Review: The Legend of Tianding

Daniel Waite
-
0
Review: The Legend of Tianding

We’ve all heard of Robin Hood. However, if you haven’t, allow me to elaborate. This mysterious outlaw stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He had a band of merry men to help with this task, and he was driven by his moral compass. Now, you may wonder why I’m talking about a ye olde thief with a heart of gold. Well, The Legend of Tianding shares many of its key ideas with this historical character. As such, this is one game that is full of action, dilemmas, and a healthy amount of one-upmanship.

Developed by Creative Games Computer Graphics Corporation and published by Neon Doctrine, this is a side-scrolling adventure platformer. What’s more, it has oodles of fighting elements, an incredibly distinctive art style, and a captivating story. Moreover, it supports multiple languages, making it accessible and authentic.

The Legend of Tianding is full of colourful characters.
Where it begins.

The Legend of Tianding is based on real events.

I’m a sucker for a real events strapline. These enticing words make every moment pop while making the experience more interesting. The Legend of Tianding is set in the early 1900s in the Japanese-occupied lands of Taiwan. Subsequently, the locals are treated as slaves and their Japanese overlords care not. Instead, they revel in their newfound powers and are oblivious to the damage they are causing.

Thankfully for the locals, a legendary outlaw is on their side. Whenever the balance of rich and poor comes into question, Liāu Thiam-Ting steps forward and saves the day. Consequently, you control this hero as he undertakes many dangerous missions across 6 interesting chapters. Throughout his adventures, he must learn new combat techniques, find collectables to improve his powers and help the locals as best he can. On top of this, you must tackle an array of goons, overcome insane bosses, and complete quests and side hustles to keep things moving along.

A classic approach.

As I leapt platforms and tackled countless goons, I was reminded of Streets of Rage. Yet, The Legend of Tianding is much more refined and eloquent in its approach. Furthermore, there are many more secrets to discover and plenty of collectables to find. However, the ebb and flow of the core concept are extremely classical in their approach. Effectively, the episodic game pushes you through a semi-linear world towards a larger-than-life boss. Once you overcome him and his underlings, you complete your mission and progress.

This is the crux of the gameplay and its simplicity won’t disappoint you. Instead, you’ll love the drip-fed mechanics, the blend of special abilities, and the game-changing collectables. Alongside this, the combo-based combat is attractive, interesting, and enjoyable to master. Furthermore, you can steal weapons to turn the tide of battle in your favour. These basic ideas shouldn’t have been so impressive. However, the slick presentation alongside the vast arsenal of guns and Kung Fu moves will fascinate you.

The hero uses his sash to steal weapons.
Wrap them up and steal their weapons.

Beggars, secrets, and side quests.

Though much of the action focuses on the hard-hitting combat and the main story, there is still room for other key elements. This is where the Robin Hood idea comes to the fore. The local villages are full of beggars and peasants desperate for help and money. Consequently, you have a choice. You can choose to run past every vagrant, or you can give away some of your hard-earned cash. If you choose to be generous, you’ll be rewarded with skill, weapon, and attribute upgrades. As such, these minor improvements increase your likelihood of survival while making you a badass killing machine.

If the idea of helping stinking beggars turns your stomach, then maybe you’ll concentrate on completing side quests instead. These simple missions demand that you purchase goods or find items in previously visited locations. Thankfully, they’re not too pressing and can help with your progress and character development. Alternatively, you can spend your time searching for secret locations and hidden chests. These treasure troves are loaded with gold and plenty of collectables. Consequently, taking your time to search every chapter thoroughly is both rewarding and essential.

The Legend of Tianding looks incredible.

The Legend of Tianding delivers a wonderful platforming experience. Moreover, its story is fascinating, fulfilling, and laced with emotion. However, these pails into insignificance when compared to their visuals. The stunning Manga imagery combined with its comic book flair was unbelievably good! The action flits from open gameplay to comic book cutscenes at the drop of a hat. Subsequently, this will resonate with fans of Anime or Manga. On top of this, the interesting backdrops, the vivid colour palette, and the smooth animation make this a treat to play.

Using subtitles to decipher narration isn’t for everyone. Yet, for me, this works perfectly with the theme and the genre. Furthermore, Asian music adds character and authenticity to the action. What’s more, the high-energy songs enhance the drama and keep you playing. Moreover, the harsh sound effects are brilliant but tough to listen to. You’ll note the brutality of each gun, the callous nature of each sword, and the horrifying sound of each blunt instrument.

The hero fights in front of a giant gold statue.
That statue is a little ostentatious.

Fiddly controls.

With plenty of combos to learn and loads of platforms to navigate, the controls are understandably fiddly. However, if you so wish, you can focus on the basic combat mechanics and revert to a hack n slash approach. Alongside this, you are free to steal your opponent’s weapons once they are too weak to fight back. Once this happens, you’ll shoot, slice, and smash your foes until their tools of destruction break. I adored this idea, as it rewards a tactical mindset while adding another layer to each combat encounter.

The sheer amount of collectables, side quests, and secrets ensure that you can play this for hours. Moreover, the enjoyable combat and tough boss battles will keep you hooked. Additionally, there are several difficulty settings that keep the action balanced without making it too easy.

The Legend of Tianding is an exceptional game.

On the surface, The Legend of Tianding is a basic fighting title mixed with platforming mechanics. However, once you look deeper, you find a rewarding game with a fantastic story. Yes, much of the combat is repetitive, and the platform elements could have been tougher, but this didn’t matter. What’s important is the excellent aesthetics, authentic narration, and enjoyable gameplay. Accordingly, I loved it and I recommend that you buy it here! Will the Asian Robin Hood save the day? Take on every mission, teach the bad guys a lesson, and prove that Kung Fu kicks ass.

Review: Grime: Colors of Rot

Daniel Waite
-
0
Review: Grime: Colors of Rot

The word enjoyable and Soulslike games rarely go hand-in-hand. However, the brutality and grim setting offer a macabre reward that is hard to resist. Furthermore, the melancholy settings and hateful colour palette create an oppressive world that begs to be defeated. Consequently, when Grime: Colors of Rot landed on my desk, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Developed by Clover Bite and published by Akupara Games, this is a tough Metroidvania title. What’s more, it is distinctly Soulsborne in more ways than one. Accordingly, it’ll test your navigation skills, patience, and anger management abilities. However, its 2D platform elements are reminiscent of Hollow Knight and Limbo. As such, it captures the best elements of recent top-rated titles while delivering a whole new experience. Yet, does this hodgepodge of ideas work, or will it be an awful mess?

The hero comes face to face with a massive boss.
Hello big fella, do you wanna dance?

Grime: Colors of Rot tells a bizarre story.

Like Dark Souls, the story of Grime: Colors of Rot is shrouded in mystery. Therefore, you spend much of your time wandering the foul plains like a headless chicken. However, the bizarre story and lack of guidance matter not. Instead, you’ll enjoy the freedom of exploring the expanding map, encountering weird creatures, and absorbing countless amounts of energy. 

You control an unnamed being that has fallen into a dark and unforgiving chasm. This husk of a creature must prey on any being it encounters in order to grow. Furthermore, the beast uses living parts to evolve and overcome any problems it faces. With the help of some unusual beings, this strange creature must learn new skills and escape its dank tomb.

As you can tell, this isn’t a story-rich game. Instead, the developers are hoping you enjoy the sinister atmosphere and the unforgiving mechanics. Subsequently, if you struggle with extremely hard games, you’re going to be out of your comfort zone almost immediately. 

Exploration and familiar mechanics. 

Death is all but certain. Therefore, the familiar “bonfire” spawn points are essential. These beacons of light come to your rescue repeatedly, while allowing you to upgrade the hero. There is a simple skill tree to focus on that improves strength, health, dexterity, and so forth. On top of this, you can unlock traits, upgrade them, and tinker with the protagonist. This basic element is essential to your progress. However, unlike other Metroidvania games, there are no key perks or skills that need to be unlocked. Accordingly, it’s more flexible and user-friendly than many of its peers.

Talking of exploration, this is where the game excels. Grime: Colors of Rot funnels you to special locations, yet you are free to uncover secrets and do as you wish. Consequently, it was easy to lose your way or waste time as you decimate every rock monster in sight.

An insight into the massive labyrinthine world.
A massive world for you to explore.

Living parts, massive swords, and deadly bosses. 

Rarely does this mish-mash of genres surprise me. Yet, the idea of wearing living body parts was a bit shocking. As such, the protagonist equips strange arms, legs, and the skin of its prey. Think of Buffalo Bill, but without the lotion, well, and innocent victims. As you equip yourself with each unique piece of armour, your attributes improve. Accordingly, if you wish to survive and progress, you must find the best gear possible. 

Other than the heinous armour, you’ll discover meaty swords, swift blades, and enormous bludgeoning tools. Each of these weapons has strengths and weaknesses, and you must use the right one depending on the situation you find yourself in. Normally, you adjust your setup to overcome or attempt to overcome one of the many pain-in-the-dick bosses you face.

These larger-than-life monstrosities kick your ass over and over again. Subsequently, you must find a chink in their armour if you wish to be victorious. This element of the action was a classic Soulsborne mechanic and one that I lovingly detested. I lost count of the times that I died, and I cursed the developers more times than I care to admit. 

Grime: Colors of Rot is disgusting to look at. 

I have to be careful with my words. Why? Well, I can only describe Grime: Colors of Rot as utterly disgusting to look at. Now, this isn’t me being derogatory. I admire the oppressive atmosphere and the claustrophobic world. Moreover, the labyrinthine setting is incredible to explore. Alongside this, the roster of monsters you encounter is fascinating, horrific, and utterly captivating. This is before you consider the amazing bosses and the marginal changes to the background. As such, visually, this is a bizarre title that’ll turn your stomach while being tough to put down.

The audio follows suit with its sombre and minor tones. The eerie soundtrack is complemented beautifully by the strange sound effects and basic environmental noises. When each of these elements combines, it creates an uncomfortable and sinister experience that makes your skin crawl. 

Grime: Colors of Rot has a grim world full of weird creatures.
Smash that rock beast to hell.

Excellent controls with a superb UI.

Grime: Colors of Rot had the ability to be bloody awful to play. There are plenty of items to use, classic platforming mechanics to master, and some tricky combat elements to overcome. Thankfully though, the excellent control system and superb UI save the day. With responsive inputs and a well-considered layout, you’ll understand the fundamentals almost immediately. Yet, like most Soulsborne games, the devil is in the detail, and success is laid fully on your shoulders.

This isn’t an easy game to complete. What’s more, there are many bosses, masses of hidden chambers, and plenty of things to see and do. On top of this, there are traits to improve, skills and attributes to increase, and loads of foes to defeat. Therefore, this oozes replay value and longevity. 

Grime: Colors of Rot is a great hybrid title.

Combining two tough genres was always a tricky ask. Yet, Clover Bite has done admirably. Thanks to the dark aesthetics, brutal gameplay, and balance of exploration and combat, it isn’t too overwhelming. Instead, you lose yourself in the bizarre and uncomfortable world you find yourself trapped in. Accordingly, I loved its horrendous ways, and I recommend that you buy it here! Move, fight, absorb, and grow. No one will help you, everything wants to kill you, and failure and death are all but assured. 

4 World of Warcraft Facts You May Not Know About

Christopher John
-
0
4 World of Warcraft Facts You May Not Know About

World of Warcraft is by far one of the most played and popular games of all time, an MMORPG that it is almost impossible to not have had any contact with over the years; even if you have never played it, you must have heard of it at some point or other. So why not go over a few interesting facts you might not have known yet and see what else you can learn?

All the Records Broken

World of Warcraft has broken record after record, holding the Guinness World Record for the most popular MMORPG by subscribers. With a peak of 12 million subscribers in October of 2010 and Blizzard’s final report of 5.5 million subscribers as of October 2015, it still remains the world’s most subscribed MMORPG, with hundreds and thousands of articles, guides, tips, and everything else that comes with such a popular online game. World of Warcraft is not going anywhere for a while yet. 

Wasted Loot

Prior to TBC, shamans were only available to the Horde, while Paladins were only available to the Alliance. The Burning Crusade Expansion changed everything, but during the transition period, Shaman loot began dropping for Alliance players and Paladin loot began dropping for Horde players before either class was playable by that faction, meaning this loot was completely useless and a waste. Getting currency was needlessly complicated as well, but now the process is simplified for you by the lovely folks at Coin Looting, making the whole process as simple, easy, and comfortable as can be. Players are often left to their own devices when it comes to things like this and have to find their own way of doing things, so a little help can go a long way.

Captain Placeholder

In the early beta version of the game, the boat system was not quite all there yet, with many boat paths not in place and glitches and bugs galore, so traveling was a bit of an issue. Captain Placeholder, an NPC who would teleport players from Menethil Harbor to Auberdine, was temporarily placed by Blizzard. The good captain became so popular and beloved by the player base that after he was replaced by Captain Noteo, players actually mourned his loss, and a lament was even created for him. While many thought he was lost forever, he reappeared in the Cataclysm expansion, renamed “Cap’n Placeholder.” He can still be found dancing on the Goblin Raceway.

Rarest Mount

Those who know about it believe that the Fluorescent Green Mechanostrider is the rarest mount in the game, a one-of-a-kind. The story behind this mount is that an unfortunate Gnome player deleted his Mechanostrider, and upon asking a GM to replace it, he was erroneously given this mount instead, which means this mount is the only one in the world and cannot be obtained by any other player, which makes it the rarest mount in the game and our Gnome friend a very lucky little fella. 

World of Warcraft is indisputably one of the most played games of all time, having become almost an icon of pop culture and gaming, and although it has competition with things like Destiny 2 and League of Legends and the like, it clearly is not going anywhere for a long time yet. 

Review: Shoulders of Giants

Daniel Waite
-
0
Review: Shoulders of Giants

I like it when a game tries to be different. However, when a developer strays away from the reservation, things can get messy. Consequently, a familiar structure can support an otherwise original title. Shoulders of Giants experiments with a random story and theme that comprise an array of well-known mechanics. As such, there is a sense of déjà vu as you slice through your enemies and complete every mission.

Developed and published by Moving Pieces Interactive, this is a rogue-lite adventure title. What’s more, it has a sci-fi theme and can be enjoyed alone or with up to 3 other gamers. Subsequently, you can try to save the universe by yourself, or you can share the risk and glory with your nearest and dearest. Either way, you’ll enjoy the hectic action, the strange monsters, and the rinse-and-repeat nature of the gameplay.

Shoulders of Giants tells a tale of doom and disaster.

The universe is coming to an end, and a small bunch of misfits must work together to stop that from happening. You control an angry amphibian who rides a mysterious mechanical warrior. The pair must work together to destroy anything in their sights and recover plenty of alien artefacts. However, this strange duo isn’t alone. No, they are assisted by a wise owl, a hungry panda with one eye, a gun-wielding monkey, and a scientist that’s bonkers. Consequently, this eclectic bunch must work as a team to fulfil their goal and save the world.

The forces of Entropy are consuming everything in their path. Accordingly, they are sucking the HEAT out of every living planet and leaving a path of destruction in their wake. However, by completing your mission, you’ll re-energise each world and store the HEAT for yourselves. This special energy leads you to the ancient artefacts that’ll ultimately defeat the armies of Entropy and save the universe.

The frog stands upon his mech and is ready to do combat.
Ready to do combat.

Arghhhh rogue-lite madness.

Like every great rogue-lite title, Shoulders of Giants will drive you utterly insane. Its cruel nature robs you of your progress right at the last minute. Subsequently, you’ll be tearing your hair out when you fail for the nth time. However, that is not all. Each planet that you visit rewards you with x amount of HEAT. Yet, if you fail your mission, and you will repeatedly, you risk losing that amount of HEAT in the progress. As such, failure is a heavy price to pay and one that’ll set you back hours.

That is not all, though. The developers have incorporated a tough learning curve and a difficulty-balancing system. This sounds like a great thing, but it makes the action just a bit tough. Accordingly, the further you progress, the harder your opponents become. The harder your opponents become, the more chance you’ll die, and the more HEAT you’ll lose. It is a vicious circle that is cruel and unfair, but unbelievably rewarding.

Upgrades, cores, and a deep skill tree.

The cruelty of the central concept is thankfully mitigated by some excellent upgrades, new cores for your mech, and a deep skill tree. Each of these elements ensures that you can customise the game to your style while adding a layer of mystery and a little flair to the action. The upgrades focus on the mech and the frog. You can arm the frog with an array of guns, rocket launchers, and more. However, you must find blueprints for each weapon before you can craft them. The mech, on the other hand, was armed with swords, spears, gloves, and so forth.

Alongside the weapons, you can improve your mechs’ base perks with an array of unique cores. Each one has set abilities allocated to them, and these powers alter the way you tackle each combat encounter. You can open with a healing perk, vampire wings, cluster bombs, missiles, a portal, and much, much more. These key abilities are game-changing as they increase your chances of surviving exponentially.

Another well-executed element was the in-depth skill tree. This fantastic option allows you to customise both the frog and the mech to match your gameplay style. Whether you choose to enhance your melee skills, ranged weapons, skill cooldown, health, speed, or more is up to you. However, whatever approach you take has serious ramifications on your progress. As such, a balanced setup is a must if you wish to be successful.

A 1V1 battle takes place by a murky lake.
Don’t hold back.

Repetitive gameplay.

Though there are many plus points to discuss, Shoulders of Giants is horribly weighed down by its repetitive gameplay and bland combat. The lack of originality or finesse is unbelievably disappointing. As such, you mash the buttons like a demented chimp as you shoot, slice, smash, and dodge everything in sight. If you manage to survive, you’ll search for healing butterflies, or use a healing ability to patch yourself up and go again.

This repetitive mechanic forms the backbone of every mission as well. Disappointingly, there are limited mission types, and you spend much of your time playing the conquest objective. Here, you must defeat 2 or 3 spires before heading to a central monolith. Once you overcome the aliens in this area, the stage is complete and you move on. This continues until the final level, where you then face a monstrous beast. If you defeat this enormous foe, you’ll rescue the planet, bag the HEAT, and start over again.

Shoulders of Giants won’t amaze you.

Visually, Shoulder of Giants is pleasant, but it won’t amaze you. A rough finish and occasionally poor lighting leave you underwhelmed. Moreover, the character models are insipid, the animation is bland, and the hectic gameplay can be tough to follow. Therefore, death happens too often, and this leads to unnecessary frustration. However, on a positive note, the stage design is varied and the different objectives alter your perception of each world. Sadly, though, the end product isn’t as polished as I’d have liked and this was disappointing.

The same can be said for the audio. The soundtrack is a mixed bag at best and will leave you wanting. With a repetitive collection of tunes and uninspiring sound effects, it does itself no favours. However, when the music works, it added energy and drama to each fast-paced and tough encounter.

A group of 4 players prepares to tackle each planet.
Team up and take them down.

Clunky controls.

The hectic combat and stage navigation isn’t helped by the clunky controls. Occasionally, the mech’s turning circle is appalling, and the combat is slow, arduous, and lacking in accuracy. These poorly executed mechanics add to the difficulty while enhancing unwanted frustrations.

Though I’ve been brutal, I found Shoulders of Giants tough to put down. Its horrifically tough ways make it undeniably rewarding. As such, when you hit each HEAT milestone or unlock a new piece of tech, you won’t want to stop playing. Yet, like many of its peers, failure can be a harsh mistress. Subsequently, once you’ve died multiple times, it’s tough to want to return for more torture.

Shoulders of Giants is somewhat lacking.

Shoulders of Giants wasn’t the masterpiece I’d hoped it to be. Its rough finish, tough gameplay, and repetitive nature undermine its vast potential. Yes, it was moreish, but much of its desirability is down to its shrouded mysteries, rather than a brilliant and unique concept. However, despite my complaints and its shortcomings, I still recommend that you buy it here! Can you save the universe? Grab your mech, pick a weapon, and stop the forces of Entropy once and for all. 

Review: Wavetale

James Refelian
-
0
Review: Wavetale

The only time I cared about Google Stadia came during EGX 2022, when I tried out Wavetale for the first time. I almost bought into the platform until it unceremoniously shut down recently. Thankfully, Wavetale has now been ported to PlayStation, Xbox, and Windows PC.

Gameplay

Wavetale is a story-driven 3D platformer like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. In the game, you play as Sigrid. Sigrid, the granddaughter of the lighthouse keeper, yearns for adventure on the waters of the flooded world and gets her wish when a dark and dangerous fog, known as the Gloom, descends. Strandville, the town, blames the dangers on a long war with a group known as the Dirty Paws for all their troubles.

Initially, Sigrid can’t swim and lives her life on the lighthouse island, collecting the Sparks needed to power it. Almost immediately, the adventure begins, and when the Gloom descends and almost claims her Grandma, Sigrid finds help from a mysterious Shadow that allows her to travel on the water.

What follows is a heartwarming and well-thought-out story. It sees Sigrid travelling by water to various islands to help the townspeople and ultimately save them from the Gloom.

As the player, you can follow the main plot linearly, but there are numerous side-quests you can undertake that aid the townsfolk in that area. Sadly, they can feel a little samey with the typical ‘collect this’ or ‘find that’ type of assignment. The main quest is also relatively simple. Gameplay is relatively simple in Wavetale. Right from the start (after the prologue), you can access your full range of abilities and movement controls. Playing through the platformer-style areas will require some finesse and do present challenges, although there was nothing that I found too taxing. All in all, it makes Wavetale a fun experience, with the story’s pacing unhindered by the repetition of difficult-to-accomplish platformer mechanics.

Throughout the game, you can collect mini-sparks from side-quests and exploration, and with these, you can purchase some in-game cosmetics for Sigrid. Ranging from outfits to hair colours. While they don’t appear in cutscenes, they’re still fun to collect and make your version of Sigrid feel a little more unique.

Wavetale Is All About Movement

Movement in Wavetale is really the main draw to the game. While you’re on land, you can jump, double jump and glide and using these movements in tandem allow you to access the different areas you need to reach to progress. Sigrid also carries a net, which can be used to connect to attachment points that allow for swinging or fast-moving up the side of a building. In addition, the net is the primary weapon to defeat the variety of monsters that have appeared from the Gloom.

This all translates to being on the water as well, with fast-paced surfing added into the mix. The whole movement system feels so fluid and well-designed that it’s genuinely impressive. It’s hard to describe just how good movement feels in this game, and you really need to experience it first-hand.

Graphics and Audio

Wavetale is brilliantly scored, and well voice acted throughout. As such, you really feel drawn into the world and care about these characters. It’s all very charming, and this charm carries through to the visual style.

The graphics style is truly wonderful. It’s cartoony and colourful, and the cell shading is fantastic. The faces are also hand-drawn animations which only adds to the charm. The visual style makes you want to explore. Makes you want to stay immersed in this watery world. The game also feels refreshing in how diverse the world feels with various orientations, skin tones, and personalities. I wish these side characters had more depth to them.  

Some Minor Complaints with Wavetale

While I do genuinely love this game, Wavetale isn’t all perfect. I will say it’s a fantastic port, and you wouldn’t know it hadn’t been on these platforms before. Wavetale, sadly, is very short. It won’t take more than five or six hours to finish everything. Sadly the free-roam mode after the story is done feels empty and lacking. The side NPCs aren’t developed outside of the quest they give you, and there are not a lot of extras to do once you’ve beaten the main quest.

Combat in the game can also feel very samey. There isn’t a lot of diversity in the attack styles or moves, so it feels quite basic when those encounters appear. Even the variety of monsters is quite limited. Visually, however, it’s a delight.

Final Thoughts on Wavetale

Wavetale is a fun, vibrant, engaging 3D platformer with a story at its heart. Movement is the primary lure to this title with its fluid controls and fast-paced traversal system. While the combat feels basic, and the overall game is short, Wavetale is charming, visually beautiful, and just a joy to play. If Stadia were still around, I would have gotten it just for this game. That’s how much Wavetale captured my heart. Thankfully, you, and I, can enjoy it on a variety of platforms.

Review: A Space for the Unbound

Daniel Waite
-
0
Review: A Space for the Unbound

Occasionally, a game comes along and hits you right in the kisser! It could be its touching characters, cute visuals, or magical plot. Whatever the reason, it’ll resonate with you while touching your soul. A Space for the Unbound is one such title that’ll confuse, amuse, and entertain you throughout. Thankfully, it combines each of the aforementioned ingredients to create a mesmerising experience.

Developed by Mojiken Studio/Toge Productions and published by Chorus Worldwide Games, this is a slice-of-life adventure title. What’s more, there are distinct visual novel elements, a smattering of puzzles to overcome and collectables to find. However, its linear approach and slow gameplay may be too restrictive for some players. Consequently, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

A shot of Raya looking lovingly at Raya.
Raya is the love of Atma’s life.

A Space for the Unbound is a surreal tale of love. 

I’m not ashamed to admit that A Space for the Unbound confused the hell out of me. Much of its story is surreal, disturbing, and tough to follow. However, once you get to grips with it, you fall in love with the protagonists, their obsession with cats, and the crazy world in which they exist. Moreover, the excellent writing and the way it tackles taboo subjects have to be applauded. Accordingly, the developers have done an incredible job of conveying their touching and harrowing subject matter. 

You control two high school sweethearts, Atma and Raya. The pair are nearing the end of their school years, and decide their futures are intrinsically linked. As such, they write a bucket list of tasks they wish to complete. Subsequently, this list forms the backbone of each chapter, while making up many of the minor tasks you undertake. However, while the pair complete their adventure, they encounter strange beings and cats, while discovering that they have special powers. By investigating secret locations, the duo hope to uncover the truth and save their beloved town.

Basic core mechanics. 

It’s clear that A Space for the Unbound impressed me. Yet, its core mechanics were too stripped-back. As such, the game feels mostly voyeuristic. This approach works well with the dreamlike nature of the story, but with many chapters to complete, it was too hands-off for my liking. Thankfully, the rudimentary puzzles and straightforward story progression were punctuated by fun mini-games, interesting cutscenes, and collectables to find. 

Disappointingly, though, even these moments failed to up the tempo or difficulty. Instead, A Space for the Unbound is happy to plateau and stay in its safe space. Now, this isn’t a complaint as I adore this title. Nevertheless, I’d have enjoyed the occasional curveball to mix things up. Unfortunately, this never occurred, and you follow a set routine of fetch quests, stroking cats, and talking to the locals.

A dreamy bedroom filled with problems that need to be solved.
An example of the dreamy “Spacediving”.

“Spacediving” and taboo subjects. 

Where this game excels is the tackling of taboo subjects and its surreal realm known as “Spacediving”. The developers have incorporated scenes surrounding bullying, social conformity, and anxiety. These dark moments are occasionally tough to swallow. Yet, they are delivered in a tactful and exquisite way. Furthermore, the resolution to each problem enhances the story while increasing your empathy for each of the protagonists.

The “Spacediving” on the other hand was weird as hell. Here, the lead characters use a magic red book to read people’s thoughts. However, the words don’t appear on the screen. No, instead, you play out a bizarre scene that represents each emotion. This borderline contemporary idea allowed you to explore each uncomfortable moment without the demands for realism. This was phenomenal as it drove the story forward without bulking it down with too much emotional baggage. 

A Space for the Unbound: a juxtaposition of light and dark. 

Combining surrealism with emotive subjects can be tough. However, the juxtaposition between light and dark creates a balanced experience. Furthermore, there was a risk of going too far, or not far enough. Thankfully, the blend of dreamy images, cutscenes, and “ordinary” action ensures that it’s bearable. What’s more, the fascinating backdrops are great to look at, and the pixelated graphics are era-specific.

The excellent graphics are complemented by the incredible audio. The blend of upbeat music, harrowing songs, and memorable sound effects was great. Yet, I despised the constant clicking that accompanied the text. The faux-keyboard noises drove me insane! Subsequently, it was distracting and undermined much of the dialogue.

Atma is ready to fight an opponent in one of A Space for the Unbound's many mini-games.
Fighting and mini-games go hand in hand.

Simple controls. 

Other than the occasional mini-game or stealth moment, you don’t have to worry about the controls. Instead, you can focus on the action, as the controls are simple to understand. Additionally, when accuracy is required, the inputs are responsive and well-considered.

One area that is lacking is replay value and longevity. With a linear approach that rarely diverges, you are unlikely to miss a thing. However, there are some collectables and secret achievements if you are that way inclined. 

A Space for the Unbound is beautiful. 

Though there are some shortcomings, A Space for the Unbound is touching and beautiful. I adored the tweak of nostalgia, the rounded characters, and the excellent narration. Furthermore, the magical twist and surreal moments are wonderful. On top of this, I loved how the taboo subjects are handled and the presentation. Accordingly, I recommend that you buy it here! Can you decipher what is real and what is not? Explore many hidden locations as you discover many secrets about yourself and your surroundings. 

Review: Sackboy A big adventure

Xavier Berry
-
0
Review: Sackboy A big adventure

LittleBigPlanet was one of those hit games that came out on the ps3 that was able to remind many of what couch co-op is and how much fun it could be. The main character was this little sack puppet, appropriately named sackboy, who ran around the imagosphere collecting bubbles and clothing options. Players could tackle levels with their friends either online or side by side. When I saw Sackboy:A big adventure released on Pc, something inside of me jumped for joy. The adorable character has returned with a fresh coat of paint and a brand new play style that is sure to capture the hearts of both young and old players everywhere. Even though we have ditched the traditional 2-d side view for a more 3D adventure, there is still a lot of fun to be found in each of the levels. Think of how Super Mario went from 2d to 3d in Super Mario World. While this is the best comparison for understanding some of the changes, that doesn’t mean Sackboy doesn’t have his own tricks up his sleeve. 

Story

We start our adventure with Sackboy watching all his friends get taken away by the big bad guy, Vex. He tears through the sky and plans to use the sackpeople to power his Topsy-turver in order to take over Craftworld. Sackboy sets off on his adventure with the help of an elder sackperson named Scarlet as well as a colorful cast of characters. 

While the story isn’t anything groundbreaking and resembles something you would expect from a game targeted towards a younger audience, I would be lying if I said that watching a sad sackboy watch his friends get taken away didn’t make me feel the same way. Since Sackboy is a silent protagonist, we get a lot of emotion from his facial features and expressions so watching the adorable little puppet react to the world around him was a treat. Since players can customize the character throughout the game, his appearance in cutscenes range from a serious adventurer to someone who just stepped out of a festival. 

Gameplay

This is where the real fun begins since players are given a wide arrangement of moves to use as they make their way through the levels. Sackboy can double jump, flutter in the sky, and roll around as you run through levels. Since a lot of these moves can flow right into the next, I found myself rolling and jumping through levels instead of just running. Sackboy:a big adventure hits the nail on the head when it comes to platformers since each move also allows Sackboy to tackle his enemies. Instead of requiring players to access a clunky combat system, you are able to roll into some enemies and jump on top of others. This means that players are able to translate the skills they develop from traversing the levels to taking out their enemies. 

With this wide moveset, players are given big, linear levels to go through. Although the levels are straight forward, there are still many secrets to be found within each area. Secret areas that reward players with extra clothing items and other collectables make exploring the levels much more fun. I found myself searching every nook and cranny for stuff to make my little puppet look even cuter. 

There are a ton of enemies to keep an eye out for and the levels themselves will give you environmental hazards to look out for but thankfully there are carefully placed checkpoints to help prevent unnecessary frustration. This gives you the ability to figure out the levels and their challenges without having to worry about major progression loss. With firepits and moving platforms filling many levels, it was nice to see the little character spring out of these checkpoints without any remarks about how bad I was doing or how that jump should have been doable. 

One of the biggest highlights of the games, for me personally, has to be the music presented in each level. I have always been a fan of the LittleBigPlanet’s music so it was nice to see that they haven’t lost that special touch. I was able to bop along through the levels without anything feeling repetitive and the songs managed to fit the theme of each level. One of the major things I would love to point out is the use of licensed music to enhance some of the levels. Hearing Uptown funk play while I was thrown around a party town just made each moment feel even better. Jungle boogie is integrated in a wonderful way in the jungle level and I know for a fact that I will replay these levels because of how well the music fits in. One minor gripe I do have is that the songs with vocals tend to stop looping until you move onto the next segment so if you get stuck or are exploring one section a little longer than anticipated, you’ll hear this weird section that is just filler till you move on.

I reviewed this on the PC so it pleases me to say that the experience still felt as good as it did when I originally played it on the PS5. The controls still feel good and it was a little strange to see Xbox controller prompts on a Sony game but there were no hiccups there. This made couch co-op more enjoyable since I have a ton of 3rd party xbox controllers laying around.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I was excited to see Sackboy return with a bunch of new tricks and it even worked on the steam deck which is an added bonus. Sackboy: A big adventure feels right at home on the pc and makes it easy for players to jump in and out of games with their friends. With a wonderful soundtrack and colorful levels to explore, I am sure you will have a blast with the game. It ditches some of the features of older Littlebigplanet games, such as the ability to create levels and share them online, but this is to be expected with the change to 3D. If you are looking for a fun adventure to play through, Sackboy:a big adventure is definitely worth checking out. 

Skyrim Is Heading towards the End of its Life Cycle

Andrew Edney
-
0
Skyrim Is Heading towards the End of its Life Cycle

One of the longest ongoing video game development projects is finally at the end of its journey, as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has reached the end of its life cycle. The version of Skyrim, which players are currently using on their 9th-generation consoles, is the definitive version of the game. With over 15 years of development and with the longest active gameplay life cycle of any solo role-playing game, Skyrim has left its mark in the history of gaming.

Skyrim’s success was a given, but the extent of its success was a surprise even for Bethesda. The US role-playing game specialists were adamant that the original version of Skyrim would be enough for the players and that no added work would be needed, and back in 2013 they announced that there would not be any further developments. However, in the years that followed, Bethesda released a remastered version, a special edition and a version of the game, which was adapted to the 9th generation hardware. Even though the game is more or less the same after every version, players keep buying it over and over again just to enjoy playing the little extras that have come after every upgrade. 

What Made Skyrim so Special?

Skyrim is not much different than other Elder Scrolls games, as the mechanics and the overall user experience is relatively similar. However, Skyrim had one thing that the rest of the ES games did not have; dragons. These mythical creatures excite people regardless if we are talking about video games, about movies or series like Game of Thrones or other forms of entertainment such as online slot games like Dragon’s Fire from Red Tiger Gaming. In the latter, the dragon-themed graphics make the game stand out and this is the reason why it attracts all those players who are browsing through the slot game libraries of popular casinos in order to find a game that fits their preferences. The concept of dragons is something that has been around for almost 9,000 years and every civilization has had its own myths about these serpent-looking creatures.

Are Gamers Playing the Definitive Version of Skyrim or Will There Be Another?

After almost 17 years of developments, reworking and mods, it feels like Skyrim has reached the end of its development. The game was great to begin with but with every addition and every community-introduced modification the game has become the ultimate adventure RPG where players can do exactly what they want. This means that the version gamers are playing now is the absolute final version. There is of course the physical board game version of Skyrim, which hit the shelves a few weeks ago, but that game is a whole other story. One thing is certain; the board game will be as successful as the video game. 

What Comes Next for Elder Scrolls?

With Skyrim having earned its place in the platinum history of video gaming, it is now time for Bethesda to focus on the next installment of Elder Scrolls. The sixth game in the series is currently under development, but if the rumors are true, then it is expected to be a mixture between Oblivion and Skyrim. This means a little bit of the underworld, a little bit of dragons and of course a lot of new features, which Bethesda is trying to keep under the radar for the time being. One big concern about the fans of Elder Scroll games, is how Microsoft’s acquisition of the ZeniMax Media group will affect the distribution of the new Elder Scrolls. ES6 will probably become available across the board, but Microsoft will definitely want to keep something special for its Xbox and PC gaming environments. 

Science Fiction in the Classroom: Using Movies to Spark Student Curiosity and Engagement in Science

Christopher John
-
0
Science Fiction in the Classroom: Using Movies to Spark Student Curiosity and Engagement in Science

Back in the day, students used to visit the library to find books, journals, and papers that would answer their science questions. It used to be a time-consuming process since the average student would spend an entire day or afternoon perusing books to find answers. Nowadays, students don’t have to go through this process whenever they get curious or have to answer scientific questions. Using a digital gadget and a stable internet connection, they can get whatever they want in the blink of an eye. Tutors are also using modern technology to help learners stay engaged in class and understand important concepts. One of the popular techniques that tutors use to achieve this is playing movies in class. By reading this article, you are going to learn more about the benefits of science movies for middle school and how you can use it to spark student curiosity and engagement in science class.

How Science Fiction Movies Are Sparking Student Curiosity in Science

One of the common characteristics of scientists is curiosity. Scientists are always eager to learn new things that will aid in the growth and development of mankind. And it all starts in school. Nowadays, movies cover a wide range of topics that affect how we interact and live with each other. Science fiction movies cover important topics such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, food production, planets, and space to name a few. All these topics play an important role in sparking student curiosity. Think of this – if you’ve never seen or heard about artificial intelligence, it would be quite difficult to imagine how it can work. Or how you can live with it. However, with science essays by Writingbros and modern science fiction movies showcasing their potential, you can start researching extensively about it to learn more. When tutors encourage student to read free science esrsay samples and play science fiction movies in class, they accelerate student learning.

Using Science Fiction to Teach Real-World Science

While stem movies might like seem they are out of touch with reality, it has the potential of helping students become thinkers and innovators. If you watch movies in this genre, you’ll realize that most of them cover the major scientific topics in our modern world today. For instance, watching aliens living on other planets or transporting human beings to live in space for eternity might seem like a dream. However, these movies have propelled scientists to start asking questions and coming up with ideas that can help them achieve their goals. Some students get fascinated with a particular topic after watching a science fiction movie. And start conducting extensive research on it to find answers. Playing these movies in class and reading free science essay samples can help in writing inspiration and teaching individuals about real-world science.

How Science Fiction Movies Can Enhance Student Engagement in Science Education

You’ve probably read countless essay examples in college. And watched lots of educational movies since you were young. Both are great ways of learning new concepts. However, which learning method did you enjoy using? Most people will agree that watching shows is a better way of learning than reading. As a tutor, you are probably wondering why science fiction movies enhance student engagement in science education. First, movies save time. All you need is an hour or two to watch an entire movie. With books, you’ll have to spend a week or a month to finish reading them. Second, movies have a visual and audio appeal that captures the attention of learners. This is quite important, especially for visual and audial learners.

Let’s face it, it’s easier to watch a movie with all the audio-visual appeal than form an image in your mind as you read. Third, watching shows is normally considered a social activity. Therefore, playing sci-fi movies in class will allow learners to interact and learn more about the topic. Finally, learners don’t have to concentrate much on the movie to understand what is going on. Since it’s not a tiring activity, most learners love the idea of watching shows in class. When it comes to reading, students have to concentrate for a long period to understand the topic at hand. And this can be exhausting and demotivating in the long run.

Conclusion

Thanks to rapid technological advancement, you can easily find science videos for students on the web. While science fiction movies might seem like they are out of touch with reality, they do cover topics that play important roles in our lives. For instance, think of living in space or on another planet or creating robots to simplify the lives of people and boost the productivity of organizations. All these topics can spark curiosity among college students and propel them to find answers. The most successful people in our world today are those who achieve the unimaginable. As a tutor, playing these movies in class will help your students stay engaged. And they’ll grow and thrive in the long run.

How to Win Your Friends in Blackjack Online

Christopher John
-
0
How to Win Your Friends in Blackjack Online

The key to the card games’ success is strongly associated with their simplicity and accessibility, and blackjack meets these criteria. This game, believed to appear around 1700 in France, has become a common game in both land-based and online casinos around the world. 

With the booming popularity of live casinos, live dealer blackjack games enable players to enjoy a realistic casino experience without leaving their comfort. The fans know this social game comes with various wagers, from simple to more complicated bets. If you play online blackjack for real money with your friends and want them to win, consider the following tips.

Learn How to Play Blackjack for Money

Blackjack is a card game played with a standard 52-card deck that requires both luck and skill. The aim of blackjack is to beat the dealer’s hand by scoring as close to 21 as possible without exceeding 21. When you go over 21, it is called ‘busting’, and your game is over. More than 100 types of blackjack games for money can be played at online casinos, but the common variations include Classic blackjack, European blackjack, and Spanish 21 Blackjack.

The classic version of the game has remained popular, as it is ideal for beginners. As for European blackjack, this variant is seductive because it presents more opportunities to increase your gains. Spanish 21 blackjack, also known as Pontoon, stands out since it enables the players to redouble the cards up to three times. 

Find the Best Online Casino for Blackjack Gaming

With fierce competition among online casino operators, finding a reliable site can be confusing. In effect, an excellent web-based casino for blackjack games is a website that comes with a broad range of games supplied by leading developers. At any of these casinos with a wide portfolio of blackjack games, you can find a table games specialisation that meets your requirements. 

Moreover, the platform has a good reputation among the players in trusted online casino reviews. When registering at the site, you can move funds easily and safely through the trustworthy payment methods available there. Finally, you should check whether the casino provides profitable bonus programs.

Explore Basic Blackjack Strategies

Unlike other casino games, you can improve your odds of winning in blackjack online for money by following our guide. Hence, if your friends are newcomers, applying the perfect basic strategies boosts their winnings and reduces any losses.

Bankroll Management

If you are a beginner in blackjack, your first basic strategy is to be able to manage your money by starting with a small bet. It is a crucial step when you gamble to avoid significant losses and disappointment.

Be Familiar with the Variant You Choose

A simple strategy when playing blackjack is to choose your favourite variation and learn to be familiar with it. You can try the free version and play it more times. The longer you play, the more strategies you can use to boost your chance of winning.

Increase Your Bankroll with Bonuses

Casino bonuses and promotions can be great opportunities to improve your chance to hit payouts, so you can use them when you play online blackjack. Nonetheless, before claiming any bonuses, ensure they are attached to no or lower wagering requirements.

 

Create Your Gambling Approach

Once you think you are at ease playing a blackjack variant, you can create your betting policy. When it comes to developing this strategy, here are the best tips that you can apply.

Steady Gambling Policy

This strategy is straightforward, as you need to use the same amount of bet regardless of the outcomes. For example, when you start with $20 on your first hand, you should continue to bet $20 on every hand, no matter what occurs.

 

Oscar’s Betting System

This system was launched by Allan N. Wilson’s publication “Oscar’s System” in 1965. Oscar’s betting permits players to play for a longer time but with lower risks. You should try to win one betting section at once and whenever you win, restart the system by betting your initial amount.

The Martingale Betting Approach

This popular strategy is an effective way to bet in familiar card games, including blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. In this policy, each time you lose and return to your original betting amount, you must double your bets to restore any losses from previous hands.

Keep Track of Your Friends’ Money

While most players find playing blackjack exciting, it can, unfortunately, be extremely addictive for some people. Thus, it is essential to be able to control yourself when gambling. When you and your friends bet on this social game, make sure you don’t spend more than you can afford to avoid disappointment. In addition, you should ensure that your mates are paying the right amount for their chips.

Have a Good Time Together!

Sharing excitement and enjoyment with your friends when playing online blackjack is a memorable moment. With unlimited variants to choose from, huge bonuses, and safe banking options, it is not surprising that real money blackjack games play an important role in the iGaming industry’s growth. 

Make sure to understand the game’s rules and the strategies you can apply to win. When you are confident to bet on this game, have a great time and enjoy the ultimate gaming experience together!

For many players in Europe, the portal https://trustedcasinos360.com/ has become a favorite for playing online casinos, because it contains the best sites for playing fun.

How is Technology in Movies Revolutionising our Understanding of Ancient Egypt

Christopher John
-
0
How is Technology in Movies Revolutionising our Understanding of Ancient Egypt

With a rich history and mesmerising mysteries that move us into the past, ancient cultures have always held a unique attraction for people. They’ve all contributed to developing the entire world today. But, among all the ancient civilizations the world has ever known, the ancient Egyptians always remain the most captivating.

There’s more to ancient Egypt than the incredible tales we hear about the pharaohs and dynasties who dominated the land of sand and great pyramids for long periods. The Egyptians left us a lucrative past in the form of discoveries and inventions that revolutionised the course of history and paved the way for the modern world. Technological advancements played a significant role in reviving ancient Egyptian culture and lifestyles so that people could understand them more beautifully.

Since its inception, the Egyptian Film industry has thrived and introduced a diverse range of unique features. The ancient films depict Egypt’s rich culture, the journey of its civilization, and its influence on international space, ranging from political panoramas to epic cultural dramas to mesmerising love stories.

As soon as cinema made its debut, every filmmaker wanted to bring Egyptian antiquity to the big screen. And this fascination continues even today – with more details about our history being revealed by the world’s bravest and smartest explorers.

Not only are films being made, but other entertainment industries have also gotten in on the act as technology has allowed everyone to be able to be as creative with the theme as possible.

For instance, iGaming developers have continued to create new casino slots with Ancient Egypt themes, with an example being the 32Red Pharaohs Fortune offering which beautifully depicts ancient Egyptian culture, while we have seen a number of stories, and even music be created from the time period, too. These, along with films and documentaries, are still being produced for a large fan base.

Today, we’ll look at how technological advances in the film help us beautifully understand ancient Egypt.

Gods of Egypt

Gods of Egypt, shot in the Australian desert as the Sahara was considered too dangerous, depicts a battle between the Egyptian god Horus and Set, the god of darkness and widely regarded as the model for Western Satan. The film’s plot is focused on the Egyptian myth “The Contendings of Horus and Set,” in which the two gods fight for control of Egypt.

Exodus: Gods and Kings

Christian Bale’s performance as Moses in this picture brings the ancient Egyptian culture to life with stunning detail and accuracy. The story follows Moses from infancy, when he was saved by a pharaoh-ordered genocide of all male babies, until his ultimate realization that he is Hebrew and leads his people eastward out of Egypt into their 40-year desert journey. This beautifully painted narrative captures every emotion possible throughout its compelling plotline.

Agora

Hypatia of Alexandria is a renowned figure in ancient Egyptian history and an inspiration to all. This remarkable woman was far ahead of her time; she taught philosophy, mathematics, astronomy and more -all activities that were typically seen as forbidden for women at the period. Not only did she act as mentor-teacher to a class full of male pupils but also assisted in cataloguing thousands manuscripts from the Library of Alexandria while defending them against Christian mobs at Greece. Truly Hypatia’s legacy is another masterpiece illustrating Egypt’s unique heritage!

The Loves of Pharaoh

Amenes (Emil Jannings), the Egyptian pharaoh, had a crush on Theonis (Dagny Servaes), an enslaved Greek. However, Theonis refuses his advances because she has already fallen in love with Ramphis (Harry Liedke), the son of Amenes’ master builder. Despite this, Amenes marries Theonis and enslaves Ramphis, enrages the King of Ethiopia, Samak (Paul Wegener), and declares war on him.

The Mummy

3700 years after his death, Imhotep (portrayed by the renowned Boris Karloff) was beckoned back to life with a mysterious scroll. His mission? To find the reincarnation of his ancient love in modern Cairo. Ardeth Bay is how he disguises himself as he begins his search for long-lost ardour–but that’s not all this legendary masterpiece has to offer: each minute detail has been carefully researched and expertly portrayed!

Final Thoughts

Multiple movies pay homage to ancient Egypt today. Most of these stories are inspired by the Book of Exodus, which contains a wealth of ancient times and myths. Watching these films and other masterpieces will give you a better understanding of life in Ancient Egypt and how this extraordinary society dominated and had such a massive empire for over 30 centuries.

Review: Grapple Dog

Daniel Waite
-
0
Review: Grapple Dog

The platforming genre has been done to death. Consequently, it is hard to find a unique and original title amongst the plethora of junk games. However, when you do find a great one, it entertains you throughout. Thankfully, Grapple Dog does just that with its whimsy plot, cute characters, and deceptively cruel gameplay.

Developed by Medallion Games and published by Super Rare Games, this is a colourful platforming experience. What’s more, it has plenty of collectables, lots of levels, and loads of extra content to complete. In short, at first, it appears to be a basic and underwhelming game, but you soon realise it is more complicated than first meets the eye.

The overworld is navigated using a small boat in Grapple Dog.
A boat is used to move between each stage.

Grapple Dog proves that underdogs can win.

Unfortunately, the hero of this story is a little dim. Yet, this doesn’t stop this fun-loving pooch from living a full life. However, this gullible creature unwittingly releases a malevolent force and endangers the inhabitants of his colourful world. Undeterred by his stupidity, the hound is determined to right every wrong. As such, he undertakes a monstrous adventure filled with danger, robots, bosses, and many chasms.

The story isn’t particularly original, but it matters not. I adored the cute play on words, the excellent narration, and the tongue-in-cheek undertones. Moreover, the gentle learning curve and interesting stage design ensure that newcomers and veterans are equally tested. On top of this, gamers can alter the difficulty by removing damage and increasing Pablo, the protagonist’s jumping capabilities. Alongside this, you must remember that Pablo is no ordinary, albeit stupid, dog. No, he has been gifted a special grappling hook that’ll help him swing over chasms and explore each stage.

A giant robot dinosaur chases Pablo as the stage is destroyed.
Run as fast as you can!

Standard platforming mechanics.

Like many of its peers, Grapple Dog utilises some well-trodden tropes. You’ll wall jump, double jump, hit boxes, land on your enemies, and so forth. None of these mechanics will surprise you, but when they are combined with the collectables and the additional level content, they work perfectly. The 33 levels of madness are split over 6 different worlds. Each of these worlds comprises a boss battle, bonus levels, and time trials. Furthermore, there are coins to gather and other minor elements to look for.

Though each stage was fun, I enjoyed the additional content the most. The boss battle focuses on a linear level that tests your reactions, memory, and any new abilities you have. This was great, but it was equally frustrating. Why was it so annoying? Well, trying to collect every item while being chased by an enormous robot was never going to be easy. However, this enhanced difficulty certainly increases longevity and is rewarding when you are successful.

The bonus levels and the time trials reek of padding the game out. Yet, I didn’t care. I thoroughly enjoyed the silliness of the bonus stages and the break away from the traditional platforming elements. Furthermore, the time trials pushed me to my limits and kept me coming back for more.

Grapple Dog is wonderfully old-school.

If you consider the best platform games, your mind focuses on any Nintendo title. This platforming powerhouse has cornered the market, and every developer looks at their games for inspiration. Accordingly, Grapple Dog reminded me of Super Mario Bros, albeit with a more polished finish. The vulgar colours, the bold character design, and the hidden paths were reminiscent of this platforming masterpiece. What’s more, the engaging stage design, the variety of enemies, and the combination of additional content ensure that it remains fresh throughout.

What wasn’t so great was the audio. The repetitive soundtrack is annoying as hell even though it works perfectly with the theme. Its chirpy and upbeat nature is wonderful to listen to, but it never changes. Disappointingly, hearing the same song on a loop for hours on end is torturous. Unfortunately, this arduous decision was the biggest downfall in an otherwise great experience.

Pablo is using his grapple hook to swing between two platforms.
Just keep swinging.

Excellent controls.

When a game requires accuracy and speed to progress, you need a fantastic control layout. Thankfully, Medallion Games has delivered on this aspect. With a simple approach and responsive inputs, you’ll master it in no time. What’s more, a basic tutorial ensures that you know exactly what is required from the off.

Grapple Dog is an inexpensive title that is jam-packed with content. Furthermore, the gradual learning curve and game-changing elements make it accessible to all skill sets. Alongside this, you must consider the collectables, the time trials, and the bonus levels. All of these things demand that you keep playing while increasing both replay value and longevity.

Grapple Dog is a fantastic retro experience.

I should probably moan about the lack of originality or the overused platforming tropes. Yet, I won’t! I cherished Grapple Dog because of its reliance on familiar gameplay mechanics. Moreover, I adored the cute characters, the whimsy story, and the excellent stage design. However, I can’t excuse the poor audio and one major issue I had with my save files. Disappointingly, a glitch wiped my progress multiple times. This was understandably frustrating, but I’m assured it is an issue that will be resolved. Despite its shortcomings, I still believe that it’s a fantastic retro experience. Consequently, I recommend that you buy it here! Can you stop the malevolent force from destroying your home? Avoid the chasms, destroy the robots, and find every artefact.

Review: Shatter Remastered Deluxe

Daniel Waite
-
0
Review: Shatter Remastered Deluxe

The word remastered is used far too often. Consequently, there is an argument that the gaming industry is getting lazy and lacks originality. However, occasionally, a remastered title comes along and impresses you immediately. As such, you forget your hatred of this lazy cash cow. This is exactly what happened when I installed Shatter Remastered Deluxe! When I received my code, I shook my head in disbelief. After all, who wants to play a dated brick-breaking game? Well, as it works out, surprisingly, I do.

Developed and published by PikPok, this is a retro arcade experience. What’s more, it is addictive thanks to its simple but effective scoring system. Shatter was originally released in 2009 and was well-received. Roll on 14 years, and you get to enjoy the same moreish gameplay but it has a modern finish. Subsequently, this combination works perfectly, as the action plays out flawlessly.

Shatter Remastered Deluxe mixes up the perspective from square levels to round stages.
A change of perspective mixes things up.

Shatter Remastered Deluxe focuses on the madness.

With no plot or protagonists to empathise with, you may feel lost. However, luckily, Shatter Remastered Deluxe focuses on its hectic gameplay. With 5 unique modes to explore, 10 bosses to defeat and 71 exciting levels to master, you soon forget what it’s lacking. Instead, you’ll adore the mind-bending physics and the demand for quick reactions.

Each stage concentrates on one simple goal. Consequently, you control a vessel that must prevent your balls from leaving the arena. On top of this, you must destroy every brick in sight. If you do this, the level is completed and you progress. En route, you’ll experience an array of stages that test your resolve. Furthermore, drip-fed mechanics change the way you tackle each level.

Upgrades and gargantuan bosses. 

An arcade game would be nothing without game-changing power-ups. Thankfully, Shatter Remastered Deluxe doesn’t disappoint. As such, you’ll collect unstoppable balls, extra lives, extra shatter pieces, and more. The shatter pieces enhance your score while powering your special weapon. This high-powered gun decimates every block and is the difference between winning and losing. 

Talking of losing, this is likely to happen when you face each of the gargantuan bosses. These overpowered monstrosities are tough to handle. Furthermore, they test your patience and your tactical mindset. Accordingly, each boss requires some trial and error if you wish to be victorious. This was phenomenal, as much of the action was easy to overcome. Therefore, this smattering of challenging gameplay was a welcome change of pace.

The paddle deflects the ball into an explosive block.
Plan your approach and destroy every brick.

More than just the main mode. 

Though the bulk of the gameplay focuses on the “story” mode, there are more strings to this bow. Subsequently, you can while away the hours playing the Endless option, or you can play cooperatively with a friend. On top of this, there is a time attack mode and Boss Rush. Each of these extra modes adds depth to an otherwise simple affair. What’s more, the cooperative option creates some lighthearted competition between friends.

Shatter Remastered Deluxe looks incredible. 

Sadly, the next-gen consoles have yet to be tested thoroughly. However, Shatter Remastered Deluxe tries to change this. With stunning 4K resolution running at a strong 120fps, it runs smoothly and looks incredible. Alongside this, the vivid colours and futuristic design are a treat to the eyes. Yet, the developers played it safe with their stage design. Unfortunately, there are plenty of familiar assets and this was disappointing. Accordingly, it would have been nice if PikPok had been more adventurous. 

If you’ve played the original, you’ll know how great the soundtrack is. Thankfully, you can re-experience this spectacular synth sound. Furthermore, this remastered title has upped the ante by incorporating 5.1 surround sound. This was an excellent choice as it enhances the gameplay while giving the music the oomph it deserves.

Shatter Remastered Deluxe has some immense aliens. Unleash your weapons and take down the boss.
Can you defeat the gargantuan boss?

Easy to play. 

The modernised UI has made Shatter Remastered Deluxe a cinch to play. Moreover, the simple layout and responsive inputs keep you ahead of the game. However, the lack of a tutorial does muddy the water somewhat. Consequently, there are some frustrating moments as you try to understand poorly explained mechanics. 

Thanks to the scoring system, masses of levels, and interesting game modes, there is plenty to do. Furthermore, Shatter Remastered Deluxe has longevity and replay value thanks to its cooperative action. Alongside this, you must consider the large achievement list that keeps you coming back for more. 

Shatter Remastered Deluxe is fantastic.

I still believe that remastered games are undermining the industry. Yet, I can’t help but love Shatter Remastered Deluxe. By retaining its moreish action, it tweaks your heartstrings. What’s more, its modern polish will impress you from the off. Accordingly, I recommend that you buy it here! Can you destroy every brick and boss? Move your paddle, react to the situation, and clear every stage.

How Non GamStop Sites Attract Players With Free Bonuses

Christopher John
-
0
How Non GamStop Sites Attract Players With Free Bonuses

A lot of GamStop casinos will offer various free bonuses to players who want to gamble here. They do this due to an obvious reason. Casinos offer these bonuses to attract new players and keep them playing at the same casino as long as possible. This is a win-win situation. Casinos get new players and players get regular bonuses and perks from the casino. These offers are profitable to the casino and appealing to the gamblers. Now you will learn why. 

What Are Free Bonuses?

You do know that free bonuses can refer to all promotions a casino has to offer. As you know, a bonus is an offer the casino has prepared for you once you create an account, register, deposit or etc. One thing we must help you understand is that some bonuses are considered free because you don’t have to deposit funds to the casino in order to claim them. For comparison, we have deposit match bonuses. It means that you will have to deposit funds and the casino will give you a 100% match on that deposit.

Free bonuses are no deposit bonuses. Here we can see two options. You can get free spins without having to deposit funds on many casinos available at https://www.nongamstopbets.com/no-deposit-no-gamstop-bonuses/ where all GamStop players can find the full list of such promotions. Also, you can get free money as well. The latter refers to a small amount of money the casino will offer to you. Some casinos will try to mix the things so you can choose between the two, get special offers, and more. 

It is important to add that free promotions can come with wagering requirements. Some of them don’t have wagering requirements. These are known as no deposit, no wager offers. It means that you can claim the offer for free, win and withdraw the funds as soon as you win. Wagering requirements mean that you will have to bet the bonus amount a specific number of times. So, if you get $10 for free and the wagering requirement is 10 times you will have to bet $100. You will have to deposit more. Most bonuses at online casinos come with these perks. 

Players Can Play For Free

When we say free bonuses, we are referring to no deposit bonuses. It means that a player will get free spins or even money from the casino to use those on the official website. These are considered real money so you can play real casino games and win real money. Yes, the offers are small and they are not something spectacular but they are still worthy of your time. 

Players will want to claim these offers due to numerous, related perks. For instance, they can test a casino for free, play the game they like for free and even win some amount of money. Once they are happy, they can deposit and also get another bonus. This is amazing symbiosis.

Gamblers Will Want Even More

When an online casino offers a no deposit bonus, a player will want to claim it. Once he is done, he will want another bonus. This is typically what the casino wants to get and what a player wants. The player gets another bonus; a match deposit offer and he can continue playing, now you understand why providers outside GamStop offer such deals and how the bonuses increase their popularity. In simple terms, players will deposit more money into the casino, making more profit for the site but they can play more. 

All of this means that online casinos will become more popular and more desirable. At the same time, we can see that players will gamble more at these casinos and they will spread the word about the bonuses so other players will claim these as well.

Sharing The Email Address

Here we can see one interesting fact. Online casinos will require from you an email address. There is no way around it. You need to provide one as soon as you create a new account at the casino. This also means that the casino will share your bonuses and new promotions. They will send you an email and you can click on the link to claim the offer. This also means that players can claim new no deposit bonuses if they are available. These are rare but they can become available when a new game is launched or when the casino makes some improvements. 

One way or another, you will get regular promotions from the casino. You never know when you will get a promotion you must have and you will want to claim it as soon as possible. Once again, this is a win-win combination. 

The Final Word

Casinos that are not on GamStop have been using free bonuses to attract new players for a long time. They do this by offering free spins or no deposit bonuses and these are great for players. In simple terms, we can add that players adore these promotions and they want to claim as many as possible. It is free money and yes, you can win real money using this bonus only. This is better than you may believe. 

1...224225226...1,615Page 225 of 1,615