Robots are our future! They are supposed to help us with remedial tasks, allowing us the freedom to enjoy life. However, this picture-perfect image rarely happens and the androids usually run amuck. Unsurprisingly, this is the theme of Mekabolt+, a reworking of the well-received 2019 indie title.
Developed by Somepx and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a simple platform title. It focuses heavily on repetitive tasks and small but interesting stages. Furthermore, it completes its retro approach with a pixel art style and shrill synth music. It won’t test veterans of the genre, but it’s fun, easy to pick up, and a completionist’s dream.
Mekabolt+ adds to its solid foundations.
Mekabolt+ has a nonsensical story that has little bearing on the action. However, it’s an amusing tale that complements both the style and gameplay you experience throughout. You control a theme park technician who must repair every robot that has gone haywire. These once helpful machines will shoot at you, slice you with blades, and run you down. Thankfully, though, you are armed with your mekabolt rifle and this will disable or energise any mechanoids you encounter.
The aim of the game is as simple as the plot! You must activate switches, avoid obstacles, climb on arrows, and push around dead robots. When you complete each of these tasks, you’ll reach otherwise unobtainable platforms and you’ll overcome every problem you face. Furthermore, at the end of each stage, you’ll collect a battery that apparently repairs the broken machines. As I said, it makes little sense, but it’s a fun title that takes minimal effort.
Shoot the robot and avoid the spikes.
What makes this different?
If you’ve played the original, you may think, why would I bother with Mekabolt+? With the addition of a new character and 24 extra levels, there is an awful lot more to experience. Effectively, Somepx has added 25% more to this than the original game, and I think that’s a big improvement. So, now you get to experience over 100 robot-filled levels, an array of mechanics, and an interesting challenge mode. If you have a methodical mind, you’ll fly through every stage with little challenge. But, even the brightest of players will struggle with the larger levels. Thankfully, these add depth while combining many elements to test your resolve. Consequently, the latter moments are much harder than first anticipated.
The action revolves around basic platform staples and your mekabolt rifle. Alongside this, you must use crossbow traps to fire bolts to make new platforms and deactivate robots to make steps and activate switches. The array of robots on display adds many layers to the gameplay and you’ll witness a variety of mechanoids. There are basic robots, spiked flying machines, androids with trampolines for heads, floating cubes, and more. Each must be manipulated to overcome puzzles, and in the early stages, it’s very linear and easy to complete. However, as you near the end, you must complete your tasks in a set order, otherwise, you’ll fail your mission.
Its lack of complexity may not rock your world, but this is an enjoyable title that can be played casually. It makes the perfect stop-gap between larger games, or simply an easy way to unwind when time is short.
Can you better every challenge mode level?
Mekabolt+ is wonderfully retro.
With the power of modern machines, you may wonder why I bother with lesser indie titles. I’ll be honest. I have a soft spot for their garish ways and simple charms. Mekabolt+ captures everything I love about retro indie gaming thanks to its basic sprites, in your face colours, and straightforward level design. It wouldn’t push a Sega Mega Drive to its limits, so you imagine how rudimentary the performance is. However, I loved it and was happy to spend plenty of time in its vivid world.
My adoration continues in the sharp and almost obnoxious audio. The dated and old-school approach has leaked into every orifice of this title, and I loved it because of it. Furthermore, the sound effects are so simple that they could have been taken from any arcade game.
Leap on that spring robot.
A baby could play it.
I’m not saying that babies should play computer games, but if they wanted, they could play this with ease! Its simple layout and responsive nature make it a cinch to pick up. With little help, you’ll be overcoming obstacles and collecting every battery you find.
Thanks to its large array of levels and the challenge mode, this is good value for money. It will probably take you between 2 to 3 hours of laid back playing to complete it. Sadly, the developers didn’t add a speedrun mode or an NG+ option. Had either of these been included, then it would have plenty of longevity.
Mekabolt+ scratches that causal itch.
With massive triple-A games being released across the board, it’s nice to have an alternative to play. Mekabolt+ is a causal title that will scratch that itch with ease. Subsequently, it’s a straightforward game that represents a bygone era. I know it won’t be for everyone, but I loved it. Consequently, I recommend that you buy it here! Can you save the day and stop each robot? Overcome the obstacles, shoot your mekabolt rifle, and collect every battery you find.
Before starting most games, I feel that I have a good knowledge of the experience I am about to have. With Martha is Dead I didn’t know exactly what I was getting into. My only indicator before starting this was that it was a horror type game. So would I be terrified by my 5 hours of playing, or will it be a bit of a damp squib? Let’s unravel the mystery and find out.
Developed by LKA and published by Wired Productions, this is a walking simulator that comprises many other genres. Its main concept combines elements of a psychological thriller and a horror come murder mystery. Consequently, it’s an eclectic blend that may not be to everyone’s liking, but I kept an open mind throughout. Those who are familiar with this genre know to expect a lack of gameplay mechanics. However, what makes up for this is usually a stunning story experience that will leave you thinking about what you have just played for hours or days after. The pinnacle titles of this genre are What Remains of Edith Finch, Firewatch or Dear Esther. Therefore, Can Martha is Dead reach this level, or will it be destined for the bargain bin?
Martha is Dead lacks an open-world experience.
The game is set in 1944 in Italy during World War II. Death and destruction are the new norms, and the survivors are damaged goods. You control Giulia, a young lady who seeks the truth while masking her terrible secrets. You explore a dark period of history while exploring loss, relationships, and psychological undertones. There is a limited environment to explore, a house, a lake and the surrounding wooded area. You do venture very briefly into other places, but don’t expect to find a vast area to search around.
As you start this game, you are hit with a disclaimer regarding disturbing scenes that some will find distressing. There is no doubt that during my time with the game, I found some scenes to be gruesome and unsuitable for younger audiences. However, I have to say with this warning I expected more dark material. Yet, it wasn’t any more disturbing than a modern horror or snuff movie. The horror aspects leant towards jump scares rather than being terrifying. Furthermore, the disturbing emotional aspects that are obviously linked to mental health appeared unnecessarily over the top. Subsequently, the final product felt cheap and underwhelming.
Whenever I think of a computer game with a genuinely disturbing feeling, I think of Hellblade: Senua. It really hit a nerve and was exceptionally well presented. Moreover, the presentation was extremely thoughtful towards the sensitive subject of mental health. The developers for Martha is Dead have attempted to get a similar feel, but sadly fell short.
So many creepy environments.
Underwhelming photography.
The story requires the protagonist to solve multiple mysteries that have a common theme of superstition. This is combined with a mechanic of taking photographs that must also be developed. This, in theory, sounds interesting, however, in practice, it doesn’t feel dynamic, nor does it age well as the game evolves. The fact that you have to get the photo in focus while having to pick different attachments and lenses slows the gameplay down while also breaking its immersive nature.
The storyline is set over 4 days which doesn’t sound a lot, but it offers great depth and interesting ideas along the way. Sadly, however, it is confusing and does not flow well. Subsequently, this makes an already unusual plot much harder to understand. After completing the game, the key aspects of the plot are clear. However, in the midst of experiencing it, you are often left thinking, what was the point? This is exacerbated by an optional subplot. Annoyingly, the developers fail to explain this from the off, and that just muddies the water further. If you take on the additional chapters, you’ll experience an incoherent and jumbled mess that is underwhelming and disjointed.
So many bugs.
I played the game prior to mainstream release. This, unfortunately, led me to discover many glitches and bugs. My issues included multiple crashes, environments not loading correctly that would prevent you from progressing, and not being able to pick items up. Furthermore, there was also a point where the game crashed but allowed me to reload. Everything appeared as it should, but for a reason unknown to me, it prevented me from progressing. Subsequently, I wasted 2 hours trying to find objectives in vain and this is an unfortunate game-breaking issue. However, I am assured by the developers that a patch will resolve these issues, but for me, it tainted my experience.
I’ve played many walking simulator games, yet what I didn’t expect to find were Quick Time Events (QTE). This is certainly an unusual mechanic to include, but I was open-minded. Sadly, the gamble did not pay off! The QTE were tedious and if you got them wrong; they had to be restarted. This led to frustration and the occasional loud sigh. I applaud the developer for trying something different, but in this instance, it failed miserably. They did add a small mini-game within the subplot that demands you partake in deciphering Morse Code. I can see how some people would enjoy this puzzle. I initially found it confusing, but once I got the concept, it was simple enough.
Beauty iis in the eye of the beholder.
Martha is Dead lacks polish.
Graphically, Martha is Dead looks like many indie games. Consequently, it is not spectacular but equally it is not awful. There are texture issues, items appear blocky when zoomed in, objects will float in the air or lights from the inside of a building can be seen through solid walls. These are all minor issues that fortunately don’t impact the gameplay and, luckily, they can easily be overlooked. Strangely, these weren’t my biggest gripe. Annoyingly, the icons that highlight the points of interest are far too small and this makes them more of a hindrance than helpful. If the developers had made them bigger, it would have improved the gameplay significantly.
I am no history buff, but the developer has appeared to create a world that seems legitimate to the era. I liked the small details such as written guides on how to use the telephone, the Morse Code, pictures, and clothing. These add to the immersion the developers are trying to create while transporting you to this bizarre world.
The audio and soundtrack are beautifully composed and appear to be era-specific. The buzzing of flies when walking around makes it atmospheric, and the odd scratchy horror effect during key moments helps to define the emotion. I enjoyed the fact you have a choice to pick the audio language of your character. The fact she is Italian and you can have her speaking her native tongue while using English subtitles adds to the realism of the game. The only negative is that during some cutscenes, the subtitles can randomly disappear and as such you miss the story. This was disappointing, as many of the key moments relied upon the information within the cinematic.
Death and this lake go hand in hand.
Limited replay value, but easy to play.
The controls are fortunately simple to understand. Thankfully, they are clearly displayed on the screen and it makes for a seamless experience. Furthermore, the clean UI helps to highlight the control system without being overwhelming. Moreover, the action runs fairly smoothly with few performance issues (other than the aforementioned bugs) and the controls are as responsive as you expect from the genre.
Is the game worth replaying? Yes, and no! If you wish to play through both sides of the subplot, then yes, you’ll enjoy the rounded but weird story. Furthermore, it is a fairly quick game and I am sure you could cover both in under 10 hours. If the developers can fix the issues and make sure your experience isn’t disturbed, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy exploring the backstory of both Giulia and Martha.
Martha is Dead is so, so.
This game is not terrible, however, it is not fantastic. This genre has to have a strong story to be remembered due to the lack of action, thrills, and spills. Martha is Dead just lacks that spark to make it great. The ending of the game is fairly predictable, and it was not the most enjoyable journey to get there. Unfortunately, it falls short of its peers but is still worthy of your time. All in all, I liked it despite its shortcomings, and for that reason, I recommend you to buy it here! Will you be able to discover the truth while keeping your deepest secrets?
As a big fan of the Shin Megami Tensei series, I was very excited to hear about the upcoming release of Monark as a combination of their previous works (Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey and The Caligula Effect) would be like match made in JRPG heaven. What it actually results in, however, is the blandest possible mix of the two, with a decent battle system overshadowed by an incredibly slow and awfully structured story populated by under-developed characters.
Waking up mute and with amnesia (but, of course) you find yourself trapped within Shin Mikado academy due to a mysterious and corrupting mist created by supernatural power-wielding individuals known as Pactbearers. These powerful antagonists, representing the 7 deadly sins, have formed contracts with demons (known as Monarks) to further their own goals.
Rather than scheming to win the lottery, these nefarious inidividuals aim to take the lives of the students, so with the friends you make along the way, you must alleviate the campus of its life-threatening headache and take each Pactbearer on, one by one, while destroying their ideals in otherworldly battles.
It’s a decent concept with plenty of potential, but the script then proceeds to commit a series of storytelling faux pas that, arguably, the game never really recovers from – even with a stronger final flourish.
There’s a lot of importance placed in the grand concept of self (or ‘ego’), and with your powers (known as ‘authority’) you aim to destroy physical representations of their ideology (‘ideals’). It’s an interesting injection of philosophy to the standard battle rabble between good and evil – if the characters took anything away from it that is, as it actually only gives a platform to long stretches of inconsequential NPC-led story which then the game – and characters immediately forget.
In fact, such is the perfect storm of script issues during this period, that the first 30+ hours of the game could have been cut in half and not have adversely affected the narrative. Without boring you with an exhaustive list, the worst offender is the poorest use of a muted main character I’ve ever seen. It not only forces the bland partner characters to shoulder and repeat entire conversations, but in interactions between the voice-acted characters and our mime, the player has to select conversation choices which are often just one inane line over and over again, cutting up any natural speed in which any normal conversation is had.
Is she trolling me?
It’s ironic for a story that values its ending so highly, but it doesn’t actually leave any time for the heroes to foster any meaningful relationships. The morbid situation also isn’t given any downtime, so that when the awkwardly-assembled team attempts slice-of-life dialogue with an upbeat Persona-esque soundtrack in the background it gives them an unintended level of apathy towards the events. As you’ve been given so few reasons to care about the world and its inhabitants up to that point, it barely even registers as an issue.
Interestingly, Monark is actually developer Lancarse’s first foray into a 3D adventure title with openly explorable maps and unfortunately, it shows.
While the visuals are sharp in clarity, the map design and the exploration of it are a chore that few would look forward to. The school’s buildings are filled with identical halls and restricted classrooms, making your minimap essential as you lose your sense of direction as soon as you exit a room.
While poor level design isn’t the be-all and end-all for a video game, something that does affect your moment-to-moment enjoyment of a game are awkward controls. Characters that jerk into a full run at the inching forward of the analogue stick does the game no favours, and it pairs up badly with the repetitive and narrow maps. I had to resort to using the D-pad to move forward and the right analogue stick to move left and right if I didn’t want my character to just flick around the screen.
One way Monark tries to set itself apart are the personality tests, giving you an opportunity to create a bespoke personality. Some of these are text stories from beginning to end and provide some amusing and even sometimes challenging questions to the game, but they have a surprisingly small effect on the story overall and it often feels like it’s trying to make up for the lack of meaningful choices that game wastes away in the main story.
In a sense, you can’t help but respect when developers attempt to differentiate their games from the genre, but there are changes to the established formula here that make you shake your head – like discarding the standard JRPG dungeon system and replacing it with a puzzle and a single battle on each academy building floor.
I was excited to see that – similar to The Caligula Effect – each building are filled with NPC students with names and detail-filling profiles, but whereas The Caligula Effect uses them as side missions, Monark integrates them into its main story, forcing you to run classroom to classroom to solve their slightly insane teenage dramas.
It’s a highly tedious addition that makes a large part of the game overly formulaic and predictable and it loses any and all tension that progressing through a floor of enemies in a dungeon would create. What makes this even stranger is that it takes the spotlight off what should have been the star of the show – the turn-based battle system.
This system is the pick of what Monark has to offer due to the games’ two ever-changing meters – ‘Mad’ and ‘Awake’ – which affect your moves depending on their percentage, creating an constantly adjusting and compounding feedback loop, and when combined with a defer ability, allows for some very satisfying gameplay.
‘Mad’ is a rating that increases when you use magic abilities (or ‘Authority’) and getting it to 100% boosts your power greatly, but you also lose yourself in a rage and explode after 3 turns – not great unless you are near the end of the battle and are close to victory, in which case it’s perfect. If ‘mad’ is the dark version of powering up, then ‘Awake’ is the light version and gives you access to your special abilities when you max out the meter.
Brilliantly, you can have multiple characters in both states at the same time, and combining them through an ability sharing feature allows you to become ‘Enlightened’ – which is like going Super Saiyan. It’s a fun risk/reward system that really facilitates a lot of creativity that seems lacking elsewhere in the game and makes you wonder why the game makes the battle system a side note to the narrative.
Due to the flexibility of the abilities and mechanics, every fight felt different.
There’s also a stark difference in quality when comparing the battle system to the exploration sections as the animation and controls feel completely different – almost as if the battle system was copied from an entirely different game altogether. Even the soundtrack for the battles are great, rounding off unexpectedly fun interjections between the banality of the story, which – at times – make it feel like the ride is worth it.
Monark might still become Lancarse’s golden goose in the long run, but based on the sheer number of issues and the quality of both the developer’s and publisher’s previous titles, it’s hard not to consider this quasi-dark school-based romp anything but a big disappointment – even for low-budget JRPG fans who are accustomed to a certain amount of drawn out jank.
Allow these words to linger in your mind, as they may be the only thing that’ll keep you going. “What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.” I, however, call shenanigans on this statement, as the only thing that’s guaranteed is death. Elden Ring is the latest Soulsborne game that guarantees frustration, dark imagery, and rewarding gameplay.
Developed by FromSoftware Inc. and published by Bandai Namco, this is a hardcore RPG adventure title. It has been developed by the same team behind Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro, so you are guaranteed a fine pedigree. It utilises some familiar mechanics but has broken the mould with the inclusion of a vast and terrifying open world.
Elden Ring is full of lore and a dramatic tale.
Like all the great RPGs of the past, Elden Ring has a phenomenal and dramatic tale. The story revolves around the titular Elden Ring and a tussle for power. In the lands between, ruled by Queen Marika the Eternal, the Elden Ring, the source of the Erdtree has been shattered. Her offspring, demigods all, claimed the shards of the ring known as the Great Runes. The new power divided the family and a devastating war known as The Shattering began. A fight to become the Elden Lord unfolds and The Tarnished must begin an arduous journey to prove their worth.
As I said, all great RPGs have an epic story to tell, and this is no different. Alongside this great tale is a dark world infused with lore and evil creatures. There is a distinct undertone of distrust and as one of The Tarnished, you are forever viewed as an outsider. This negative environment forces your hero into conflict at every turn. This harsh reality tests your patience, skills, and wisdom. Moreover, not every situation has to evolve, so you must choose wisely between fighting or running away.
Torrent makes a fool of enormous foes.
The familiar.
If you’ve played every Soulsborne title, you will know what to expect. There is a distinct familiarity surrounding your hero selection and the way the fundamentals are introduced. Furthermore, there are key mechanics that form the staple elements of the gameplay. So, let’s begin with the heroes.
The class selection is vast but follows an expected pattern. You may choose from Vagabond, Warrior, Hero, Bandit, and so forth. Each has a specific set of skills, attributes, and abilities that support a unique approach. I choose to be a prophet, not because of its skills, but instead, I liked the customisation options. I knew no matter who I started with, the outcome would be the same. Therefore, I may as well look weird as hell while dying at the same time.
Attributes can be improved throughout and you must balance Vigor, Mind, Strength, and so forth. By killing enemies, you’ll earn XP in the form of Runes. These can then be spent on each stat to improve your hero. Your character starts off weak as hell, but with some patience, luck, and grinding, you quickly become powerful. Consequently, you’ll soon be a force to be reckoned with. However, no matter your strengths or weaknesses, you must master the field of combat if you wish to succeed.
Combat.
The core principle of any Soulsborne title is combat, and Elden Ring takes the best elements. Like its peers, this one relies on strategy, aggression, and defence. Specifically, you must understand the finesse of Dark Souls, the aggression of Bloodborne and the defensive qualities of Code Vein or Sekiro. It’s the perfect balancing act of brute force and guile and will be attractive to many players.
Once you understand the fundamentals, you are free to take on whoever or whatever you wish. But this comes with a warning, as everything will kick your ass. You’ll stumble across an array of enemies that require a unique approach if you wish to be victorious. However, any minor mistakes will cost you your life and all your Runes. Subsequently, it’s a harsh lesson that haunts you at every opportunity. Yet, once you master it, you’ll experience some of the most rewarding and fulfilling gameplay around. Defeating a boss or its underlings is both euphoric and a relief, and this is what makes Elden Ring oh so moreish.
The architecture is stunning.
Phantoms, messages, and Sites of Grace.
More similarities are seen with the phantoms and “helpful” messages. You’ll see ghostly apparitions of other gamers as they attempt to defeat monsters in their world. It was always fascinating to observe other players’ styles. Moreover, you may pick up hints that’ll help you to progress. Other tips are seen in the messages left by other players. These often not so helpful clues allow people to troll you and usually lead to your demise. The annoying words are a key element to the gameplay and leave you questioning people’s true intentions. I loved the mischievous nature of every note, and it wouldn’t be the same without them.
Bonfires, lamps and sculptures are the checkpoints we’ve all become familiar with. However, in Elden Ring, you’ll visit Sites of Grace. These safe areas allow you to respawn when you die, and let you level up when you have collected enough runes. Alongside the Sites of Grace are the Stakes of Mariska. These handy locations allow you to respawn but lack the ability to rest. Therefore, they are only helpful when battling epic bosses, as you’ll want to return to the fore as quickly as possible. Whenever you catch 40 winks, it refills your flasks to ensure you are ready for any future fights. Sadly, however, it also respawns every monster you’ve vanquished. Subsequently, you must decide whether the short term gain is worth the inevitable long term pain. Choices, choices, arghhh oh how I hate the cruel developers of Elden Ring.
Enough of the old and in with the new.
We have lingered in the past for too long. Yes, it’s nice to know where we’ve come from, but what makes this different? There is an array of new features that have a small impact, but the key change is found in the mind-boggling open world. No longer are you restricted to a semi-linear approach. Instead, you are free to explore as you wish. Thankfully, the frustration of facing the same boss a million times in order to progress is a thing of the past. Instead, players can come and go freely and tackle the monsters when they are ready.
This expansive approach removes that feeling of funnelling and claustrophobia. The large spaces allow you to run, dodge, and avoid any opponents you face. However, the action falls into familiar territory when you enter the many underground tunnels or dungeons throughout. This wonderful blend of tight and open areas gives you the best of both worlds. Moreover, it allows you to streamline your style without the harsh downsides of its peers.
What or who is hiding?
Ethereal horses, weapon upgrades, and a gentle learning curve.
I can imagine that purists are frothing at the mouth while screaming as they read this! The glorious and hardcore club that is Soulsborne is changing and evolving for the better. Therefore, no longer will they be able to scream “get gud” as you try, and fail repeatedly. Instead, FromSoftware Inc. has turned to a more gentle learning curve that rewards patience and an eye for detail. Every boss and creature you face has a weak point that can and must be exploited. Once you highlight this Achilles heel, they are putty in your hands. This doesn’t mean that they will be easy to defeat. No, instead, it’s less daunting, and it evolves past the brutality of the past.
Other Soulsborne titles have unduly focused on every element of equipment to add layers of confusion and depth. Fortunately, Elden Ring concentrates solely on improving your weapons. Two main methods have been incorporated to add skills and attributes to your equipment. First, you can use Smithing Stones that are located in dungeons and other dangerous locations. These allow you to improve your items at a forge and are frankly self-explanatory. The second is Ashes of War. This is reminiscent of Dark Souls 3’s Weapon Arts and by applying these charms, you’ll change the property, style, and feel of any tool.
Fast travel.
The final major changes (a sweeping statement, I know) was the introduction of fast travel at any time and unlimited stamina (as long as you are not in combat). Also, if you wish to explore and not skip from Sites of Grace to Sites of Grace, you can call upon your Ethereal horse, Torrent! This agile and speedy companion allows you to eat up the vast and bewildering landscape. To top it off, you can use your equine friend to ride towards your foes like a hot knife through butter. The inclusion of a mount is both invigorating and liberating. It would have been easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the surrounding world, but the developers were clever in their approach. The combination of fast travel, no stamina drain and a rapid horse made the world appear undeniably smaller.
Elden Ring is a thing of beauty.
I don’t need good graphics to make a game, but damn, Elden Ring is incredible. Its attention to detail, grandiose architecture, variety of bosses and monsters, and beautiful landscapes are spectacular. The developers have pulled out all the stops to make this a jaw-dropping title that is undeniably striking, dark, eerie, and awe-inspiring. In short, it’s special! Rarely does a game live up to its hype, but this has exceeded every possible expectation I or its community could hope for. With buttery smooth movement, no bugs or glitches, excellent frame rate, and quick loading times, this is everything you’ll want from a modern title.
Alongside the amazing graphics is a touching, dramatic, and heart-wrenching audio that’ll get to the hardiest of players. You’d have to be a callous and cold monster to not appreciate the blend of songs that complement the expansive landscapes you explore. Additionally, the combination of aggressive songs and hard-hitting sound effects transport you to every nail-biting moment that you face.
The world is a brutal and cruel place.
Precision is key.
Rushing in without finesse or a plan is unwise. Luckily, the action opens with a thorough tutorial that explains the fundamentals in a matter-of-fact manner. However, if you choose to pay attention is another thing altogether. Players that wish to ignore the essential advice will find that they die unnecessarily. They will then realise that precision is key and the basics are essential to progress. Though the button layout is different from its peers, the ideas and execution are similar. For that reason, experienced players will enjoy the familiarity Elden Ring offers.
No matter which way you look at it, this has bags of replay value. It’s not a case of longevity, or value for money, instead, it’s the enjoyment you get out of the brutality. With many classes to select, attributes to improve, and a large world to explore, the possibilities are almost endless. If you wish, you could lose yourself forevermore in this daunting and challenging title.
For gamers who wish to go it alone, then Elden Ring has your back. Thankfully, though, for everyone else, the usual cooperative or competitive multiplayer options are also available. Summoning allows you to request help from strangers using the Furlcalling Finger Remedy. Up to 4 players can work together to overcome monsters and clear dungeons. This familiar Soulsborne mechanic makes a welcome return and God knows, I needed the help! Sadly, however, a lack of cross-play reduces the usefulness of this option. In an era of multi-platform gaming, this was a must-have that never materialised.
Elden Ring shows that evolution is beautiful.
Sadomasochism shouldn’t be a reason to play a game. Yes, there is a reward in pleasure vs pain, but to what end? Is the temptation to smash your controller worth it? Probably not! But Elden Ring proves that evolution is a beautiful thing. It retains the brilliance and difficulty of its peers while moving the genre towards a new era. Purists may despise the new direction, but I think it retains the best mechanics while offering so much more. I adored its brutality and I recommend you to buy it here! The world views you as an outsider, and this will not do. Can you complete your arduous journey, destroy every foul beast you face, and become the Elden Lord?
You are going to die. After that, you’ll die again. Not long following your last death, be ready for another. They’ll be coming in waves.
That is of course unless you hone your reaction time to a razor’s edge. Yet, even then you’ll still find yourself falling short every now and then. However, there are lessons in failure, and the chance to try again with more fervour than before. Each time, you can come back stronger.
Space Robinson is a roguelite title from Luxorix Games, where combat is fast, enemies are relentless and you need to be prepared for anything.
For those that may need some distinction between roguelikes and lites. In a roguelike, the biggest characteristic would be that death is permanent. Whatever skills or items you picked up in your run will go into the ether alongside you. Whereas in a roguelite, there will always be a least one thing that remains after failure. Be it items, or more often XP and skills.
A Stranger in a Strange Land
In Space Robinson, you play as an engineer traveling across the expanse of space to a far off colony. Unfortunately for you, your spaceship experiences a major system failure (apparently it’s a single use model). You survive your crash and make it to the colony, but the planet is far from welcoming. Establishing your base is going to take work, and expeditions into the wilds of a hostile planet.
Technology is advanced enough that death isn’t permanent. Cloning technology means that when your fall victim to the many bloodthirsty creatures you awaken anew in the main base of Colony 21.
Get Back on That Horse
This is where the roguelite element comes into play. You aren’t seeing the planet for the first time at the beginning of a run. Instead, you respawn with the knowledge and abilities you’ve gained through experience. Every death grants XP that can be used to upgrade things like your weapon damage, critical hit chances, and the value of drops during your runs. Although nothing spectacular, these skills at least provide a feeling of progression.
Your skills make every run a little bit more manageable, which is more than welcome as Space Robinson is not an easy adventure. The curves of difficulty are closer to straight lines running at near 90-degree angles. It’s a run-and-gun style game where you need to juggle aggression and the weaving through enemy attacks. It can be exhilarating at its height, with gunfire, explosions and all manner of beasts chasing after, or spewing projectiles at you. Combat is really fun in this regard and is elevated by a great variety of weapons and perks.
Dealer’s Choice
There are a number of offensive options at your disposal. Space Robinson’s levels are procedurally generated, meaning layouts and enemy distribution will be different every time you jump in. More importantly, though, you’ll be able to get your hands on a different set of weapons every run too. Such as ice machine guns that have an impressive rate of fire, while having the chance of freezing enemies in place. Or a gun sort of like an arc projector, that shoots out lightning which can do chain damage. Perfect for when waves of enemies are rushing you. These are only two out of a list that includes snipers, shotguns, grenade launchers, SMGs, and rifles. Each with variations of attachments.
The other thing that keeps things fresh, while increasing your survivability and damage output are perks which are distributed per level. However, which ones you get are dependent on RNG. Some perks include increasing max HP or adding bullet spreads to melee damage. Some semblance of control of perks, comes in the form of a colony garden. Certain seeds can be planted for perks. Such as a consistent seed providing limited protection from projectiles. This combination of random weapons and perks really helped the longevity and fun factor of Space Robinson tremendously.
There’s a great day and night cycle mechanic that sees hordes of brainy octopus looking creatures hunting you down in the dark. Your visibility is limited here making it so that you only see them when they get close. In later levels where enemies are more plentiful and aggressive, this adds another layer of danger and urgency. This can be fun, but can also easily get overwhelming when waves of baddies are coming at you from every direction.
Progression isn’t only limited to XP and skills. Your base on colony 21 is capable of being upgraded through a combination of crystal shards and finding required items on planets. This is where a feeling of grinding came through a bit. Crystals are not hard to come by, but take a while to get the number necessary for upgrades. This means a lot of gameplay is required to fully upgrade your base. Thankfully gameplay itself is a lot of fun, but it still felt like the progression of base upgrades were a bit slower than I’d like.
Synthwave Shootout
One thing that really stood out for me was the music. Space Robinson, sports an awesome synthwave soundtrack that’s perfect for its pixel art style and alien planet setting. Honestly, there were so many bangers that I couldn’t help bobbing my head as I went around culling the local fauna. Thank the pope that the OST is filled with bangers. With the amount of times you’ll be respawning and dying, it’s nice to have some good tracks to look forward to.
There are only three big area types you can fight through, with three levels a pop. This small number is helped by how many times you’ll run-through, and its procedural generation. However, the generation is mostly in layouts, as well as enemy, perk, item, and weapon distribution. The actual design style of the levels will be the same throughout. The first environment will always be a desert, the second a tropical forest, and the third a snowy area. This makes the visuals go stale very fast. Especially in that the environments themselves lack real visual appeal. However, at the very least there is some decent enemy design and variation to make up for it a little.
Space Robinson is a fast-paced thrill ride all the way through. It doesn’t easily get old, but can get frustrating if one lacks patience and an acceptance of failure. It’s difficult, but a lot of fun, with a killer soundtrack to go along with it.
Have you ever wanted to play an RPG set during the time of the Roman Empire? If your answer is yes, then you’re a lucky one. Nowadays, it’s exceptionally rare to find a game that takes place during Roman times, but even if you look back in time, there haven’t really been that many of them. Now, I must say that this was my first game of the Expedition series, and the only thing that I regret after finishing this game is that I never got the chance to play the previous entries of the franchise.
Expeditions: Romemight look like just any other RPG with turn-based combat, with the only point of differentiation being its setting, and while that is somewhat true, there’s a lot more beneath all that. In a way, the developers have managed to make an extremely compelling RPG with thoughtful tactical combat, but in a few ways, it also felt like the game was overly ambitious.
Expeditions: Rome is undoubtedly a very grounded game in terms of mechanics, in the sense that there aren’t any fantasy elements, but it should be noted that it isn’t historically accurate. The team at Logic Artiststook a bit of freedom in this aspect, and I honestly think this allowed the game to have a lot more character of its own. Sure, you will meet tons of historical figures such as Cicero, Pompey and Cleopatra, but they all play different roles here than they did in the real world.
As a whole, the game should feel pretty familiar if you’ve played any traditional RPG before. With CRPGs making a comeback in the past few years, Expeditions: Rome feels like it deserves to be amongst the best ones. It might not exactly bring anything new or groundbreaking, but it surely feels polished and exceptionally captivating.
The game stretches itself across many years and three major Roman campaigns, with the player taking on the role of commander of the 6th Roman Legion, the Legio Victrix. As a result, your actions and choices not only impact those around you, your companions, but they also might affect the whole of Rome in the grand scheme of things. Whether you want to play as a fierce Legatus that enacts the will of Rome and fights for its best interests with an iron fist, or whether you want to take a more humanitarian approach that seeks to conciliate with everyone, the game has got you covered.
If you want to look at the game only in terms of its story and dialogue choices, it honestly feels like it accommodates whatever kind of role you’d want to play. However you decide to play, each of your companions has their own set of values and they all respond differently to your actions and decisions. It’s even entirely possible that they’ll just outright leave you if they think you’re straying too far from what they deem to be a path worth following.
In terms of gameplay, as an RPG, this should feel pretty familiar to other games with turn-based combat. Whenever you run into enemies, inside a location or while you’re out exploring the world map, the game transitions to a turn-based mode where each side plays in a specific order. There is no initiative system or any other complex system such as ones that follow or are inspired by the D&D ruleset. Nevertheless, the combat in Expeditions: Rome still manages to have some depth while still remaining fairly accessible to newcomers to the genre.
There are four different classes, each with three different skills trees that allow them to specialize in specific playstyles and unlock numerous passive perks and combat abilities. As you might expect, there’s also no shortage of weapons, consumable items such as healing bandages, poison flasks and javelins. There’s plenty of loot to be found, and if you want to get into it, you can also craft your own weapons or modify existing ones to create improved versions.
There really isn’t a master build as far as I can tell, but having a party with at least a medic, an archer is recommended based on my experience. The level design really allows the game’s combat to shine, and that’s clearly evident by how you can clearly place shield-bearers in choke points to block enemies, while you have someone else behind them with a spear that can attack the enemy without having to get past your shield. Still, while I found that to be the tactic that I enjoyed using the most, you can totally rely on duelists as well to flank enemies and stab them in the back, potentially dealing double the damage. There are tons of different ways in which you can approach combat, whether you’re playing the game with permanent death on or just taking a stroll in story mode.
Now, while the game has a lot of great things going on for it, there’s a major aspect of the game that feels undercooked. Besides all the dialogues and turn-based combat, there’s a rather hefty strategic layer to the game. Throughout each of your campaigns in different regions of the world, you must conquer territories and manage your legion. This all happens in the world map of the region, where you can send your legion to conquer cities and gather resources. Besides that, it’s also here that you can send your own party of up to 6 members to complete quests.
This all sounds great in theory, but the reality is that this part of the game just feels like excessive padding. It was cool during the first dozen hours or so of the game, but it quickly started to feel like a chore. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I think it’s bad, it’s just that it feels undercooked. The main problem that I have with it is how army battles work. Basically, all you do is send your legion somewhere where there’s an enemy army, and then the battle plays out by itself across three different stages. The only player input here is choosing a strategy card for each phase of the battle, and you just watch it all happen on a screen where you can see icons that represent the different kinds of units in the field.
It would be great if this was an optional part of the game, or something that you could entirely skip by just choosing a specific difficulty setting, but sadly that’s not the case. To upgrade your legion’s camp and unlock the ability to recruit centurions, companions, the ability to craft weapons and replenish consumables, you must farm resources by conquering territories and their specific resource nodes. It’s not really thought out in a bad way, it’s just that it felt extremely tedious to me. Perhaps the reason why I didn’t like the game’s strategy layer is simply that it doesn’t live up to the same quality that the rest of the game has. Therefore, maybe I’m just being too harsh.
To be honest, that’s really my only complaint about the game. Sure, there are a few small things, like the inventory management which could be a lot better, or a couple of occasions where I had to load a previous save because the game was acting weird, but besides that, Expeditions: Rome is an extremely good game. There were honestly things that just caught me off guard, like the fact that all the dialogue in the game is voice acted and exceptionally done as well. Everyone speaks English, sure, but the tone of each voice actor really reflects their character extremely well. Furthermore, during battle, allied roman soldiers even shout battle cries in Latin, which is a really great touch. Likewise, the soundtrack was a huge surprise, even when I got to the main menu for the first time. The work of Thomas Farnonreally is breathtaking.
It took me roughly 65 hours to beat the game on Normal, and that’s more than enough for me. I actually would like to play through the game again and make different choices and hopefully reach a different ending. I absolutely love the RPG elements of Expeditions: Rome, the combat is satisfying and varied, and the characters that you meet along your journey are relatable, even if you don’t see eye to eye with them. The story touches on many interesting points that kept me engaged, whether that be family and loyalty, the gender norms of the time, or just the usual intrigue of Roman politics.
With that being said, despite everything that I thoroughly enjoyed about it, I just don’t see myself going through all the conquering and army battles again, which is a shame. Still, the game does have plenty of noteworthy moments which I won’t spoil, but I have to at least mention the epic siege battles, where you have to divide your cohort into different groups to successfully assault a city while facing overwhelming odds. At the end of the day, Expeditions: Rome is an extremely worthwhile game. Whether you’re a fan of the series or a newcomer, I’m sure that, if you’re a fan of RPGs, you’ll absolutely love this one. It’s not perfect, but there’s so little wrong with it that I can’t just imagine letting fans of RPG skip this one. I highly recommend it!
Pinball lovers, it’s time to rejoice over the awesome game Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes. It’s not your typical pinball machine game, where you watch a ball bounce all over and you score points, with just one button to launch and two buttons to utilize the flippers. Instead, you’ll be launching a single ball an unlimited amount of times while aiming them in many directions to collect objects, treasures, and most of all defeating the rising zombies.
Nevertheless, there are still some similar features to a standard pinball machine. Such as the machine’s design and especially the trough; gutter at the bottom. Unlike the original trough, in this game, it won’t cause you to lose the game. It will however remove some health points(HP) from your life bar. So yes, that is still present, but it’s not the biggest concern you’ll have to deal with. The main problem all players will have to face is that of the zombies, rising up in each level and coming to attack.
In a way, it reminds me of the game Plants vs Zombies. Since there are plenty of unusual zombies coming to attack in waves, from the far top and sides of the pinball machine. Plus, each zombie has a silly, cartoonish-style appearance, as well as the game’s entire theme. Being such a bright and colorful worldly environment. The entire combination of an adventure and action game, and playing pinball is something that is totally original and in my opinion very exciting. Especially with the many heroes, you can choose from.
How Fun Was It?
To begin, the entire game is full of color and plenty of levels to play through. Just so many enemies to attack from every side of the pinball machine. There is no time to just rest, the game will keep you motivated, and just like any style of a pinball machine, real or digital, Zombie Rollerz will keep you on your feet, or maybe in this case in your chair for hours. Regardless, this game is just so stimulating from the first pinball you play to the last.
I enjoyed right away, that the game allows you to choose from a variety of heroes to be your player. There are a total of 10 different ones you can choose from. There is one that you can play at the start until the others are unlocked. They all have an adorable charm in their appearance and their own special ability that makes them useful during the game. It’s always great to have a choice. Same when you want to play the game and make it harder, that is another unlockable portion that makes you want to try playing it over and over to see the game in so many different ways.
One thing that I really do treasure about this game is that it includes plenty of themes. Plus, each pinball game I enter is full of nonstop action, with secret locations to find. Especially when defeating these giant villains and even the many zombies through all types of obstacles and challenges that occur during the game. Also, the music in the background and sound effects, makes the game even more enticing.
After playing many different sections of the game, I realized it reminded me of another game. This came to me, after watching how the ball launches. It made me think of Bust-a-Move, which had a similarity of how to aim the ball in a direction, just like this game, hitting the ball on the flippers just right to get it to knock out as many zombies or obtain the many treasures you can. Also, as mentioned before, there are unlimited balls, no matter if it gets lost, it won’t cause you to lose, just may reduce the HP bar, but there is always a ball you can play with.
Additionally, one button and you can return the ball back for launching, as well as equipping some special powerups to the ball. This comes in handy when you want to defeat faster and get through the bosses a bit easier. Planning is everything in this game! Oh yes, a little bit about the flippers, which actually are pretty cool too cause they act as weapons. So swing those flippers when launching the ball or at the zombies to kill them and protect yourself.
There is a feature I do adore, which you can get obtain at the end of each pinball game will super-power up your ball. For example, adding fire to the ball will help make it a weapon that will leave a lasting burn on many, but there is so much more to earn while playing this game. Plus, there are even sections where you may need the ball to be aimed differently. Well, that call-back feature and the equipped powerups could help you reach these locations and earn you some extra goodies or destroy zombies that are hard to reach.
You also will notice the game plays like an adventure-style board game. Where you’ll find and enter into different pinball games, as well as find some collectible items. It’s another unique addition, but it makes the game a bit more interesting than just moving from one pinball game to the next. There are also things that go occur as you make some strategic style planning where you want to go next. Such as a Plague that could cause HP to be decreased as you move upon it. So it’s not a game that mentions planning, but it feels close to a strategy adventure game as well!
One last feature I did find quite nice, is that after visiting so many locations and seeing so many zombies, collecting so many items, and so on. It’s great to check out all the zombies you’ve seen or caught inside a book at the menu screen. It’s another challenge to try and collect them all, almost like Pokemon. So after playing through, this game is endless amounts of fun with so much you can do!
All the good, but I did have a few problems with the game. First was that I didn’t enjoy how to move in the worldly mapping of the game, before entering a pinball game. It’s not so accurate moving a glowing light to a section where you are able to move. It can be a little unpleasant with the analog button used to select a spot on the map. I would have rather it moves a bit more freely while you as you utilize the right analog button. Nevertheless, this is just a small issue and nothing huge, just my personal opinion.
The last two things, one being that I felt was a bit tricky to launch the ball, when using the controller on the Nintendo Switch Lite it wouldn’t move so easily, it struggled at times. the second is having to restart the game after a death occurs and it’s game over. All that collecting is reduced and the world needs to be restarted. I guess it also adds a bit more challenge to make sure to not die so you can keep going forward.
Everlasting Action and Fun!
Finally, I’d like to say that this has been the first pinball machine game, digital I’ve played in a long time. It reminds me almost of the joy of Gameboy, with Kirby Pinball, or Sega Genesis with Sonic Pinball. Each dealt out the monsters and villains and the ball, being the hero needed to destroy them as well as complete the level. So there are some great reminders of the classic games I’ve tried, and Zombie Rollerz makes me super happy to have tried it!
It will not disappoint, and won’t ever end so quickly! Especially because there are so many levels, items to collect, scores to earn, and there are so many fun and exciting characters to choose from. Plus, such great graphics, plenty of action, and enticing music that plays in the background make this game so entertaining!
Here is our review of the Flexispot Standing Desk E8.
Streamline Design
The uniquely designed streamline of the legs bring an extra aesthetic appeal to your working space.
Loading Capacity
The dual-motor lifting system enables a higher weight capacity of 125KG for all your desktop needs.
Stability
The enhanced structure ensures stability even when at maximum capacity and at the highest setting.
Flexibility
The 3-stage frame design gives extra flexibility of your desired height adjustment (60 – 125cm).
Child Lock
Lock the height position until you have deactivated it.
Anti-collision
Detects and prevents collisions before they happen.
Soft Edges
Prevent potential injuries. Create a safer playground for your children and pets.
Smart Control Panel
The premium keypad has LED display and 4 memory presets.
Cable Management
The groove hides the cables below the desk to keep the workstation organised and safe.
What’s in the boxes?
The desk frame comes in two boxes and the desk top comes in a separate box.
The frame boxes contain:
1 x handset
1 x control box
1 x supporting beam
1 x connecting cable
1 x cable management plate
2 x legs
2 x feet
2 x supporting plates
The desk top box contains the desk top.
Building the Desk
Final Thoughts
The desk frame comes in two large boxes – and they are heavy! Everything you need to build the desk frame is in those boxes, including the lifting mechanism. What would have been easier for the delivery guys would have been if those two boxes had their contents evenly split, but instead you get one larger and significantly heavier box and one smaller lighter box. The desk top comes as a seperate box too, so to make the complete desk you need all three boxes.
Once you have get everything out of the boxes its just a case of following the instructions to build it all. It took us less than an hour to build it all.
With the building out of the way, the next part was deciding where to put the desk and setting up the height. It’s very easy to move the height up and down and set a memory all with a simple push of a button. There is even a child lock button if you don’t want it moved accidentally.
Talking of accidentally, if the desk lowers onto something it will stop and raise itself back up – very useful so that something or someone doesn’t get squashed!
The desk is very quiet to move and it can take up to 125 kg so even a full PC setup can easily be accommodated.
The desk is really comfortable to use, has a lot of space and is really easy to position however you want it. My only criticism, and that’s also a strong word, is that there are two round holes in the desk top for cables but there are no caps provided so there are just big holes there which slightly detract from how good the desk top actually looks. You can buy caps easily for a few pounds that match but it would have been better to have included them in the box rather than having to source from a third party.
There are different styles and sizes of desk tops to choose from as well, so there is easily something for everyone – just select the colours and styles and order away.
The total cost of the review set we received was £539.98 (on sale from £559.98). That cost included the black frame and white 140x70cm curved desktop with delivery.
All height-adjustable desks purchased on or after October 5, 2016 include a 5-year warranty for the frame, and a 3-year warranty for the motor, controller and switch, electronics and other mechanisms.
This is the second Flexispot desk we have had the pleasure in reviewing and they are excellent – you will wonder why you didn’t get one before!
Flexispot is having a Say Goodbye to Sedentary Life Sale from 11th February to 28th February so there’s never been a better time to order that new desk, you won’t be disappointed, we certainly weren’t.
When a game focuses its attention on a cold and sterile environment, it’s simple to create an eerie atmosphere. Soviet Russia is normally the go-to location thanks to its vast wilderness and haunting beauty. Furthermore, its secretive ways have created the perfect blend of intrigue and distrust. 35MM has captured this in its dank and unusual gameplay.
Developed by Sergey Noskov and published by Sometimes You, this is an adventure title. However, it’s also part walking simulator, puzzle, shooter, and horror game! Now, this may sound like an eclectic blend, but somehow, the developer got the mix just right. The haunting world flits from one genre to another, and this leaves you on edge throughout.
I covered In Rays of The Light in March 21, but this Noskov title is a different beast. There are distinct similarities between the games, but 35MM is much more intense. Its desire to mix up the gameplay makes it unpredictable, and this was something his previous work was missing.
A grey but beautiful world.
35MM is cold and sterile.
The setting and plot in 35MM are as clichéd as they come. A post-apocalyptic world is decimated by a life-ending event. Two travellers must work together to traverse Soviet Russia to find a new home. Subsequently, they must pass through woods, towns, cities, and a secret underground location. En route, they discover the remains of people’s lives, scour for resources, and attempt to survive.
On paper, at least, this could be the setting for a combination of games. However, its unpredictability is what makes it different. The action opens with a slow and arduous walking simulator experience. This time-consuming section was probably the weakest element within the story, but it still worked. It allowed you to take in the surrounding environment with no pressure of puzzles, horror, or the need to shoot anyone.
Would you walk down this corridor?
Bloody bear.
35MM quickly ups the ante from its tepid pace when a bear decides to attack. The gut-wrenching escape sequence makes you realise that there is more to this than meets the eye. Once the dust settles on the grizzly encounter, the rest of the key mechanics come into play. Most of the action demands that you explore your surroundings to find specific items. Sadly, however, the repetitive “fetch” quests are a little underwhelming.
Luckily, though, they are a means to an end. Consequently, the result of collecting each item leads to a game-changing moment. Whether it was the introduction of the shooting mechanic, controlling a petrol-powered train, or more, you never know what will happen. Though you may not know what awaits you, there are core principles that never change. The developer wants you to experience the vast beauty of this eerie yet grey world. Therefore, every area is oddly striking. Furthermore, Sergey Noskov added a human touch with each note and radio you discover. This small element adds warmth to an otherwise chilling title.
35MM depicts a damming future.
Russia’s distinct architecture isn’t entirely welcoming. Subsequently, it makes the perfect backdrop for a post-apocalyptic world. The developer enhances the creepy vibes thanks to a suspenseful day/night cycle. Moreover, the use of icy fog and a first-person perspective makes the world extremely claustrophobic. I adored exploring each unique location, though I found every area to be too restrictive. Disappointingly, an invisible wall breaks the immersion, and this undermines the gameplay. It would have been better to indicate the area of play with impassable trees or fallen buildings. Sadly, the decision to stop you from exploring your surroundings was dated and extremely poor.
On the other hand, the audio is executed perfectly. The atmospheric music adds drama and depth to the otherwise quiet and still moments. Moreover, the crisp sound of footsteps breaking snow or the echo of shoes on metal were great to hear. I loved most of the audio except for the poor Russian to English translation. The developers wisely kept to Russian for the narration, however, the translation was poor. Therefore, it wasn’t always easy to understand the plot or the emotion that was being conveyed.
The world is a lonely place.
Underwhelming controls.
With such an eclectic blend of genres, something had to give. Sadly, the controls were the weak link in this interesting title. 35MM, unfortunately, lacks finesse and accuracy. Maybe this problem would disappear if a mouse and keyboard were used. But, on console, the controls are distinctly underwhelming. However, everything is perfectly serviceable, if not a little disappointing.
What isn’t a letdown, however, is the longevity and replay value. With around 5 hours of action and multiple endings, there is plenty to see and do. The generic good and bad finales are influenced by your decisions and the collectables you find. This was a fascinating addition to the gameplay that demands a thorough search of every location.
35MM is unusual but interesting.
The opening moments undersell this unusual but interesting title. If you are a gamer, that’s easily put off, I implore that you stick with it. The bizarre combination of genres works alongside the bleak environment you explore. Though you have a companion throughout, the world always feels lonely and empty, and this was great. 35MM won’t be for everyone, but if you like a small indie title, then this is worth the gamble. I liked it and I recommend you to buy it here! Explore the grisly post-apocalyptic world and enjoy the eclectic blend of genres you’ll experience.
A Qualcomm 5G SoC gives OPPO A54 5G the ability to empower your every day. And with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of ROM, OPPO A54 5G moves faster and stores more.
Specifications
Qualcomm 5G SoC
5000mAh Mega Battery
90Hz Hyper-color Screen
4+64 Storage
48MP AI Quad Camera
Height: about 162.9mm, Width: about 74.7mm, Thickness: about 8.4mm, Weight: about 190g
4GB RAM +64GB ROM
RAM Type: LPDDR4X @ 2133 MHz 2 x 16 bits, ROM Type: UFS 2.1 @1lane
External Memory: Supported
USB Version: USB 2.0, USB OTG: Supported
Size: 6.5″(16.5 cm)
Screen Ratio: 90.5%, Resolution: 2400 x 1080 (FHD+), Refresh Rate: Up to 90Hz, Touch Sampling Rate: Up to 180Hz, Colour Gamut: 100% DCI-P3, Pixel Density: 405 PPI, Contrast Ratio: Static contrast ratio: 1500:1
Brightness: Default value (typical): 480 nits, HBM value (typical): 550 nits
The box contains the Phone, a Charger, Earphones, a USB data cable, a SIM Ejector Tool, a Safety Guide, a Quick Guide and a Protective case.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The Oppo A54 5G is a really good, lightweight smartphone. It is 5G compatible, hence the 5G in the name which makes it a very reasonably priced 5G device.
The A54 5G is very comfortable to hold, even for extended periods, and the placement of the buttons work really well. There is a fingerprint scanner on the power button on the right-hand side of the phone, and this works very well.
The 90Hz hyper-colour screen is sharp and clear, and whether you are surfing the Internet, watching Netflix or playing games, its good!
The main 48MP camera is very good, producing sharp high quality images. The other cameras do an adequate job but are not as great. That’s not to say that they are bad, they just aren’t as good! But you shouldn’t be disappointed with the images you take with this phone.
Battery wise, depending on your usage, you can get a decent days worth of use out of it. Charging is via the included USB-C cable – there isn’t any wireless charging on the A54, but that’s not a major issue, especially for the price. A full charge takes around 2 hours to complete.
Performance wise, the Snapdragon 480 5G chipset performs really well, the issue is the ram, which is only 4GB. The games we tried worked well enough, although they did take a little time to load – but that really shouldn’t put you off at all.
Sound wise the A54 5G isn’t that great – its only got a single speaker, so you will be better off using headphones with it. Fortunately Oppo have included a set in the box.
One nice touch is that Oppo have included a decent phone case in the box. This may not seem like a huge deal but its a good case, and something similar would probably set you back between £20 and £30, so that’s an instant saving right there.
There are two colours to choose from, Fluid Black (which is the review unit we received) or Fantastic Purple – both look really good, so it’s going to be down to personal choice.
So if you are in the market for a reasonably priced 5G handset that is great for playing mobile games on and has great battery life with a good screen, then you should really take a good look at the Oppo A54 5G, it might just tick all the boxes for you. Recent research commissioned by Oppo showed that we’re a nation of gamers, with two thirds of Brits (66%) gaming, including 1 in 6 every day (18%) and over half (52%) at least once a month.
The Oppo A54 5G smartphone is available now priced around £219.99.
The end of mankind is a common theme in many books, films, and TV shows. Unsurprisingly, the gaming industry has followed suit with an array of apocalyptic events. However, though, each one differs significantly in style and approach. Whether it’s a zombie outbreak, a cataclysmic event, or warfare, they are all equally heart wrenching and grim. FAR: Changing Tides is the latest in a long list of titles that dips its toes in the murky water (pun intended) of doom and gloom.
Developed by Okomotive and published by Frontier Foundry, this is an emotive adventure title. Unlike other doomsday games, this one doesn’t aim to petrify you, nor will it shock you. Instead, it will mesmerise you with its chilling beauty, touching audio, and simple concepts. Moreover, the slow gameplay creates a relaxing and immersive atmosphere that is rarely seen. Therefore, you will lose yourself in an azure world filled with beautiful creatures, puzzles, and audacious machinery.
FAR: Changing Tides is a lonely experience.
Surviving a life-changing event has consequences. However, to be the last person alive in a flooded world is going to be tough to swallow. Yet, this lonely existence is chillingly beautiful, calming, and oddly fulfilling. The place you once called home is no longer recognisable and with no reason to stay, you begin a long and brutal journey. You become the captain of a strange sea vessel that must traverse obstacles, survive violent storms, and dive to great depths. You must open locked doors, visit ancient locations, and improve your ship’s abilities. Furthermore, fuel and resources are scarce, and you must scavenge the seabed and other structures to find the items you need to continue your trip.
This standalone title is the sequel to FAR: Lone Sails, but instead of scorching deserts and sprawling lands, you live in a place similar to Kevin Costner’s Waterworld. Fans of the series will love the new protagonist and the depth of mechanics that make this a fresh and interesting addition to the franchise. The ever-changing vessel becomes your best friend and the only way to stay alive in a dangerous and large side-scrolling world. As you progress and explore further, you realise that your ship is hiding abilities that aid you on your journey.
The world is beautiful from out here.
One ship and many powers.
In a world that is laced with danger, I’d have thought the gameplay would be short and sharp. However, FAR: Changing Tides has other plans. No matter the risk you face, the action tends to unfold at a snail’s pace. Now, this isn’t a complaint, as I loved the suspenseful atmosphere and its timeless qualities. Subsequently, you are never punished for taking your time while exploring the surrounding areas. Whether you are swimming with fishes and whales or climbing never-ending ladders, you’ll never get pushed to the next area.
However, the gameplay progresses nicely thanks to the unlocking of new abilities. Your bulk standard ship starts life as a wind-powered monstrosity. Soon, though, the elements take their toll and you must improvise to continue your adventure. This Frankenstein’s monster approach creates an interesting multi-faceted ship! No longer are you reliant on wind power, instead, you have new tools at your disposal. As puzzles are completed and energy cells are discovered, you’ll improve your ship. This luckily unlocks a combustion engine that is fuelled by junk, a hook that can salvage wrecks, the ability to dive like a submarine, and more.
New skills.
Each new skill requires you to pull levers, add or drain water, and douse flames as the engine becomes too hot. You’ll have to avoid obstacles by unfurling or lowering the sail, reversing the oars, or correcting the buoyance. Furthermore, you are required to utilise basic platform and puzzle mechanics as you flick switches, leap platforms, and grab fuel. Sadly, however, the problems you face are rarely challenging and each has a distinct Déjà vu feeling. Consequently, it was disappointing, as the concept is thoroughly interesting, but the execution falls short.
No matter how far you travel, or the stunning landscapes you pass through, you will yearn for more. Unfortunately, to make matters worse, everything you experience becomes predictable very early on. Yes, the new ship mechanics are refreshing and a welcome surprise, but the core gameplay follows a rigid structure. Whether you are clambering massive structures, diving into secret caverns, or moving buildings from your path, the puzzles are all similar. Subsequently, pushing a switch, or dragging a box to reach a higher location, becomes tedious. This sadly undermines much of the brilliance of this title and will potentially stop gamers from exploring it to its fullest.
The jellyfish mean you no harm.
FAR: Changing Tides is beautiful.
The apocalyptic theme is usually depicted with grey tones, plenty of gore, and an overriding sense of doom and gloom. However, FAR: Changing Tides is on the other end of the spectrum. Yes, there is destruction at every corner, and the sense of isolation is overwhelming, yet it’s stunningly beautiful from start to finish. Blasting your way across the ocean as a storm whips up waves was incredible to experience, but this can be avoided if you dive below the surface. Here, debris floats past you. However, the atmosphere is serene, calm, and welcoming. I adored the striking imagery, the brilliant combination of colours, and the different landscapes on offer. I was disappointed by the puzzling elements, but I was in awe of the excellent and touching graphics.
This adoration continues with the brilliant audio. The sumptuous soundtrack and realistic sound effects are a joy to listen to. Whether it’s a warm and upbeat piano song that fills the silence or a daunting and aggressive tune that adds drama, it’s stunning to hear. FAR: Changing Tides relies on long periods of repetitive tasks that could become tiresome. Luckily, though, the wonderful audio distracts you from the moments of nothingness.
This was once a thriving place.
Irritating controls.
If a game relies on slow-paced action and precise movements, you expect the controls to be perfect. Sadly, though, this isn’t the case! Climbing ladders is a tedious task and you’ll fall repeatedly. Then there are the moments where you activate switches in error and waste precious resources. Whenever you were on the ship, you were guaranteed to make a mistake, and this was infuriating. I wish the developers had incorporated a better control setup, as using one button to execute most commands was a mistake. Luckily, the annoyance of the controls doesn’t ruin the title, but they do break the immersive nature of the gameplay.
The simplicity of the puzzle mechanics rears its ugly head when you attempt to experience multiple playthroughs. If you wish to see everything on offer, you have to complete several journeys while using trial and error. Sadly, though, this enhances the monotony of the puzzling moments. Therefore, only the hardiest of completionists will uncover every secret this title holds.
FAR: Changing Tides: stunning but flawed.
The story and concept were interesting and could have been brilliant. Unfortunately, though, the delivery of the key ideas was flawed, and this undermines much of the gameplay. I wish the developers had made the puzzles and exploration elements much harder and this would have improved it exponentially. However, instead, you feel like you are going through the motions to continue the journey with little to no challenge.
Despite its shortcomings, FAR: Changing Tides is stunning and is an atmospheric triumph. I loved the developer’s vision for a doomed future, and the array of environments you explore. Furthermore, the incorporation of new ship abilities with the exploration mechanics was fascinating. Despite my complaints, I enjoyed it and I recommend you to buy it here! The world, as you know it has changed and nothing will bring it back. Can you overcome the obstacles you face to find a new place to call home?
Click click click and decide your way through the game, About an Elf. It’s a bit on the realistic side when it comes to the appearance of the game. I right away want to say it’s crazy, creepy, and just unpleasant when I first saw it! Unfortunately, that hasn’t changed when I played this game. It’s just not for me, and something that I wouldn’t ever find myself wanting to play again.
Everything in this game is something you’d find in the real world, or people dressed up in costumes. However, I think it’s just too much awkwardness and weird in some ways. Especially the spooky items and objects you meet or see during the game. I would never just judge a game by its appearance, but this spooks me so much!
One pleasant note is that it’s easy to play, just click and decide what you want to say or choose when trying to defeat these enemies in the game. The puzzling part is deciding on these balls to defeat the next villain. However, searching for objects and finding the next location is also part of it. Honestly, the storyline is boring and the game isn’t too long. There is just so much text and chatting throughout the entire game.
It isn’t hard to get an idea of what you need to do, so that is a good thing. However, it’s not humorous, it’s odd, totally unique and a strange story to play through. You will notice that the design of the way the character moves and reacts when a positive move is made or negative, like defeat, is very much repeated. So don’t expect anything really new to occur.
Finally, I want to end by telling you that this game is one that probably took no time to create and is a waste of time to even play! It disturbing from the start! Even if you get past the text, it’s so horrible and boring! However, the only good thing is the cute cat, if you love cats, but honestly, I can do without playing a game like this or something that is more freakish than enjoyable. Plus, I honestly don’t know what I can do to say it can be fixed, it just isn’t challenging, has nothing more to it, and just looks like a cheap game with no real excitement or interesting gameplay. Sorry, but this is the truth.
Halloween may be over, but Pumpkin Jack will have you feeling like it’s Halloween every day! It’s a bit frightening, but the cartoonish style of graphics will keep it positively pleasant for everyone to enjoy. Plus, it’s not too brutal or gruesome, so you don’t need to cover up those eyes or turn away from each enemy you defeat or meet up with.
Frankly, there will be no need to fear what may be lurking around every corner and you won’t be jumping out of your seat when you arrive at any new location in this game. The only thing that this game will make the player feel is fully engaged and entertained while defeating all those creepy and monstrous characters. While playing in many different levels of deep contrasting color and glowing lights that illuminate the entire world.
Plus, the game provides the player with so many weapons that are related to its spooky atmosphere. You’ll meet some creepy, but helpful friends that will guide Jack and teach him the many things he can do within the levels. Providing details on how to move and use certain items or objects. There is no way that the game will leave the player bored or feeling they’ve already played a level similar or one without many challenges.
Additionally, there are so many enemies and bosses to defeat. Many may think this game is so easy to defeat, and I honestly thought it would be. However, you’ll be surprised how it has a few challenging areas that make it harder to complete as fast as the level before. Plus, if you enjoyed playing games on the PS2(Playstation Two), well then the graphics of this game will make you feel as if you went back in time and can enjoy that exact visual appeal.
The Game Begins!
So what did I think of the game? Well, it’s extremely impressive with actually no flaws that I could point out! The gameplay provides no headaches which were something I would get with the camera spinning as you move around. It’s actually able to be controlled by you, manually or automatically, which I chose to use as I played. Additionally, the controller’s mapping and other settings can be adjusted quite easily as well. So you aren’t stuck to just one choice when playing. No one player is the same on what they like when they play, so this is an excellent feature and I’m actually glad they included it!
Also, I’m enjoying the ability to move Jack so freely in each level, not just one straight path that you have to follow on this epic experience. You instead have the ability to check out everything, even if you can’t reach past certain areas, but there is much to be seen. Also, to be honest, being able to move around freely is great, but I also felt Jack’s ability to jump high, roll quickly, and fight so many monsters at the same time is even nicer. I practically love games without restraints, especially on the length you can leap or how many things you can hit, which many of those objects actually provide extra life for Jack, so slash and whack away!
No wonder why this game is getting so many high ratings. Each level is amazing and full of action, obstacles, and many skeletons and monsters to defeat. Especially those large bosses. The actual obstacles with fire, which does hurt, by the way, are blazing and realistic on how it spreads and the pain it takes on you. So there are some parts that you do need to plan out.
Even the visual graphics are excellent, so is the humor. Yes, there is a little humor, which makes the game feel a bit more pleasant and less spooky but joyful as well. Especially, that from the crow which uses puns when speaking to Jack who is our friend and little helper. This crow friend uses words such as crow for other words like go, so, and many others while talking. It’s funny and cute in my opinion. Plus, our crow friend is another weapon we are able to shoot out and attack enemies or objects to help us advance forward in the game.
Oh and the screaming sounds, as you unpause the game. It’s like a scream that you’d hear from Zombies Ate My Neighbors, or maybe the spooky sounds that there are many from Ahhh Real Monsters. All those SNES games that it just reminds me of, but with the Playstation 2 design in the graphics. So from the sound effects and the music that you hear throughout the game, it’s just chillingly amazing and perfectly matched for this spooky game!
Jack Entertains To The Very End
This is a wonderful game! Pumpkin Jack is something that will bring back past memories of older consoles while providing great graphics and music that keeps you in that spooky, haunted feeling. It’s got a bit of humor and plenty of engaging entertainment. Plus, the freedom to roam the creepy environmental levels and attack all those skeletons and giant monsters that come after you or objects within each level is awesome!
So it’s just an excellent game straight through, even with the addition of purchasing some cool new skins for Jack and continuing to redo levels to collect items you’ve missed. As I myself, love to collect everything in a game. It’s also one game that is easy to play. That is why I would recommend this game for those who want it to feel like Halloween all year round and go on an epic journey, battling monsters and enjoying the excellent graphics and sounds.
My video review with footage captured on my Xbox Series X, enjoy!
I, like many gamers, enjoy serious and time-consuming titles. However, I also love silly games that I like to think of as my guilty pleasures. My fascination with rhythm games started on the PS One when I was introduced to Bust a Groove and PaRappa the Rapper. My tastes became more refined thanks to the likes of Rock Band and Guitar Hero, but I yearned for that colourful Asian influence. Luckily, I need to yearn no more as Beat Souls landed on my desk to scratch that childish itch.
Developed by ZOO Corporation and Eastasiasoft Limited and published by the latter, this is a vivid arcade rhythm game. It captures everything great about the genre thanks to its colourful characters, simple mechanics, and banging tunes. Though it may be simple to pick up, its gradual difficulty curve ensures that the best players will still be tested.
Beat Souls should come with a warning!
Everything about this title made my inner child jump for joy. However, I wish the developers had warned me about its addictive content. From the opening gambit, I was hooked on its simple concept and colourful levels.
Unlike its peers, Beat Souls has no recognisable story. This was a little disappointing, as there was room for a bizarre and nonsensical plot. Sadly, this wasn’t to be and instead you must focus on its two key concepts. First, avoid the spikes and the noisetacles (noisy obstacles that block your path). Second, collect the souls while dancing to your heart’s content. This is Beat Souls in a nutshell, and it’s not complex, but my word it is addictive as hell.
Who will you pick?
Arcade or infinite Hell mode?
To keep things simple, the action is split into two game modes; arcade or infinite Hell mode. The first is where you’ll spend most of your time. This option is divided into normal or hard mode and it will test your patience while demanding perfection. The infinite Hell mode is a non-stop daunting experience that demands you understand every element of the gameplay.
During both modes, you must follow the same simple steps. You will move your Otomo companion side to side across a board that comprises 5 spaces. Your character is then flanked by two spherical soul catchers. These orbs can change colour from yellow to blue and they can move to pair together on the left or the right. As you automatically move from bottom to top, you must navigate the various obstacles while using your orbs to catch every soul.
It sounds extremely straightforward, but the tempo of each song dictates how quick your reactions must be. Furthermore, the horrific combination of colour changes, jumps, obstacles, and pairing the orbs makes it a tough juggling act. Moreover, you mustn’t make a mistake if you wish to chain together combos to get the highest score.
Damn Noisetacles!
Beat Souls is a colour sensation.
I love the Asian-inspired style because of its wacky ways and vivid colours. The striking Anime/Manga look is sure to catch your eye as is the cyberpunk neon hue that lingers in the background. Furthermore, your 3 opponents each have a unique look that impacts the stage design and the challenge you’ll face. This excellent decision from the developers ensures that the repetitive gameplay never gets boring.
Another element that you won’t tire of is the banging audio. The eclectic blend of tunes varies depending on your opponent. Just like the stage design, this was a simple tool that overcame any potential monotony. Subsequently, I never got bored with what I heard or saw. Frankly, I was too addicted to the action to care either way!
Capture those souls.
Damn you sensitive controls.
I adored nearly every element of Beat Souls, but the controls drove me insane. This wasn’t because they were complex or challenging to master. No, quite the opposite, as the excellent tutorial sets you up perfectly. My frustrations are aimed firmly at how sensitive the analogue stick is! Sadly, the smallest of touches sends your Otomo companion the wrong way. Consequently, this causes you to hit obstacles, lose health, and ruin your combos. It was infuriating and undermines the final product. The developers were overzealous in their approach and the ability to adjust this would have overcome this issue immediately.
If you can cope with the very minor, albeit annoying, shortcoming, you’ll be hooked immediately. Everything about the game is straightforward to understand and hard to put down. You have 30 stages to overcome, 2 difficulty modes on each level to try, a high score to beat, and the infinite Hell mode to defeat. Therefore, there is plenty of replay value to be had. Though I loved it, I believe the developers have missed an opportunity. If they have incorporated a multiplayer mode, it would have been competitive while increasing longevity.
Beat Souls is a fantastic indie title.
I admit it wasn’t going to take a lot for me to love Beat Souls. It ticks all the boxes for me and I quickly became hooked. Sadly, however, I was disappointed with the sensitive controls and lack of multiplayer action. Those are minor things and they don’t detract from the brilliance of this title. I loved it and I recommend you to buy it here! Can you avoid the noise and collect every soul? Feel the rhythm of the music, avoid the obstacles and perfect every stage.
