Events

Review: Airborne Kingdom

Daniel Waite

-

Nov 21, 2021

The world is becoming more and more cramped. Green spaces are becoming sparse and houses, businesses, and concrete are replacing them. Mankind is a virus that destroys everything in its sight, but what’s the solution? Well, we all need somewhere to live and people need to exist in harmony. So, how about we have some literal “blue sky” thinking? Why not use the skies to house people and reconnect every part of the world? This is exactly what happens in Airborne Kingdom, as you attempt to survive in a city floating in the air.

Developed by The Wandering Band LLC and published by The Wandering Band LLC and Freedom Games, this is a fantastic city building resource management title. Fans of Sim City, Cities: Skylines and other city builders will adore the aviation twist in a much-loved genre. You’ll soar to new heights while realising your dreams of building a metropolitan society in the sky.

Airborne Kingdom feels familiar with some fantastic twists.

If you’ve built your fair share of cities, you will feel right at home when starting Airborne Kingdom. The survival of your people revolves around housing, food, and water. However, you must research technology, create supply lines, and expand your empire. So far, so familiar. Yet, when the twists in the gameplay are exposed, you are taken on a whacky ride.

Unlike many of its peers, your city doesn’t gain citizens by default. No, you must scour the land below and recruit them from settlements. Doesn’t sound too difficult, does it? Well, I beg to differ! People will only join you if they like what they see, and that takes planning and preparation. Placing residential buildings alongside industrial is a big no, no. Also, a lack of food and water amount to poor living conditions and that’s an instant turn off. Therefore, you’ll be spinning many plates in this fine balancing act.

Lift and balance, lift and balance!

Talking of balance, this is a key concept and something that is prevalent in your survival. A floating city is a marvellous idea if you plan things correctly. You have the freedom to build how you want and create any shape or sized metropolis you wish. Subsequently, the fate of your people lies in your hands and poor planning will kill them. If you build a lop-sided monstrosity, it will tilt horribly and your people will fall to their untimely death.

You must expand to succeed, but you must also be mindful of your creation. Moreover, extra buildings create drag and weight and this isn’t good for a floating machine. Not only must you consider food, water, resources, and your people’s happiness, you must also stay afloat. It’s a tough ask especially when you try to form relationships with the land dwellers and explore the surrounding world.

Devouring the world like a flying locust.

I loved how the developers captured mankind’s incessant need to devour every surrounding resource. Expansion and exploration come at a cost, and the world below you gets stripped bare at every opportunity. Fortunately, though, the land heals itself and supplies regenerate over time. You’ll move from each location, hoovering up the desired materials before moving on post-haste. The requirement to decimate landscapes intrigued me, but it was also a depressing reflection of our nature. I equally loved and loathed this mechanic and wished the developers weren’t so brutally frank about the situation.

Though the exploration contained stark reminders of our destructive behaviours, it was also beautiful and exciting. Floating across an unknown land was excellent, captivating, and oh, so moreish. Discovering hidden tombs, temples, or long-forgotten civilisations never got old. This was then topped off by finding oodles of resources and a place where you can stop to rest, take heed, and plan your next move.

Unlike other base builders that force you to lay roots and expand, Airborne Kingdom begs you to be free. It’s this open-mindedness and sense of exploration that makes it stand out from its peers! It isn’t perfect by any means, but it offers a little excitement in a genre normally reserved for logical thinking and a methodical approach.

Airborne Kingdom is a thing of beauty, but the UI is sadly not.

If you are a city building aficionado, the UI won’t put you off. However, for everyone else, this busy and complex setup will distract you. Undoubtedly, easier to manage on a monitor, the small icons are hard to make out from afar. Other than this issue, the game looks beautiful! Airborne Kingdom is wonderfully relaxing to look at and the way the city moves and the land unravels is spectacular to observe. Alongside this, the camera angles and zoom function are great, as is the well-designed map. The mixture of earthy and pastel tones adds to the calm atmosphere, and I loved wasting hours in its relaxing world.

This is continued in the light and calm audio. The blend of slow songs and high paced tunes adds to the drama and prevents things from feeling flat. The audio adds to the magic of the gameplay and it was easy to lose yourself in the captivating challenge that unfolds.

Helpful hints and one minor issue.

A tutorial may not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially veteran gamers. Yet, it was extremely helpful and well thought out. As events occurred, you could turn to the tips for guidance and clarity, which levelled out the learning curve. Alongside this, the well laid out button mapping and responsive controls make it easy to pick up and play. My only gripe is the almost invisible cursor. Something more obvious and striking would have been more suitable while making it easier to play.

Airborne Kingdom is undeniably addictive and there is no such thing as “I’ll play it quickly.” You’ll lose hours of your life by playing the story mode, NG+, or the creative option. Moreover, its tough achievement list demands you return repeatedly to complete it.

Airborne Kingdom soars above its peers.

This is a genre full of behemoth titles, yet I’m bravely going to say that Airborne Kingdom soars above its peers. Its sense of freedom and exploration make you dig deeper and keep playing. It’s an interesting concept that replaces the limitations of space with the necessity of balance and poise. I loved it and recommend you to buy it here! Those land dwellers will envy your mighty creation! Soar above them, keep a level head and make the floating city of your dreams.

Review: The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf

Daniel Waite

-

Nov 20, 2021

0

If I say “careful not to Smurf yourself!” or “run this Smurfing way, Gargamel is after you!” would you know what I was talking about? If you do, congratulations, you had an amazing childhood, or your kids love an awesome TV series. If not, you are about to enter the colourful and nonsensical world of the Smurfs. The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf is now available and is the latest string to this rather dated but much-loved bow.

Developed by OSome Studio and published by Microids, this is a colourful platform-adventure title. Set in the magical Smurf world, you will control your favourite characters. You must leap chasms, avoid traps, heal plants, and remove the cursed vegetation. It has a vivid and striking art style but is a standard platform title at its core.

The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf blends cute with the mundane.

Creating a unique platform game is tough, but this is made much harder when you must incorporate classic cartoon characters. The developers have done a great job of making a brilliantly cute world that traverses many locations. They have also drip-fed mechanics to expand each area and make out of reach places accessible. This was great if you adore gathering collectables and cleaning up loose ends. However, if you find this tedious, you may struggle when playing The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf.

So, what the Smurf is it all about? Well, first you will hear the word “SMURF” a ridiculous amount. It’s to be expected, but I Smurfing hated the Smurfing word by the end of it! Anyway, now I have that out of my system, let’s get back to the story. The Smurf village is normally a peaceful and beautiful place. Its people live there in peace and harmony, and subsequently, its residents are content and happy. Unfortunately, the evil wizard Gargamel has other plans. He has created the despicable plant, the Vileaf! This devilishly evil creation attracts Smurfs and captures them while alerting him of their presence. You must control four iconic Smurfs and use the Smurfizer to remove the plants and scupper the nasty wizard’s plans.

New equipment and upgraded gear.

Like all great platform-adventure titles, this one is full of collectables and new equipment to unlock. The Smurfizer is the key tool to new abilities and exploring the Smurf kingdom. It allows you to cure plants, hover, sprint, and more. With Handy Smurf’s help, you may upgrade it to increase its tank, power, and so forth. It was a wonderful way to make players revisit previous locations as you try to cleanse every plant and find every collectable. Moreover, I loved how the new tools and skills were added at a gradual pace.

The inclusion of new mechanics never felt overwhelming, and revisiting old locations was exciting. Subsequently, the longevity of the gameplay was increased. It is true that the core concept was repetitive, and curing the plants was monotonous! However, each new ability reduced the tedium while grabbing your attention.

Livid creatures and monstrous plants.

Each stage is loaded with creatures that throw themselves at you or shoot projectiles. These Smurfingly annoying foes stand between you and your stage goal, and each level culminates in a battle with a “Viletrap”. These monstrous plants capture any Smurfs who step near them, and the only way to kill them is to cure every Vileheart. You will leap, hover, and sprint your way to victory. Sadly, though, none of these encounters are challenging and you’ll go through the paces with little difficulty.

I would have loved the developers to have made this much harder as victory was guaranteed. I know this is aimed at a younger audience, but the simplicity will turn off many older players. Fortunately, however, the challenge is found when you want to complete each area. Searching every nook and cranny, and using each tool and skill correctly, is the only way you’ll succeed. Subsequently, this takes patience, practice, and a very cool and levelled head. Needless to say, I failed this part of the game miserably.

The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf is colourful and attractive, but its viewpoint is lacking.

I’ve been a fan of The Smurfs for years. Recently, my kids have got into it and I’ve been able to relive the classic art style. I wouldn’t have been disappointed if the developers had kept this approach, but I love what has been presented. The vivid colours, cute characters, and sprawling stages catch your eye. Furthermore, the animations are good, the movement is smooth, and this makes it enjoyable to play. Sadly, though, there is one glaring oversight, and that’s the occasionally distracting viewpoint. The camera angles can make depth perception challenging to understand and this causes mistakes. Subsequently, this leads to frustration and unnecessary failure.

The upbeat nature of the friendly characters and the chirpy atmosphere is brilliantly conveyed in the audio. The upbeat tunes reflect moments of success, whereas harder-hitting tunes highlight moments of danger. I adored how the music matched the action without overpowering each stage. This was continued with the amusing acting and familiar dialogue. Each character is captured perfectly and you’ll enjoy their unique personalities that shine through. If I were to change anything, it would be that the original actors were hired to voice each Smurf. This would have added to the authenticity, but I liked what was created, nonetheless.

The controls could be better.

The art of a great platform game is to ensure the controls are spot on. Sadly, though, The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf is a little clumsy. The developers could have mapped input options much better to make them more accessible. An example is that jumping and hovering use the A button. At times, you’ll just want to jump, but you’ll hover unexpectedly and mess up completely. Moreover, the movement is hindered by the poor camera angle and lack of depth perception. Therefore, it can be challenging to move around, especially when hovering. Unfortunately, there is little the developers can do, and it’s a case of making the most of a bad situation. It’s not game-breaking, but it is annoying and definitely noticeable.

At a base level, this title is repetitive and will put off players. Yet, if you love finding collectables and tidying up loose ends, you’ll love it. The drip-fed mechanics keep you coming back for more and allow you to see old areas in a new light. Where the developers missed an opportunity was the introduction of each new Smurf. I would have liked unique characteristics or traits. However, they all move, jump, and act exactly the same. This was a shame and was surely an oversight.

The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf captures the cartoon magic.

It’s easy for developers to take a much-loved franchise and do little with it. To their credit, The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf captures the magic of the cartoon. The characters are great, the world is fantastic, and each level contains many secrets. However, its poor camera angles and repetitive gameplay stifle it and prevent it from being a phenomenal platform-adventure experience. It could have been better, but I still loved it and recommend you to buy it here! Will Gargamel finally succeed, or will the Smurfs dash his dastardly plan?

My vvideo review with footage captured from my Xbox Series X, enjoy!

Review: Port Royale 4

Natosha M

-

Nov 20, 2021

0

Port Royale 4 is absolutely excellent in design and gameplay! I’ve never tried any of the games before since it is in the 4th production, and a type of game I don’t play normally. However, if given the chance I would want to try this type of style of game that I never knew I’d be interested in as much!

This game is an absolutely great game that requires so much attention and like any strategy game, one on a digital device or board game, it’s something I love to put my brain to work at! Especially, the game really makes you feel like you’re an actual trader in the 17th century. You’re given so many choices of character who has their own unique gameplay, all freely chosen by us, the players! No one player is ever an issue, there are many to decide while taking on this voyage.

I love, love this game, and can’t say it enough! So to tell you a bit about the game, Port Royale 4 is a very entertaining game that takes you on a very long, historical adventure of trading. However, you get to make that story go the way you like; the adventure is all up to you. The only issue is that things will occur, choosing possibly a wrong strategy for the game can cause a fall in production and the cost of your own ship. So it’s not the simplest game, with so much that can occur, just like it would in a real-life situation.

There weren’t any issues that I acquired with the gameplay. It suited me quite well. I felt the ability to really have control of your own ship, direct and complete tasks was very well created and done. I do enjoy also the time it takes to take the voyage to one location and the other. It might feel a bit long, but it does really give a more true appeal when thinking the time it must have taken a real traveler and trader by ship.

There isn’t much that this game doesn’t provide, as it’s more realistic when you discover and have to even battle along the way. I might have felt a bit overwhelmed with so much to learn. Especially, when playing through the tutorial mode. This, on the other hand, can be skipped. I wouldn’t do so! For first-time players, it is a big help learning how to go from one place to another and buy or sell items. Plus, keep the ship and everyone surviving against attacks. Nevertheless, it can be easily skipped and the game can just begin!

Another reason to love this game is that, with such beautiful graphics and realistic it really appears. You also have such a variety of authentic-looking buildings, products, and ships! Plus the realistic features don’t end on appearance and trade. You also need to build this reliance, support, and care with the citizens that trust you will supply and protect them. Once that is also accomplished, it’s like granting you trust and allowing for better things to happen. Plus, more construction to build up each location, as much as you like.

When you happen to go through a battle with other powerful leaders. It’s similar to other strategy games that require tactics to make sure you come out on top! It is another thinking and planning part of the game, but very much enjoyed it. It can’t always be glory and joy, there needs to be some kind of disturbance and villains to defeat.

Lastly, this game supplies plenty of things to do. You aren’t focusing on just trading but building up, protecting what you have, and even building a civilization that everyone can live in. It’s as if the story is up to you, and you have your hands on the reign. Well worth trying!

Review: Overboard!

Natosha M

-

Nov 20, 2021

0

I never played many games like this one, but it’s not too bad! Right away, Overboard reminded me of the start of the Titanic. How the big ship is in traveling in a different period. However, the story is totally different. Plus, very obviously not related. Since the conflict or problem, which must be resolved on the ship. The missing guy who our character caused in the middle of the night. Throwing off, in the open sea Malcome, a guy we’ve been traveling with.

Of course, what really appealed to me is that this game isn’t quite like any other I’ve played. It is a fast-paced game but can be played slowly. However, it is not too difficult to play it for under an hour. Also, it can be played a few other times and played a bit differently. Depending on the path we decided as lady Veronica. Our choice, which it’s in a multiple-choice to decide, which in turn forms the story and can sort of be very exciting to see the outcome! I mean, the possibilities there are so many! The results can either hurt or help. Nevertheless, it is a game that provides something unique, being the actual culprit!

No, it’s not anyone else, but the person, Veronica whom you are playing as. The story can be changed by the selection of words you choose. Not all are words to use for the speech you’ll be carrying on, but also the location or action Veronica will take. It’s not difficult, but easy. Something I feel is great to just entertain one for a moment, less than an hour depending on how fast you want to play. However, the many ways one can choose what goes on could make this game a bit more interesting and extended in time.

I didn’t find myself as excited as many other games would make me. It’s quick, that is true and I probably mentioned that so much already. However, what really bothers me, is that even if it might provide a variety of stories to see happen and play through. Yet it doesn’t show much visual appeal. I am speaking more about the story in general and the choices you select. There won’t be too much, but one similar screen that everything you do occurs on.

So as you decide and do certain types of actions, nothing really is shown. Honestly, I wish there was more to see. Even just to bring some more thrilling feeling to capture’s one attention. I know i’s a simple and fast game, but if the classic music playing in the background is all that it really has to hold one’s attention, it would be nice to add more visual appeal. Again, this is all my own opinion, so it’s not that everyone will feel the same. I just always get captivated by the art and visual appeal of a story.

Some changes that I feel would be a bit better are to see the places we are searching, heading towards, and even located while on the ship. It may just make for a great visual appeal, knowing how we are performing each task and what is around us while doing so. Oh well, it’s still quite interesting. Especially on the positive side of things. One good edition is that this game is not super easy as you can choose freely and expect nothing to challenge your choice. Instead, the game does provide a time to make you think about what you are choosing, as it will cause the clock to move forward and cause you to lose time. The time you need to fix it so that no one is wise to think you’ve got rid of Malcolm. As Veronica our character, we must work a plan towards setting up someone else, but the addition of a time limit really makes it better! So it’s gonna require planning when playing the story and deciding what to do next. No one wants to end up failing and being caught as a criminal, we know we are!

Lastly, I’d like to say that I’m in between on my opinion of this game. It’s a change in gameplay, just wish it was a bit more exciting, but I guess in a way I can also suggest it reminding me of Clue, the board game. Yet, we know that we are the killer. I guess at the end of it all, it is an original style game, but I do wish that the visual appeal.

Review: Nowhere Prophet

Natosha M

-

Nov 20, 2021

0

Nowhere Prophet is a very different game, mixed with an adventure and card strategy battling together. It’s not too difficult. Like many strategy games, it requires you to keep your brain concentrating and planning each move, possibly a few moves you’ll want to make later on the board. No matter, it’s easy to comprehend and a game that can easily be played by many new card players.

The many impressions I got from the game, is it’s like my crew is going on an adventure that requires planning and tactical moves when moving across the map, to the location you are aiming towards. However, it’s not only just a game you move on freely and battle enemies, like a typical strategy game. Instead, your battles require you to play against the others by using cards against the enemy.

Plus, the cards are actually the team we have, and each card is a new member to add to the main gameboard. So each encounter on this adventure could be a win, where we can move on or a loss. It’s not too different from many strategy games, just its design is a bit unique with a combination of games in one, adding a more challenging twist.

In addition, there is another challenging aspect other than the card game battle against another enemy at each encounter. While traveling you never know what may happen on this journey making it another plan you must think about to avoid these obstacles. Nevertheless, even if there is much to think about, it’s not too hard to play or understand after you get the gist of the game. To me, it’s an interesting game when it comes to a strategy card game, which I’m liking quite a bit!

There feels to be one advantage with this strategy game. If anyone wants to learn what it takes to defeat others in a card game, this can be a good place to start. It’s too difficult how it’s designed. The game’s cards are easy to read and know the info of each explained quite clearly, what the cards will do for you and how much pain it will give the other team.

Again, with the easy read of the cards. What I like is that the cards are done with two colors, yellow and red. The two explain clearly how much or how less the battle capability would be when trying to attack another. If you aim to hit the enemy’s card that is with a 2 and you have a 3, you’ll defeat the enemy quite easily. There is only that one type of hit the card will give from your hand. Making it straightforward.

The other feature that can put a bit more damage towards your card played and many others is that it also will get a hit right back at you after the defeat or incomplete defeat. So it’s not super easy and it won’t always end up the way one wants, but it definitely requires time to plan for the present and future attacks. You never know what will lurk next in the other’s hand and if you have anything to defeat them.

Afterward, it’s not just the cards you play as the crew; team members. Instead, you are also in charge of your own self. I guess it’s like you are a card in this game too. If the team isn’t defending or blocking anymore, and vice versa for the other side. You end up fair game for attacks and can be defeated, causing you to lose. So it’s practically everyone you hold in your hands and yourself can be attacked, while you or the enemy can’t possess an attack, but the cards you play. Very different and quite a nice addition to the game.

Lastly, it’s a game I feel quite easy to learn after just the first round of battles. The challenger is a bit harder and it will provide one’s brain a bit of a workout, thinking out the next tactic. However, it doesn’t really bring that much difficulty if you plan and focus on the cards being played, which is pleasant. Though focusing on the game in total, from the adventure to the card game, it can pose a few challenges to keep your team going and you as the player to reach the goal location.

Review: Neon Abyss

Natosha M

-

Nov 20, 2021

4

Neon Abyss, is one game that turned out to be my favorite and really impressive! It’s the first stunning game I’ve played lately with the features. Of course, it’s all done in this bright neon style design which is what you see throughout the entire game. It’s very much a grabber of my attention, plus the background music just works with it, perfectly! The characters just appear a perfect fit and the story is designed excellently, making it all just work!

My first impression of this game was just how excited I am to play it! When I first turned this game on, I honestly didn’t want to put my controller down, once I started playing! It’s just something I can see myself investing time in enjoying on a daily basis as it’s quite amusing and entertaining. Plenty of weapon choices to take advantage of, which the cat as a weapon was cute and a bit comical. Plus, the chance to choose a new character, unlocking different ones as well as earning enough to upgrade one’s accessories or buying specific items really proves that there is more to the game than something that will last only an hour.

It totally won’t be the most boring game, but the most exhilarating style platform game one can play at this time! I honestly loved the story design as well as the funny features that are included. It’s seriously a cute game for everyone. Plus not too difficult to get a hang of.

What was funny, is that I got a bit spooked, like the game was going to be closely related to the Purge. Those movies had a round-style face and neon lights on them. Like a spooky mask, even can be for Halloween. However, this was totally not the case. Though it does add to the edge and possibly that underworld feel, as the game goes on. I just thought it was a bit spooky and intriguing what this game had to bring before even playing.

So I guess even a game’s cover image or title screen won’t be exactly what one should expect. As true as judging anyone. No matter, it’s quite an excellent game and the title screen made me want to play it even more, or fear it if it’s spookier than I was thinking. Luckily, it’s not a scary game and much more enjoyable!

By the way, one downside that I felt really annoyed me in this game. Just in the beginning. I felt the one issue I had and it really isn’t something horrible as the game is superb even if it wasn’t able to be fixed. So I confess that I had a problem with the controls as the game may be an easy one to learn by the beginning guidance, explaining in each section the controls to move the character. However, it is a bit hard when I am so used to playing a game with the jump and weapon action being designated as one of the letter buttons on the controller. So it’s not that hard to get used to, but thankfully they allow for a controller adjusting; change.

I was able to make my jumping a bit easier on my controller, but unluckily the shooting needs to be with the analog stick as it’s used to shoot in every direction. The rest was perfect, just really two things that bothered me. Yet, when I was able to adjust to a key; a button that suited me it wasn’t quite bad. I don’t there was anything else that annoyed me. As the game plays great and I couldn’t want better!

Honestly, platformer games are very amusing and entertaining for me. Especially growing up with Mario as my favorite. So to play a pixel, platform-style game even in these modern, 3D style times, I really just love it! Therefore, I can only say that out of many of the recent ones I’ve tried this year, this game is superb and so worth it!

Review: Necromunda: Underhive Wars

Natosha M

-

Nov 20, 2021

0

The game, Necromunda: Underhive Wars is something that really is unique, original, and honestly isn’t really something I’d play. Honestly, I don’t want to say anything bad about a game as it’s not how the game plays, the genre, or the design. I just feel a bit lost in what needs to be done. Maybe I can blame it on that I’m not a big tactical, strategy-style gamer. Yet, I don’t mind giving it a shot every once in a while.

I feel that this game just lost me from the very start. It’s a bit confusing, especially for first-time players. I’ve tried to realize what I need to do to control the team members while playing. It was crazy trying to hunt down the buttons on the controller to figure what does what. Nevertheless, I just got lost each round and did anything I could at least do, like move somewhere to get out of the way. That didn’t really help me and possibly why I ruined many of my turns. Never getting me closer or helping me dominate the other side. Also why I’ve lost and was defeated on my first run of the game.

The entire mapping of the controls is what I am wishing I could see clearly in the pause menu option. Yet it’s not something I’m finding. However, most of the buttons are labeled on the screen what you can do, but I felt a bit lost still. Not that I don’t know how to put it together, or understand what I can use.

It was when trying to know if I can do other things like moving my teammates and possibly jump over objects, which I’ve always disliked when playing a game. That actually made me feel a bit limited with the movement I can make. It even took me some closer look to notice in areas you can press the letter A to climb over a block of things in my path.

Additionally, I know there was a map viewing, another thing that took me a while to figure out, and yet I still felt limited in the location we are battling in. Again, just being lost and unsure what or where to go next, well it made me uncertain if I wanted to keep trying to play. On the other hand, the weapons and design of the game are no problem, nothing but well-done art. As well as the background scene around. So nothing wrong or bad to report there. Yet, even the design of the game can’t help how I feel.

Each time I tried playing, I just really can’t seem to find myself getting into it as much. Maybe a break will be a good thing then give it another go. Of course, It’s gonna take time to actually understand the controls and what I can do or how far I can go before I can’t. I just wish it was a little different, with a tutorial on how to use or choose different features before throwing the player into the game, expecting it to be a piece of cake.

Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy that it starts off with women as the players in the game. Two to be exact, defeating two similar ones on the other side. Yet, it still doesn’t help when I can’t understand my role or what is being asked of me when I need to move wherein the game or how to defeat and use a weapon correctly. It just doesn’t suit me as a game I’d play right now.

Lastly, I like to say that I’m so sorry Necromunda, you were well designed graphically and have an excellent camera controlling the action. Perfect view of everything going on. However, it’s just not as fun as many other games because I can’t figure it out as easily or find myself getting entertained or captivated by the story.

Review: Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water

Alex Chessun

-

Nov 19, 2021

0

Review: Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water

It probably doesn’t behoove a game reviewer to say this, but I don’t understand the concept of a horror video game.

Let me explain – we all know that video games are artificial, unchanging boxes with restricted freedom, but the very best make you forget that you are playing within a very specific set of rules and give you the impression that the game, neigh the world, is bending to your every whim.

A necessity for this to succeed is to provide a highly stimulating environment for the player and then to hand over the controls, but strangely, horror games aim to do the opposite and end up putting themselves between and rock and a hard place. It goes without saying that horror games require a large dosage of fear to be effective, but this emotion is felt most strongly when experienced passively – which kind of nullifies the point of a game – so in including functionality, and with each manually controlled step, the potential of each scare reduces. In a sense then, making a pure horror video game is like waging an unwinnable war between active and passive entertainment, with movement in either direction often affecting the other negatively – that is of course unless a hybrid horror game is made that include elements from other genres – i.e. Resident Evil.

Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water, the 5th entry of the Final Frame series, cares little for this though, nor the threat of following the long list of dormant horror franchises that were unable to provide something new, as it comes bulldozing into your eyeballs a very bland blast from the past.

With a slow and deliberate formula of maze-like maps that hide keys to dark and ominous buildings and a story that’s read from notes scattered on the floor, you’d wonder if this was a remaster of a PS1 game rather than a Wii U title, and it’s because of this refusal to include any ‘improvements’ made in the last couple of decades, that it is likely to polarize its potential audience with many to likely consider it outdated while others might be glad to see a return of the good old days.

This is in relation to only one of its two parts though as the game can basically be divided into two sections – 1) The monotonous retro exploring with the litter collect-athon in the woods and 2) The camera ‘action’ and the black and white cutscenes. These might be the two sides of the same coin, but how very different they come across.

The camera, which the gameplay is centered, is a great gun-like system that uses the camera’s viewfinder to line up targets on the ghost’s person before snapping away to exorcise them. Dispatching the ethereal forms with House of the Dead-like sound effects from the loud camera shutter and shrieks from the ghosts carry the load that the exploration sections are incapable of holding, but as these sections constitute a small percentage of each chapter, the thrill is fleeting in the large scheme of things.

The best part of the gameplay is also one of the shortest lasting.

Unsurprisingly the black and white cutscenes are where the bulk of the scares come from, providing terrifying imagery and audio but the story itself is quite forgettable.

Furthermore, apart from a last-ditch attempt with 8 different endings, there is very little replay value or much to be gained in playing the chapters over again, as the game’s only gameplay – the camera function – is quite shallow, acting only as a weapon instead of solving story threads or mysteries of the ghosts you are shooting. It brings me back to my original thought that horror games need different genre gimmicks, such as survival and action elements to entertain as a ‘game’.

Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water is a decent, but antiquated title that was screaming for an update, but all it got was an artbook and some minor visual adjustments. While it’s hardly going to do the series any favors in creating a new audience it will be fun for those who enjoy a good retro horror title.

Review: Venus: Improbable Dream

Daniel Waite

-

Nov 19, 2021

0

The world can be a cruel place, and your mind can be your worst enemy. Anxiety and low self-esteem can be the most debilitating ailments, and to make matters worse, the surrounding world is blissfully unaware of your suffering. Venus: Improbable Dream explores this touching and taboo subject in its immersive story.

Developed by Borealis and Ratalaika Games and published by Eastasiasoft Limited, this is a sombre visual novel. This moderate to long read comprises twelve tough and emotion-packed chapters. You’ll witness the power of friendship, music, and love as the protagonist’s world evolves alongside the story.

Venus: Improbable Dream offers minimal choices.

The visual novel genre is renowned for its plot changing choices. Players have the chance to influence the character’s dialogue and your decisions change the course of the story. However, Venus: Improbable Dream steers clear of this staple mechanic. Subsequently, it’s a little unorthodox and may leave some gamers reeling. I, on the other hand, enjoyed that lack of input. The beauty of this visual novel is its immersive plot, and too many choices would have broken that connection.

You see the world through the eyes of Kakeru, a young man who was born with a birth defect that he hates. He cannot shake the negative feelings that haunt him, and depression and anxiety cripple his life. You follow his timid steps as he joins the school music club, where he tries to exorcise these demons. Here he finds friendship, serenity, and like-minded individuals. Can you guide Kakeru through this dark chapter and help him to dream again?

Taboo subjects.

Though many people are more open-minded, taboo subjects still touch a nerve. Fortunately, however, Venus: Improbable Dream doesn’t shy away from its tough subject matter. Its beautifully worded script captures the clichés and common misconceptions. But it also makes light of these mistakes. There are undertones of an educational element running through the plot, and this was great. Luckily, though, it wasn’t preachy or in your face and it didn’t detract from the strong sense of emotion.

The twelve chapters fly by, mainly thanks to the lack of dialogue choices. Therefore, it was easy to become swept up in the situation thanks to the wonderful characters and excellent environments. Moreover, the developers did brilliantly to avoid the usual OTT and “shocking” Anime/Manga animations. The use of “normal” in your face elements was refreshing, and this helped to maintain its touching charm.

Venus: Improbable Dream lets its script do all the work.

Visual novels have to keep you interested throughout, and most use bright colours and vivid imagery. Venus: Improbable Dream doesn’t! It’s a much more laid back and sombre affair, and this was fantastic as it matched the subject matter. The use of earthy tones and plainer characters gives a more grounded impression. Though the developers used an Anime/Manga style, it was scaled back, and I appreciated its simplicity. The normal over-sexualising of every character was avoided, and this was key because of the theme.

As expected, the audio followed suit. The calmer and emotive soundtrack enhanced the touching story. The low key music plays softly alongside the unfolding plot and helped you to connect with each character. You may worry that it was depressing, yet it certainly wasn’t. It’s true that it touched a nerve, but you can’t help but love how it supports every sad and happy moment.

Plays and reads like a book.

Avid readers will recognise the relaxing and trouble-free experience of reading. You sit back with a drink, some food, and allow the book to take you on a journey. Venus: Improbable Dream does just this with its simple control setup and lack of dialogue options. You’ll watch the story unfold, build a rapport with the characters, and become wrapped up in the drama. It won’t be for everyone, but I loved its relaxed approach.

Much of this visual novel is excellent, however, its replay value is sadly lacking. One playthrough is enough to uncover every subplot, and there are no alternative endings. This was disappointing and was a surprise. I expected it to have multiple outcomes, like its peers. Luckily, though, its wordy story will keep you interested and this proves to be great value for money.

Venus: Improbable Dream had me hooked.

I love a great visual novel, and Venus: Improbable Dream had me hooked from the start. Its touching plot, relaxed approach, interesting characters, and varied landscapes all combine brilliantly. It tackles many taboos in a tasteful way, and I recommend you to buy it here! Watch Kakeru come out of his shell as his closed world slowly opens.

Review: Zool Redimensioned

Jordan Kirkpatrick

-

Nov 19, 2021

0

Back in 1991, the gaming landscape was forever changed with the release of Sonic The Hedgehog. The beloved fast-paced 2D platformer changed the scope of gaming franchises and the loveable Sonic grew into a classic retro icon of early 90s gaming.

The sheer success that Sonic was created a shift in the gaming landscape and every developer was clambering to create their own 2D platformer and iconic mascots. In 1992, the beloved Zool crash-landed onto the Commodore Amiga, and now 30 years later he has returned with brand new graphics, reworked sprites and a smoother experience of a classic game.

Off the bat, one of the most interesting things about Zool Redimensioned is that whilst it has been created with some input from the original developer team over at Gremlin Graphics, it has primarily been adopted by the Sumo Digital Academy, which features mainly students looking to further their experience within the industry. With this in mind, it’s clear that the remaster still has a lot of the heart and soul that the original Zool held—and that’s coming from someone who wasn’t even alive when it first came out.

It’s common that when a classic retro game is remastered that a lot of its soul and personality can be easily lost, but thankfully, Zool retained its most important features.

Zool Redimensioned has two primary game modes: Redimensioned and Ultimate Ninja.

Redimensioned is a brand new modernised experience—as the game itself states, this mode is ideal for first-timers, speedrunners and those who want to practise their platforming skills. A new double jump control has been added to this mode, which is something new to the Zool series. This feature in particular comes across as one of the most influential, especially when you compare the gameplay to Ultimate Ninja mode where double jumping is disabled. The requirement of collectables to finish a level has also been made optional here.

Ultimate Ninja mode is the perfect mode for Zool veterans. As previously mentioned, double jumping is disabled, and you’re now playing with old school rules. As a newbie to the Zool franchise, this mode was pretty daunting at first. The addition of the double jump completely streamlines a lot of the difficulty issues I was having with Ultimate Ninja mode, so it’s crazy to think that this wasn’t even a feature in the original game. To finish a level, you will also be required to pick up any collectables within a time limit. The combination of the classic art style combined with the difficulty of Ultimate Ninja mode is iconic of the quintessential 90s platformer—I certainly need more practise regardless.

Level selection options have also been added in this remaster, which only further adds to the ease of gameplay for completionists, achievement hunters and speedrunners.

Despite the fact that Zool is almost 30 years old, the designs, graphics and music composition hold up incredibly well. The music is instantly iconic and recognisable of something you’d immediately expect of any 90s cult classic retro platformer.

However, there are some aspects that Zool Redimensioned finds itself stuck in the 90s with.

The levels in general are quite simple compared to some modern-day platformers, and the level design certainly isn’t as instantly recognisable or memorable as Sonic’s Green Hill Zone is for example. The levels can be somewhat confusing at times too—it can be difficult to differentiate what’s a platform, what’s a collectable and what’s part of the background and everything can blend at points. Some of the end-game bosses are rather forgettable too, especially if you didn’t grow up with them like me.

Regardless, with over 30 levels and plenty of achievements to complete, Zool Redimensioned is a faithful adaptation that will instantly impress retro gamers and pull in new fans like myself. With lots of replayability, challenges for completionists and speedrunners alike, Zool Redimensioned is a feel-good 90s classic that shouldn’t be pushed to the side without a chance.