Gang. This crew of misfits demands his help, and he unwittingly agrees. What unfolds is a story of danger, theft, and weird vegetable shenanigans. In short, it is odd, captivating, but most importantly, fun.
The gameplay follows a repetitive loop. The protagonist has a limited time to enter the bank, explore each room, and steal as much money as possible. En route, you must shake down vegetables for cash and shoot anything that moves. Moreover, there are bosses to defeat and some minor puzzles to complete. As such, there are plenty of little elements to keep you entertained throughout.
Quests and weapons.
Though the core loop is simple and repetitive, the action is punctuated by interesting quests and an array of crazy weapons. Alongside this, the list of big bosses will test your skills and resolve. Accordingly, you must keep on your toes if you wish to keep every ounce of your ill-gotten gains.
None of the quests will push you to your limits. Instead, they require a drip-fed layer of succession. Consequently, don’t expect to complete the main mission or each side quest in one run. It was this simple approach that keeps you coming back for more.
On top of this, the varied arsenal of weapons was interesting to handle. Moreover, there are upgradable skills and a host of perks to purchase. Each element allows you to dive deeper and last longer on each run. They also help tackle the tougher vegetable criminals in the latter stages. As such, it is a bit of a juggling act as you contemplate what to upgrade first.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank takes a simple approach.
Though the basic imagery won’t appease everyone, I loved how Turnip Boy Robs a Bank took a retro approach. The pixelated imagery and garish colour palette were pleasant to the eye. Moreover, the stage layout was refined but clever, and the character models were interesting. Finally, the developer steered clear of unnecessary blood and gore. As such, this is ideal for younger gamers.
The dramatic and high-energy audio complements the crazy action. Each weapon has a unique sound that brings a wry smile to your face. Furthermore, the crash and bang of every explosion will make your ears ring. Subsequently, this is a loud game that rarely rests on its laurels.
Brilliant controls.
Though each weapon has unique properties, I never struggled. Thanks to the excellent tutorial and superb controller layout, I mastered this in no time. Moreover, the responsive inputs allowed me to slay every carrot, snail, and rabbit that crossed my path.
Rogue-lite games are renowned for their longevity and replay value. Luckily, Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is no different. Though the inevitable loss of property is annoying, I couldn’t help but fall for its charms. Alongside this, the bite-sized action is easy to swallow, and the quests are fun and captivating.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is a great indie game.
The indie market is getting better and better! Consequently, I enjoy the shorter and often easy-to-follow gameplay. Turnip Boy Robs a Bank offers some exceptional pick-up and play gameplay. Moreover, the plot is amusing, and who doesn’t love the idea of killing a carrot? Accordingly, I love this title and I recommend buying it here! Can you complete your heist and help the Pickled Gang? Pick your weapon, complete each quest, and get rich in the process.
Backbone, the leading platform for mobile gaming, is announcing the completion of their 2nd-generation product lineup with the introduction of two new products: the Backbone One – Lightning (2nd Gen) and Backbone One – PlayStation™ Edition – Lightning (2nd Gen) controllers. With the latest hardware and performance updates, Backbone players can now ‘expand their play’ with games like the newly announced Call of Duty®: Warzone™ Mobile, increased Remote Play connectivity, and improved game streaming with services like Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now.
Backbone’s 2nd Gen products feature a range of improvements for better, faster, and longer gaming. Improvements include new magnetic adapters to support many popular phone cases, an improved ergonomic design, enhanced phone stability, a reshaped D-Pad, and more. Plus, Backbone+ members receive a 30% discount when upgrading to a 2nd-gen controller, no trade-in required.
This visual novel experience harkens back to a lighthearted TV show with a memorable cast and an enthralling circus setting. These aspects coupled with strong writing and light action mechanics propel Death Trick Double Blind to set a proficient bar that left me having had an enjoyable adventure, even if a more seasoned player might anticipate the twist coming from a mile away.
The Premise
In this story you’ll play through the perspective of two different viewpoints. First is the magician, Jackie. She’s traveled from Europe to take the place of her friend, The Amazing Hattie, after coming to find she has been unexpectedly murdered. Upon her arrival to the circus, Jackie convinces Moses, the showrunner, to disguise herself as the “missing” Hattie for the rest of the shows scheduled in San Francisco, CA. Moses doesn’t want the news of Hattie’s death released since he knows this will affect ticket sales, and he does hint to the business being in financial decline. Aside from having the gig as the main act, Jackie’s goal is to meet all the performers of the circus, and inquire what they know of Hattie’s death.
The Amazing Hattie, the star of this circus has disappeared!
In the other perspective, you’ll wake from being unconscious, outside the circus and without clothing. Having a pounding headache, Detective Jones can’t remember what happened to get him into this precarious situation. Jones calls his secretary of his investigative business to see if she can catch him up to speed. Funnily, she says that this is a common occurrence for the detective, and explains that he has been hired by Moses to investigate the murder of Hattie. Afterwards, Detective Jones meets with Moses at 10AM (after putting on clothes) and is given the deadline to solve the case by the final performance, which is tonight at 7PM. Given such a tight deadline, Jones has no time to lose and immediately leaps to investigate all possible suspects of the crime. The two characters are on a similar path to find out about Hattie with constricting limitations and a killer in their midst.
Of the two player personalities, Jones is the one with more engaging conversations and agency. Jackie, on the other hand, feels a bit bland in her dialogue and limited in choices, but I believe that’s intentional due to what happens later in the story. Nonetheless, the supporting characters are all diverse and fun to interact with. They are brimming with their personalities to the point where you will start to care for them by the time of the resolution. To get there, It is very important to use distinct knowledge from both Detective Jones and Jackie to leverage the knowledge and put the pieces of the murder mystery together. Confirming alibis, recalling significant events and ruling out suspects are all a part of the alternating perspectives.
The Gameplay
Starting a conversation with a suspect of your choosing will begin with your player approaching at a time where they are busy with performing, eating, or practicing. These scenes are charming bits to learn about the characters, and it’s realistic. Following these sequences opens a conversation that allows the player to question any of the pieces of information or items regarding the mystery at hand. Each inquiry costs 1 Action Point (AP), and the player is given 5 to start off with. Additionally, the players can search the surrounding areas to find critical items to use in their investigation. If given the opportunity, the player can put two conflicting pieces of information involving a character to “contradict” them. There’s a hint system in place to let you know when there are conflicting pieces, but it’s up to you to put the pieces together to catch the suspects in a lie. These options give the player more variety to interact with the characters and more ways to solve the mystery, and they also cost 1AP.
A view of what a conversation will look like, you would select a piece of info and the character will respond to it.
A Light Action System
Once both characters deplete their respective AP, the time moves forward by one hour, inching closer to 7pm. It never felt like I needed more than 5AP because the game will not allow you to pick an action that will be a waste of an AP. There was not much consequence to inputting answers that didn’t match the conversation. I’m glad it didn’t though cause I can see that getting frustrating. The AP system is not perfect, and not all conversations flow cohesively, but these moments don’t take away from the overall satisfaction of the playthrough.
Visuals & Performance
Running on my PC, I experienced no hiccups or problems whatsoever when it comes to performance. I wouldn’t think that a visual novel would have any problems of that sort, but you never know. As for the visuals, they are substantial and give a painted like style. The vibrant colors and painted like composition compliment the odd characters and circus setting perfectly.
The Verdict
Death Trick Double Blind may not blindside a veteran visual novelist, but it remains a very charming experience that will keep you intrigued by its likable characters, a solid action system and an intriguingly high stakes ruse. The use of the AP system coupled with giving you the agency to inquire with any information you choose truly evokes the feeling of Sherlock Holmes when the puzzle pieces you chose match. The system isn’t perfect, but when you unravel the mystery of the plot you will feel satisfied that you were able to connect the dots. Even deeper satisfaction when you get to see certain characters’ lore after the fact. I highly recommend giving Death Trick Double Blind a play through if you have a craving to solve a murder mystery. This game is available in March of 2024 on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
The first game of the Granblue Fantasy franchise was released for smartphones in 2014 and became a very successful game on smartphones and attracted many fans, five years later in December 2019 the first game of this franchise on consoles and PC was released under the name Granblue Fantasy versus, which was not in the RPG genre like the first game, but in the fighting genre, and four years later, in December 2023, the second game in the fighting genre was released for PS5, PS4 and PC under the name Granblue Fantasy versus: rising And with an interval of almost two months, on February 1, 2024, the first Granblue Fantasy with RPG genre was released for consoles and PC, returning to the genre of the first game in the franchise.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink in Action RPG genre was released in February after more than seven years in development.
The RPG genre is one of the most popular genres in the video game industry and has many fans, but many games are released in this genre every year, which has created a lot of competition for these games, so Granblue Fantasy: Relink must have high quality to be successful in this competition. Has it been able to achieve the required quality? In the following, you will get the answer to this question.
STORY
The story is good and not bad by any means but not a great story, the story starts and the prologue is on the grandcypher flying ship where you meet your crew who are supposed to be with you throughout the game, at the beginning you are in a storm And after some time passes and the storm ends, you reach Zegagrande Skydom, the members of this crew are Lyria, Vyrn, Katalina, Io, Rackam, Eugen, and Rosetta, and you are the captain of this crew, and your goal is to go to Estalucia, which is a mythical astral realm, after some time has passed since reaching Zegagrande Skydom, monsters will attack your ship and give you the basic combat training of the game, and then strange things will happen to Lyria, who has a life link with the captain (if something happens to one of them Both of them feel that and their life and death are tied together) and causes the crew members to worry, but they get over it soon.
Lyria can command primal beasts and summon them, and katalina is her guardian.
After reaching the city of folca, you meet rolan and the news comes that the village of tempeal is in danger and you go there to help and notice the presence of a primal beast and you have to catch it with the help of lyria so that it does not harm people. In the third chapter, you meet the main villain of the game, Lilith and understand that she needs Lyria for her powers and wants to kidnap her, your story and main goal begins here.
The general story is very ordinary, but it works well in details and plot twists, especially at the ending parts of the story. The length of the main story is almost ten hours and it is short, and it would be better if it was least fifteen hours, but fortunately, other contents of the game is very large and vast.
The game has twelve chapters, one of which is the prologue and one is chapter 0 which is the epilogue and starts after the completion of the main story.
By going to the quest counter section in the cities, you can access the fate episodes, which are actually the backstories of the characters in your crew. and for each episode you need to complete the unlock requirements of that episode.
CHARACTER DESIGN
The design of the characters is wonderful, each of them has their own unique morals that you will get to know during the story, the design of the characters is so good that you become attached to them in the first few minutes.
GAMEPLAY
The gameplay is very diverse, deep, smooth and enjoyable, at the beginning of the game you have two skills and the square button is for attack and the triangle button is for unique attack, by pressing R2 you can dodge and with L1 you can guard, each character has a combo list. and using it you can perform different combos and hit the enemies, for example three times a square and once a triangle, two squares and two triangles, etc, the skills are different for each character and the arrangement of different skills It is completely in the hands of the player. For example, I will explain some skills: reginleiv: fires a projectile attack, decimate: a multi-hit slash attack with a wide attack radius, casts a circle that restores allies’ HP, enchanted lands: a fast, piercing lunge attack and many other skills that by unlocking them in the masteries section or the skill tree, you can get different and diverse skills for each character, four skills can be equipped at the same time, and by holding R1 and pressing one of the buttons (X, square, triangle, or circle) to use your skills that you have already arranged, there are several types of skills in the game: wind, plain, water, fire, dark, and earth. by hitting the enemies more often your art level will increase and your skills will cause more damage to the enemy.
Normal attacks are not limited to melee either and you can choose characters with ranged attack.
You have to choose four crewmates as your party members for the battles, at the beginning of the game you can select your party members only from the main characters of the game story that I mentioned earlier and then you can get the crewmate cards from knickknack shack and add new members to the party, the crewmates you buy have no role in the story and cutscenes, and only the main characters are present in the cutscenes.
During the battles, there is a blue line next to your enemies, when that line is filled, you can press the circle button in a limited time to execute the link attack, and all of the party members that are in the selected range of that enemy will perform a powerful attach against that enemy, and this link attack is one of the best gameplay features of this game, when the orange line is filled or almost filled under the health bar of you and the rest of the party members, you can press L3 and R3 to execute skybound art and deliver a very powerful blow to the enemies, if one or two or three or all four of the members of the party are almost full of orange line and are present in the designated area, a final hit will be done, and all the people present in that link will attck together with a powerful attack.
There is a potion wheel in the game, one of which restores a part of your health, one restores your entire health, one restores a part of your health and all party members, and the other restores you quickly and efficiently when you are in critical condition and waiting to be revived. If your health reaches zero during the fight, you will enter a critical condition and you will not be able to fight until the circle that shows on the screen is full, if the party members come to your aid, the circle will be full faster and if more party members help reviving you, it will get faster.
The boss fights of the game are very diverse and are not repetitive, each of them has their own moves and after being damaged a lot, they go into overdrive mode and deliver faster and stronger attacks to you and your party members, boss fights are very enjoyable and epic. and they are all well designed.
The way of moving the camera and locking on the enemies can sometimes be annoying and a bit difficult, but it is not a significant problem.
Loadings are annoying during the transition from gameplay to cutscene and from cutscene to gameplay, and this problem could easily be solved with the power of PS5’s SSD and would not be annoying.
Animations and various effects are excellent and smooth and have helped to make the gameplay more enjoyable.
Weapons can be upgraded by collecting materials from the main and side quests of the game, after the weapons level is maxed, you need a special material to uncap level and upgrade your weapons more and you can collect those special materials by doing side quests.
At the beginning of the game, the gameplay may be a little confusing, but after the first few hours and learning it, you will experience a wonderful gameplay.
The variety of enemies is large and you will encounter different types of enemies in each region.
LEVEL DESIGN
The amazing level design is one of the things that you quickly notice, the quests are never repetitive and monotonous and you don’t just go to a point to fight, the way of fighting and the events that happen during the quests are very diverse and even once you wont feel that the quests are repetitive and monotonous.
VISUALS
Visually, this game looks like a very beautiful painting, the world is very colorful and eye-catching, and each environment is visually very different from the other, and each one is like a very beautiful painting. But visually it is not heavy for PS5 and it can run 4k60fps but unfortunately you have to choose between 4k and 60fps.
SOUND DESIGN
The sound design is also well done, the soundtracks are fantastic and match the gameplay very well, each soundtrack is better than the previous one and always amazes you and is very pleasant to the ears.
CONCLUSION
The story is ordinary and acceptable and strong in some final parts. The gameplay is extremely smooth, varied and fun, the camera movement is a bit difficult and the loadings are annoying. Great level design makes the game never repetitive. The visuals are beautiful and the art is charming, but it doesn’t run at 4k60fps. The soundtracks are very catchy.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley embodies every fine element of this incredibly touching franchise. Furthermore, every aspect respects the fine work of Tove Jansson. Accordingly, if you adore this heart-warming and family-friendly series, you will cherish every moment you spend playing this title.
This musical adventure game was developed by Hyper Games and published by Raw Fury. Thanks to its spectacular audio and touching story, you will fall for every ounce of Moomin charm. Moreover, the faithful adaptation of each main protagonist will fill you with nostalgia. As such, though this is a new adventure, it has so many wonderful, familiar moments that it will make you smile.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley tells a sad tale.
The joy of Moominvalley is the love and nature that surrounds it. Yet, when this is removed, the residents have no idea of how to deal with the situation. Luckily, this is where Snufkin steps in. This nature-loving hero hates modern life. Additionally, he can’t stand it when inconsiderate people ruin every beautiful and untouched area. Accordingly, he will do anything to prevent his home and favourite places from being decimated.
During your time in Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, you must follow a linear storyline and a fairly rigid gameplay loop. The hero, Snufkin, must undertake a variety of tasks and sub-quests to help the residents and save the valley. However, this is easier said than done as puzzles and some minor stealth mechanics stand between you and success. Furthermore, the more you progress, the more damage and destruction you witness. Subsequently, you must work hard and fast if you wish to bring life back to your favourite places.
A simple concept.
Though the plot and characters are complex and touching, the core gameplay concept is undeniably simple. Snufkin is sent on an array of missions that unfold at a gentle pace. En route, he will encounter plenty of creatures and weird and wonderful beings. Each of these animals must be lured into helping you with the aid of a harmonica song. First, the music is basic and will not appease everyone. However, as the game evolves, you discover new layers to your music and this helps to entice the toughest of creatures.
Alongside this, there are some basic puzzles and some stealth moments. Neither of these will test your resolve or your skills, but they are fun to experience and add an element of variety to an otherwise structured performance. Additionally, you must use your song to manipulate some of the creatures you see. This was a great tool that amused me every time. I loved tricking the park keepers whilst sneaking past them and destroying their signs and statues.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley looks phenomenal.
Aesthetically, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is an absolute winner! If you have watched the TV series, or you have read the books, you will cherish every single second. However, if you have somehow missed this wonderful franchise, you may wonder what the heck you are looking at. The faithful imagery and vibrant colours transport you to the nostalgia-infused 90s cartoon. Moreover, the lush world design and the slight layer variation capture your attention. Another fine element is the cinematic. The phenomenal storytelling was a joy to watch, and I could happily watch it over and over again.
The jaw-dropping audio complements the visuals. The touching soundtrack captures every fine aspect of the original series. On top of this, there is an underlying modern tone that will resonate with younger gamers. If you then consider the fine sound effects and the delightful ambient sounds, you will adore everything you see and hear.
Excellent controls.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a relaxing game. However, the minor puzzle and stealth moments somewhat up the ante. Subsequently, when the gameplay ups the tempo, you rely on the responsive and well-considered keyboard layout. This is supported further as every action is highlighted on the screen. Therefore, you can’t go wrong as you explore and solve the issues in Moominvalley.
Where this is sadly lacking is replay value and longevity. If you undertake every side quest, you may get around 5 hours of gameplay. However, if you push through and focus on the core storyline, you will be lucky to enjoy 4 hours of action. This short play time was not enough for me. I wanted the game to go on and on. Yet, when the end credits rolled I was left wanting. Consequently, I desperately hope that the developers work on a sequel or some additional content.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a must-play game if you are a fan.
If you adore the Moomins, you must play Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley! This incredibly touching experience will make you smile throughout. Moreover, its ability to stay faithful to the original protagonists and their characteristics was impressive. If you then consider the amazing aesthetics, you will be transported to this weird but nostalgia-infused cartoon world. Accordingly, I adore this game and I recommend buying it here! Can you save Moominvalley? Explore the world, solve each problem, and cherish every musical moment.
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a taxi driver? Nah, me neither. Yet, here I am looking at Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator! This simple but interesting title scratches that sim itch as well as allowing you to take in some lovely sights. On top of this, there is a small progression system as well as the chance to manage a small business. Consequently, it attempts to fit plenty of depth into a rather niche endeavour.
This simulation title was developed by Simteract and published by Nacon. This solo experience asks you to drive across a vast sprawling city whilst making plenty of money in the process. Additionally, you must explore each nook and cranny and discover landmarks and plenty of street art. Though much of the action follows tried and tested mechanics, I enjoyed the relaxing and realistic approach.
Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator allows you to write your own tale.
I often have people question my desire for a story when playing a sim game. Now, I know hobbyists adore the realism and the lack of adventure. However, I like a bit more depth to my games and often enjoy the smallest of plots. Thankfully, there is a minor backstory to the action and this was enough to keep me happy. Yet, I would have enjoyed a bit of rivalry or a love interest. Sadly, these things never materialised.
Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator focuses on your ability to navigate the streets of Barcelona. Additionally, you must expand your business and complete an array of special jobs. However, the main gameplay loop revolves around everyday people and their desire to move from point A to point B. This rudimentary mechanic should have been mundane. Instead, it was fascinating to follow the laws of the road and explore the vast city streets.
A lowly taxi driver.
At the start, you have one small car and little experience. Yet, with time and effort, you expand your business, improve your skills, and have the ability to own a fleet of luxury cars. Moreover, you can pick from an array of jobs and test your skills with special events. However, no matter what you do, you must abide by the rules of the road and maintain each vehicle you drive.
It is the maintenance element of the gameplay that adds depth to the realism. If you misuse your brakes or your speed, your car will slowly crumble. Moreover, crashing into other vehicles or buildings is detrimental to your life, car, and your earning potential. As such, you must keep on top of your fleet of cars if you wish to run the best business around.
If you tire of taking punters to their desired destinations, you can drive to your heart’s content. As you explore the bustling streets, you can observe graffiti or an array of museums, sculptures, and landmarks. This minor addition to the gameplay breaks up the repetitive nature of each job whilst adding XP to your character.
XP.
The XP and progression system are essential if you wish to streamline your business. You can choose to improve your earning potential or your driving abilities. Alternatively, maybe you’ll focus your time and money on your workforce and their cars. Either way, your main goal is to explore as much of Barcelona as you can whilst making a healthy profit at the same time.
If you wish to see everything on offer, you must complete an array of tasks to improve your standing. Whether you take on normal driving tasks or undertake unique events, it is up to you. I loved the latter option as it was more challenging to speed to a set location or remain calm and abide by every law of the road. Whichever you choose, make sure to do it to the best of your ability. The better you do, the more money you earn, and the quicker your business expands.
Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator is pleasant to look at.
The developers have done a great job with Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator. Visually, the city is impressive to witness. On top of this, the cars are realistic and I liked the basic damage elements. Whether you choose to drive from the seat of your car or enjoy an external viewpoint, the gameplay is just as good. What’s more, the attention to detail and the rendering distance ensure that you won’t tire of what you see, and the action is wonderfully immersive.
As you’d expect, there is an array of radio stations to pick from. However, I was unable to make any work. Now, this may be a glitch or user error, but no matter how hard I tried, I never heard a peep. Subsequently, I focused my attention on the vast array of sound effects. The excellent ambient sounds were impressive. Moreover, I liked the engine noises and the horrific sound of every crash. Accordingly, the developers have created a realistic title.
Excellent controls.
Thanks to the thorough tutorial, you will learn the fundamentals in no time. Additionally, the excellent UI and wonderful button layout help you to navigate the tight streets of Barcelona. Though I wasn’t a fan of the first-person viewpoint, I liked the realistic nature of the controls and how responsive every element felt.
The world map is huge! Consequently, there is plenty to see and loads of streets to explore. Moreover, you will discover landmarks and graffiti for hours on end. Alongside this, the character progression system and the business management layers keep you coming back for more. Therefore, this has both replay value and longevity.
Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator is a fun sim title.
Becoming a virtual taxi driver wasn’t on the cards. Yet, I enjoyed my time with Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator. This realistic endeavour will grab your attention from the off. Additionally, the simple-to-learn mechanics enable you to lose hours of your life without thinking about it. If I was critical, the action can be considered repetitive, and I’d like the developers to add a greater variety of quests and special events. These shortcomings to one side, I loved this game and I recommend buying it here! Can you learn the knowledge? Jump in your car, pick up each punter, and make a fortune in the process.
This is the Header image for Growth on Steam, courtesy of the Steam page for this game.
DISCLAIMER: This review was possible by VoodooDuck and/or Assemble Entertainment. They were generous enough to send a code over to Movies, Games, and Tech for review purposes. Thanks, everyone!
Growth. It means a measurement of one’s ability to grow as an individual or being. In this particular case, it’s also the title of a video game, surprisingly enough.
Growth, for those unaware, is a game where you acquire animals to then send out in order to acquire terrain in an attempt to reach a hidden volcano and render it dormant for the sake of the animals. At least, that’s the gist of the plot that I got from the game’s text info boxes, but I can go over it more detail during the story summary.
Regarding the release date, It was made for the PC on October 16th, 2023. It was courtesy of Developer VooDooDuck and Publisher Assemble Entertainment. It was built for PC launchers like Steam and GOG. it made its way onto the Switch eShop – at least in Europe – on December 21st, 2023.
So, does this game manage to impress with its premise and gimmicks? Let’s find out. This is my review of the Switch version of Growth.
Story – There’s room for Growth
The Loading took nearly 30 seconds! After that, I was able to play on a random, procedurally-generated map.
To recap for those who skip the intro, the plot for Growth is rather basic. You are guiding an initially limited number of animals to a dormant volcano in an attempt to save the developing lands and acquire more animal types along the way. That’s kind of it without getting too deep into spoiler territory. At least the tutorial and controls work well enough.
Gameplay – Good, but room for Growth
As for the gameplay, it… works, but also has issues. You are given 1 hippo and 2 deer. The music is relaxing, but it’s more to help calm you down after you inevitably fail to make any progress towards the volcano. The more animals or “resources” you get, the more you can progress. Do expect a different map each time you play, though.
Also, there’s a high score mechanic. The highest I did get was over 2,000 points… ugh! Even when I did know what to do and how to best optimize my range, I only got into the 900 points range or so each subsequent time. This game encourages strategizing your movements due to a lack of a Bonafede time limit. You are punished for random guessing. I could understand needing to strategize at your own pace in other games like Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky. Here… not so much.
Final Thoughts
Growth is a mostly relaxing time, despite the focus on Strategy and procedural-generated maps.
It was a good time for strategy games on PC and Switch. Despite the flaws I mentioned above, getting a high score can be addicting, and the success you feel when you make some progress – however minute it is – is immensely satisfying. It is a very relaxing game with a lot of depth to it.
Fantasy Flight Games, in partnership with Lucasfilm Ltd., announced the upcoming release of Star Wars: Unlimited, an all-new trading card game of unlimited possibilities. This game features iconic heroes, villains, ships, and settings from all facets of the legendary Star Wars franchise, including movies, TV series, comics, video games, and everything in between.
Star Wars: Unlimited is a fast-paced, dynamic game that is both easy to learn and strategically deep. The robust development of the game has been underway for the past three years, and fans can look forward to a regular release schedule of three sets per year.
Fully integrated into the entire experience, Organized Play has been designed alongside the game from the beginning and will be ready on day one. From weekly store-level community experiences to worldwide large-scale events, there will be something for gamers of all levels to enjoy.
In this fast-paced, easy-to-learn trading card game (TCG), you and your opponent face off in exciting head-to-head battles featuring tons of iconic Star Wars characters. Whether you’re a Star Wars fan, a card game fan, or both, Star Wars: Unlimited is a game that anyone can enjoy.
The first set (the two-player starter set) is available now priced around £34.99 and is aimed at 2 or more players aged 12 and up and is a lot of fun, and if you are a Star Wars fan, this is a must have!
Here is our review of the Edifier MR4 Powered Monitor Speakers.
Features
Smooth frequency response for great audio reference
1-inch silk dome tweeter and 4-inch diaphragm woofers deliver pure sound
MDF wooden cabinets minimize acoustic resonance
Simple connection to mixers, audio interfaces, computers or media players
Front-mounted headphone output and AUX input for convenience
Multi-functional knob for power, volume and sound effects toggle
Monitor and music modes to fit various scenarios
What’s in the Box?
The box contains the two speakers, various cables and instructions.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The first thing you notice when you take the MR4s out of the box is that they look great – especially in white! Setting up the speakers is just a case of placing them on your desk or wherever else you want them to go, connecting the two speakers together with the supplied cable and then connecting to your source. If your source happens to have a 3.5mm port on it then you can use the supplied RCA to 3.5mm cable, which saves you having to buy one.
On the front of the active speaker is a multifunction dial that acts as both the power, volume and function mode (the function mode being either monitor mode or music mode). There is an LED to shows which mode you are in (Red for monitor and Green for music). There is also an AUX input and headphones output.
On the rear of the active speaker are low end and high end EQ trimmer dials and other inputs.
The MR4s are purely analogue so there are no digital inputs, USB ports or the ability to connect using wireless.
The sound quality is very good – you are certainly getting your monies worth with these speakers.
The MR4s are not just for listening to music, they are for helping you to create music, hence the ability to adjust the EQ and it works pretty well. Having the trimmer dials on the back though can be a bit of a pain when wanting to continually adjust them, but you get used to their position pretty quickly.
The Edifier MR4 Powered Monitor Speakers are available in white or black and retail for around £109.99 and would make a great addition to your desk setup.
The title says it all–do you love cats? Do you enjoy puzzles? Then this may be the game for you!
The Award-Winning Strategy Game
Quilts & Cats of Calico is based off of the award-winning board game of the same name, earning the title of the 2021 American Tabletop Strategy Game Winner, now brought to you digitally as a vivified video game experience.
Monster Couch, the game developer, has done an amazing job adapting Quilts & Cats of Calico into a video game format. In this way, players can save time from having to physically set up all the bits and pieces of the board game and instead hop right into the fun!
How does one play Calico? You compete with various opponents by sewing cozy quilts and creating both tactical and aesthetically-pleasing quilt patterns. Players try to complete certain pattern and/or color combinations to achieve objectives and to score the most points.
Players pick one of the three quilt tiles from the bag on the right hand side and place it on the board where they see fit. You score the most points by completing your objectives, and by completing certain patterns that attract cats or that earn cute little buttons. As can be seen in the picture below, I have three pink tiles touching each other which scored me a pink flower button (worth three points). I also have a purple flowery tile touching a dark blue leaf-patterned tile, which the cat named Millie likes. Millie coming to my quilt has scored me another three points!
A Cozy Experience
If you have never played the board game before, do not fret! The tutorial is wonderfully smooth and concise, showing you all the ropes without feeling too complicated, overwhelming, or annoyingly dragged along.
You have the option to either play solo against A.I. opponents, verse locally, or compete online. You may challenge up to four opponents, and players have the choice as to whether they want to play in “real time” (meaning that players and opponents are playing at the same time), or “asynchronously” (in that you and opposing players get a full 72-hour window to make a move).
Quilts & Cats of Calico is turn-based, so after you make your turn, you must wait for other players to make their move. I personally enjoy turn-based games as it allows players time to think, strategize, and observe opponents’ moves.
Overall, games move along briskly, perhaps 20ish minutes at maximum. If you are an enjoyer of puzzles, you will find the gameplay to be rather relaxing, paired with a soothing soundtrack. To make up for the lack of tangibility that a real board game has, the digital version of Quilts & Cats of Calico offers some fun quirks to your game: cats roam and sleep around the quilt and you even have the option to pet them with your mouse!
The Cat-Worshipping Kingdom of Scratchington
Monster Couch adds a a full story mode to the realm of Calico, and I have got to say . . . the plot is wild.
You play as a young quilter who lives in the “Free City of Tomkitty,” located in the Kingdom of Scratchington. The people of Scratchington are heavy cat-worshippers, believing them to bring immense good luck and fortune. Also, Scratchington is at full-scale war with another kingdom, and the player’s father had gone off to war and never returned. The player runs around completing quilting tasks and you must try to attract as many blessings from kitties as possible.
So, uh, yes, the story is rather silly, but in a fantastic way.
The story itself is relatively short and sweet, but the challenges and puzzles become increasingly more difficult as the game progresses. The puzzles require lots of strategizing and thoughtful tactics. The soundtrack to this mode is lovely and the characters are quite charming. While the plot itself is wacked, I believe it to be an excellent and needed addition to the game that gives you more bang for your buck with all the content.
There is also the Master Quilter’s Challenge mode that offers 20 difficult new challenges for players to attempt. While some of Calico’s puzzles seem easy at the start, be warned: as I have heard from other enjoyers of the game, Quilts & Cats of Calico is simple to learn yet hard to master.
Final Thoughts
As someone who had never played the original board game, I can confidently say that I had a blast playing through Calico. I respect the increasingly difficulty with each puzzle challenge which kept the gears in my brain moving. Everything operated very well including the online multiplayer. While there were times that puzzles became a bit too tedious (requiring multiple restarts), and while there were times that both real and A.I. opponents took a long time to complete their turns, I never really felt frustrated. This was perhaps due to both the relaxing nature of quilting and the fact that cute kitties were roaming around all over my screen!
Quilts & Cats of Calico is a unique strategy game that is fun to play solo or with friends.
The only aspects that I was not the hugest fan of are perhaps the slight uncanny valley the art stye gives, especially with the human characters, as well as sometimes the mechanic of cats being able to walk all over the quilt . . . . you, know, those darn kitties occasionally got completely in the way and blocked my tile placements.
Overall, Monster Couch did an excellent job adapting this game digitally. I also recommend checking out their other adaptation of Wingspan!
Bonus – Even More Cats
The icing on the cake for this title is it’s cat creator! Yes, you read this correctly.
Players are able to add their real-life cat (or an imaginary one) to their own Calico game. You are able to form your kitties with various colors and shapes and additional accessories.
