Review: Virche Evermore -ErroR: Salvation-

Josh Blackburn
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Review: Virche Evermore -ErroR: Salvation-

Virche Evermore. There’s a title for you. I put Virche into Google but the best it gives is a surname with the definition of ‘High Intelligence’. Not normally something I’d consider title material, but there you go. Don’t get me started on the random capital R in Error. But anyway, it actually fits in a peculiar way. Virche Evermore is a chaotic and frankly unsettling game. Makes sense that the title wouldn’t follow any normal rules. Much like its title, I’m not entirely sure how I feel about Virche Evermore.

Like most I’ve played in this genre, I found the story and character reveals to be very interesting but the actual gameplay leaves me feeling rather cold. It’s much the same story with the last Otome game I played. In both cases, I went in expecting a light romp full of handsome anime men and was met with something quite different. In this case, an unexpected helping of horror and despair. I rather liked it, even if Virche Evermore wasn’t too fussed about having me around.

Love And Death

Virche Evermore comes out swinging right from the word go. Our heroine, Ceres, is the physical embodiment of death. Though rather than a skull face and a scythe, she has bobbed blonde hair and a teeny-wee smile. She’s more of a death-by-excessive-kindness kind of a reaper. She makes a deal with a shady bloke called the ‘Watchman of Death’, who tasks her with uncovering the strange happenings going on around the country. Happenings like a burly bloke with a halberd slicing people into unrecognisable meat chunks. I said ‘horror’, after all.

I rather like it. It feels like every small facet of Virche Evermore is fleshed out, almost to the point of mania. The world is under a curse that kills people by the time they turn 23, tech exists to clone their bodies and download their memories and there are black flowers everywhere that kill people when they’re picked. It’s relentless, impressive worldbuilding. Characters get the same amount of love too. Take Lucas, a kind teacher with impossible strength, or Mathis – awkward, shy but obssessed with revenge. Pretty much everywhere you look, there’s something interesting. It’s ultimately what kept me plowing through.

I’m going to nitpick the line-by-line writing in the usual fashion, but everything in Virche Evermore reeks of unrestrained creativity. I imagine this is part of the beauty of a visual novel, as a standard novel would have to go through a publishing house. With visual novels, you can write what you want without a squad of editors snipping it down. Hence all the blood, gore and… rather uncomfortable endings. I rather like the whole unsettling aspect. Added on to that is some lovely art, with character designs matching their personalities and some stunning background work. Voice acting is pretty top notch too, even if it is in a language I don’t speak.

Neglected For Choice

On the despair front, Virche Evermore forces you to play through all of the bad endings for its characters before you can get the good ones. This is where the horrific stuff comes in. Take, for example, an ending where the worst dregs of humanity are repeatedly downloaded into a character’s brain, night after night. Fun times for all. Being a fan of horror, I rather like this – and the need to play the bad endings ensures that the only way to go is up. Not to mention that seeing these characters at their worst is good motivation to see them in a better light.

In truth, my only issues with Virche Evermore are ones that are largely endemic to the genre. The writing, for example, has that particular visual novel quality of being horribly overwritten. It delights in saying something obvious in dialogue and then saying the same thing right after in narration. Like when the Watchman magically heals a hand wound and disappears into the night, only for Ceres to think she ‘wouldn’t be suprised if he’s not human’. Yes. Welcome to obvious land, Ceres. It did start to grate after a while. This isn’t telling over showing. It’s showing then telling. Still, my biggest gripe comes from the actual gameplay.

I appreciate that if you’re a fan of the genre, this may not bother you, so feel free to skip down to the score. It’s the lack of any real input on our part that does it. For the vast majority of the game, Ceres makes the decisions, not us. She decides where to go, what to do and who to talk to. It’s like looking through a picture book. At set points, a binary choice will pop up to divert things but then it indicates visually if you picked the right answer. If you didn’t, it comes with a flowchart that lets you reset your choice and go down the other route. Our input is then down to the level of clicking through PowerPoint slides.

Virche Evermore – An Interesting Read

To me, it’s just not what I call a ‘game’, exactly. It’s a story that’s content to unfold largely without me. But that’s personal preference and putting that aside, my feelings towards Virche Evermore are largely positive. It’s thoroughly unsettling from start to finish and I’m down with that. The world and its characters are relentlessly creative. The actual writing does labour the point quite a lot though, so I did find it a game that I needed to play in small bursts because my brain kept getting saturated by excessive narration.

In the time I had, I only managed to get through two of the (bad) endings, but was left broadly entertained. I’ve not played many in this genre – to be frank, I’m not that keen on playing more – but I’d imagine Virche Evermore is part of the upper crust. It’s a story that’s worth experiencing as I doubt you’ll find much like it. The lack of player agency may be offputting, but if this your cup of tea and you’re in the mood for something full of blood, gore and handsome anime men, then give it a whirl.

(Virche Evermore’s Store Page)

News: Amazon Spring Deal Days

Daniel Waite
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News: Amazon Spring Deal Days

Akko knows that PC gaming is an expensive hobby. However, if you want the best gear, you know you have to shell out a reasonable amount of cash. Thankfully, this incredible company has discounted some of its amazing tech for this Amazon Spring Deal Days event. I know what you are thinking, a money-off sale isn’t that special. Well, when you see what is on offer, you may change your mind.

This sales event runs from March 20th until March 25th. Moreover, Akko has discounted 6 unique products to improve your gaming experience. Accordingly, if you wish to upgrade your switches, keyboard, or keycaps, then you’ve come to the right article. There is up to a whopping 31% off these stunning items. Furthermore, you know you’ll receive exceptional customer service from both companies. As such, you have nothing to lose.

What tech has Akko discounted during the Amazon Spring Deal Days?

Akko 5075B Plus Gaming Keyboard.

The Akko 5075B plus keyboard is equipped with a professional Beken multimode controller chip and supports Bluetooth modes, 2.4 GHz wireless and USB-C wired. Additionally, the hot-swap PCB gives you the freedom to change the 3-pin/5-pin switches without soldering. Finally,  All keys of the keyboard can be re-mapped to enable action sequences except the ones used for controlling the Macro mode.

Amazon Spring Deal Days – RRP £115.99. Discount 31%. Sale price £80.03

Akko 5075B Plus Mechanical Gaming Keyboard.

The black and silver scheme combines the classic elegance of black with the sleek sophistication of silver. Akko 5075B Plus comes with a function row and a multimedia rotary encoder for productivity. All keys of the keyboard can be equipped with RGB effects via the online updatable battery cloud driver. Moreover, an upgraded version of the Akko CS switch, the switch with a dustproof shaft, features higher stability.

Amazon Spring Deal Days – RRP £105.99. Discount 25%. Sale Price £79.49

Akko 5075S RGB Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard.

5075S ISO-UK keyboard is equipped with hot-swappable terminals, with which you can install keyboard switches directly without soldering. Gasket mounting is a type of keyboard mounting where no screw holes are drilled into the switch plate which usually has a cleaner sound profile because the gaskets cushion the shock of each keypress.  Double-shot keycaps are extremely durable and wear-resistant even for decades, and the printed legends are particularly vivid and sharp with high contrast, which is proven to be sturdy and oil-proof even after a long time of use. 

Amazon Spring Deal Days – RRP £103.69. Discount 20%. Sale Price £82.95

Akko V3 Pro Cream Yellow Mechanical Keyboard Switch.

The cream switches now feature alloy copper and palladium gold contact, which provide better conductivity, stability, and durability. With the 20mm spring extension, the POM/PC/PA materials will make the switches more smooth and creamy, providing a unique typing experience. Akko CS switches are equipped with LED slots ready for LED Mod/Assembly, and are SMD compatible (LED underneath the switch), giving you the flexibility to create a custom keyboard that stands out from the crowd.

Amazon Spring Deal Days – RRP £20.99. Discount 20%. Sale Price £16.79

Akko V3 Fairy Linear Silent Keyboard Switch for Mechanical Gaming Keyboard.

Akko 50gf linear silent fairy switches are designed to minimise noise during keypresses. The linear silent switches provide a consistent and smooth keystroke without a tactile bump or audible click, making them ideal for users who want to type with minimal disturbance. Akko fairy switches have an approximate lifespan of 50 million keystrokes based on laboratory durability tests. One pack comes with 45 switches and a plastic tray, ensuring your switches stay in top condition.

Amazon Spring Deal Days – RRP £22.69. Discount 20%. Sale Price £18.15

Akko Custom Keycaps Set.

The Red Fuji keycap set is inspired by the Japanese woodblock artwork depicting the reddish Mt. Fuji at dawn in early autumn. This custom keycap set comes with a base set including command and option keycaps specifically for Mac OSX users. Dye-Sub PBT keycaps are extremely durable and resistant to wear even for decades, and the legends won’t fade away easily compared to conventional ABS keycaps.

Amazon Spring Deal Days – RRP £44.99. Discount 20%. Sale Price £35.99

Grab yourself a bargain.

5 days is not a long time. Consequently, if you are looking to improve your gaming set-up, you will not want to miss out. Akko produces some of the best products available. Therefore, if you can buy one at a bargain price, it is a hell of a good deal. Remember, the Amazon Spring Deal Days only runs until March 25th. Subsequently, you will have to act fast if you wish to grab a great deal.

(More information on Akko can be found here!)

Review: Turnip Boy Robs a Bank

Daniel Waite
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Review: Turnip Boy Robs a Bank

Turnip Boy Robs a Bank highlights every vegetable’s lack of morals! This amusing but repetitive title will test your patience and accuracy as you try to get rich through elicit means. Moreover, it is free to play if you subscribe to Game Pass, so you have nothing to lose.

This action-adventure title was developed by Snoozy Kazoo and published by Graffiti Games. Additionally, it utilises rogue-lite elements and is laced with amusing moments. This is the first Turnip Boy game I’ve tackled, and I was pleasantly surprised by the witty dialogue and interesting gameplay mechanics.

Use your cactus gun to take down those vegetables.

Turnip Boy Robs a Bank takes a dark turn. 

Turnip Boy is a career criminal. However, he has a line that rarely gets crossed. Unfortunately, he gets into some deep water and crosses paths with the fearsome Pickled Gang. This crew of misfits demands his help, and he unwittingly agrees. What unfolds is a story of danger, theft, and weird vegetable shenanigans. In short, it is odd, captivating, but most importantly, fun.

The gameplay follows a repetitive loop. The protagonist has a limited time to enter the bank, explore each room, and steal as much money as possible. En route, you must shake down vegetables for cash and shoot anything that moves. Moreover, there are bosses to defeat and some minor puzzles to complete. As such, there are plenty of little elements to keep you entertained throughout.

Use your cash to buy new gear.

Quests and weapons. 

Though the core loop is simple and repetitive, the action is punctuated by interesting quests and an array of crazy weapons. Alongside this, the list of big bosses will test your skills and resolve. Accordingly, you must keep on your toes if you wish to keep every ounce of your ill-gotten gains. 

None of the quests will push you to your limits. Instead, they require a drip-fed layer of succession. Consequently, don’t expect to complete the main mission or each side quest in one run. It was this simple approach that keeps you coming back for more. 

On top of this, the varied arsenal of weapons was interesting to handle. Moreover, there are upgradable skills and a host of perks to purchase. Each element allows you to dive deeper and last longer on each run. They also help tackle the tougher vegetable criminals in the latter stages. As such, it is a bit of a juggling act as you contemplate what to upgrade first.

Turnip Boy Robs a Bank takes a simple approach. 

Though the basic imagery won’t appease everyone, I loved how Turnip Boy Robs a Bank took a retro approach. The pixelated imagery and garish colour palette were pleasant to the eye. Moreover, the stage layout was refined but clever, and the character models were interesting. Finally, the developer steered clear of unnecessary blood and gore. As such, this is ideal for younger gamers.

The dramatic and high-energy audio complements the crazy action. Each weapon has a unique sound that brings a wry smile to your face. Furthermore, the crash and bang of every explosion will make your ears ring. Subsequently, this is a loud game that rarely rests on its laurels. 

Stinky is not happy that a turnip is breaking into his bank.

Brilliant controls. 

Though each weapon has unique properties, I never struggled. Thanks to the excellent tutorial and superb controller layout, I mastered this in no time. Moreover, the responsive inputs allowed me to slay every carrot, snail, and rabbit that crossed my path. 

Rogue-lite games are renowned for their longevity and replay value. Luckily, Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is no different. Though the inevitable loss of property is annoying, I couldn’t help but fall for its charms. Alongside this, the bite-sized action is easy to swallow, and the quests are fun and captivating. 

Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is a great indie game. 

The indie market is getting better and better! Consequently, I enjoy the shorter and often easy-to-follow gameplay. Turnip Boy Robs a Bank offers some exceptional pick-up and play gameplay. Moreover, the plot is amusing, and who doesn’t love the idea of killing a carrot? Accordingly, I love this title and I recommend buying it here! Can you complete your heist and help the Pickled Gang? Pick your weapon, complete each quest, and get rich in the process.

Backbone Announces 2nd-gen Lightning Products

Andrew Edney
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Backbone Announces 2nd-gen Lightning Products

Backbone, the leading platform for mobile gaming, is announcing the completion of their 2nd-generation product lineup with the introduction of two new products: the Backbone One – Lightning (2nd Gen) and Backbone One – PlayStation™ Edition – Lightning (2nd Gen) controllers. With the latest hardware and performance updates, Backbone players can now ‘expand their play’ with games like the newly announced Call of Duty®: Warzone™ Mobile, increased Remote Play connectivity, and improved game streaming with services like Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now.

Backbone’s 2nd Gen products feature a range of improvements for better, faster, and longer gaming. Improvements include new magnetic adapters to support many popular phone cases, an improved ergonomic design, enhanced phone stability, a reshaped D-Pad, and more. Plus, Backbone+ members receive a 30% discount when upgrading to a 2nd-gen controller, no trade-in required. 

Review: Death Trick Double Blind

Robert Andalon
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Review: Death Trick Double Blind

Intro 

This visual novel experience harkens back to a lighthearted TV show with a memorable cast and an enthralling circus setting. These aspects coupled with strong writing and light action mechanics propel Death Trick Double Blind to set a proficient bar that left me having had an enjoyable adventure, even if a more seasoned player might anticipate the twist coming from a mile away.

The Premise 

             In this story you’ll play through the perspective of two different viewpoints. First is the magician, Jackie. She’s traveled from Europe to take the place of her friend, The Amazing Hattie, after coming to find she has been unexpectedly murdered. Upon her arrival to the circus, Jackie convinces Moses, the showrunner, to disguise herself as the “missing” Hattie for the rest of the shows scheduled in San Francisco, CA. Moses doesn’t want the news of Hattie’s death released since he knows this will affect ticket sales, and he does hint to the business being in financial decline. Aside from having the gig as the main act, Jackie’s goal is to meet all the performers of the circus, and inquire what they know of Hattie’s death. 

The Amazing Hattie!
The Amazing Hattie, the star of this circus has disappeared!

             In the other perspective, you’ll wake from being unconscious, outside the circus and without clothing. Having a pounding headache, Detective Jones can’t remember what happened to get him into this precarious situation. Jones calls his secretary of his investigative business to see if she can catch him up to speed. Funnily, she says that this is a common occurrence for the detective, and explains that he has been hired by Moses to investigate the murder of Hattie. Afterwards, Detective Jones meets with Moses at 10AM (after putting on clothes) and is given the deadline to solve the case by the final performance, which is tonight at 7PM. Given such a tight deadline, Jones has no time to lose and immediately leaps to investigate all possible suspects of the crime. The two characters are on a similar path to find out about Hattie with constricting limitations and a killer in their midst. 

             Of the two player personalities, Jones is the one with more engaging conversations and agency. Jackie, on the other hand, feels a bit bland in her dialogue and limited in choices, but I believe that’s intentional due to what happens later in the story. Nonetheless, the supporting characters are all diverse and fun to interact with. They are brimming with their personalities to the point where you will start to care for them by the time of the resolution. To get there, It is very important to use distinct knowledge from both Detective Jones and Jackie to leverage the knowledge and put the pieces of the murder mystery together. Confirming alibis, recalling significant events and ruling out suspects are all a part of the alternating perspectives.

The Gameplay

Starting a conversation with a suspect of your choosing will begin with your player approaching at a time where they are busy with performing, eating, or practicing. These scenes are charming bits to learn about the characters, and it’s realistic. Following these sequences opens a conversation that allows the player to question any of the pieces of information or items regarding the mystery at hand. Each inquiry costs 1 Action Point (AP), and the player is given 5 to start off with. Additionally, the players can search the surrounding areas to find critical items to use in their investigation. If given the opportunity, the player can put two conflicting pieces of information involving a character to “contradict” them. There’s a hint system in place to let you know when there are conflicting pieces, but it’s up to you to put the pieces together to catch the suspects in a lie. These options give the player more variety to interact with the characters and more ways to solve the mystery, and they also cost 1AP.

Here is a view of what the action system looks like, you would choose one of the pieces of information and the character will respond.
A view of what a conversation will look like, you would select a piece of info and the character will respond to it.

A Light Action System

Once both characters deplete their respective AP, the time moves forward by one hour, inching closer to 7pm. It never felt like I needed more than 5AP because the game will not allow you to pick an action that will be a waste of an AP. There was not much consequence to inputting answers that didn’t match the conversation. I’m glad it didn’t though cause I can see that getting frustrating. The AP system is not perfect, and not all conversations flow cohesively, but these moments don’t take away from the overall satisfaction of the playthrough. 

Visuals & Performance

             Running on my PC, I experienced no hiccups or problems whatsoever when it comes to performance. I wouldn’t think that a visual novel would have any problems of that sort, but you never know. As for the visuals, they are substantial and give a painted like style. The vibrant colors and painted like composition compliment the odd characters and circus setting perfectly.

The Verdict

Death Trick Double Blind may not blindside a veteran visual novelist, but it remains a very charming experience that will keep you intrigued by its likable characters, a solid action system and an intriguingly high stakes ruse. The use of the AP system coupled with giving you the agency to inquire with any information you choose truly evokes the feeling of Sherlock Holmes when the puzzle pieces you chose match. The system isn’t perfect, but when you unravel the mystery of the plot you will feel satisfied that you were able to connect the dots. Even deeper satisfaction when you get to see certain characters’ lore after the fact. I highly recommend giving Death Trick Double Blind a play through if you have a craving to solve a murder mystery. This game is available in March of 2024 on Steam and Nintendo Switch.

Review: Granblue Fantasy: Relink

Mani Naghshbandi
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Review: Granblue Fantasy: Relink

The first game of the Granblue Fantasy franchise was released for smartphones in 2014 and became a very successful game on smartphones and attracted many fans, five years later in December 2019 the first game of this franchise on consoles and PC was released under the name Granblue Fantasy versus, which was not in the RPG genre like the first game, but in the fighting genre, and four years later, in December 2023, the second game in the fighting genre was released for PS5, PS4 and PC under the name Granblue Fantasy versus: rising And with an interval of almost two months, on February 1, 2024, the first Granblue Fantasy with RPG genre was released for consoles and PC, returning to the genre of the first game in the franchise.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink in Action RPG genre was released in February after more than seven years in development.

The RPG genre is one of the most popular genres in the video game industry and has many fans, but many games are released in this genre every year, which has created a lot of competition for these games, so Granblue Fantasy: Relink must have high quality to be successful in this competition. Has it been able to achieve the required quality? In the following, you will get the answer to this question.

STORY

The story is good and not bad by any means but not a great story, the story starts and the prologue is on the grandcypher flying ship where you meet your crew who are supposed to be with you throughout the game, at the beginning you are in a storm And after some time passes and the storm ends, you reach Zegagrande Skydom, the members of this crew are Lyria, Vyrn, Katalina, Io, Rackam, Eugen, and Rosetta, and you are the captain of this crew, and your goal is to go to Estalucia, which is a mythical astral realm, after some time has passed since reaching Zegagrande Skydom, monsters will attack your ship and give you the basic combat training of the game, and then strange things will happen to Lyria, who has a life link with the captain (if something happens to one of them Both of them feel that and their life and death are tied together) and causes the crew members to worry, but they get over it soon.

Lyria can command primal beasts and summon them, and katalina is her guardian.

After reaching the city of folca, you meet rolan and the news comes that the village of tempeal is in danger and you go there to help and notice the presence of a primal beast and you have to catch it with the help of lyria so that it does not harm people. In the third chapter, you meet the main villain of the game, Lilith and understand that she needs Lyria for her powers and wants to kidnap her, your story and main goal begins here.

The general story is very ordinary, but it works well in details and plot twists, especially at the ending parts of the story. The length of the main story is almost ten hours and it is short, and it would be better if it was least fifteen hours, but fortunately, other contents of the game is very large and vast.

The game has twelve chapters, one of which is the prologue and one is chapter 0 which is the epilogue and starts after the completion of the main story.

By going to the quest counter section in the cities, you can access the fate episodes, which are actually the backstories of the characters in your crew. and for each episode you need to complete the unlock requirements of that episode.

CHARACTER DESIGN

The design of the characters is wonderful, each of them has their own unique morals that you will get to know during the story, the design of the characters is so good that you become attached to them in the first few minutes.

GAMEPLAY

The gameplay is very diverse, deep, smooth and enjoyable, at the beginning of the game you have two skills and the square button is for attack and the triangle button is for unique attack, by pressing R2 you can dodge and with L1 you can guard, each character has a combo list. and using it you can perform different combos and hit the enemies, for example three times a square and once a triangle, two squares and two triangles, etc, the skills are different for each character and the arrangement of different skills It is completely in the hands of the player. For example, I will explain some skills: reginleiv: fires a projectile attack, decimate: a multi-hit slash attack with a wide attack radius, casts a circle that restores allies’ HP, enchanted lands: a fast, piercing lunge attack and many other skills that by unlocking them in the masteries section or the skill tree, you can get different and diverse skills for each character, four skills can be equipped at the same time, and by holding R1 and pressing one of the buttons (X, square, triangle, or circle) to use your skills that you have already arranged, there are several types of skills in the game: wind, plain, water, fire, dark, and earth. by hitting the enemies more often your art level will increase and your skills will cause more damage to the enemy.

Normal attacks are not limited to melee either and you can choose characters with ranged attack.

You have to choose four crewmates as your party members for the battles, at the beginning of the game you can select your party members only from the main characters of the game story that I mentioned earlier and then you can get the crewmate cards from knickknack shack and add new members to the party, the crewmates you buy have no role in the story and cutscenes, and only the main characters are present in the cutscenes.

During the battles, there is a blue line next to your enemies, when that line is filled, you can press the circle button in a limited time to execute the link attack, and all of the party members that are in the selected range of that enemy will perform a powerful attach against that enemy, and this link attack is one of the best gameplay features of this game, when the orange line is filled or almost filled under the health bar of you and the rest of the party members, you can press L3 and R3 to execute skybound art and deliver a very powerful blow to the enemies, if one or two or three or all four of the members of the party are almost full of orange line and are present in the designated area, a final hit will be done, and all the people present in that link will attck together with a powerful attack.

There is a potion wheel in the game, one of which restores a part of your health, one restores your entire health, one restores a part of your health and all party members, and the other restores you quickly and efficiently when you are in critical condition and waiting to be revived. If your health reaches zero during the fight, you will enter a critical condition and you will not be able to fight until the circle that shows on the screen is full, if the party members come to your aid, the circle will be full faster and if more party members help reviving you, it will get faster.

The boss fights of the game are very diverse and are not repetitive, each of them has their own moves and after being damaged a lot, they go into overdrive mode and deliver faster and stronger attacks to you and your party members, boss fights are very enjoyable and epic. and they are all well designed.

The way of moving the camera and locking on the enemies can sometimes be annoying and a bit difficult, but it is not a significant problem.

Loadings are annoying during the transition from gameplay to cutscene and from cutscene to gameplay, and this problem could easily be solved with the power of PS5’s SSD and would not be annoying.

Animations and various effects are excellent and smooth and have helped to make the gameplay more enjoyable.

Weapons can be upgraded by collecting materials from the main and side quests of the game, after the weapons level is maxed, you need a special material to uncap level and upgrade your weapons more and you can collect those special materials by doing side quests.

At the beginning of the game, the gameplay may be a little confusing, but after the first few hours and learning it, you will experience a wonderful gameplay.

The variety of enemies is large and you will encounter different types of enemies in each region.

LEVEL DESIGN

The amazing level design is one of the things that you quickly notice, the quests are never repetitive and monotonous and you don’t just go to a point to fight, the way of fighting and the events that happen during the quests are very diverse and even once you wont feel that the quests are repetitive and monotonous.

VISUALS

Visually, this game looks like a very beautiful painting, the world is very colorful and eye-catching, and each environment is visually very different from the other, and each one is like a very beautiful painting.
But visually it is not heavy for PS5 and it can run 4k60fps but unfortunately you have to choose between 4k and 60fps.

SOUND DESIGN

The sound design is also well done, the soundtracks are fantastic and match the gameplay very well, each soundtrack is better than the previous one and always amazes you and is very pleasant to the ears.

CONCLUSION

The story is ordinary and acceptable and strong in some final parts. The gameplay is extremely smooth, varied and fun, the camera movement is a bit difficult and the loadings are annoying. Great level design makes the game never repetitive. The visuals are beautiful and the art is charming, but it doesn’t run at 4k60fps. The soundtracks are very catchy.

Review: Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley

Daniel Waite
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Review: Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley embodies every fine element of this incredibly touching franchise. Furthermore, every aspect respects the fine work of Tove Jansson. Accordingly, if you adore this heart-warming and family-friendly series, you will cherish every moment you spend playing this title.

This musical adventure game was developed by Hyper Games and published by Raw Fury. Thanks to its spectacular audio and touching story, you will fall for every ounce of Moomin charm. Moreover, the faithful adaptation of each main protagonist will fill you with nostalgia. As such, though this is a new adventure, it has so many wonderful, familiar moments that it will make you smile.

Snufkin relaxes whilst enjoying some fishing.

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley tells a sad tale.

The joy of Moominvalley is the love and nature that surrounds it. Yet, when this is removed, the residents have no idea of how to deal with the situation. Luckily, this is where Snufkin steps in. This nature-loving hero hates modern life. Additionally, he can’t stand it when inconsiderate people ruin every beautiful and untouched area. Accordingly, he will do anything to prevent his home and favourite places from being decimated.

During your time in Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, you must follow a linear storyline and a fairly rigid gameplay loop. The hero, Snufkin, must undertake a variety of tasks and sub-quests to help the residents and save the valley. However, this is easier said than done as puzzles and some minor stealth mechanics stand between you and success. Furthermore, the more you progress, the more damage and destruction you witness. Subsequently, you must work hard and fast if you wish to bring life back to your favourite places.

Snufkin talks to Moominpapa outside the Moomin house.

A simple concept.

Though the plot and characters are complex and touching, the core gameplay concept is undeniably simple. Snufkin is sent on an array of missions that unfold at a gentle pace. En route, he will encounter plenty of creatures and weird and wonderful beings. Each of these animals must be lured into helping you with the aid of a harmonica song. First, the music is basic and will not appease everyone. However, as the game evolves, you discover new layers to your music and this helps to entice the toughest of creatures.

Alongside this, there are some basic puzzles and some stealth moments. Neither of these will test your resolve or your skills, but they are fun to experience and add an element of variety to an otherwise structured performance. Additionally, you must use your song to manipulate some of the creatures you see. This was a great tool that amused me every time. I loved tricking the park keepers whilst sneaking past them and destroying their signs and statues.

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley looks phenomenal.

Aesthetically, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is an absolute winner! If you have watched the TV series, or you have read the books, you will cherish every single second. However, if you have somehow missed this wonderful franchise, you may wonder what the heck you are looking at. The faithful imagery and vibrant colours transport you to the nostalgia-infused 90s cartoon. Moreover, the lush world design and the slight layer variation capture your attention. Another fine element is the cinematic. The phenomenal storytelling was a joy to watch, and I could happily watch it over and over again.

The jaw-dropping audio complements the visuals. The touching soundtrack captures every fine aspect of the original series. On top of this, there is an underlying modern tone that will resonate with younger gamers. If you then consider the fine sound effects and the delightful ambient sounds, you will adore everything you see and hear.

The park keeper is told that his work is very important by the police.

Excellent controls.

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a relaxing game. However, the minor puzzle and stealth moments somewhat up the ante. Subsequently, when the gameplay ups the tempo, you rely on the responsive and well-considered keyboard layout. This is supported further as every action is highlighted on the screen. Therefore, you can’t go wrong as you explore and solve the issues in Moominvalley.

Where this is sadly lacking is replay value and longevity. If you undertake every side quest, you may get around 5 hours of gameplay. However, if you push through and focus on the core storyline, you will be lucky to enjoy 4 hours of action. This short play time was not enough for me. I wanted the game to go on and on. Yet, when the end credits rolled I was left wanting. Consequently, I desperately hope that the developers work on a sequel or some additional content.

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a must-play game if you are a fan.

If you adore the Moomins, you must play Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley! This incredibly touching experience will make you smile throughout. Moreover, its ability to stay faithful to the original protagonists and their characteristics was impressive. If you then consider the amazing aesthetics, you will be transported to this weird but nostalgia-infused cartoon world. Accordingly, I adore this game and I recommend buying it here! Can you save Moominvalley? Explore the world, solve each problem, and cherish every musical moment.

Review: Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator

Daniel Waite
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Review: Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a taxi driver? Nah, me neither. Yet, here I am looking at Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator! This simple but interesting title scratches that sim itch as well as allowing you to take in some lovely sights. On top of this, there is a small progression system as well as the chance to manage a small business. Consequently, it attempts to fit plenty of depth into a rather niche endeavour.

This simulation title was developed by Simteract and published by Nacon. This solo experience asks you to drive across a vast sprawling city whilst making plenty of money in the process. Additionally, you must explore each nook and cranny and discover landmarks and plenty of street art. Though much of the action follows tried and tested mechanics, I enjoyed the relaxing and realistic approach.

Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator allows you to write your own tale.

I often have people question my desire for a story when playing a sim game. Now, I know hobbyists adore the realism and the lack of adventure. However, I like a bit more depth to my games and often enjoy the smallest of plots. Thankfully, there is a minor backstory to the action and this was enough to keep me happy. Yet, I would have enjoyed a bit of rivalry or a love interest. Sadly, these things never materialised.

Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator focuses on your ability to navigate the streets of Barcelona. Additionally, you must expand your business and complete an array of special jobs. However, the main gameplay loop revolves around everyday people and their desire to move from point A to point B. This rudimentary mechanic should have been mundane. Instead, it was fascinating to follow the laws of the road and explore the vast city streets.

Enjoy driving your cab from a first-person perspective.

A lowly taxi driver.

At the start, you have one small car and little experience. Yet, with time and effort, you expand your business, improve your skills, and have the ability to own a fleet of luxury cars. Moreover, you can pick from an array of jobs and test your skills with special events. However, no matter what you do, you must abide by the rules of the road and maintain each vehicle you drive.

It is the maintenance element of the gameplay that adds depth to the realism. If you misuse your brakes or your speed, your car will slowly crumble. Moreover, crashing into other vehicles or buildings is detrimental to your life, car, and your earning potential. As such, you must keep on top of your fleet of cars if you wish to run the best business around.

If you tire of taking punters to their desired destinations, you can drive to your heart’s content. As you explore the bustling streets, you can observe graffiti or an array of museums, sculptures, and landmarks. This minor addition to the gameplay breaks up the repetitive nature of each job whilst adding XP to your character.

Time to roll down the windows.

XP.

The XP and progression system are essential if you wish to streamline your business. You can choose to improve your earning potential or your driving abilities. Alternatively, maybe you’ll focus your time and money on your workforce and their cars. Either way, your main goal is to explore as much of Barcelona as you can whilst making a healthy profit at the same time.

If you wish to see everything on offer, you must complete an array of tasks to improve your standing. Whether you take on normal driving tasks or undertake unique events, it is up to you. I loved the latter option as it was more challenging to speed to a set location or remain calm and abide by every law of the road. Whichever you choose, make sure to do it to the best of your ability. The better you do, the more money you earn, and the quicker your business expands.

Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator is pleasant to look at.

The developers have done a great job with Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator. Visually, the city is impressive to witness. On top of this, the cars are realistic and I liked the basic damage elements. Whether you choose to drive from the seat of your car or enjoy an external viewpoint, the gameplay is just as good. What’s more, the attention to detail and the rendering distance ensure that you won’t tire of what you see, and the action is wonderfully immersive.

As you’d expect, there is an array of radio stations to pick from. However, I was unable to make any work. Now, this may be a glitch or user error, but no matter how hard I tried, I never heard a peep. Subsequently, I focused my attention on the vast array of sound effects. The excellent ambient sounds were impressive. Moreover, I liked the engine noises and the horrific sound of every crash. Accordingly, the developers have created a realistic title.

Explore Barcelona as the sun is setting.

Excellent controls.

Thanks to the thorough tutorial, you will learn the fundamentals in no time. Additionally, the excellent UI and wonderful button layout help you to navigate the tight streets of Barcelona. Though I wasn’t a fan of the first-person viewpoint, I liked the realistic nature of the controls and how responsive every element felt. 

The world map is huge! Consequently, there is plenty to see and loads of streets to explore. Moreover, you will discover landmarks and graffiti for hours on end. Alongside this, the character progression system and the business management layers keep you coming back for more. Therefore, this has both replay value and longevity.

Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator is a fun sim title.

Becoming a virtual taxi driver wasn’t on the cards. Yet, I enjoyed my time with Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator. This realistic endeavour will grab your attention from the off. Additionally, the simple-to-learn mechanics enable you to lose hours of your life without thinking about it. If I was critical, the action can be considered repetitive, and I’d like the developers to add a greater variety of quests and special events. These shortcomings to one side, I loved this game and I recommend buying it here! Can you learn the knowledge? Jump in your car, pick up each punter, and make a fortune in the process.

Review: Growth

Bryan Applegate
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Review: Growth

INTRO

This is the Header image for Growth on Steam, courtesy of the Steam page for this game.

DISCLAIMER: This review was possible by VoodooDuck and/or Assemble Entertainment. They were generous enough to send a code over to Movies, Games, and Tech for review purposes. Thanks, everyone!

Growth. It means a measurement of one’s ability to grow as an individual or being. In this particular case, it’s also the title of a video game, surprisingly enough.

Growth, for those unaware, is a game where you acquire animals to then send out in order to acquire terrain in an attempt to reach a hidden volcano and render it dormant for the sake of the animals. At least, that’s the gist of the plot that I got from the game’s text info boxes, but I can go over it more detail during the story summary.

Regarding the release date, It was made for the PC on October 16th, 2023. It was courtesy of Developer VooDooDuck and Publisher Assemble Entertainment. It was built for PC launchers like Steam and GOG. it made its way onto the Switch eShop – at least in Europe – on December 21st, 2023.

So, does this game manage to impress with its premise and gimmicks? Let’s find out. This is my review of the Switch version of Growth.

Story – There’s room for Growth

The Loading took nearly 30 seconds! After that, I was able to play on a random, procedurally-generated map.

To recap for those who skip the intro, the plot for Growth is rather basic. You are guiding an initially limited number of animals to a dormant volcano in an attempt to save the developing lands and acquire more animal types along the way. That’s kind of it without getting too deep into spoiler territory. At least the tutorial and controls work well enough.

Gameplay – Good, but room for Growth

As for the gameplay, it… works, but also has issues. You are given 1 hippo and 2 deer. The music is relaxing, but it’s more to help calm you down after you inevitably fail to make any progress towards the volcano. The more animals or “resources” you get, the more you can progress. Do expect a different map each time you play, though.

Also, there’s a high score mechanic. The highest I did get was over 2,000 points… ugh! Even when I did know what to do and how to best optimize my range, I only got into the 900 points range or so each subsequent time. This game encourages strategizing your movements due to a lack of a Bonafede time limit. You are punished for random guessing. I could understand needing to strategize at your own pace in other games like Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky. Here… not so much.

Final Thoughts

Growth is a mostly relaxing time, despite the focus on Strategy and procedural-generated maps.

It was a good time for strategy games on PC and Switch. Despite the flaws I mentioned above, getting a high score can be addicting, and the success you feel when you make some progress – however minute it is – is immensely satisfying. It is a very relaxing game with a lot of depth to it.

(Growth’s Steam page)

A Closer Look at Star Wars Unlimited

Andrew Edney
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A Closer Look at Star Wars Unlimited

Fantasy Flight Games, in partnership with Lucasfilm Ltd., announced the upcoming release of Star Wars: Unlimited, an all-new trading card game of unlimited possibilities. This game features iconic heroes, villains, ships, and settings from all facets of the legendary Star Wars franchise, including movies, TV series, comics, video games, and everything in between.  

Star Wars: Unlimited is a fast-paced, dynamic game that is both easy to learn and strategically deep. The robust development of the game has been underway for the past three years, and fans can look forward to a regular release schedule of three sets per year.

Fully integrated into the entire experience, Organized Play has been designed alongside the game from the beginning and will be ready on day one. From weekly store-level community experiences to worldwide large-scale events, there will be something for gamers of all levels to enjoy.

In this fast-paced, easy-to-learn trading card game (TCG), you and your opponent face off in exciting head-to-head battles featuring tons of iconic Star Wars characters. Whether you’re a Star Wars fan, a card game fan, or both, Star Wars: Unlimited is a game that anyone can enjoy. 

The first set (the two-player starter set) is available now priced around £34.99 and is aimed at 2 or more players aged 12 and up and is a lot of fun, and if you are a Star Wars fan, this is a must have!

You can learn more from the Star Wars Unlimited website.

Review: Edifier MR4 Powered Studio Monitor Speakers

Andrew Edney
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Review: Edifier MR4 Powered Studio Monitor Speakers

Here is our review of the Edifier MR4 Powered Monitor Speakers.

Features

  • Smooth frequency response for great audio reference
  • 1-inch silk dome tweeter and 4-inch diaphragm woofers deliver pure sound
  • MDF wooden cabinets minimize acoustic resonance
  • Simple connection to mixers, audio interfaces, computers or media players
  • Front-mounted headphone output and AUX input for convenience
  • Multi-functional knob for power, volume and sound effects toggle
  • Monitor and music modes to fit various scenarios

What’s in the Box?

The box contains the two speakers, various cables and instructions.

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

The first thing you notice when you take the MR4s out of the box is that they look great – especially in white! Setting up the speakers is just a case of placing them on your desk or wherever else you want them to go, connecting the two speakers together with the supplied cable and then connecting to your source. If your source happens to have a 3.5mm port on it then you can use the supplied RCA to 3.5mm cable, which saves you having to buy one.

On the front of the active speaker is a multifunction dial that acts as both the power, volume and function mode (the function mode being either monitor mode or music mode). There is an LED to shows which mode you are in (Red for monitor and Green for music). There is also an AUX input and headphones output.

On the rear of the active speaker are low end and high end EQ trimmer dials and other inputs.

The MR4s are purely analogue so there are no digital inputs, USB ports or the ability to connect using wireless.

The sound quality is very good – you are certainly getting your monies worth with these speakers.

The MR4s are not just for listening to music, they are for helping you to create music, hence the ability to adjust the EQ and it works pretty well. Having the trimmer dials on the back though can be a bit of a pain when wanting to continually adjust them, but you get used to their position pretty quickly.

The Edifier MR4 Powered Monitor Speakers are available in white or black and retail for around £109.99 and would make a great addition to your desk setup.

You can learn more from the Edifier website.

Review: Quilts & Cats of Calico

Khloe Turner
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Review: Quilts & Cats of Calico

The title says it all–do you love cats? Do you enjoy puzzles? Then this may be the game for you!

The Award-Winning Strategy Game

Quilts & Cats of Calico is based off of the award-winning board game of the same name, earning the title of the 2021 American Tabletop Strategy Game Winner, now brought to you digitally as a vivified video game experience.

Monster Couch, the game developer, has done an amazing job adapting Quilts & Cats of Calico into a video game format. In this way, players can save time from having to physically set up all the bits and pieces of the board game and instead hop right into the fun!

How does one play Calico? You compete with various opponents by sewing cozy quilts and creating both tactical and aesthetically-pleasing quilt patterns. Players try to complete certain pattern and/or color combinations to achieve objectives and to score the most points.

Players pick one of the three quilt tiles from the bag on the right hand side and place it on the board where they see fit. You score the most points by completing your objectives, and by completing certain patterns that attract cats or that earn cute little buttons. As can be seen in the picture below, I have three pink tiles touching each other which scored me a pink flower button (worth three points). I also have a purple flowery tile touching a dark blue leaf-patterned tile, which the cat named Millie likes. Millie coming to my quilt has scored me another three points!

A Cozy Experience

If you have never played the board game before, do not fret! The tutorial is wonderfully smooth and concise, showing you all the ropes without feeling too complicated, overwhelming, or annoyingly dragged along.

You have the option to either play solo against A.I. opponents, verse locally, or compete online. You may challenge up to four opponents, and players have the choice as to whether they want to play in “real time” (meaning that players and opponents are playing at the same time), or “asynchronously” (in that you and opposing players get a full 72-hour window to make a move).

Quilts & Cats of Calico is turn-based, so after you make your turn, you must wait for other players to make their move. I personally enjoy turn-based games as it allows players time to think, strategize, and observe opponents’ moves.

Overall, games move along briskly, perhaps 20ish minutes at maximum. If you are an enjoyer of puzzles, you will find the gameplay to be rather relaxing, paired with a soothing soundtrack. To make up for the lack of tangibility that a real board game has, the digital version of Quilts & Cats of Calico offers some fun quirks to your game: cats roam and sleep around the quilt and you even have the option to pet them with your mouse!

The Cat-Worshipping Kingdom of Scratchington

Monster Couch adds a a full story mode to the realm of Calico, and I have got to say . . . the plot is wild.

You play as a young quilter who lives in the “Free City of Tomkitty,” located in the Kingdom of Scratchington. The people of Scratchington are heavy cat-worshippers, believing them to bring immense good luck and fortune. Also, Scratchington is at full-scale war with another kingdom, and the player’s father had gone off to war and never returned. The player runs around completing quilting tasks and you must try to attract as many blessings from kitties as possible.

So, uh, yes, the story is rather silly, but in a fantastic way.

The story itself is relatively short and sweet, but the challenges and puzzles become increasingly more difficult as the game progresses. The puzzles require lots of strategizing and thoughtful tactics. The soundtrack to this mode is lovely and the characters are quite charming. While the plot itself is wacked, I believe it to be an excellent and needed addition to the game that gives you more bang for your buck with all the content.

There is also the Master Quilter’s Challenge mode that offers 20 difficult new challenges for players to attempt. While some of Calico’s puzzles seem easy at the start, be warned: as I have heard from other enjoyers of the game, Quilts & Cats of Calico is simple to learn yet hard to master.

Final Thoughts

As someone who had never played the original board game, I can confidently say that I had a blast playing through Calico. I respect the increasingly difficulty with each puzzle challenge which kept the gears in my brain moving. Everything operated very well including the online multiplayer. While there were times that puzzles became a bit too tedious (requiring multiple restarts), and while there were times that both real and A.I. opponents took a long time to complete their turns, I never really felt frustrated. This was perhaps due to both the relaxing nature of quilting and the fact that cute kitties were roaming around all over my screen!

Quilts & Cats of Calico is a unique strategy game that is fun to play solo or with friends.

The only aspects that I was not the hugest fan of are perhaps the slight uncanny valley the art stye gives, especially with the human characters, as well as sometimes the mechanic of cats being able to walk all over the quilt . . . . you, know, those darn kitties occasionally got completely in the way and blocked my tile placements.

Overall, Monster Couch did an excellent job adapting this game digitally. I also recommend checking out their other adaptation of Wingspan!

Bonus – Even More Cats

The icing on the cake for this title is it’s cat creator! Yes, you read this correctly.

Players are able to add their real-life cat (or an imaginary one) to their own Calico game. You are able to form your kitties with various colors and shapes and additional accessories.

Review: Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack DLC

Daniel Waite
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Review: Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack DLC

The Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack DLC for PowerWash Simulator is intense! This latest addition to the OCD-focused gameplay will test your patience like never before. Moreover, fans of Warhammer will adore the attention to detail and the insane jobs that you have to undertake. In typical PowerWash fashion, this endeavour is filled with massive filth-ridden items and a fine edge of fantasy creative licence.

This simulation add-on was developed by FuturLab Limited and published by Square Enix. Furthermore, it can be enjoyed alone or cooperatively online. As such, you and your friends can grab a pressure washer, load up on special detergents, and clean the filthiest of items until they sparkle like a new pin.

The Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack DLC doesn’t hold back.

Unlike some of its predecessors, the Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack DLC doesn’t hold back. Instead, it chucks gargantuan builds at you from the off. This overwhelming experience will fill Warhammer fans with joy. However, if you buy this simply to complete the achievements or to get a fix of new cleaning jobs, this will be slightly off-putting.

On top of this, if you tackle this alone, it can be time-consuming and tough to handle. Yet, if you enjoy the slow and methodical gameplay and the weird sense of reward from cleaning each item, you will cherish every moment. Additionally, with 5 stages to complete and a host of 40K items to wash, this will get your fantasy juices flowing.

A fine blend of tasks.

At its core, the Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack DLC doesn’t break the mould. However, when you consider the variety of each stage, I was happy with the price-to-content ratio. Additionally, the familiar gameplay will make fans of the franchise smile. With nothing new to learn and familiar tools at your disposal, you can simply jump into the action and focus on the task at hand.

The 5 unique levels highlight the level of detail and the crazy nature of each fantasy vehicle. These massive machines vary from a Dreadnought to a Land Raider. Furthermore, there is a tank to polish and an Imperial Knight to make shine. Each of these tasks takes ages to complete, and I found this to be more challenging and time-consuming than the Back to the Future or Sponge Bob Square Pants alternatives.

The Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack DLC looks incredible.

Staring at each level for minutes at a time is standard practice for PowerWash Simulator. However, the Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack DLC takes it to a new level. With so many nooks and crannies to clean and large vehicles to clamber on, you need to keep your wits about you. Thankfully, the fine graphics and simple stage design keep you on track. Moreover, the ability to highlight dirt and tag team with another player helps to speed things up.

I adored the graphics. Yet, the audio has always been a sore subject. The continual whoosh of water drives me insane. Sadly, there is no way to turn this off and there isn’t much of a soundtrack to distract you. I’d have liked it if you could reduce the sound effects whilst enjoying an upbeat or theme-specific soundtrack.

Excellent controls.

The developers have done an amazing job with the control layout. Thanks to the well-labelled diagram and the familiar setup, this can be mastered in no time. Moreover, if you are new to the game, you will understand the fundamentals without the need for a long-winded tutorial.

Though the Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack DLC is tougher than its predecessors, it has limited replay value and longevity. Available for around £7, you’ll get between 5 and 7 hours of gameplay if you wish to complete everything. Consequently, I believe this is great value for money and well worth an investment.

The Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack DLC is a fantastic addition to the franchise.

I love it when you get something unusual to play. This fantasy add-on to a well-trodden franchise is worthy of your time and your effort. The enormous vehicles and familiar Warhammer items will make fans smile. Additionally, the time-consuming levels will test your patience and resolve. Subsequently, this is a must-buy for lovers of PowerWash Simulator. Grab your pressure washer, pick your detergent, and clean every mind-blowing level!

Review: Shiren The Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon Of Serpentcoil Island

Sam Butler
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Review: Shiren The Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon Of Serpentcoil Island

For the first time in 13 years, Shiren The Wanderer returns for a new adventure. The roguelike from Spike Chunsoft sees Shiren traverse randomly generated dungeons as he fights monsters and climbs Serpentcoil Island in search of treasure. While the difficulty spikes may turn some players away, those looking for a difficult roguelike should consider checking this game out.

The Adventures of Shiren The Wanderer

The story starts as Shiren and his pet ferret, Koppa, hear rumors about an island called Serpentcoil Island and how there is treasure to collect. Later, in a dream, a mysterious girl asks the heroes to help rescue her, and it is off to the island they go to. The next thing you’re fighting the big boss, where you instantly get obliterated. You wake up on Serpentcoil Island with amnesia and must find your way back to the top to defeat the monster.

The setup of this game is not great and felt very cliche. As you progress deeper into the dungeons, more characters reveal themselves, and side stories unlock. You meet a pirate crew who only takes treasure that they need as they oppose a rival pirate faction that wants to take everything. You meet a village of ninjas who defected from their old clan and are afraid for their lives. Old characters from past games pop up along the way to help you as well. Optional side paths open up to give players extra challenges along the way. There is nothing earth-shattering here, but it does a good job of fleshing out Serpentcoil Island and gives players a reason to keep running through the dungeons.

Deciphering The Mystery Dungeon

Of course, the main part of the game is the dungeon crawling. Shiren and enemies move on a grid. When you move, the enemies move. Floors are procedurally generated, and you pick up items as you explore each floor. In other roguelikes, such as Hades and Slay The Spire, the depth lies in what power-ups you get and how you build your character. Power-ups do not exist in this roguelike. Instead, the depth of this game lies in how you approach the dungeon. How you move to influence the enemies’ movement. As the player, you must influence the enemy’s movements to avoid taking unnecessary damage or getting overwhelmed by multiple enemies. Learning about the different enemies to navigate each dungeon efficiently is key to surviving this roguelike adventure. Managing your items, health bar, and fullness bar is also a crucial part of the game.

This game is difficult. Enemies hit hard, especially at the beginning when you’re just picking up items. Many runs have ended early for me because of unfortunate enemy placements or because I didn’t pick up a weapon or shield to deal with enemies. Not knowing what to do against certain enemies can lead to untimely deaths. In particular, I’ve had a lot of trouble dealing with these mudslimes that can surround and trap you in place before beating you to death. Your runs can end if you don’t have items to escape certain situations, which can be frustrating. That frustration turned into some fun ah-ha moments the more I played the game.

Shaking Off The Rust

While strategizing how to tackle these dungeons is fun, the combat itself is unsatisfying. You press a button, attack the enemy, and the enemy attacks back. Rinse and repeat until someone dies. You can throw items at enemies or use weapons and magic, but executing combat is not fun. This is a shame because this genre has games with excellent combat. The other big problem I’ve had is with movement. I’ve been in situations where the game would move me one more space than intended, which led to unintentional damage. Other times, the grid system would make talking to NPCs along the way frustrating.

A lot has changed in the roguelike genre since Shiren’s last adventure. Many of those evolutions in the genre make playing this game feel a little dated. I wish there were more to do in the hub world. I wish I could build my character in the dungeons rather than rely on items to survive. Despite not having those things, learning how the game works is still fun. For those looking for a challenging roguelike, Shiren The Wanderer offers a dungeon crawler that makes players think about how they move. While there is strategic depth, its clunky movement, unengaging combat, and generic fantasy plot keep this game from being a great roguelike.

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