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Review: Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures

Daniel Waite

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Apr 4, 2022

Review: Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures

One of life’s small pleasures is being able to read to others. Subsequently, there is nothing more enjoyable than bringing the words of a book to life. Watching the audience’s reaction as the drama unfolds is priceless. What’s more, it’s equally great when artists reimagine classic tales. This is exactly what happens in Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures. It’s a game all about familiar stories with amusing and unexpected twists.

Developed by Drakhar Studio and published by Outright Games Ltd., this is a colour action-adventure platform title. It utilises famous characters from Sony Pictures Animation films and will be a firm favourite for younger gamers. Furthermore, its gameplay unfolds across three well-known fairy tales, so adults can also enjoy what’s on screen.

Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures is perfect for children.

Whenever I cover a game from this publishing and developer duo, I have to remember that their key audience is younger players. Consequently, the gameplay is usually much easier, has distinct repetitive qualities, and won’t challenge much more adept players. Therefore, an adult will probably tire of what they see, and won’t get the same enjoyment as a child would. However, as an onlooker, I enjoyed the twists of each plot, the colourful landscapes and the familiar tales and characters. Moreover, there are elements to the gameplay that younger players will struggle with, so this is the perfect opportunity to bond over a fun and whimsical title.

The action revolves around three classic fairy tales. There is Little Red Riding Hood, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Each of these stories has a twist that usually involves the protagonists. For example, Little Red is played by Mavis, Dracula wants to play the part of Ali Baba, and it concludes with both heroes taking part in The Emperor’s New Clothes. Alongside the main characters, you will meet Frank, Johnny, Wayne, Murray, and more from this much-loved franchise. As I said, Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures is aimed specifically toward children, but adults will enjoy much of the action.

Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures has many mini-bosses to take down. — Thanks for the prize.

Repetitive, simple, but just right.

The gameplay is broken down into thirteen chapters. Little Red Riding Hood and Ali Baba comprise five chapters each, and the Emperor’s New Clothes only has three chapters. Now, this may not sound a lot, but the game forces you to return to most levels after new skills or powers are unlocked. Subsequently, each fairy tale takes a considerable amount of time to complete. If you also consider the collectables that must be gathered and each creature that must be slain, there is a lot going on.

Alongside this, you will have to tackle the end of story bosses that will challenge and defeat you. Consequently, they were one of the few difficult moments and take some patience and a tactical approach. Luckily, however, the developers aren’t monsters as they were generous with the ability to respawn whenever you died. Fortunately, checkpoints are never too far away, so you can simply jump back into the action as if nothing happened.

Standard Platforming mechanics.

Apart from the gargantuan bosses, many of the elements are familiar and easy to overcome. Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures utilises standard platforming mechanics while mixing in some magical vampire powers. These special abilities help you to activate pressure plates, climb walls, jump obstacles, smash opponents, and more. Furthermore, you’ll have to scour each stage for coins, keys, and chests. These form the backbone of the collectable aspect and can be ignored if you so wish.

As already mentioned, the simplicity will be underwhelming for many older and more experienced players. Yet, younger gamers will love the repetitive nature and the straightforward approach. My children adored being able to play this with little guidance, and I was happy to let them explore, knowing that it was a safe and fun title with minimal violence and no gore.

All enemies must be defeated! — Kick some pumpkin ass Little Red Mavis.

Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures doesn’t look Spooktacular.

Whenever I tackle any film inspired game, I expect the graphics to be highly polished and to wow me. However, Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures doesn’t look Spooktacular. Yes, it is serviceable and children will love its colourful imagery, but it’s nothing special. The semi-linear gameplay is funnelled by invisible walls and claustrophobic spaces. What’s more, there is an array of glitches and issues. Monsters will disappear into the scenery, or you’ll die because you clip a wall or tree. Furthermore, Dracula’s running animation makes him look like a demented soldier doing the Goose step. Subsequently, it was very amusing, but the end product lacked polish and this was disappointing. However, my children didn’t seem to care, so maybe I’m just being picky.

As expected, the audio was inspired by each of the stories, and this was fantastic. The blend of songs was fascinating to listen to while adding a fun and whimsical element to the gameplay. What’s more, the sound effects were loud, unusual, and added a fantasy twist. However, what I found to be annoying were the repetitive sound bites that accompany much of the action. Had the developers toned this down a little, it would have been a better experience.

Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures is full of colourful and weird environments. — Why do you look so smug Dracula?

Easy controls but thwarted by the terrible camera angles.

Whenever a game is aimed toward youngsters, you know it’ll be easy to master. Luckily, Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures didn’t let me down! Thanks to its excellent tutorial, little guidance is needed to help children play it. Yet, this was far from perfect, as the camera angles are utterly atrocious. I mean, they are the worst I’ve seen in a long, long time! Furthermore, depth perception is hard to judge, and this causes much frustration and many unnecessary deaths. If you stand too close to a solid object, the camera moves and turns as if you are rocking on a boat. Subsequently, it’s nauseating and unnecessary. It made me sigh and mutter repeatedly and is the most disappointing element of this title.

Thanks to the monstrous amount of collectables, there is some replay value and longevity. You must collect cards, coins, and Frank’s body parts on each level you undertake. This involves you finding chests, killing monsters, and smashing everything in sight. It isn’t challenging by any stretch, but it’ll keep younger players entertained for hours. If you rushed through this, I’d expect it to last around five to six hours. However, if you take your time and search for everything, then you’ll need around ten hours to complete it.

Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures is what it is!

Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures sets its stall out very early on. Consequently, you know it won’t test a mature gamer or keep them entertained. Yet, if you are a parent, then this is the perfect addition to your library. Its whimsical and colourful ways will amuse younger players without the risk of gore, sex, or bad language. Furthermore, you’ll be amused by the twists in the plot and the colourful characters. Yes, there are issues, but most games have them. All things considered, this is an excellent title for children and I recommend you to buy it here! Can you complete each of the stories and find the collectables? Use your special powers, enjoy the unusual stories, and help Mavis and Dracula in their new roles.

Review: Cookie Clicker

Davide Roriz

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Apr 4, 2022

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If you have played Cookie Clicker previously, then you know what to expect, and you’re well aware that this might ruin your free time in the coming months. On the other hand, if you’ve never given it a chance, or if this is the first time that you’ve heard of Cookie Clicker or incremental games in general, then you might be confused as to why such a silly game has garnered such a huge following.

In essence, incremental games all have the same goal, you gotta make numbers go up. Sometimes you’ll have to reset a part of your progress to reap some rewards, but it all comes down to maximizing your productivity, whether that be cookies, ores, or whatever. In this case, in Cookie Clicker you’ll be building your cookie empire little by little, spending cookies as a way of further expanding your cookie making capabilities.

There are plenty of games like this out there, each with their own theme and mechanics, but I’m pretty sure that the genre only exploded in popularity when Cookie Clicker became a thing back in 2013. I actually find it hard to believe that it’s been almost a decade since I clicked my first cookie and found a new source of a dopamine rush.

So yeah, Cookie Clicker is a game about clicking on a huge cookie, but it actually isn’t. Despite its name, Cookie Clicker is more what you’d call an idle game, or an idler, and this is true for a lot of games in this genre. What this means is that you’ll actually only be doing something in the game every now and then, like buying upgrades that allow you to make more cookies. Meanwhile, most of your progress happens when you just leave the game open and let it do its thing, which in this case is making delicious chocolate cookies.

Still with me? Does it sound silly? If you’ve answered yes to both of these questions, then good, that means you’re one step closer to embracing a new addiction. Now, the truth is that, even though the game has only recently been released on Steam, it’s actually available for free here. Yes, it’s the whole game, pretty much a carbon copy of the paid Steam version, or vice versa, but you get what I’m saying.

So, the question is, what exactly does one get from buying the game on Steam? Well, besides the obvious one of having the game neatly stored in what’s probably your biggest game’s library on PC, I’d argue that its biggest feature is support for cloud saves and its integration with Steam Cloud. I honestly can’t stress how big of a deal that is for me, as I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve lost all of my progress in the past 9 years.

Besides that, the game also supports mods through Steam’s Workshop, over 500 achievements for all the achievement hunters out there, as well as some lovely music by the one and only C418. If that sounds familiar, that might be thanks to Minecraft.

At the end of the day, if you’ve read this far, I honestly don’t know why you did so. The game is free, so just try it out for yourself instead of letting someone online try to convince you to click some cookie. If you find any slight amount of enjoyment from it, then the game is ridiculously cheap on Steam, or you can also support the developer directly on Patreon.

Whether you end up liking Cookie Clicker, hating it, or letting it consume you, I won’t be held responsible for your actions. If you choose to delve deeper into the incremental games’ abyss, you do so at your own peril. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go check if grandma is still keeping up with the cookie production.

Review: Princess Farmer

Natosha M

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Apr 3, 2022

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Have you been searching for a new puzzle game with an adorable story that follows? Maybe one that includes you being a Princess bunny who must solve a few different puzzles through a vegetable garden-themed game board, by matching similar vegetables to win? If so, then check out this new game, Princess Farmer. It’s got that similar concept to Bejeweled, match 3 or more in a row to win, but it takes a few different challenging twists on how to play and win the game, making it original and even more interesting!

How Was The Game?

When I first began playing, the graphics were the first to attract my attention. It’s got such a cute variety of characters, background designs, and even adorable music playing throughout the game. It’s quite cheerful and welcoming to anyone who wants to play. I adore the cute bunnies with the cartoony-style appeal and many more 2D, cheerful animal friends to meet and some not so friendly, frenemies to beat.

Next, what stood out was the design of each episode being played in the form of a VHS-style tape. They all are including a different story and a variety of difficult options to choose from. There is even a quick play, which can be done with a co-op or as in the rest of the episodes, the story mode. I’ve played mainly the story mode where I got to visit the many other bunny characters and solve the problems that the animals needed me to. Each board game had a different challenge, with a few similar ones. The harder difficulty level was a great way to rack up the points and took a bit longer to accomplish, but the entire game can be done quite quickly if played nonstop without breaks or pausing. Additionally, there are a few items that one can acquire and use during the game to change the player’s appearance.

Also, as mentioned before, each puzzle board is themed as a vegetable garden. The only buttons you need to use are those that move you or help you pull up or put down the vegetables so that you can make 3 in a row match or more. Some of the challenges I’ve had to figure out were those that required the vegetable the animals in the forest may want, as well as matching each vegetable in a certain alignment. It’s not too tricky, while some have you going against a timer to see how much you can earn with each combination.

I honestly loved the different tasks, not being the same as you hop from one puzzle to the next. I don’t feel that it’s too much of a game that pressures the player, but there are some that might have you trying to think quickly, but not all the time. The only downfall about the game is that the story mode might be easy to complete. Leaving the player wanting more. This is something I’ve felt when I completed the game. There isn’t anything else I could find negative about the game. Everything played great and so was the story and puzzles that followed.

Final thoughts

I honestly feel that Princess Farmer is a cute and fast game to complete, with a few different challenging puzzles and episodes to visit. It also has a few original features, which makes it different than many other matching-style puzzle games. It would be a great game for anyone who loves a challenge or those who love to play at a relaxed pace. There are a few things that can be done in this game and it may fit anyone’s preference when it comes to a puzzle game. Regardless of the length of time, it takes to finish, this is still a great one to try and packs plenty of cuteness as you play!

Review: Kowloon High-School Chronicle

Alex Chessun

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Apr 3, 2022

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In a win for retro RPG fans everywhere, Japanese cult-classic Kowloon High-School Chronicle finally got itself a western release this year to PlayStation 4, 18 years after its Japan-only PS2 release. Impressive is it not only in the length of time it took but also that this title managed to sustain its popularity to justify a release at all.

It might come as surprise then that you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who had heard of this title outside the retro scene – I certainly hadn’t. One potential reason for this soon became apparent though, as a confused title with multiple themes and bland gameplay dull its potential and renders it quite a niche offering.

The story centers around a member of a treasure-hunting group who joins Kamiyoshi Academy undercover in order to delve into the secrets of the mysterious ruins hidden inside the school’s cemetery. As your classmates discover the protagonist’s/your secret they join you on your quest to uncover the bad deeds of the Student Council (why is it always the Student Council that gets up to no good?) who are also linked to the mysterious disappearances of students over the past few months.

With this narrative facilitating meddling kids and Scooby Doo whodunnits it’s about as standard as the visual novel medium comes – and is actually quite good – but the addition of retro first-person grid-based dungeon-exploring and an Indiana Jones theme begins to confuse the issue as they are barely integrated, which gives the game a very tacked-on impression.

None of this is obvious at the beginning though – as you are introduced to everything with as much finesse as a bull in a china shop – and it’s instead the incredibly basic visuals that call back to the original PC dungeon adventure games that make the biggest first impression. For a game that had all its visuals remade from the ground up for this re-release, you’d think they could have at least tried to make the visuals a bit more appetizing rather than choosing stock photos for backgrounds and very monotonous cluttered designs.

I’ve always found it amusing when people go overboard about certain font types and their usage, but Kowloon might just have converted me over to the dark side, with a font that definitely should have been consulted over.

The story progresses day-by-day through character interactions and it is this element out of the entire game that I enjoyed the most, with character relationships that you feel in control of. Sadly, however, no two interactions with the game are particularly well-designed, and even the strong discourse that has a decent number of selectable conversation options is hindered by poorly-translated and barely-explained interfaces.

The conversation choice menu, for example, has four categories each with two degrees of strength that allows you to run the gamut of emotions as you converse and if you build your relationship enough with that particular character they can then become an option to select as one of your dungeon partners.

Reading these options gives me a headache. Also, how often have you used the word ‘amity’ in your life?

It’s a nice system that occasionally falls foul of the same issue as LA Noire‘s conversation options as choosing from fixed concepts can lead to some unexpected responses, but overall it works well and is a system that gives the game some replay value. Sadly, translation issues creep in with this feature with a font that is horrific at best and a rough translation of the original text that makes their use quite unclear. Even the name of the game is translated confusingly, as it has nothing to do with the Hong Kong area of Kowloon – with the game is based in a fictional Tokyo – and is simply the direct translation of ‘nine dragons’ from the Japanese title.

Representing the other half of the gameplay, the 3D dungeoning is a mix of classic grid-based retro exploring and combining of items to solve puzzles to progress down into the lower floors of the ruins. When rooms are filled with 2D enemies, you are launched into turn-based battles where you can shoot or slash the enemies with manual targeting controls.

The game saves its best designs for its 2D enemies that look nice against the 3D backgrounds.

It’s an interesting mix of genre elements, but it’s too shallow and unsatisfying for my tastes as other than the boss battles, spamming the attack button on an adjacent tile pretty much suffices. Also, as the dungeon-crawling gameplay takes place in one overall ruin, you need to return to the same rooms over and over, forcing you to remember where that locked door was and is not too enticing for the modern gamer in me.

I’ll admit that my general distaste for adventure/RPG puzzles also comes to the fore here as you find yourself having to hunt for specific items to combine, failing over and over again as you try endless combinations to get the required one. Unless it is specifically a puzzle game, I’ll never understand why video games feel the need to include them as additional gameplay to something larger as they so rarely fit the context of the game. I guess I can blame Indiana Jones for convincing an entire generation that it’s a good thing.

It gets to the point where you’ll wonder if the game is poking fun at itself with its cheeseball quality, as its mundane jazz soundtrack is far too loud and out of place, stealing tension entirely from scenes its pervading and its remaining features, such as a map that allows you to pick-up random objects, add very little.

There’s even a detective visual novel that can be accessed in the menu – with no explanation why or for what purpose it’s included – and it neatly encapsulates the entire game for me, as a contrasting feature that’s poorly integrated, but by itself is not half-bad.

On one hand, the fact that Kowloon High-School Chronicle has made it out to the west is quite the result, but with nearly every feature either outdated or improved upon in genre games since, this cult classic has not aged gracefully, and might just prove a little too ‘retro’ for those bar the niche audience it’s aimed at.

Review: Unreal Life

Michael Hoade

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Apr 3, 2022

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Unreal Life’s ethereal beauty masks a dark undertone that pervades this ‘point and click’ titles gripping and personal narrative.

You assume the role of Hal, a young girl who is suffering from amnesia. Waking up on the side of the road and being greeted by 195 – a talking traffic light of all things – Hal undertakes a deeply personal quest to reunite with Miss Sakura; an individual of presumably quite some importance to her.

The game’s mysterious premise, absurd, yet loveable cast, and excellent art direction had me hooked from the first click.

Pixelated perfection:

The first thing I noticed when starting up Unreal Life for the first time was the beautifully simple art direction that this game utilises. The muted – yet vibrant – colour contrast creates a beautifully eerie atmosphere that reflects the narrative’s much darker subtext.

Each character’s design is wonderfully memorable: a talking traffic light, human-like penguin and actual “working” worker ants. The sprite work is innately charming, and the consistent quality across the art direction helped me buy into the game’s – frankly – absurd characters.

The game’s art direction also lends itself incredibly well to establishing quick changes in mood. A quick palette shift from blue to red helps the players see the shift in Hal’s mood, and when the game “breaks” -as the screen glitches and shows images in disturbingly fast flashes – there is an intensity that kept me hooked throughout the roughly 7 hours of playtime.

The importance of simplicity:

Unreal Life’s ambitious design is complimented by what I’d consider a very “safe” gameplay loop. The point and click system used here doesn’t take many risks, which is okay when the visual design and narrative themes are so interesting.

As Hal looks to figure out what exactly has happened in her past, she discovers she has the ability to view past events through the lens of inanimate objects. When Hal touches certain objects, she can navigate between past and present timelines and this mechanic is what enables the player to move the story forward. Later, Hal discovers the ability to track thoughts, based on what Hal has heard, touched and read. Recalling these thoughts helps solve the game’s many puzzles – which never veer towards complex- but the discoveries often provide enough incentive, despite the lack of challenge.

Hal also collects various items throughout the game which can be used to engage with the world and characters in different ways. The absence of sign-posting or markers when questing is welcome, and made me take the time to appreciate the game’s beautiful world and actually think about solutions to progress.

Thankfully, the game’s puzzles do see a gradual increase in difficulty as the narrative builds towards its crescendo, and finding the best ending was a satisfying challenge.

Ode to memento:

Memento, a neo-noir mystery thriller from the 2000’s, is one of my favourite movies. The film follows Leonard, an amnesiac who tattoos himself to keep track of information he discovers. My love for Memento and the style of non-linear, drip-fed storytelling made Unreal Life’s mysterious and dark narrative instantly appealing to me.

Hal’s quest to find Miss Sakura is dark and full of emotion, but never too hopeless due to the loveable ensemble of characters that join Hal on her journey.

The developing bond between Hal and 195 is touching, and the absurdist ensemble does well to bring light to an otherwise dark and depressing world that Hal occupies.

Where Unreal Life also shares similarities with Memento is in how the narrative isn’t ever directly spelled out to the player in a clear order. Each newly discovered memory points towards another theory about Hal’s past, but the game leaves the onus on the player to piece everything together. I loved this, as I spent the whole game firmly wearing my detective hat and regularly developing my own theories about Hal’s past.

This set-up also allowed for revelatory moments in the narrative to hit me extra hard. Going back after getting my first ending and discovering other endings, based on different branching choices, was incredibly satisfying.

Unreal Life is an absolute triumph when it comes to atmosphere and non-linear storytelling. The game’s impressive pixel design, loveable cast of characters and simple gameplay loop all work in conjunction to provide a thoroughly satisfying experience.

Yes, sometimes the game’s puzzles felt a tad obtuse and the gameplay isn’t anything special, but these minor gripes didn’t take away from the absolute joy I had on this emotional journey with Hal and my new favourite talking traffic light.

Review: Marsupilami: Hoobadventure

Daniel Waite

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Apr 3, 2022

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We’ve all heard the phrase curiosity killed the cat! Well, why do we never, ever learn? Touching stuff that we don’t understand is only going to end badly. And yet, if we see something shiny, we can’t resist. Accordingly, it’s understandable that messing with cursed items is probably a terrible idea. You have no idea of the powers you’ll unleash or the trouble you’ll rain down on society. However, this is exactly what happens in Marsupilami: Hoobadventure.

Developed by Ocellus and published by Microids, this is an action-adventure platform title. It uses a classic and well-trodden approach and therefore will feel familiar to fans of Crash Bandicoot and its peers.

Marsupilami: Hoobadventure is simple but enjoyable.

Now, the familiar style and approach may disappoint some gamers. Yet, I loved how easy it was to pick up, the blend of levels, and the challenge that was on offer. Subsequently, the straightforward style allows you to jump into the action with little thought. Furthermore, it will be accessible for players of all ages and this was fantastic.

The story is both amusing and nonsensical while playing second fiddle to the action. You control Punch, Twister, and Hope, the 3 Marsupilamis who live a peaceful life in Palombia. These curious creatures open a cursed sarcophagus and they inadvertently release a ghost that curses every animal on the island. Thankfully, the 3 heroes are immune and take it upon themselves to lift the curse and save the island’s inhabitants.

So many darn squirrels. — The squirrels appear on every level.

3 heroes, but they are all the same.

Now, when a game offers an array of characters to select, you’d think they’d all have special powers. However, in Marsupilami: Hoobadventure, this isn’t the case! Annoyingly, each of the heroes offers no new abilities or skills and this was disappointing. The developers missed an opportunity, and this undermines the fantastic gameplay. Yet, don’t let this oversight put you off as the core concept and drip-fed mechanics make it fun, nonetheless.

The story spans 3 worlds while comprising over 20 levels. Furthermore, there are oodles of collectables, bonus stages, time trials, and loads of monsters to tackle. Subsequently, every level will test you, while keeping you entertained. On top of this, there are different difficulty settings to push newcomers and veterans alike.

The demonic ghost appears regularly. — Check out the demonic ghost that you released.

Fruits, feathers, and secrets.

Every stage follows a similar approach. Consequently, you must rush from point A to B while jumping chasms, avoiding traps, and defeating monsters. Each hero can leap off walls, roll through boxes, and whip foes with their tail. As they search each stage, they must look for hidden areas and bonus levels. Within each of these secret zones, you will earn tickets, find fruit, and increase your lives. Sadly, none of these mechanics is unique, but they work well with the theme.

Though the familiar elements won’t shock you, the extra levels and the time trials will test you. Subsequently, it was addictive and will appeal to hardcore players. Furthermore, attempting to better each of the time trials is no mean feat! Consequently, achieving a gold medal in each stage is easier said than done. Therefore, the additional challenge this offers breaks up the repetitive nature of the core gameplay.

Marsupilami: Hoobadventure is wonderfully colourful.

What I adored about Marsupilami: Hoobadventure was its beautifully colourful world and clean-cut imagery. It uses a side-scrolling perspective, and each level is wonderfully vivid. Moreover, every enemy is unique and the obstacles you face look daunting and dangerous. On top of this, I enjoyed exploring each stage when new elements were introduced. Whether it was parrots that shot you out like a cannonball, or a turtle that gave you a lift, it was fantastic.

The graphics were supported by excellent audio. The upbeat and jovial tunes will amuse you thanks to their whimsical and unusual nature. Moreover, its energetic songs add to the fun carnival atmosphere. What’s more, the sound effects are loud, OTT, and just what I hoped for.

In Marsupilami: Hoobadventure you'll ride turtles to cross the water. — Take a ride on a turtle.

Easy-to-understand controls.

Thanks to the excellent tutorial, the controls are easy to understand. Alongside this, the setup is well-considered, and I found it to be extremely responsive. Thankfully, this made the hectic moments easier to manage. The simple to master controls make this a user-friendly title that is great for players of all ages.

Action-adventure titles are always addictive and moreish, and this one is no different. Thanks to its simple approach, you will be sucked into the action while finding it tough to put down. Alongside this, the time trials, collectables, and the hidden areas ensure that it has plenty of replay value. Therefore, completionists will have their work cut out for them as they’ll struggle to finish this. Thankfully, this increases the gameplay while adding to the longevity.

Marsupilami: Hoobadventure is an excellent platform title.

Though much of the action is familiar. Marsupilami: Hoobadventure is still a wonderful game. Thanks to its drip-fed mechanics, a large variety of foes, and an array of collectables, it is an excellent platform title. Subsequently, I recommend you buy it here! Can you remove the curse or are the animals doomed? Roll, leap and swing your way to victory in this colourful island platform adventure game.

Review: Expedition Zero

James Refelian

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Apr 2, 2022

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Expedition Zero is an indie survival horror that, for the most part, can hold its own against the best in the survival horror genre. The game starts with character you control sharing some inner monologue about being left for dead as you identify your surroundings as some sort of frozen, mostly untouched landscape save for a shelter that you need to enter.

What quickly transpires is that you’re trapped in a walled quarantine zone because of some form of plague and a mysterious person who sells you things will help you get out if you cure it. That, however, is pretty much it as far as the story goes. Sure, you get some additional details in text, but it’s light. For a survival horror game that is quite unusual. What the information from the developer tells us that we’re in the Siberian wilderness and trying to escape a plague that had devastated the area.

You quickly find yourself roaming around this zone, and the environment is well designed. Abandoned military camps, small village areas, a lot of woodland. It’s all creepy and well rendered in the Unreal 4 engine. The main monster roams around, you’ll be given a little bit of a warning and then you need to run! What I like about Expedition Zero is that you can shoot to scare it off rather than just must sneak around it or hope for the best. The whole atmosphere is really well created, the lack of soundtrack just leaving you with sound effects is a great decision to further that feeling. It’s also desolated, adding to the creepy factor. Then you get the darkness. Armed with a small headlamp there’s plenty of opportunity for plagued villagers to jump out at you – and they will!

Objectives can be hard to find, you don’t really get objective markers or a mini-map. While this may frustrate some players it adds to the feeling of isolation and the need to survive. As you wonder around you can search pretty much every container and find items that can be deconstructed and used to craft more useful objects. Much like other RPGs you have a carry weight limit, and a bag space limit that can be increased. You can also improve other parts of your outfit like the battery capacity. Some upgrades come at a cost – for example draining the battery quicker.

As well as a health bar you also must worry about a battery that decreases in charge and a cold meter that will decrease the longer you spend in the wilderness. Both are manageable with recharge stations and the ability to make some fires along the way to get warm. This adds to the overall immersive gameplay and survival mentality.

My favourite aspect? When you get colder you hear your character breathe heavily and the screen starts to freeze over making it more difficult to see. This is a nice graphical touch.

The game is full of puzzles and combat to give you a really varied experience. The main goal being to search for the samples you need to end the plague. Some of these puzzles don’t necessarily make sense; but it adds to the creepy factor. For example, in a church full of ghosts you need to hang paintings to move a pedestal.

All is not great in Expedition Zero though. There are still several bugs, especially with mouse tracking making it frustrating to select some interactable objects. The AI on the monsters is also a little off in places. As the game is being patched frequently, I see this as a plus as it means things can only get better.

Is Expedition Zero good? It’s better than you think. Reasonably priced, offers some unique features and very creepy. Definitely a worthy entry into the survival horror genre and with frequent patching the bugs are being ironed out.

Review: ROCCAT Syn Buds Air

Daniel Waite

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Apr 2, 2022

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Truly, wireless earbuds are in their technological infancy. They were first released in 2015 and were plagued by connectivity issues, poor sound, and terrible battery life. However, roll on 7 years and the technology has evolved vastly. Subsequently, there is an array of earbuds for all budgets and tastes. With many to choose from, you’d be excused for becoming confused. So, let me try to help you with the ROCCAT Syn Buds Air review.

ROCCAT was formed in 2006 and was brought out by Turtle Beach in 2019. Consequently, its audio accessories benefited from years of experience. Therefore, you can expect the ROCCAT Syn Buds Air to be a top-end product that offers market-leading quality.

Comfortable and stylish earbuds. — The earbuds are comfortable and stylish.

What’s in the box?

The packaging is simple, informative, and robust. It is emblazoned with the company logo and all the key selling points for the device. Inside, an eco-friendly approach has been taken with cardboard protective packaging.
The ROCCAT Syn Buds Air are housed in a sleek and stylish charging unit. The black design has ROCCAT etched into it and there are three white lights to highlight the battery status.
A USB C rubberised charging cable. The wire is regretfully short, but this isn’t too inconvenient. Luckily, the standard connection allows you to replace it with ease if necessary.
A robust but easy-to-understand user manual. It highlights the fundamentals so you can get started with ease.

The ROCCAT Syn buds air has a simple but informative outer packaging. — The simple but informative packaging.

The ROCCAT Syn Buds Air has a user-friendly quick start guide. — The simple but informative packaging.

What are the ROCCAT Syn Buds Air like?

I’ve had the joy of using wireless buds for their whole existence. Recently, I’ve been comfortable with my Google Pixel Buds A-Series. However, the ROCCAT Syn Buds Air blows these out of the water. Listening to the two side by side is like night and day. I was amazed by the crisp sound and the range of tones that the ROCCAT product offers. Moreover, these earbuds are more versatile and therefore are more suitable for an array of activities.

Once you’ve synced each earbud to your chosen device, you are set for life. Subsequently, you can play on your PC, grab your Nintendo Switch and seamlessly continue your wireless experience. On top of this, they connect almost instantly to any Android or iOS device. Therefore, they make the perfect companion to alleviate boredom on long train/bus journeys.

Customise your headphones with the companion app. — An easy-to-use companion app.

Comfort with quality and style.

With 3 high-quality silicone ear tips to pick, a lightweight and sleek design, and responsive touch controls, these are comfortable and well built. What’s more, it has an incredible 20-hour battery life (5 hours earbuds and 15 hours charging case). This makes the ROCCAT Syn Buds Air an extremely long-lasting addition to your audio devices.

Design and appearance aside for one moment, earbuds are all about sound quality. Luckily, these are incredible thanks to the precision-tuned 6mm drivers and 60 ms-low latency mode for gaming. Alongside this, there are built-in dual microphones to improve sound pickup and they work perfectly for in-game and party chat. Moreover, the 5.1 Bluetooth connectivity prevents issues and audio drops, as well as extended range, auto-connect, and improved battery life.

The user-friendly approach is continued for users of Android or iOS. Thanks to the specially designed companion app, you can guarantee that the firmware is always up to date. Furthermore, you can remap the touch-sensitive controls and adjust and create EQs. Consequently, this is the perfect tool to customise your earbuds to your liking.

What are they like to wear?

Whenever I try new earbuds, I’m always concerned about weight and how well they’ll fit. Luckily, these are as close to perfect as can be. Thanks to the 3 different sized silicone tips, you’ll find them to be comfortable and snug. What’s more, the slender design and low weight ensure they won’t fall out of your ears. This is particularly important when using them for exercise. Having used them on a moderate 10-mile run, I can vouch for their ability to remain comfortably within your ears.

If you are a keen athlete, you are going to want your headphones to be durable and weatherproof. Fortunately, the ROCCAT Syn Buds Air has an IPX4 splash resistance rating. This makes them usable in most situations, but I wouldn’t try them in monsoon conditions.

The ROCCAT Syn Buds Air are great for gaming or exercise. — Choose your hobby and use one versatile audio solution.

Are the ROCCAT Syn Buds Air worth it?

Many gamers will be stuck in their ways. They will only use traditional over the ear headphones, and that’s ok. However, if you want a truly versatile experience with exceptional sound and build quality, then look no further. The ROCCAT Syn Buds Air earbuds are phenomenal for the price (£89.99) and will amaze you with their range of tones and crystal clear sound. Subsequently, I recommend you buy them here!

Summary.

Audio technology has improved vastly over the years. Consequently, gamers are spoilt for choice and quality. However, if you want a truly versatile and wireless experience, then look no further than the ROCCAT Syn Buds Air. They are stylish, comfortable, durable, and robust while allowing you to game, listen to music, and chat with friends. What’s more, they are the perfect audio companion because of their excellent battery life, 5.1 Bluetooth connection, and IPX4 splash resistance rating. If you are in the market for new headphones, then I recommend you seriously consider these.

_{(More information on ROCCAT can be found here.)}

Review: ROCCAT Kone XP

Daniel Waite

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Apr 1, 2022

0

Putting together a badass gaming PC has been a tough ask these past few years. Between the scalpers and the shortages, gamers have had to pay through the nose or put up with what they’ve got. Luckily, peripherals haven’t been so hard to get and a steady stream of top-end accessories has hit the market. The latest of these is the ROCCAT Kone XP mouse. It is a stylish and functional peripheral that is ideal for any serious PC player.

With striking 3 dimensional RGB lighting and 29 button functions, this combines beauty with advanced features. Furthermore, it has a quality braided USB cable that ensures excellent connectivity and no loss of power. Alongside this, it is easy to set up, has an array of programmable settings, and competes well with ROCCAT’s other premium products.

The ROCCAT Kone XP mouse is striking with its RGB lighting. — A vivid and striking RGB mouse.

What comes in the box?

The ROCCAT Kone XP mouse is housed in a stylish and clean-cut box. The small but simple package is well-built and informative. Inside, the mouse is encased in a clear plastic container that helps to protect it in transit.
The wired mouse has removable protective covers on the PTFE heat-treaded gliding plates. Its USB cable is braided, strong, and long enough for your average gamer. The USB port has a removable plastic cap that helps to prevent dust and dirt from interfering with the connections.
There is an easy-to-understand user manual that covers the fundamentals in an array of languages.
Spare PTFE heat-treated gliding plates to keep your mouse in top-notch condition.

The ROCCAT Kone XP mouse has simple and informative packaging. — Simple but striking packaging.

The ROCCAT Kone XP mouse is well protected for transit. — Simple but striking packaging.

The ROCCAT Kone XP mouse has many buttons!

Luckily for me, the ROCCAT Kone XP mouse has been designed for right-handed people. Sadly, if you are left-handed, you best look elsewhere, as this doesn’t cater for you. With this in mind, let’s look at what’s on offer. The first thing that catches your eye is the masses of buttons on offer. This hefty looking device has an array of input options and no less than 7 on the left-hand side. These shortcut buttons are located in such a way that they are easy to find without the risk of being pressed in error. There is also an easy-shift paddle that allows you to program up to 29 unique commands. Consequently, this takes a bit of getting used to, but once you master it, it is perfect for command heavy titles.

Now, you may worry that setting up your mouse will be a tough task. However, ROCCAT has this covered with its Swarm software package. This handy program allows you to set up your button layout and adjust the RGB lighting to your liking. Furthermore, there are 5 programmable profiles that allow you to flit between different arrangements. This option is perfect when playing different games or alternating your classes. Subsequently, it makes the ROCCAT Kone XP mouse extremely user-friendly once you understand the fundamentals.

One of the big selling points is the whopping 100 million click life-cycle guarantee! Consequently, ROCCAT is sure that this will withstand a lot of gaming action. In my experience, the buttons responded well and have a great feel for a moderate to high-end accessory. I found there to be few issues, though the left-hand buttons were more responsive than anything else. Now, this wasn’t a problem, but I can see these potentially annoying players who enjoy long gaming sessions.

The ROCCAT Kone XP mouse is pretty vivid. — Oh so bright!

Perfect for pros, but it’s oh so bright!

The aforementioned Swarm program allows you to set up your eye wateringly bright mouse to your liking. Whether you want a simple solid colour palette, a slow or fast light show, or a pulsating rainbow that lights up the room, the choice is yours. What’s more, you can adjust every element so that it matches every other RGB product you own. After all, you don’t want your new mouse to clash with your other vivid accessories, do you?

If you are buying a mouse that has top-end features and an incredible style, then you’ll want to know about the DPI switcher. The handy plus and minus buttons allow you to alter the twitch speed when a game doesn’t have specific settings. Therefore, you can have rapid aiming for your LMGs or assault rifles and you can slow things down on the fly for more accurate encounters.

Is the ROCCAT Kone XP mouse worth it?

There is a vast array of gaming mice available, but not many offer as great value as the ROCCAT Kone XP mouse. Its lightweight design, excellent braided cable, a large selection of buttons, and Swarm program make it an excellent choice. I loved its vivid style, chunky feel, and excellent tactile Krystal 4D wheel. Furthermore, the heat-treated pads and adjustable DPI make it accurate and smooth to use. Yes, there are some great alternatives and fans of wireless mice, or left-handed gamers will need to look elsewhere. However, I adored how user-friendly it was and how great it looked. Subsequently, I recommend you buy it here!

Summary.

The ROCCAT Kone XP mouse is an excellent lightweight choice for serious gamers. With 29 programmable buttons, smooth gliding plates, a tough braided cable, and vivid colours, it has many plus points. What’s more, the well placed mappable buttons and easy-shift paddle are simple to use and will aid anyone that plays input heavy games. There are alternative mice to pick from, but you won’t find better at this price point.

_{(More information on ROCCAT devices can be found here.)}

The ROCCAT Kone XP Mouse is given the Movies Games and Tech gold award.

Review: Elex II

Daniel Waite

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Mar 31, 2022

0

Don’t you just hate it when you’ve worked hard and saved the world only for it to bite you in the arse? Moreover, you think you’ve solved the problem, however, some alien bastards have got different ideas. This is the plot behind Elex II, the long-awaited sequel in this classic open-world fantasy franchise.

Developed by Piranha Bites and published by THQ Nordic, this is a sci-fi action RPG. Jax has returned to be crowned the hero of Magalan again. With his gruff ways, familiar heroic style, and badass attitude, he’ll let nothing stand in his way. This sequel borrows heavily from the first instalment while adding extra factions, an overbearing alien species, and many interesting characters. Its environment is beautiful, the audio is atmospheric, but it has so many issues that it undermines every positive moment.

Elex II is a mixed bag.

The story continues years after the first instalment. Jax has defeated the hybrid, and the world goes on spinning. His heroic deeds are but hushed whispers and he is now seen as an outcast. However, this is about to change when the Skyands attack. These alien creatures wish to control Magalan and rid it of its inhabitants. Consequently, the first wave of creatures infects anyone they bite, and this spreads an unknown disease. Death and the fall of humanity are guaranteed unless a hero steps up. Jax must protect Dex, his son, and those he loves by putting his life on the line. Furthermore, he must bring peace to the warring factions before the Skyands go too far.

As expected, Elex II opens with a bang. Subsequently, you are thrust into the action with little chance to think. Therefore, you’d expect the remainder of the game to be just as tense and in your face. Sadly, however, this wasn’t the case! Practically every element of the gameplay is slow, arduous, and horribly drawn out. This is then topped off with some of the worst and clunky combat I’ve had the misfortune to experience. Hitboxes are wildly inaccurate, monster animations are horrible, and your companions are as accurate as a drunk darts player. Consequently, it’s a messy endeavour that doesn’t improve.

The world is stunning. — Magalan is beautiful.

It’s so slow!

I’m all for a challenging and slow-paced experience, but Elex II is something else. Subsequently, the action is so slow that it brought tears to my eyes! Everything is drawn out, tedious, and mind-numbing. Furthermore, each enemy is unfairly tough, the character levelling is imbalanced, and improving your equipment is almost impossible. Moreover, this badass hero is painfully weak and annoyingly ineffective. Nearly every enemy causes you an issue and there are never enough health potions to see you through. Therefore, expect to die repeatedly as you walk from quest to quest.

Talking of quests, Elex II is overloaded with irrelevant tasks. Yes, you’ll enjoy the main story, which is entertaining, full of lore, and captivating. However, this is dragged down by a vast array of annoying fetch quests and repetitive nonsense. Sure, it’s great fun to blast around the map with your upgradable jetpack. But even this doesn’t detract from the monotony of the constant stream of tosh you must undertake. Whether it’s solving a crime, collecting goods, or killing a monster, the unnecessary back and forth is dull. Unfortunately, this demand to travel from point A to B enhances the slow nature of the gameplay whilst driving you insane.

Poor combat.

We love RPGs because of their wonderful stories and vast worlds. Yet, we also adore the combat elements. There is nothing better than testing your skills against giant foes in strange arenas. Sadly, though, Elex II gets this horribly wrong. Consequently, every encounter is unnecessarily tough and disappointing. Every foe you face has ungodly amounts of health and strength. Therefore, even the most innocuous of creatures can hand your ass to you. This wouldn’t be so bad if the character levelling was easy to achieve.

Unfortunately, this is painful also! Improving Jax is no mean feat, as you have to complete oodles of tedious missions. Alternatively, you can grind away to improve your rank. Either way, it isn’t much fun. Disappointingly, one of the most interesting mechanics is hidden amongst the tedium. To improve skills such as lock picking, crafting, combat, etc, you must find trainers. These specialists allow you to boost your abilities, but it comes at a cost. First, you must have money…oh, the never-ending need for money. Second, you have to have the minimum attribute for each skill. Annoyingly, this makes improving yourself a drawn-out and dull experience.

These negative elements combined undermine much of the action. They also make it unduly harsh and horribly slow. Yes, there are tougher games available, but they balance their approach with timely character upgrades. Elex II, on the other hand, holds you back throughout.

The monsters are massive. — You are about to get your ass handed to you.

Let’s be positive for a moment.

I sound like a despise Elex II, and this isn’t the case. No, I’m disappointed as it has such potential. Magalan is an amazing place to explore thanks to its varied and dramatic landscapes. Furthermore, the plot, lore, and factions are fascinating. The developers have done an incredible job of creating a multi-faceted story. Subsequently, you are free to join any faction, kill who you want, and betray those around you. On top of this, there are some excellent quests once you strip back all the rubbish. What should make this great is plain to see. However, it’s intertwined with so much unnecessary drivel that it’s hard to reach.

The pièce de résistance has to be the upgradable jetpack. This screams futuristic sci-fi while making you feel like a superhero. Yes, it’s a little underwhelming to start with. But, as you progress, you’ll love soaring through the air and over mountains. I wish that every bit of armour and equipment was as good as this. Yet, it wasn’t to be.

Elex II: stunning world but buggy as hell.

The gameplay issues are apparent, but Elex II is also buggy as hell. Visually, it is spectacular and you’ll love the world you explore. Sadly, though, its beauty is ruined because of its awful glitches. Subsequently, you’ll laugh, scream, and shout at the terrible finish. You’ll see limbs clipping ladders, walls, and rocks, animations not working, and poor cinematic. Moreover, it’s a shoddy example of a much-anticipated title being rushed out of production.

Luckily, the audio fares much better. I adored the dramatic soundtrack that matches the vast landscapes. Furthermore, I enjoyed the blend of characters and their hilariously wooden acting. The dialogue, on the other hand, may not be to your liking. It’s awfully dated and cringe-worthy and often doesn’t make sense. Many conversations were disjointed, confusing, and illogical. On top of this, NPCs spoke over the cutscenes and this made it worse. Fortunately, you get the gist of what is happening. It’s simply another example of more rushed elements.

Take to the air in Elex II — Take to the sky with your jetpack.

Clunky, clunky, clunky.

Though many of the mechanics are poor, they aren’t helped by the clunky controls. As a result, every task or moment is tough to execute. Subsequently, it makes a tedious experience that bit worse. Primarily, the combat is slow and ineffective, movement is clumsy, and nothing feels intuitive. It pains me to say it, but Piranha Bites missed the mark by a country mile. What’s more, the control set-up is badly explained and there is too much trial and error. The developers could and should have done a much better job.

In theory, Elex II screams longevity and replay value. In fact, it has a 40-hour plus game time, which is incredibly in depth. Sadly, though, the problems and issues make it tedious to play. Therefore, I can’t see many people wanting to experience every possible outcome. It’s a shame, as the plot deserves exposure and exploration. However, the negatives far outweigh the potential positives.

Elex II was disappointing.

I had high hopes for Elex II, but the end product falls way short of my expectations. Yes, the plot is great and the characters are interesting, but everything else is mediocre. It needed much more time in the cooker to remove its long list of issues. Everything considered, I can’t recommend you play this title. However, more information can be found here! The world is in danger again and a hero is needed to save it. Step up, align the factions, and save the day.