Review: GameDec

Xavier Berry
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0
Review: GameDec

GameDec is an isometric adventure RPG that places players in an interesting role. They are tasked with solving crimes in video game worlds. Players will adventure through multiple locations as they try to piece together what links these cases and ultimately bring it all to an end. With multiple endings and dialog options, Gamedec is something worth checking out, even with its bugs and flaws.

The Graphics on the Switch may not be the best but the game still has beautiful scenes such as this.

Story

GameDec puts players in the role of a GameDec (be prepared to hear this term alot) , A private detective who work between both virtual worlds and the real worlds to solve crimes. After selecting a skin and deciding what their characters name will be, players are thrown into the city of Warsaw and sent on their first case. Players are Tasked with solving the mystery as to why someone’s son is unable to log out of the game world they are trapped in. This case sets the tone for the rest of the adventure and brings in some heavy topics for players to tackle and serves as a good indicator of what lies ahead of them. It is worth noting that GameDec handles heavy topics involving assault and crime right off the bat so the M rating is something to be aware of for those who aren’t fans of these kinds of things.

Players will select a character portrait that fits them best.

Once players solve the initial case, they are cast into a world full of deceit and mystery as things start to take a turn for the worst. Decisions must be made and players must utilize information that they have picked up along the way to help make informed decisions that will impact the way the game ends. GameDec can be finished in around 14 hours but that accounts for just one playthrough. The game encourages players to replay it multiple times in order to unlock the full story that is being laid out. This is definitely a title that needs to be revisited in order to see all sides of the story.

Gameplay + Presentation

Gameplay revolves around players solving a multitude of problems without any combat. As they gather clues and interact with various amounts of NPCs, they can use these points to make deductions during the case. If players don’t carefully investigate the area, then they may miss important information that will change how the case plays out.

Choices play a major role in how key events will turn out

As players solve problems, they are given experience points that can be spent to unlock different skills which in turn unlock certain dialog options. For example, Players may unlock a skill that gives them access to more medical information or are able to use their influence as a detective to get more information from NPCS.

The world of GameDec will have players visiting a multitude of video game worlds that pull inspiration from real world counterparts. Twisted & Perverted feels like an edgy and gritty take on GTA with its inhabitants able to participate in all sorts of things while Harvest time is a take on farming simulators and has a touch of western action to it as well. Each world even has a different HUD to help differentiate themselves from each other and even has NPC’s to help make each game world a little more interesting.

There are a few minor spelling mistakes to be found throughout the game but this doesn’t ruin too much of the atmosphere.

There is very little voice acting to be found in the game, with certain lines and intros being voiced. The voice acting is decent enough but it would have been nice to have more lines fully played out. With all of the dialog presented in the game, it would have been nice to be able to hear the characters put some emotion behind the heavy topics and really hit home when things start to get rough.

Overall, GameDec is an adventure fit for those looking for more of the Cyberpunk setting. The idea of solving crimes as a Game detective seems a little strange at first but grew on me as the story went on. By the end of the game, I was fully engrossed in the characters and even was worried about their well-being. Although there are a few minor complaints, GameDec is definitely worth checking out.

Review: Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds

Daniel Waite
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Review: Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds

I’m all for excellent audio that comes with oodles of features. However, sometimes, this can be mundane and “sensible”. Manufacturers stick to tried and tested styles without experimenting. Therefore, when I was offered the Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds, I was amazed. These futuristic and eye-catching earbuds look fantastic and deliver market-leading sound. What’s more, they have plenty of features, are lightweight, and they stand out from the crowd.

Thanks to their 7.2mm drivers and Knowles balanced armatures, you experience balanced audio. On top of this, they are exceptional for phone calls because of their noise cancelling technology. There are also three preset modes to choose from, a robust case to admire, and a reasonable enough battery life. Finally, its design is whacky, futuristic, and has an air of Aliens/Warhammer 40k. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s unbox these beauties and give them a spin.

The Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds are jam-packed with features and has some unusual extra accessories.
A stylish and futuristic set of earbuds.

What’s in the box of the Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds?

  • The futuristic style starts with the striking and decorative packaging. This hard-plastic case has a security clip to hold the goods in place. Moreover, it is adorned with faux metal decorations to enhance the theme. Normally, I’d be disappointed by plastic. However, it enhances the presentation while doubling up as a carry case. 
  • The Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds. These small and lightweight earbuds fit snugly and comfortably within your ear. They come in a range of vivid colours and are marked with L and R for ease of use. 
  • The charging case. This stylish mecha futuristic case looks amazing and is multifunctional. Not only does it charge the earbuds, but it has a built-in bottle opener. Alongside this, its livery is bright, unusual, and eye-catching. Alongside this, it is robust because of its zinc alloy composition.
  • Spare ear tips. Everyone’s ears are different, so Gravastar has provided 3 different sized tips to ensure a snug fit. 
  • Decorative chain. This small but useful chain adds some more metal and a unique look. 
  • USB-C charging cable. A small rubberised cable that charges the case. 
  • User manual. Study the fundamentals of these easy-to-use earbuds. 
The handy and decorative carry case.
Gravastar SSirius Pro earbuds.
Find your extra bits here.
A useful and compact user guide.
The full package.

Technical aspects. 

Bluetooth VersionV5.2
Operation Range10m±
Noise Canceling ModeENC
Charging Time1.5-2H
Battery Life4H±
Weight6g (Single earbud)
Earbuds

Looking great is one thing, but perfect audio is what we all strive for. Luckily, the Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds deliver as close to perfect sound as possible. With a delicious range of tones and a meaty bass, these are phenomenal for music, movies, and gaming. What’s more, the delivery of the sound is balanced beautifully between each earbud. As such, you experience an unrivalled immersive experience that is truly game-changing. 

Earbuds are more than just an entertainment accessory these days. Now, people want to be able to have pitch-perfect and clear conversations as well. Luckily, this is another area that the Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds excel. Because of their environmental noise cancellation technology, you’ll have crisp and sharp calls every time.

However, this isn’t the pièce de résistance for this accessory. No, that’s reserved for its preset modes. You can flit from gaming, movie, and music mode with ease.

Input5V=500mA
Output5V=150mA
Charging Time3H±
Battery Capacity400mAh (3 times battery life)
Battery Type Li-ion
Charging PortType-C
Charging Case
With plenty of colours to choose from, you are spoilt for choice.
Why wouldn’t you want these awesome earbuds?

Gaming mode. 

The virtual 5.1 surround sound is like nothing I heard before. The Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds deliver a truly immersive and rich experience that’ll up your game. Enemy’s footsteps are heard clearly, and shots will ring out all around you.

Movie mode. 

There is nothing like great HD sound, and this is exactly what you get! Lose yourself in the moment as you watch your favourite films on the move.

Music mode. 

Thanks to the deep bass and large range of tones, your music feels alive. Unlike other earbuds I’ve experienced, the noise resonates through your body and isn’t flat or underwhelming.

The Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds are futuristic and look great.
What’s hiding behind that rock?

Are the Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds worth it?

Without a doubt, the sound quality is next level. However, what about its other features? Are the Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds worth it, or are there better alternatives? In short, these are phenomenal, look great, and deliver an exceptional level of audio. Yet, there are other things that you must consider. Luckily, Gravastar has these ticked off as well.

Thanks to Bluetooth 5.2, you have latency-free audio, a larger range, and a low power draw. What’s more, they are simple to connect to for a user-friendly experience.

Alongside these features is a reasonable battery life. The earbuds last around 4 hours on one charge and the case extends this by another 3 or so hours. Fortunately, a handy LED display highlights your charging status, so you shouldn’t run out of juice. 

Finally, the build quality is phenomenal! The earbuds are secured tightly within the case because of a spring-loaded clip. Further to this, the case is scratch resistant and ultra durable. Then, there are the earbuds themselves that are IPX5 rated for sweat and water resistance. This is great, as it gives you peace of mind when using them while walking or exercising.

Summary.

With so many amazing earbuds on the market, it’s tough to get it right. Yet, you can’t go wrong with this amazing and jaw-dropping audio peripheral. The Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds look funky, are jam-packed with features, and will blow your mind with their preset modes. It is for these reasons that I recommend you to buy it here!

(More information on Gravastar can be found here!)

The Gravastar Sirius Pro earbuds receive the Movies Games and Tech Gold award.

Review: The Quarry

Daniel Waite
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0
Review: The Quarry

I’ve always loved classic American horror. The over the top slapstick humour combined with the “I wouldn’t do that” moments are fantastic. What’s more, the atmosphere is usually electric, and the characters and their relationships are wonderful. The Quarry replicates this with its phenomenal and often suspenseful plot.

Developed by Supermassive Games and published by 2K, this is a cinematic horror title. It can be enjoyed solo or online as you unravel a mysterious and gruesome tale. In The Quarry, your decisions, no matter how minor, alter the plot. Consequently, you must consider your choices and live with the outcomes.

The Quarry will creep you out.

Though the narrative isn’t so original, you’ll experience a creepy and spine-tingling story, nonetheless. The well-paced action unfolds across 10 chapters, and each varies in length and level of interaction. As the plot progresses, you control one of the 9 camp counsellors. These hapless teenagers must attempt to survive every ordeal that they face.

The action revolves around Hacketts Quarry and the kid’s school camp it hosts. Luckily, for the children, they are long gone before the brutal and hellish action breaks loose. 9 unique protagonists star in this clichéd and familiar slice of Americana horror. Each of these delinquents is sexually charged, opinionated, and occasionally annoying. However, they love one another and this is what will potentially save them.

As the chapters roll by and the gruesome events unfold, you see new relationships form. After all, when mysterious monsters, hillbillies, and more want to ruin your day, only your wits and your friends can save you.

Each character in The Quarry plays a key part.
Perhaps you should listen to this guy.

I want to be involved!

The Quarry is a cinematic masterpiece. As such, you may worry that it’s more voyeuristic than interactive. However, fear not, as the developers have balanced the action brilliantly. With some captivating cutscenes, a plethora of game-changing decisions, quick time events, and bags of exploration, you are truly spoilt.

The sheer amount of variety and multiple story branches keep you hooked. Subsequently, this is a tough game to put down. On top of this, the characters are excellent, annoying, and wonderfully endearing. Whether you try to save them all, or plot to have one killed, is entirely your choice. Whatever you decide, you’ll adore how it alters the plot and the group dynamics.

Quick time events and exploration.

QTEs are becoming more common. The Quarry uses them alongside the dialogue to alter the course of the story. Thankfully, though, they lack complexity and, as a consequence, are easy to achieve. Whether it is selecting a direction on the analogue stick, mashing the A button, or holding your breath, it’s all straightforward. Then there are the odd combat encounters that are no more complicated than pointing and shooting.

Now you may be disheartened by this, but don’t be. The QTEs are still great and demand rapid reactions. What’s more, it allows you to focus on the story and the characters.

Another key element that has a Silent Hill edge was the exploration. Walking around the eerie woodlands with a dim light was incredibly unnerving. Furthermore, the creepy world has to be thoroughly investigated for clues and tarot cards (more on those in a moment). If you miss information, it can impact your decision-making at a later stage. Therefore, a keen eye and a patient approach are a must.

The opening chapter sets the scene perfectly.
Where it all begins.

What does the future hold?

When your decision can have life-changing ramifications, a little forewarning is a great thing. Accordingly, this is where the aforementioned tarot cards come into play. Each of the 10 chapters has a bunch of these collectables hidden in plain sight. With weird imagery and secret meanings, these magical cards unlock a vision for the upcoming chapter. Of course, you don’t have to look, but this snippet of the future could save a life! Therefore, a sneaky peak is surely not a bad thing?

Though the characters, explorations, and brown pants’ enduring moments are fantastic, the pièce de résistance is the decision-making. Will you choose to investigate eerie noises, or hide inside? Do you help your friends to fight, or do you run and save yourself? Will you keep the gun or sacrifice the weapon? These are just some of the decisions you’ll mull over. No matter how trivial something seems, it is likely to affect you sooner rather than later. Consequently, the interactivity makes you buy into the story and it keeps you hooked throughout.

The Quarry looks incredible!

With cinematic action at its core, The Quarry was bound to look incredible. However, I was blown away by the presentation. For the most part, it is noticeably realistic and extremely lifelike. What’s more, its eerie atmosphere, camera angles, and dim lighting create a creepy atmosphere. Yet, I still have my complaints. Occasionally, the cinematic feel disjointed and badly cut. This is apparent when characters are slightly out of place or the background has minor differences. Further to this, there are issues with the character’s hair and some minor lighting problems. On top of this, the character movement can feel robotic and clunky.

Luckily, these problems are masked by the excellent story and incredible audio. Thanks to the exceptional cast of actors, The Quarry’s dialogue is warm, amusing, sincere, and well-paced. This helps you to hate or empathise with each of the protagonists and this improves the experience considerably. Furthermore, the soundtrack and sound effects are brilliant. The music captures the summer camp vibes as well as the fearful moments. Alongside this, the sound effects are haunting, spine-tingling, and extremely uncomfortable.

Love them or loathe them, but you are responsible for their lives.
Life will never be the same for these partying youngsters.

Responsive and considered controls.

Though the character movement was a bit janky, it didn’t ruin the game. Because of its responsive and well-considered controls, it is very easy to play. The simplicity of the QTEs and the labelling of key items enhance the experience. Playing it isn’t too demanding, and this lets you focus on the story and the unfolding horrors.

With many paths to take, collectables to find, and a multiplayer mode to try, there is longevity and replay value. Moreover, trying to keep everyone alive or kill everyone off is no mean feat. Though each playthrough isn’t incredibly long, there is enough depth to keep you going from beginning to end.

The Quarry is a must-play title.

The Quarry will appeal to a wide audience. With an excellent story, amazing characters, brilliant cinematic, and countless subplots, it’s a must-play title. From the start, you’ll be hooked on its creepiness and this never dissipates. Furthermore, it captures everything that is great about old-school American horror. It is for these reasons, I recommend you to buy it here! Helping to run a camp is supposed to be fun. However, the laughter soon stops when your life is in danger. Work together, or run for your life as you try to survive.

Review: Woowind AP2-P Pump

Daniel Waite
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0
Review: Woowind AP2-P Pump

We’ve all been there when we’ve tried to drive our car, ride our motorbike or push bike, or kick a ball, only to discover you have a flat. So, what are you going to do? Traditionally, you’d grab a hand pump, look at the analogue gauge, at get to work. However, that is inaccurate, dated, and a pain in the arse. Instead, allow technology to guarantee your pressure while removing the effort. This is what happens if you use a Woowind AP2-P Pump! It is a portable compressor that is powerful, useful, and super accurate.

Alongside these things, it has many uses, won’t break the bank, and is sturdy and well built. Furthermore, it is easy to get to grips with, has some helpful preset modes, and can inflate a tyre in no time. I have recently looked at the Woowind BP188 Mini Bike Pump, and I adored it. However, the Woowind AP2-P Pump has some differences that make it stand out from its peers. So let’s unpack this accessory and take a closer look.

The Woowind AP2-P pump has plenty of nozzles to get you started.
Plenty of nozzles to inflate all your goods.

What’s in the box of the Woowind AP2-P Pump?

  • The compact and robust packaging is simple to look at. Furthermore, it highlights key selling points and isn’t fussy or OTT. More importantly, it protects the contents and can easily be recycled. 
  • The Woowind AP2-P Pump. This sturdy device is tactile and well built. It has a smooth finish to the front and rear, and a gripped area to the side. A small LED sits next to a small cluster of buttons. At one end there is an LED torch, a USB-C port and a USB-A port.
  • An array of adapters. To ensure that this can inflate many items, you are provided with several adapters. These include; a flexible hose, Presta and Schrader valve adapter, swimming ring nozzle, and a ball needle.
  • USB-C charging cable. A small rubberised charging cable is included to charge the 2*2000 mAh Lithium batteries.
  • Carry case. With many bits to keep safe, Woowind has provided you with a helpful carry case. This textile bag comfortably houses each item and is built to last. 
  • A simple user guide. This simple manual explains the fundamentals. 
The complete package.
Four adapters to inflate an array of goods.
A small rubberised USB-C cable.
Keep everything safe in this handy bag.
The AP2-P pump
A simple user guide.
Simple and compact packaging.

Technical aspects. 

The Woowind AP2-P Pump is built with versatility in mind. Not only is it fantastic for inflating an array of goods, but it has a bright torch and is also a power bank. This is unusual but excellent as its multi-faceted approach is handy when out and about. What’s more, its compact design makes it perfect to stow in a car or motorbike in case of an emergency. 

Alongside this, its massive 4000 mAh battery life is a game-changer. Accordingly, you’ll rarely run out of juice and you can top up your phone if its running low.

These things aside, let’s look at its preset modes. With 5 to choose from, you can get to work inflating tyres, beach toys, and balls, immediately. However, a handy custom mode puts you in full control. You may inflate items up to a whopping 150 PSI if you wish. This makes the Woowind AP2-P Pump an excellent tool for anyone with a road bike. What’s more, PSI isn’t the only value it works in. No, instead you can select Bar, KPA, and Kg/cm.

Inflate tyres in no time.
A quick and powerful pump.

Loads of features, but how easy is it to use?

With a large list of uses, you may worry that it’s complicated to use. Well, worry not, as it’s pretty straightforward. Simply attach the required nozzle, set the pressure, and attach it to your tyre, ball, or inflatable. Moreover, a helpful auto-stop function cuts the device off at the desired level.

This extra feature shows that Woowind has a safety-conscious approach. Subsequently, you won’t accidentally overinflate whatever you are working with. As such, you won’t injure yourself or damage the goods. What’s more, the LED display is clear and accurate so it is easy to read and you know the pressure will be spot on.

Plenty of battery life to keep you going.
The large battery lasts a long time.

Is the Woowind AP2-P Pump worth it?

I’ve mentioned my adoration for the Woowind BP188 Mini Bike Pump. However, this is more versatile. Yes, the BP188 is more stylish, compact, and portable, but its uses are comparatively limited. What I mean by that, is, that the larger battery life makes a huge difference. Not only does it get the job done quicker and more efficiently, but it can charge your phone in an emergency.

I loved its tactile case, simple functionality, multi-faceted approach, and the power of its pump. Moreover, it won’t break the bank, which is amazing for such a feature-heavy accessory. Subsequently, it is for these reasons that I recommend you to buy it here! Alternatively, you can purchase it from Amazon UK here!

Summary.

Using a hand pump is all well and good, but they are tiresome, inaccurate, and break easily. Modernise your setup with the affordable and useful Woowind AP2-P Pump. If you want a powerful but compact tyre pump, you need look no further. 

(More information on Woowind can be found here!)

Review: Stranger Things Season 4

Cody May
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0
Review: Stranger Things Season 4

In 2016, Stranger Things became a world-wide phenomenon overnight, with millions captivated by the 80’s-inspired supernatural thriller. I was one of those people, as Stranger Things was everything I ever wanted to create as an aspiring storyteller. With each season, the stakes have been raised, and the drama has been lifted, but after a 3 year hiatus, did Season 4 live up to the hype?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQEondeGvKo

Welcome Back, Kids.

Fans of Stranger Things have been eagerly awaiting a new season, since the release of Season 3 back in July of 2019. Season 3 was amazing, and fans still had many unanswered questions after some of the dangling plot points. Eleven, Will, Joyce, and Jonathan were leaving Hawkins, heading for the west coast, with hopes of starting a new life, which is where Season 4 picks back up.

With such a long absence, fans expectations were through the roof, as were mine. Season 4 couldn’t just be average; it had to be substantial, making all of our waiting worth it. I’m very happy to say that Season 4 delivers big time with possibly the greatest season of the show’s running.

Kids at Heart.

Stranger Things has always been about friendship, and the bonds we make that follow us all of our lives. As seasons passed, our kids grew up, their interests changed, and some grew distant.

This is something that Season 3 delved into quite heavily, which I enjoyed. Will wanted to remain a kid at heart, playing Dungeons and Dragons in his mom’s basement, not having to worry about inter-dimensional monsters. Eleven was dealing with insecurity in her relationship with Mike, while also longing for the normal childhood that she never had.

In Season 4, these themes manifest themselves, but in different ways. Will seeks acceptance for who he really is inside, and Eleven is learning the hard way what it’s like to be an outcast in high school.

The Friends we made along the way.

Stranger Things has always done a fantastic job at making the audience care about its characters, and that’s no different in season 4. When you see them struggle, you long for the moment when they are able to pick themselves back up.

Steve Harrington gets a special shoutout, as he possibly has had the greatest character development in television history. A couple episodes into season 1 and you think he’s the prototypical TV douchebag, but by the end he redeems himself, and his character has only gotten better as the years have passed.

The stand-out in season 4 for me is Murray. He always seemed to steal the show in whichever scene he was in, keeping everything fun when things seemed dire.

The Monster under the Bed.

With season 4, The Duffer Brothers have escalated everything, introducing darker horror themes, which makes for riveting moments. Vecna, this seasons foe, is just fantastic, and I hope you enjoy learning about his origin as much as I did.

If you’re a returning fan, I think you’re going to love what’s in store for you with this season. If you’re a new fan who maybe skipped the other seasons, I’d highly recommend watching season 1-3 before jumping into 4 as it is vital to understanding Vecna and his motives.

Closing Remarks and a thank you to the Duffer Brothers.

Overall, I had a phenomenal time watching Season 4 with my girlfriend, which comes as no surprise because I’ve loved every season of this stellar show.

I’d like to thank the Duffer Brothers for not only inspiring me creatively, but also for giving me memories I’ll never forget. In October of 2017, my Dad was diagnosed with cancer, and although everything in my life came crashing down, Season 2 launching gave me the incredible comfort that I needed. I rewatched Season 1 & 2 over and over again during that time, and it solidified my love for this show. Now, 8 months after losing my Mom, I find myself missing them both dearly, but again, Stranger Things was there for me, helping me to forget for awhile.

Review: Crypt of the Serpent King

Daniel Waite
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0
Review: Crypt of the Serpent King

Growing up, I loved Dungeon Master. Its simple artistry, the large array of monsters, and claustrophobic levels got the juices flowing. However, these days, everyone wants a vast open-world to explore. Sadly, this ensures that the classic dungeon crawling games rarely get a look in. Yet, Crypt of the Serpent King aims to rectify that with its 4k remastered edition.

Developed by Rendercode Games and published by Eastasiasoft Limited, this is a creepy dungeon crawler. Utilising a simple style, this won’t wow or test you. However, it is great fun to play and has a nice retro charm. Furthermore, there are 3 difficulty settings, some skills to upgrade, and a small arsenal of weapons. Consequently, there is enough about it to pique your interest.

Hack and slash your way to victory.
What you going to do about it… Skeleton?

Crypt of the Serpent King is mindless and trivial. 

Unlike the masterful Dungeon Master, Crypt of the Serpent King requires minimal brain power. Effectively, you are asked to scour 7 unique and randomly generated stages. Accordingly, you’ll never know what to expect and this keeps the action fresh. Sadly, though, the core mechanics are repetitive and this undermines the experience long-term. What’s more, once you unlock everything and max out your skills, it is far too easy.

The simplicity extends to the plot. By this, I mean that it has no story. Subsequently, you are left wondering why you exist in these claustrophobic tombs. Without an explanation, you mindlessly walk around, open some chests, and kill everything in sight. Further to this, you must find keys to unlock a final gate. Once this happens, you’ll face an end-of-stage boss and progress. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a damp squib. The battle was usually underwhelming and far too easy. Even when the difficulty was ramped up, it offered little to no challenge. This can be said for every foe you face. Annoyingly, they are so easy to kill that it reduces the enjoyment.

The 4k remastered edition looks fantastic.
Damn, you are ugly.

Mediocre and repetitive action!

Any joy is well and truly sucked out of this because of its lack of challenge. Every monster has a set of attacks that are easily dodged and countered. This reduces the risk and makes this a run-of-the-mill title. What’s more, once you’ve maximised your skills, you simply avoid every enemy as you hunt for keys. Further to this, once you have the most powerful weapons, you are unstoppable.

What was most disappointing was that the potential was plain to see. With a wonderful range of creatures to slay and the opportunity to create labyrinthine stages, it could have been phenomenal. However, the lack of magic, a nonexistent story, and no unique layers will leave you wanting.

Crypt of the Serpent King looks polished. 

Contradictory statement alert… this dated title looks gloomy, pixelated, but well polished. I adore the work the developers have put into Crypt of the Serpent King. Fortunately, it retains its old-school charm, while the uplift in resolution makes the details pop. Accordingly, the monsters look great, the lava traps are vivid and fierce, and the movement and animation are smooth. Yes, it is aimed at a niche market, but this small group of players will love its appearance. 

The creepy atmosphere is complemented by the eerie audio. Footsteps echo, water drips, and creature’s snarl. Then there is the haunting music to top things off. Being hunted by your foes was terrifying thanks to the daunting soundbites. Consequently, the developers got this spot on, as it was rarely relaxing.

Crypt of the Serpent King has an array of horrendous monsters.
Such naughty snakes.

Move, hit, move, hit. 

From the sublime aesthetics to the underwhelming control setup. If you can remember, move, hit, move, hit, you’ll be victorious in no time. Sadly, this is the extent of the button layout, and subsequently, it won’t test you. Thankfully, though, they are responsive and this helps when it is occasionally hectic. 

With 3 difficulty settings, there is potential for replay value. Yet, for me, one playthrough was enough. Completing Crypt of the Serpent King takes around 2 hours and is the perfect title for completionists. During this time, you’ll be creeped out, witness some weird foes, and you’ll have found a million chests and plenty of keys.

Crypt of the Serpent King should have been incredible. 

Because of its remastered status, I was hopeful that Crypt of the Serpent King would be incredible. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case, as there are too many shortcomings. However, if you are a completionist, this is quick and worthwhile. Yet, for everyone one else, it’s just not good enough and is seriously lacking. I can’t recommend it, but more information can be found here! Hack your way through every dungeon, find the keys, and complete your journey. 

Review: Horizon Chase Turbo

Lee Fairweather
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1
Review: Horizon Chase Turbo

In today’s gaming landscape, the majority of racing titles are comprised of hyper detailed and realistic simulators. While they are awesome in their own right, I sometimes miss the old school retro style of the 16-bit era. Thankfully, Horizon Chase Turbo is here to solve that problem for me.

Horizon Chase Turbo is an arcade racing game inspired by the classic titles of the early 90s. It was developed and published by Brazilian indie studio AQUIRIS, who are primarily known as a mobile developer. In fact, this game marks their first foray into the home console and PC markets. Taking that into consideration, what they’ve made here is nothing short of incredible.

Gameplay

Horizon Chase Turbo is easy to learn, play and enjoy. This is due to the way in which the games driving mechanics operate. As you may expect, accelerating your car will cause you to move forward. However, unlike modern racing games, it also causes you to partially stick to the threshold of the course. It’s hard to explain without playing it for yourself, but just imagine your car is loosely placed on rails.

The only major inputs you have to worry about is dodging your opponents, and manoeuvring your car around the track’s bends. Failing to do either of these will cause you to crash and lose momentum, something you don’t want to do when you’re trying to win a race. You’ll also have to keep an eye out for fuel canisters, as running out of gas will cause you to get a DNF.

The game has over 100 tracks, all of which vary from simplistic to incredibly challenging. The games difficulty comes from learning the courses layout. You’ll find yourself trying to remember where the difficult turns are, where you can find gas cans, and when the best time to initiate a boost is. It’s mixture of fast paced action with spontaneous decision making. This together makes for a massive amount of fun.

Modes

There are a total of 4 game modes in Horizon Chase Turbo, all of which cover different styles of gameplay. The campaigns are the main mode in which you’ll visit different areas of the world, and tackle their local tracks. Each location averages 3-4 courses, with an additional special course allowing you to gain upgrades for your vehicles. These impact things like your cars speed, handling and so on.

In the Playground mode are timed exclusive courses. They are updated every week or so, and usually aimed to be on the more challenging side. Tournaments are similar to the standard play mode seen in Mario Kart. You’ll compete in 4 races back-to-back, with the highest scoring player being declared the victor. Lastly, the Endurance mode is where you will go through a gauntlet of races which exponentially get more demanding.

Progressing through any of the game modes will unlock different cars to use. All of the cars in the game are based on real life models. The Nano for example being this games version of a Mini. You’ll also occasionally be given challenge courses to complete, which is yet another way to unlock new vehicles.

The game can be enjoyed in either a single player fashion, or through the use of local split screen. I had a couple of buddies come over to replicate the Mega Drive days, and it was an all around great time.

Art

The art direction of Horizon Chase Turbo manages to take inspiration from the 16-bit era of racing games, whilst also converting the aesthetic into a modernized style. It achieves this by blending low and high-poly themes together, which create a retro but contemporary feel.

The game features a wide array of environments, with are based on the various locations that you visit in the game. These range from deserts to snowy mountains, cities to costal rides, and even some mock racetracks. The incredibly colourful pallet really helps bring this game to life, and, once again, creates a parallel to the old SNES/Mega Drive era.

Additionally, the cars look absolutely stunning. The higher poly count used on these models allow the finite details, such as the rims and grills, to be brought to the forefront. It also doubles down as smart gameplay design, as it keeps the cars as the focal point for the players.

Audio

The music in Horizon Chase Turbo was created by the legendary Barry Leitch. For those unfamiliar, he created the soundtracks for Lotus Turbo Challenge and the Gauntlet games. Almost 20 years on, his enigmatic style shines through once again. He encompasses different genres into the OST with influences from rock, trance and house all being very prevalent.

My favourite track, which was hard to narrow down, is a headbanging masterpiece called Vyper. Honestly, take a listen to this song below and tell me you don’t want to start pumping your fist in the air. That’s just one example though, every track in the game is a certified banger.

The sound design for the SFX is also a notable addition. Each one of the cars engines have their own unique sounds, once again acting similar to their real-life counterparts. For example, jeeps have a lot of bass when revving, and the sports orientated cars sound monstrous when in full throttle.

Conclusion

Horizon Chase Turbo is a fantastic throwback to the arcade racing games of the 90s. The gameplay is a great mixture of easy to learn but hard to master, and the different game modes provide you with enough variation to keep you entertained for hours. The graphical presentation of the game captures the retro aesthetic immensely, with OST matching its themes magnificently. If you are looking for a racing game you can sit back and enjoy, then this is one worth picking up.

Review: Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series

Natosha M
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0
Review: Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series

Do you have some time to go down memory lane? Well, get ready to go back in time, around the years 1997 and 2001 when the release of two nostalgic Japanese-style games was released. They both were once known to be played on the Playstation one and two consoles. The two games that I’m referring to, which are included in this one fantastic game are Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil.

Klonoa is an anthropomorphic creature, just like many cartoon-designed characters having both a mix of animal and human abilities. There really isn’t one animal or creature to describe what Klonoa might be. However, to me, I would think he was a cute little dog, but it could appear to others as a rabbit or cat in some of the facial and body features. Nevertheless, this cute little hero wearing his cute little Pac-Man design on a blue hat is on a mission to save the day in both games.

His main goals for these two games are a little different. One relies on him in a dream world where he must help Lunatea, while the second game is him saving and discovering many new mysteries in Phantomile. He might be a little naive at times, but who isn’t? Klonoa is possibly a big-hearted character who wants to set out to do good and help save the day by overcoming many difficult obstacles coming his way. This may include defeating giant bosses, helping and meeting new friends, and discovering some new mysteries to aid in the game. So if you have what it takes to be Klonoa and defeat these demonic foes and save the day, then you should give these two games a try! Especially if you are a collector and love classic games, you’ll love these improved graphics, classical Japan-style music, and art as you play this game.

How Was The Game

To be honest, I can’t lie. This is going to be a whole new experience explained by myself, as I’ve never had the chance to try any Klonoa games in the past. I wanted to, don’t get me wrong, but even when I had a PlayStation console, my TV never had any one of them playing. Yet, it did look quite interesting when growing up and I honestly would have loved to play them as I’m a big platformer gamer. Especially, with this adorable character, that to me appeared as a black and white dog with ears that possibly allowed you to fly or glide just like Dumbo from Disney. Maybe even a game that was a little magical too! So to my surprise, here is how I felt about the two games.

  • Klonoa: Door to Phantomile

The first thought was how unique the characters, not the hero, but the foes were in this game and how his ring, which he holds on to, encapsulates his friend Huepow. In some way, the ring friend is actually an invisible sidekick cause he’s stuck in the ring that Klonoa wears. Plus, the ring is the primary weapon used to defeat enemies of all types. Each little movement and action includes such a cute sound Klonoa or the defeated enemy will create. It’s kind of cute and different. I do want to point out that, since it’s a Japan-based game, the sound effects sort of fit perfectly.

Additionally, the game’s map where we can travel too is very old-fashioned, so the classic appearance is something that really will stick in your mind, even if you remember Playstation games. It actually could look like one of the old games like Gex in how the characters look and move. On top of that, the 3D appearance back then didn’t really need help with the player to control any cameras. As you move, it goes along with you. So going around something or into, it doesn’t require any other movements with the controller’s buttons to move the camera. I sort of always enjoyed that, saves you from being confused to do too much at one time, and just simplifies the gameplay.

The main thing about the game is finding items to refuel our little hero, collecting gems, and even completing a puzzle by collecting pieces. I’ve noticed that these are all over the level. In addition to that, the ring that Kolona holds on to but doesn’t wear is his way to defeat the enemies, His friend or sidekick is inside the ring, and it allows Kolona to pick them up and throw them or even get a little lift into the air.

I think there was one downfall with Kolona’s abilities, if it wasn’t for the enemies his fluttering ability wouldn’t help him in this game. I had sometimes a little difficultly with the fluttering or flying with Kolona’s ears. It’s like he lowers down and then goes up a little just to begin falling down again. It’s not a consistent glide or flight and so the game may just not play as great as it would if there wasn’t the ability to use the enemies to give us flight. Also, if you make a mistake, at least the enemies seem to always reappear in a few seconds. It’s like a neverending line of the same enemies appearing even after you defeat them. So there is always a chance to reach gems and so many other things to complete the level fully.

As in Mario, I’ve also noticed there are 5 major locations in this game. The many places you’ll get to see are the wind, water, tree, sun, and moon kingdoms. Each with unique enemies and bosses to defeat at the end. Even for an older game, it’s not as easy as to play through quickly, there will be challenges and plenty to overcome in each separate level of those worlds. However, it’s nothing but joyful and something quite entertaining. This classic game does provide such a better appearance in graphics. No more blurry vision, everything looks clearer and still plays exactly like it would have in the past, as I would think since I haven’t played it before.

  • Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil

I think right away when realizing it’s about dreaming. Well, the title Lunatea a world in the dreamland is close to the word luna like another word for the moon, so it sort of makes total sense. However, back to the game. Now this one feels a bit more high-spirited with the music! My twin actually told me right away, that when she saw the game it reminded her of Sonic, and honestly, how it plays it does!

It’s got Klonoa as this outgoing character who loves to move in all different ways. He is snowboarding in the snow, running fast through levels, jumping, fluttering, and just keeping up with defeating any foe in his way till you get to the final location. Of course, so many obstacles will be stopping you, but with great fighting tactics, it’s a piece of cake to get you through the level.

I don’t know why, but this game is maybe a bit more interesting to me. It’s entertaining, with a lot of music playing loud in the background as you move quickly around as in the other game, but so much more things to do and utilize. Regardless, I still just adore the design of Klonoa, and what he can do as a character. He makes the game so much fun being this animal with so many different abilities and much more things that he can do in this game. Plus, how he has to go about defeating these large bosses and enemies in each level. In some way, I just feel it’s even more eventful than the first one, but they both are both still really nice games.

Lastly, I wanted to add in some extra bonus content that is available for all players who buy the special edition of the game. Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is not just for playing, but you can decide on purchasing the bundled collection set and play the games as well as enjoy the beautiful artwork, full of color and dynamic images. Additionally, you’ll also be able to play through the beautiful soundtracks and check out the fun and cute clothing you want to dress Klonoa up in during his adventure. This again is all an optional purchase choice, but if you don’t need these extras, the game is still a blast on its own and always a good reason to add to your classic game collections.

Final Thoughts

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is a great game that I’m so grateful to have a chance to play and will continue to play as I don’t want to ever remove it from my console. It’s one of those platformers that keeps me engaged for hours and cheerful as the entire environment in the game and background sounds all make me feel happy and joyful inside. Even if I’m taking down these enemies of all sizes. It’s a game that has everything I would want in a platformer.

From being the hero, Klonoa saves and meets new friends, playing through bright and original levels full of obstacles to overcome, defeating many foes, plenty of items to discover, and all-size bosses that are tough but that is what makes the game so much more entertaining. Of course, always winning the game, stopping them, and finally, you can call victory when completing the game, that is what makes this a game so worth playing and playing over again and again!

Review: PowerWash Simulator

Daniel Waite
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4
Review: PowerWash Simulator

If you can do something in real life, you can be darn sure you’ll be able to simulate it in a video game. Whether it is sex, violence, work, fishing, or sports, it matters not. This genre is increasingly popular, as it allows gamers to escape reality while becoming something or someone completely different from themselves. PowerWash Simulator is the latest in a long list of work-related games that splashes onto console and PC. Will it be squeaky clean and perfect, or does it need to be thrown out with the dirty water? Let’s put on our overalls and take a look.

Developed by Futurelabs and published by Square Enix, this is a real-to-life simulation title. It can be enjoyed solo or online with up to 5 friends. What’s more, it utilises Cross-Play to make online action that bit easier. Like its peers, it is simple to understand, oddly addictive, and deeply satisfying. Consequently, you’ll lose hours of your life as you clean everything in sight.

PowerWash Simulator is full of interesting items and strange stage designs.
Ohhhh that’s a dirty snake.

PowerWash Simulator has no story!

I’m not sure that it matters, but PowerWash Simulator has no story. Now, I know it would have been clichéd and shallow, but a bit of friendly rivalry with an NPC would have spiced things up nicely. Instead, you are treated to a selection of game modes, upgradeable equipment, and some cosmetic items. I understand that you may think this lacks depth. However, with so many tasks to complete, it doesn’t.

Each location you visit has an array of complex buildings, dirty toys, and all sorts of filthy surfaces. Accordingly, you must select the right tool to remove the dirt in a timely and efficient manner. You’ll pick which nozzle you want, the cleaning spray, lance, and pressure washer you wish to use. As you progress, you’ll earn stars and cash which unlocks improved goods and buys every upgrade. Having the best gear is essential as the jobs become convoluted and the stains more stubborn. Subsequently, terrible equipment makes this game a horrible slog to play.

Which mode will you select?

As already mentioned, there are an array of modes to pick from; career, special, challenge, and free play. You’ll spend much of your time in career mode. Here you’ll earn your money, be awarded stars, and work through an array of tasks. Furthermore, this can be played solo or with another player. The special mode, on the other hand, is crazy! The tasks are literally out of this world (I’m looking at you Mars rover), and time-consuming. As such, you can speed things up by inviting up to 5 friends to join you.

Challenge mode is effectively a time trial. Select any stage, clean it as quickly as possible, and then boast to your friends. They can then try to better your effort. Accordingly, it’s a friendly competition to prove who is the quickest and best pressure washer operative. Finally, PowerWash Simulator has free mode. Here you can visit any stage and clean to your heart’s content.

The fiddly small items will drive you mad while playing PowerWash Simulator.
The smaller the item, the harder it is to clean.

No story = repetitive action. 

Most simulation titles are guilty of being repetitive. Sadly, PowerWash Simulator falls into this trap. With no story to fall back on and increasingly complex stages to clean, it soon becomes repetitive. Think of Groundhog Day, but with a lot more cleaning.

If the developers had introduced timed tasks or damage to goods, it would have made you think. On top of this, it would have increased the difficulty and would have made the jobs much harder. Something else that should have been considered was a limited water supply. No matter how trigger-happy you are, you never run out of H2O. Now, if this was limited, the game would have been exponentially tougher.

PowerWash Simulator looks tidy. 

Simulation titles and poor graphics are a market standard. However, PowerWash Simulator bucks that trend. I’m not saying it looks incredible. No, instead it’s well polished, colourful, and pleasant to the eye. Further to this, seeking out the dirt is easy thanks to your magical dirt seeing tool. With the press of a button, you can see how filthy the area is and get to work cleaning it.

If you love the noise of cascading water, then PowerWash Simulator will be music to your ears. For everyone else, though, the constant drone is torturous. Disappointingly, there is little you can do about it as there is no background music to drown it out (pun not intended).

Take your time to clean everything perfectly.
This carousel needs some TLC.

Comfortable and responsive controls. 

Occasionally, this genre is a pig to play on a console. Most are ported from PC and they are simply too complex for a controller. Luckily, though, this game isn’t afflicted by these problems. The setup is easy to understand, and the controls are comfortable to master and responsive at all times. 

Now, there is no logical reason why you’d want to play a virtual cleaning game. Yet, once you start, you won’t be able to stop. It is so bloody addictive that I’m itching to play it again. As a consequence; it has both replay value and longevity. Alongside this, it is rewarding and oddly satisfying to play.

PowerWash Simulator sparkles and shines. 

Though the gameplay is repetitive and has some shortcomings, it is still extremely good. Its action is undeniably addictive, and the stages are interesting and inventive. Moreover, it is great to play with friends and it is free on Game Pass. If the developers introduce some fresh material and complex tasks, it will improve it further still. However, I still loved it and I recommend you to buy it here! Become a cleaning champion and remove the grime and dirt from everything you see. 

Review: Mago

Devrim Kurt
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0
Review: Mago

Introduction

Mago is a retro 2D platformer where you play as a sorcerer. It is developed by Dream Potion Games and published by HypeTrain Digital. This game does a good job of capturing the old school feel of classic 2D platformers like Mario. It offers a variety of gameplay mechanics as well as the basic 2D platforming.

Gameplay

Mago is very simple, you play as a sorcerer in a pixelated 2D platformer. Your basic abilities consist of moving, jumping, and casting a small distance projectile. The main character has that “floaty” Mario feeling when moving around. I personally am not a big fan of “floaty” platformers, but that is a personal preference. The game starts of simple enough that you never feel overwhelmed with the mechanics thrown at you. While the first levels are easy to complete, if you want to collect all the orbs, they get a little more difficult. The difficulty starts to ramp up once you finish world 1.

In the overall map, there are couple of different gameplay sections. First one is the mandatory levels you complete to progress. And then there are sections where you play as a bird and race through the levels. Some bonus challenges are also available to be played in exchange for in game blue orbs. These bonus challenges were definitely not easy since there is a time limit and you only have one life. You may also encounter some random enemies on the overworld map, and these enemies take you into either a mini boss battle or a small randomly generated level.

I enjoyed the variety Mago offered while being quite a simple game. There were a good number of different boss fights and challenges. Some boss fights were easier than others. My least favorite boss fight was the end boss of world 1. In which I felt the game didn’t explain the win condition clearly enough. However, since that could be a fault of my own, I won’t be too hard on the game for it.

Story

The overall story is quite basic. Your girlfriend or princess or whatever you want to call it, gets abducted at the start of the game. You continue the game chasing after her. There isn’t any written dialogue in the game. The characters communicate through expressions and symbols. However the animations of these expressions and the simple nature of the narrative makes it so that nothing feels unexplained.

Technical Side

The graphics are pixelated. I personally really liked the art style of Mago, but I can see how some people wouldn’t appreciate pixel art. I suppose this part is for you to decide. As for the animations, they are quite good, especially on boss fights. Even though it is pixel art, the artists did a good job of creating animated characters.

Sound effects and music is pretty fitting to the overall theme of the game. However the music that plays during the levels got boring for me after a while. The sound effects are good and clear. And the overall sound design of the game is above average.

Conclusion

Mago captures the retro 2D platformer feeling perfectly. The pixel art is beautiful, and the gameplay offers a good amount of variety. I would recommend this game to anyone looking to scratch that itch.

Review: Disgaea 6 Complete

Alex Chessun
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1
Review: Disgaea 6 Complete

With its quirky humour, isometric Strategy RPG Disgaea is a niche series that has always kept its fans loyal by remaining true to itself, but after 7 mainline games and numerous spin-offs, has the light-hearted and anime trope character-filled narrative with an outlandish levelling-up gameplay and deep customization systems finally hit the big time, or has it run its course? 

Well, the answer to that is neither, as the middling title excels in places and disappoints in others.

It is apparently the ‘Complete’ version, however, this release includes all the game’s DLC in addition to the 2021 base release. This extends to items to make leveling up even easier – if that was even possible – plus past characters and popular talent from a Vtuber agency. ‘Complete’ might be more of a hollow promise then, as nothing has improved apart from the game’s performance due to the improved hardware it’s now hosted on. 

Never known for having a genre-defining story, the 6th entry grabs its characters from the bottom draw, with cookie-cutter personalities and paper-thin depth who constantly repeat the same thing – jokes, motivations, or otherwise – in every single scene ad nauseum. It’s supposed to be light-hearted and somewhat silly, of course, but the joke is on the player here, as although there is an attempt to build each character a somewhat meaningful and emotional character arc, it’s only fleeting, flashing in front of your eyes momentarily, before it returns to the dry well of gags that have long since worn out its welcome.

One of the few ‘not so bad’ jokes….

To give you a brief rundown, you play as a Zombie by the name of Zed, and are dead set on killing the game’s antagonist – the god of destruction – but happen to be far too weak, falling at every attempt. Death is no obstacle for our undead protagonist, though, as a reincarnation spell brings him back to life stronger in an unknown world, only to also be granted the rotten luck of being followed by the grunting god – and the cycle repeats. 

Reincarnating via ‘super reincarnation’ is actually the entire hook of the game here and is encouraged (though done in-menu rather than dying) as it resets your character level and makes your base stats stronger. The higher your base stats, the quicker you can build up your character level again and in turn, the stronger you become. It’s just one of the many clever ways Disgaea adds extra layers of customization to the character system, making you feel more in control of your team.

This isn’t limited to just the protagonist’s base stats though as nearly every item or aspect of your character has its own stat system and is often paired with its own method of leveling up. Whether it’s a ‘farm’ that levels up item enhancements called ‘innocents’, a dungeon system that you send characters to upgrade items in an updating text-based minigame, or numerous battle dungeons, there are countless ways to itch that numerical scratch.

For newcomers, all these options might be slightly overwhelming at the start as the awfully designed base map or ‘Netherworld’, a dimension between worlds, crowds all the features together like a glorified main menu without adding anything else to a universe bereft of detail and depth. 

The best characters by a mile are the prinnies, condemned souls forced to live in penguin costumes who must say dood at the end of every sentence.

While these do amount to plenty of things to do in preparation for battle, clearing the small isometric grid maps and watching your levels spin like dollar signs in the eyes of a cartoon character in Las Vegas is all the game really has to offer. 

You could argue that developer Nippon Ichi Software has done this intentionally, but there are absolutely zero stakes to your battles or any real meaning behind them, and by the time the story gives you something to grab onto, I long stopped caring for the one-dimensional characters. I wasn’t expecting a Fire Emblem-esque relationship system or gut-wrenching permadeath, but something to give the action some meaning would have been nice. Sadly, even the most important battles story-wise – your fights with the god of destruction – are pointless, simple slogfests and further devalue the importance of the story.

Aware of its limitations, Disgaea 6 instead provides a full range of customizable battle gameplay options for a highly accessible experience. You can skip and speed up in-battle animation and even automate the entire thing with an auto-battle button, one that is either controlled by the AI or alternatively follows your own pre-programmed actions. 

No longer beholden to long gaming sessions just grinding away – a complaint of Disgaea 5 – you can now improve your characters in no time at all. While tremendously accessible, this is a double-edged sword, as while it’s great for item dungeons and levels played specifically to bump up your figures (with individual characters able to reach levels of up to 99,999,999, and land up to 10 quadrillion in damage in a single attack), you can fall into the habit of auto-battling every single fight which can see the action boiled down to very brief confrontations, narrowing the main gameplay even further.

While it is possible to have 10 characters from your team join the fray, its actually far more fun to have a few at max, to increase the challenge and to level up the characters you actually like.

The character design is another change from the previous entry in the series and went from detailed and emotive 2D sprites to what I’d consider average at best 3D models in comparison. You can understand why the developer would move in this direction – giving it a more modern feel – but it not only slows down the performance of the game, it also removes a certain charm and richness to the animation and makes it feel cheap – which certainly isn’t reflected in the game’s price. 

In addition, special moves also now have 3D cutscenes but they contrast with the average quality of the normal actions taken on the 3D map, making me wish for explosive 2D action on a 2.5D background where the camera remains fixed to the map. 

The only real effect that you have on the world is the senator voting system, where you can bribe the voters, which is genius.

This isn’t to say that the action is poor by any means, but it’s not as feature-filled as the elements preparing for battle nor is it as addictive as other SRPG games in the genre. This is partly due to the fact that the fights themselves rarely require a great deal of strategy or thought and that despite having many different character types, they do not inject as much variety into the gameplay as you might think. 

There are two main mechanics that mix up the gameplay map-to-map, with ‘Geo Panels’ that change the stats of sections of the map – such as receiving 50% damage to your total health – and areas of elevation that requires teamwork to throw your characters up or across to said ledges, but otherwise, that’s it, and unless you are incredibly underpowered, you can easily clear the maps by ganging up on enemies.

Geo panels are one of the few interesting in-battle mechanics but are rarely used to this extent.

Despite providing an impressive number of ways to adjust countless character stats, Disgaea 6‘s repetitive story and basic visual design fail to conjure up a personality outside of the menus, and with the 3D action a passenger to the all-consuming and overpowered leveling-up system, it feels like one of the more forgettable entries in the series. 

Review: Krut: The Mythic Wings

Daniel Waite
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0
Review: Krut: The Mythic Wings

Consoles such as the NES, SNES, Master System, and Mega Drive excelled with certain genres. Because of their lack of processing power, simplicity was the name of the game. Consequently, basic side-scrolling beat ’em-ups were much-loved. Games like Golden Axe, Altered Beast, Streets of Rage, and more were lapped up by every fan. Sadly, unless you are after a hit of nostalgia, this genre has died off. Therefore, when I was offered Krut: The Mythic Wings to review, I was a little dubious. Would the dated mechanics and well-trodden gameplay work for a modern audience? Let’s jump right in and see what the answer is.

Developed by Good Job Multimedia and published by Blowfish Studios, this is a short but tough side-scrolling beat ’em-up. Unlike its retro peers, this one focuses on mythology and an unusual story. Subsequently, you experience a nice layer of lore and a unique blend of environments to explore. Furthermore, there is a good roster of monsters to defeat, plenty of bosses to overcome, and a bunch of abilities to unlock. On top of this, there are some Metroidvania elements and an array of chests to find and pillage.

Krut: The Mythic Wings tells a desperate story. 

What I love about mythology is the blend of absurdity and emotion. There is a sense of romance, heroism, sacrifice, and more, as each tale is told. Luckily, Krut: The Mythic Wings uses each of these elements as it tells its desperate story. Annoyingly, though, the fantastic plot plays second fiddle to the fast-paced action. This was disappointing as the plot is excellent. Consequently, I wish the developers did more to tie in key moments with the fascinating story.

You control a Garuda warrior who is proud of his ancestry and his home. After a great battle, the ogres destroyed the Garuda army and the capital city. The one remaining warrior is banished from his home and lands mortally wounded on the island of Himmaphan. Here, a strange man listens to his plight and offers his assistance. After the warrior’s wounds are healed, he is given a mystic and powerful artefact called the Mythic Wings. These are the key to his success and the only way this warrior can overcome the ogre army. 

A dramatic tale, I know, but what more would you expect? As I say, this would have been phenomenal if it was more poignant. As it is, you are left wondering what could have been. If the developers had incorporated more victims of the atrocities, it would have been touching and relevant.

Defeating every boss will give you special powers.
Kill the serpent and gain their power.

It could have been a Mega Drive game. 

Because of its old-school influences and dated mechanics, Krut: The Mythic Wings could have been a Mega Drive game. The action focuses heavily on the side-scrolling movement and the simple combat encounters. However, there is some depth thanks to an upgrade system, combo attacks, and some special powers. This small idea prevents the game from stagnating early on and keeps you interested throughout. 

Each level you tackle has a theme and specific enemies. Whether it is a lush forest or dusty tomb, you’ll hack n slash your way to victory. Every foe you face and every stage you explore has unique strengths and obstacles to overcome. Accordingly, you must study your opponents and strike when they are weak.

Killing every monster is essential, as it rewards you with health, mana, and gold. The first is necessary to survive. The second allows you to fly and use special abilities. Finally, the gold lets you buy upgrades. These improve your combos, strength, and agility and are a game-changer. Interestingly, they can only be purchased at relics and this makes the gameplay harder. You must decide whether to renew your health, buy more lives, or improve your character. Whatever you decide, the relics are essential if you wish to survive.

You must study every boss and identify their weaknesses.
Be patient and study their weakness.

6 bosses and their underlings. 

Every great beat ’em-up is jam-packed with gargantuan bosses. Luckily, Krut: The Mythic Wings is no different. With an array of theme-specific bosses, you have your work cut out for you. However, before you clap your eyes on these hardcore killing machines, you must destroy their underlings. These powerful and annoying enemies test your patience and skills as you attempt to exploit their weaknesses. 

Once you’ve brushed them aside, you must prepare to kill each boss. If you are successful, you’ll be awarded a special power that progresses the story. Like their counterparts, these enormous beasts have a weakness and follow a set pattern. Therefore, victory is achieved by finding their Achilles’ heel.

Disappointingly, this repetitive approach soon becomes tedious. After you’ve finished a couple of stages, you are desperate for something new, but this never materialises. 

Krut: The Mythic Wings is beautifully polished and performs admirably. 

Though I’ve made much of its dated influences, Krut: The Mythic Wings looks incredible. Thanks to its varied backdrops, polished sprites, and vivid colour palette, it has a modern finish. What’s more, no matter how hectic it becomes, it performs admirably. Whether you were being attacked from the sky, or hit from the ground, the gameplay never stuttered.

Alongside this, the action was full of drama because of the fantastic audio. The hard-hitting soundtrack worked perfectly with the brutal combat encounters. Then there were the euphoric moments when your enemies were slain. These upbeat elements helped to overcome some of the mundane repetition. This was great, as it could have easily plateaued and become disinteresting. 

Krut: The Mythic Wings is full of gargantuan bosses.
Use your special powers to defeat each boss.

Easy to pick up controls. 

Like its peers, Krut: The Mythic Wings is easy to play. Thanks to its responsive controls and simple button layout, you’ll master it in no time. Furthermore, the combos are easy to understand and memorise. Moreover, they were a cinch to execute and look sublime and all-powerful. I adored this approach, as it allows you to focus on the fighting while becoming a hero. 

Though the gameplay was repetitive, there was replay value and longevity. With 3 difficulty settings and a grading system, there are plenty of reasons to return. 

Krut: The Mythic Wings will divide its audience. 

There are many reasons to enjoy this title. First, it is a polished and interesting mythological tale. Second, who doesn’t enjoy a bit of mindless violence? Finally, the bosses are interesting and the conclusion is fulfilling. Yes, it has its shortcomings that will divide its audience. However, there are more positives than negatives. All things considered, I liked it and I recommend you to buy it here! You may have fallen from grace, but with a little help and a strong will, you can rescue your people and become a hero. 

Review: Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Kara Phillips
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Review: Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

In March of 2021, we fell into the world of Kamura to take on the challenge of facing off with towering terrors. From learning the ins and outs of an intricate Wirebug system, to befriending adorable pooches to aid us in battle, and meeting some of the most intimidating critters the franchise has presented yet, Monster Hunter Rise had me glued to my TV for weeks at a time. 

Sure, we had our gripes when we first swung into action. It had been a while since weapons were dusted off, and frankly the world we knew made Kamura seem insignificant almost. However, once the adrenaline of facing a Magnamalo set in we were more than happy to sing the game’s praises. As someone who had previously experienced the Monster Hunter franchise through backseat gaming, taking the reigns within this title reinforced a love for all things MH without the intimidation from the sheer size of the game. 

But, alongside a lot of fans, the release seemed reliant on future updates rather than being a finished title packaged up and ready to go. So when Monster Hunter Rise’s expansion ‘Sunbreak,’ was announced, my heart sang, and I was ready to spend more hours than I like to admit sitting in front of my TV again. 

If you’re like me, and you took a break from Monster Hunter Rise once you’d completed the main quest, then expect to re-learn a lot of what you thought you knew. Picking up my controller to dash back into Sunbreak felt like I never knew how to play the game in the first place. Which I think was the case for a lot of players. Luckily, the expansion introduced a new technical element called ‘Skill Swap’. 

A spotlight on Skill Swap

During combat, a few far-from-invasive buttons appear at the bottom of the screen. These guide you through a couple of attacks and movements which are hugely beneficial to gameplay. This feature saved my hunter on numerous occasions, be it with a tactical dodge or a well-timed heavy hit, which I would’ve easily forgotten about when running for my life. Additionally, the ‘Swap’ element to the new ability allows you to switch out which moves you incorporate into battle. It’s a fantastic addition, but it’s introduced very quickly and is easy to forget when you’re mid-battle. 

Additionally, with a realm of new skills comes a whole roster of things to learn. Your Palicos and Palamutes have new skills to master. There is new armor to forge. And there are new moves for all the weapons which have come as a welcomed change. Although I wouldn’t describe the gameplay of Monster Hunter Rise as stagnant, there is certainly a heavy emphasis on repetition while climbing the ranks. At least now in Sunbreak there is a chance to visualize your hunters’ growth. 

New monsters and realms and skills galore

But with a new set of skills comes an increased difficulty, and I fell a victim of being reminded of just how tough Monster Hunter is the hard way. Facing off with the initial terrors’ feels like a walk in the park compared to those which fall into Elgado. The new set of monsters take a while to appear in the expansion, but they are incredibly impressive when they do. 

The story of Sunbreak is as simple as the base game. The main monster, the Malzeno, is making the other monsters annoyed, which has put the main port at risk of destruction. You’ve definitely heard that one before. But luckily Sunbreak takes it fairly easy on you at the start. We are quickly introduced to Master Ranks, and as we begin to progress through them, the difficulty is really ramped up. I don’t think you can go into any fight and be prepared enough to not faint at least twice. No amount of dango can save you now. 

Additionally, the newly implemented ‘Jungle’ map was fun to explore. I had become painfully familiar with the previous lands that I felt had lost their charms. But exploring the cavernous jungle and jumping from cliff to cliff reignited the excitement I felt for coming across a monster in its natural habitat. You get to experience old foes with new moves in a new place. So while you’re getting to grips with the controls again you’ll feel some familiarity while doing so. 

You don’t have to fight alone (and you’ll probably benefit from not)

Aside from being able to join hunt requests from players online, another wonderful feature Sunbreak introduces is battling alongside NPCs. Which can be hugely beneficial for anyone struggling. I love this feature, because not only does it make monsters a crumb easier to face, but it really brings the cast of Sunbreak to life. Fighting alongside them adds to the immersive nature of the game. And like I said – will have you glued to your console. 

Inviting NPCs will drive the story in places. But after a few repeated hunts you’ll be so grateful for the assistance. Whether you use the assistance to distract a monster while you heal or you just need some company. I loved feeling like a team of hunters rather than just a solo player. It doesn’t feel as tedious to face the same creature time and time again when there’s a crew behind you. 

Additionally these encounters will unlock rewards you might miss should you continue to battle solo. Some of these rewards can help you forge new weapons and armor which will have been overlooked otherwise. So even if you’re a lone wolf, let someone give you a hand once in a while. 

Summary

As a whole, Sunbreak is a wonderful addition to Monster Hunter Rise. I can’t turn my nose up at the game, and I’ll continue to indulge in future updates without a doubt. Even though I spend more time clenching my controller and gritting my teeth in frustration than I’d expect from a game I enjoy, it all feeds into what makes this franchise so wonderful. 

If you’re debating getting back on the hype for Monster Hunter Rise, then the Sunbreak expansion is exactly what will sway your decision. Facing a challenge has never been so enchanting, and I cannot recommend the experience enough.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak was reviewed on Nintendo Switch.

Review: As Far as the Eye

Xavier Berry
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Review: As Far as the Eye

As far as the eye was developed by Unexpected Studio and is a top-down puzzle game that puts players in charge of guiding little creatures known as Pupils along a journey to find the center of the world. Managing both resources and the environment around them is an important step to ensure they escape the flood that is coming their way.

With both a beautiful soundtrack as well as a wonderful art style, As far as the eye is a treat for those looking to pick it up. The OST consists of melodic sounds that are accompanied by wind chimes and the occasional animal in the background. Each song is as peaceful and relaxing as the next so it is recommended that players use headphones so they don’t miss out. Pairing this with the simplistic art style gives players a game they can relax to. The Pupils, which are the creatures the players control, move across hexagon shaped tiles and as they enter unknown territory, the transition feels smooth and gives players something to look forward to on the journey without giving too much information away. Time will shift between night and day during each turn cycle without removing players from the current screen so they can still see what’s going on. As Pupils take on different tasks, they change into different appearances for each job so players can identify what each one is doing. The Pupils have an adorable look to each of their designs and I mean who doesn’t want to help save cute little creatures from tragedy?

From a gameplay perspective, each task is carried out in turns and requires players to guide the tribe along tiles to help build a base before the flood reaches the tribe. A bar on the bottom of the screen indicates when threats are coming and how long players have until the flood reaches them. Pairing this with random events that may hinder progress means that players are constantly on the move as well as looking out for resources to continue building their temporary homes. Once the requirements to move on to the next stop are met, players are sometimes given branching options for where to go next. Each map presents different challenges and provides different resources so players must decide which path will ensure the tribes survival.

The game does feature different modes to use and even rewards players with other tribes and regions to experiment with. Since each map is procedurally generated, every journey will have different obstacles to overcome with its own set of challenges. There is a campaign mode that will let players take control of different tribes with their own mini stories, acting as a tutorial to get players accustomed to how the mechanic’s work. After the five chapters are completed, Players can take their knowledge and apply it to either a custom game or have a quick game if they just want to get started. Selecting Quick Game lets players select a tribe and start on a journey right away. Custom game allows players to adjust things such as the number of Pupils there are as well as the rations provided. There are sliders to even adjust the instances of random positive and negative events happening. This allows players to have a little more control of their adventure.

As Far as the eye is an adorable little adventure that doesn’t present players with a complicated story or hectic mechanics but instead allows players to take part in a journey to ensure the survival of a small tribe. After each map was completed, I felt a sense of joy and accomplishment knowing that a small little tribe survived because of my guidance and choices. Pairing this with the calming soundtrack game me something to look forward to each time I sat down and loaded up another quick game.

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