Review: Sherlock Holmes Chapter One

Daniel Waite
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Review: Sherlock Holmes Chapter One

No matter who you believe to be the best detective of all time is, Sherlock Holmes has to be near the top. His wonderful style, incredible skills, and undeniable charms make him reliable and likeable. It is, therefore, understandable that we yearn to solve mysteries with such ease. Well, wish no more as you can step into a young Sherlock Holmes’ shoes in Sherlock Holmes Chapter One.

Developed and published by Frogware, this is an open-world detective adventure title. You control the much-loved hero as he undertakes an array of missions to prove his prowess while solving every crime he discovers. However, his ungodly skills don’t mask the many strange and underwhelming elements you will experience. The developers have jumped from zero to hero from the off, and this leaves a massive character progression hole in its wake.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One has a promising start.

The story revolves around a young Sherlock Holmes who must return home to the fictional island of Cordona. This wonderful Mediterranean paradise is full of era-specific imagery, interesting characters, and lashings of crime. It gives you the impression of a game that has massive scope and a large sprawling landscape to explore. However, this quickly dissipates as the game progresses.

You return to Stonewood Manor to explore the allegations that your mother’s death is more suspicious than first thought. However, your journey is time-consuming as you immediately become embroiled in crime after crime the moment you land in port. Strangely, though, each of these investigations is fuelled by odd encounters and weird characters. This bizarre but intriguing gameplay pushes you from pillar to post as you stumble towards Stonewood Manor.

Crime can be beautiful.

Where is Watson?

The crime-fighting duo of Holmes and Watson is obviously formed at a later date. In Sherlock Holmes Chapter One, Holmes is accompanied by Jon who acts as a guide and friend from the off. Unlike Watson, who offers assistance and a kind word, Jon is abrupt, judgemental, and not so helpful. When you struggle to piece together clues or solve problems, Jon lacks empathy or a helpful tone. However, he will highlight your shortcomings and make you feel inadequate in every scenario, so, all in all, he’s a top-notch mate.

Luckily, the game offers some excellent tools to help solve crimes on your own. With superhuman powers to observe any crime scene, piece together clues, and question any witnesses, solving problems should be easy. However, this rarely happens! Each case requires you to study, understand, and build up a picture of what occurred. Moreover, the developers decided that hand-holding wasn’t necessary. Sadly, this can leave you scratching around in the dirt for a solution to your problem.

Even with the introduction of a “mind map”, a helpful evidence section, and the ability to question people freely, it was still challenging. Clues can stare you in the face, but unless you complete your job in a specific order, then you will not progress. This was equally frustrating, as it was fascinating. Therefore, many profanities were muttered before the scream of eureka as the solution slapped you in the face.

Frogware could have solved every issue while making Jon a more appeasing and helpful fellow. If they used him as a last-ditch hint system, then his witty and cutting comments wouldn’t have been so bad. Sadly, however, this was never to be and Jon is simply a bit of a pain in the arse.

Superhuman powers.

From detective to action hero.

When all-out fighting is incorporated into a detective game, I get excited! The idea of deciding someone’s fate intrigues me. Unfortunately, though, Sherlock Holmes Chapter One has no moral compass. For unknown reasons, no one cares whether you arrest the goons you face or kill them. It, therefore, drives you to shoot first and ask questions later. What makes matters worse is the silly combat mechanics. You must remove specific bits of armour before you can complete associated tasks. I wouldn’t mind, but each action rarely marries up and this led to confusion.

Furthermore, the developers undercooked the level design for each of these encounters. With the same spaces rehashed repeatedly, the gameplay quickly becomes tedious. You are encouraged to use the environment to your advantage, but every tool and obstacle is identical, no matter the location. Yes, this helped to overcome the problem at hand, but it made the action tiresome and predictable very quickly.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One: Déjà vu.

I don’t mind when a developer decides to reuse its assets, but in a detective adventure game, this has to be well-considered. When the solution is already tough to find, I don’t want to meet the same looking character repeatedly. However, this happens more often than not. This confusing approach makes it tough to identify who you have questioned and who is a suspect. Consequently, it makes it that much harder to work through the main story or any side quests. This rinse and repeat idea also impacts the open-world nature of the gameplay. When assets are constantly being reused, it makes a beautiful and stunning world dull and lifeless.

The era-specific elements of Sherlock Holmes Chapter One are enhanced by the jazzy and dated soundtrack. Furthermore, the well-considered dialogue transports you to the late 19th century. Moreover, I enjoyed the well-acted lines and the combination of different characters you encounter. Thankfully, the developers have delivered an accurate representation of the time. Sadly, though some may find the inclusion of racist or sexist comments offensive, however, I appreciated the honest and brutal reflection of the era.

What are you looking at?

Intricate controls.

Where Sherlock Holmes Chapter One excels is its tutorial and well-planned setup. Thanks to its lack of hand-holding, you can feel lost amongst the NPCs and many clues. Fortunately, though, Holmes’ superhuman skills allow you to scan any environment with ease. Furthermore, he can investigate specific areas and highlight anything that needs examining. Where it falls short, however, is its lack of interactivity. You have a vast world to explore, but much of it feels out of reach. This was frustrating and forced me to utilise the fast travel options more than I wanted! I would have loved to lose myself in the era accurate world, but unfortunately, there was not enough depth to keep me interested.

Thanks to its vast list of side quests, elaborate crimes, and main storyline, there is plenty to keep you playing. With around 15 hours of game time to enjoy, you get a reasonable return for your money. This is extended if you aim to unlock every achievement in its large list. Subsequently, if you are a completionist and you fall for its charms, you’ll experience a title that has plenty of longevity.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One: fun, challenging, but missing something.

If you love the detective genre, then you will adore the challenge that awaits. With some interesting and bizarre crimes to solve, colourful characters and vivid era-specific imagery, it’s a treat for the senses. However, even with all these positives, it was missing something! I can’t ignore the rinse and repeat character models, the rehash of many scenarios, and the lack of interaction. It left me wanting more, as I could see its potential. Despite its shortcomings, I recommend you to buy it here! Can you explore the wonderful Mediterranean island and solve every crime you encounter? 

Review: OlliOlli World

Daniel Waite
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Review: OlliOlli World

Skateboarding and extreme sports have a particular following that has its own language and dress code. From the outside looking in, it can be hard to understand what is being said and why they look the way they do. OlliOlli World attempts to bring you into this close-knit community as you learn to ride a board and become a gnarly dude or dudette.

Developed by Roll7 and published by Private Division, this is a colourful sports simulation title. It is the third instalment in a much-loved franchise that has moved away from its traditional pixel art style. Roll7 has focused on a hand-drawn approach that allows them to fulfil their dreams of creating a more in-depth but user-friendly skateboarding title.

OlliOlli World is a 90s game with a modern twist.

Set in the bizarre and loud land of Radlandia, you must work with the locals and the retiring Skate Wizard to prove that you have what it takes. The world as we know it comprises 5 distinct areas that represent each of the Gods’ perfect skating locations. These heavenly beings reside in a place known as Gnarvana, and only the Skate Wizard may communicate with them. Only by completing task after task and pulling off insane tricks can you fulfil your potential and prove you are the next big thing.

The ridiculous story is both endearing, hilarious, and it’s filled with retro vibes. If you remember Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, you will be right at home with the writing style. The words; dude, gnarly, rad, and more are so overused that you’ll be sure it’s the 90s. I adored the trip memory lane and many of the interactions were childish but extremely humorous.

If you ignore the wild story for a moment, you quickly realise that the core gameplay is extremely easy to understand. Essentially, you must ride across a wide array of courses to gain a high score while avoiding every obstacle. Furthermore, you are expected to wallride, grind, leap, and perform tricks to gain combos and a vast amount of points. The easy-to-understand list of tricks is monstrous and you can complete over 100 entertaining moves. The action doesn’t stop there, though. No, you must traverse halfpipes, avoid chasms, and select the route you wish to take. The sheer amount of options available to you will blow your mind and this makes it so much more in-depth than previous iterations.

Dodge that banana.

Quests and unlockables.

Alongside the vast amount of stages and tricks to perform is a long list of quests to complete. Every level asks you to focus on three separate goals, a certain number of points, and the desire for perfection. Whether you must perform combos, avoid inflatables, scare birds, entertain the crowd, or more, the tasks are all challenging. Each offers a unique experience, but they all have one thing in common and that is that failure is a certainty. You’ll speed along every course, memorising each obstacle, only for disaster to strike. Subsequently, you’ll mutter profanities, sigh, and restart the action.

No matter how many times you fail, you won’t be able to put it down. It reminded me of the moreish action from Trials HD and Tony Hawks. Consequently, hours will fall away and before you know it, you should already be asleep. But being tired is the least of your concerns, as you’ll focus your attention on the crazy amount of unlockables. Every challenge you complete will reward you with new items to kit out your skater. Whether it’s a new tee shirt, hoodie, board, wheels, or more, it matters not! I was amazed by the vast selection on offer, and I adored every creative option that was available.

Meet the team.

OlliOlli World is modern with a retro twist.

OlliOlli World is undeniably fantastic to look at as it takes inspiration from Jet Set Radio and looks similar to The Big Con. Its striking hand-drawn aesthetic, variety of backdrops, and colourful albeit cliched characters are fascinating. Furthermore, it handles the ridiculous speed of the action with ease. I loved the complexity of each stage and how every element was perfectly placed. Jumps are situated by grinds to allow for combo scores and gnarly tricks. As you begin mastering each move, you’ll seamlessly shift from obstacle to obstacle while ticking off each objective.

90s skating has a distinct sound and ambience, and this has been captured perfectly. The high-energy soundtrack complements the action thanks to the combination of IDM and Electronica tracks. You’ll listen to the upbeat music as the world melts around you. I loved listening to each song as I landed on every rail or overcame each chasm. This was only bettered by the clatter of wheels on metal or the shriek of birds being scared.

Mind the gap.

So many moves to master.

The developers certainly know how to treat us as the list of moves is never-ending. However, you may worry that this would make it complex and overwhelming, but it’s far from it. Thanks to each well-devised tutorial, new mechanics are simple to understand. The drip-fed elements help to build up your trick repertoire, and before you know it, you are nailing the advanced tricks with ease. What I particularly enjoyed was the brutality of each course! No matter how competent you became in landing each trick, you still had to work to complete each task.

This fine balance between a user-friendly approach and challenging moments makes it moreish as hell. You’ll repeatedly try each course to beat the high score or to complete every goal. Moreover, you can compete with friends on a ridiculous number of shareable levels. There are also leagues to compete in and, of course, the stupid amount of collectables to gather. Perfectionists will be kept busy and completionists will have a nightmare on their hands.

OlliOlli World is incredible.

I’m always dubious when I tackle this type of game as I worry my lack of ability and skill will prevent me from progressing. Luckily, however, OlliOlli World ensures that every player has a fair crack. I adored its simple approach and the ridiculous amount of tricks on offer. It’ll drive you mad while getting under your skin and it’s a gem of an indie title. I loved it and I recommend you to buy it here! Will you become the next Skate Wizard? Traverse the 5 districts, complete the challenges, and prove you are the next big thing.

Review: Wreckfest

Michael Hoade
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Review: Wreckfest

The remastered Wreckfest for PS5 is an absurdly fun, destructive title that disregards the idea of “friendly competition” for a more chaotic experience.

Developed by Bugbear Entertainment and published by THQ Nordic, this is no ordinary racing game. Whilst fundamental racing rules are there in terms of the objective being to win the race (or being the sole survivor), the game’s focus on vehicle combat provides a distinct experience from other renowned series such as Need for Speed. 

The upgrade itself is fairly modest – perhaps a tad disappointing – but for new players there is a lot of content and a ton of fun to be had.

Diverse destruction:

Wreckfest wastes little time in throwing you head-first into its many chaotic collisions. Upon starting the game, the player is presented with an impressive number of gameplay modes and layers of customisation. From custom tournaments, multiplayer (no local, however, which is a disappointment) and career mode, there are plenty of options to immediately capture the player’s attention.

The lack of hand-holding is refreshing – and wholly necessary – for a game with such a simple premise. 

I spent the first hour or so just messing around with the various maps, and experimenting with the many vehicle types; from the most intimidating buses I’ve ever seen all the way down to a sofa-bed (yes, seriously, it is amazing). The satisfying feel of the gameplay – which is further enhanced with the introduction of haptics on the PS5 version – and the ability to just pick up and play had me hooked. The amount of options in the settings to customise the gameplay is also impressive, and can really change the feel of the game. 

From the basic difficulty settings, adjusting the intensity of vibrations, and more dramatic changes such as changing the type of damage your car receives, I had a great deal of fun fine-tuning the experience. Changing the setting to “realistic” adds an extra level of intensity to the game, and makes encounters feel more tactical. Conversely, switching back to normal provides that classic arcade experience, with cars able to take a greater deal of damage – which encouraged me to gleefully ram into other vehicles without care.

The diversity of offerings in a game with such a simple premise is commendable. Vehicle movement strikes a fine balance between being arcade and simulator, and the various modes all offer something different. Career offers more typical races, where the demolition derbies highlight the game’s signature selling point: absolute carnage. 

Wreckfest knows where its strengths lie, and wastes little time in shining the spotlight on them. 

A few shortcomings:

I had a ton of fun with Wreckfest. The gameplay is so addictive and there are enough options that provide varying escalating challenges. That said, there are a couple noticeable issues that I had with the game.

The absence of local co-op feels criminal in a game as fun and ridiculous as Wreckfest. This game would’ve been one of my go to party games. Online multiplayer is a lot of fun, but I found it tricky to find games consistently. 

As a paid upgrade for existing owners I’m also unsure how impressive the new offering actually is. 

The haptics introduced are subtle, with the triggers providing additional resistance when making certain manoeuvres, but for those that already own the game the implementation of haptics might feel a bit lacklustre. The solid 60fps is definitely the more impressive enhancement with this upgrade. The game looks good in 4K, but some of the environmental and road detail looks noticeably dated. 

Those issues aside, Wreckfest provides a strong offering full of content that will appeal to both casuals and fans alike. The gameplay is innately fun and with the addition of unlockables and a wealth of customisation options, there is plenty to keep you interested if somehow the allure of absolute carnage wasn’t enough. 

Review: Reverie Knights Tactics

Daniel Waite
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Review: Reverie Knights Tactics

A family bond can be a powerful thing. You have each other’s backs no matter the consequences, and this can put you into many awkward situations. If you know your family is in trouble, you’d stop at nothing to help them. This is the driving force behind Reverie Knights Tactics! It’s an amusing and touching tale told through a pixel art style.

Developed by 40 Giants Entertainment and published by 1C Online Games Limited, this is a turn-based tactical RPG. It’s brutally tough, requires a logical and strategic mindset, and will break the best players of this genre. Moreover, it wonderfully blends visual novel elements to help tell its linear plot.

Reverie Knights Tactics uses well-trodden mechanics. 

The war between Elves and Goblins has raged for years! Yet, both parties thought that a ceasefire had been agreed upon. Unbeknown to the Elven people, an evil plan was being concocted underneath their noses. Without warning, the Goblins struck and ransacked the beautiful city of Lennorien. Panic ensued and the remaining Elves fled, leaving behind their homes and their lives. Years later, a group of scholars begin an expedition to find this beautiful city, but trouble strikes and they go missing. Aurora, the daughter of the lead scholar, must take on a dangerous journey to uncover the mystery of her father’s disappearance. Can she find the lost city and the missing expedition, or will it be too late? 

This story and its core mechanics are familiar and, sadly, offer nothing new. However, the delivery of the plot, its order and chaos system, and challenging battle elements make it stand out. Every decision you make has consequences, and this appears as order or chaos. Will you be calm, methodical, and reasonable? If so, you will follow the order pathway. On the other hand, people who gamble, take risks or are irrational lean towards chaos. Each route influences your character traits, unlockable skills, and how others interact with you. It was a wonderfully simple twist to the gameplay that adds longevity and many unique encounters.

Use the plants to help you.

Node-based navigation. 

The gameplay revolves around two key elements: the node-based world map and the isometric battlegrounds. Neither of these is new to the genre, but they are well-designed, full of surprises, and add to the tactical moments. 

The world map comprises the main storyline that branches to multiple nodes. Here you will uncover the mysteries of the story, take on side quests, encounter random events, and find locked chests. Navigating the vast map is easy, though many of the missions are shrouded in mystery. This surprise element makes planning your approach extremely tough, and this makes a hard game a little more challenging. Players may become frustrated as the ability to plan each task becomes increasingly difficult. 

This is compounded further thanks to the unforgiving battle scenarios. Each event has a direct impact on another. So, if your party is injured or lacks mana, this is how you start the next fight. Furthermore, items and potions to refill your stats are sparse on the ground and this makes it tougher again. You’ll have to be methodical in your approach, contemplate future tasks, and hope to get lucky. If all these things happen, you may be victorious. 

Isometric battlegrounds. 

The isometric battlegrounds are familiar, as are the combat mechanics. Your team has limited energy to move, and AP (action points) influences your ability to attack and consume items. You can utilise the environment to your advantage by destroying plants that shoot out poison or knocking over columns to block paths. The game offers tactical advantages that must be exploited if you wish to win. 

This goes one step further as objectives are added to each encounter. You will be asked to complete certain tasks to gain more XP and Congi. You can, of course, ignore these goals, but that will make the end game so much harder. 

I loved how every minor layer was beautifully intertwined to make you think about every move you made. Reverie Knights Tactics doesn’t allow you to rush in blind and hope for the best. No, it demands that you contemplate the smallest of moves or face the consequences. This, of course, has its downside, and that is that it is unbelievably challenging. Its gameplay feels brutally unfair, and this can stagnate your progress. 

Crafting time.

It’s all about the fellowship. 

Your party of heroes starts small and eventually expands to 4 unique warriors. You control an ice wielding mage, a tough shield bearing tank, a nimble fighter, and a kind-hearted healer. Each character is essential to your success, and balancing their skills and stats is key to victory. As you win each battle, you are awarded XP and Cogni. The XP is self-explanatory as it levels your characters and unlocks new abilities. In the customisation screen, you can then choose which skills you wish to use that best suit your style.

The Cogni allows you to unlock tomes that enhance your skills and make each player stronger. Like the special abilities, three tomes can be added to each hero. Therefore, you must be wise and savvy when it comes to selecting each one. A battle can be won or lost on the smallest of margins, and getting your tactics right is a must.

Reverie Knights Tactics uses a classic style.

Pixel art and turn-based games go hand in hand. Consequently, I wasn’t surprised when Reverie Knights Tactics utilised the style throughout. The combination of classic sprites and vivid colours makes tackling each battle thoroughly enjoyable. What’s more, the isometric viewpoint and clean world map allow you to navigate the key moments with ease. Furthermore, I loved the visual novel approach during each cutscene. The simple use of animation and striking images brings the characters to life. It was an unusual but likeable twist to what was otherwise a very safe and familiar title.

The fantasy setting was complemented by a folksy and uplifting soundtrack. The blend of fun songs and serious tunes added drama and depth to the action. Whenever the heroes were larking about or relaxing, the music was always jovial. However, when danger was looming, or a battle was on the horizon, the audio was much more sinister. This was further supported thanks to the simple but effective sound effects. The aesthetics work in perfect harmony to create a whimsical but magical world to explore. I loved what the developers had created, and it harks back to some of the earlier titles in the genre.

Follow the lights.

Unbelievably easy to control. 

I’ve played an array of tactics games and I never know what to expect. Some have been overly complicated and frustrating to play. Whereas others have been too simple and have bored me to tears. Luckily, however, Reverie Knights Tactics gets the balance just right! Thanks to its excellent UI and simple controls, you will have this mastered extremely quickly. This straightforward approach was essential as it allows you to focus on the tactics.

The challenging gameplay, blend of order and chaos, and the combination of skills and tomes, adds to the replay value. Though I found the difficulty to be particularly off-putting, I couldn’t help but be addicted to it. Consequently, its brutal ways and requirement for perfection will get under your skin. Unfortunately, though, the linear approach and relatively short game time may put some players off. Moreover, its lack of multiple endings was frustrating and disappointing.

Reverie Knights Tactics is testing from the off. 

I like a tough game, but I feel that Reverie Knights Tactics is too challenging. It doesn’t balance its gameplay enough and this will deter a lot of players. If the developers had incorporated the ability to buy items or replay missions, then it would have been fairer. Sadly, this didn’t happen and therefore, this will appeal to a niche audience. Despite my complaints, I recommend you to buy it here! It’s a title that will test the hardiest of fans! Can you find the missing expedition and the lost Elven City? Plan every move and hope that luck is on your side. 

Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace – A Love Letter Game

Andrew Edney
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Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace – A Love Letter Game

Today, Asmodee and Z-Man Games launched Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace – A Love Letter Game. This new adventure pairs Love Letter’s signature social deduction gameplay with the iconic stories of the Star Wars galaxy for a game of rebellious bravery and clever deceit. Players use the talents of classic Star Wars characters to outwit and outlast their opponents in this quick, accessible card game for the whole family. Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace – A Love Letter Game is available for purchase from the Asmodee store and select retailers for an MSRP of £16.99 GBP.

Like the original Love Letter, Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace – A Love Letter Game features easy-to-learn rules that create fun, ever-changing player dynamics. Players take turns drawing and playing cards based on beloved characters from Star Wars: Return of the JediTM like Luke SkywalkerTM, Boba FettTM and Jabba the HuttTM. Familiar faces from both the Rebel Alliance™ and Jabba’s crew will help players achieve victory. New to Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace — A Love Letter Game are Agenda Cards that shake up the traditional Love Letter gameplay with specific victory conditions and add endless replay value to each game.

With 20-minute play sessions and 2-6 player support, Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace – A Love Letter Game is the perfect game night choice for friends and family. Its portable card deck and pouch of tokens make it a great travel companion as well. No matter where they are in the galaxy, adults and children ages 10 and up will want in on the action with this competitive, fast-paced game.

Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace — A Love Letter Game Key Features

  • Easy to Learn and Play: Features “draw a card, play a card” Love Letter–based gameplay, but with unique and exciting Star Wars twists.
  • Easy to Transport: Includes a high-quality, portable Star Wars–branded bag featuring a stylized logo of Jabba’s Palace that’s perfect for on-the-go gaming.
  • Beloved Characters, New Challenges: Iconic Star Wars characters from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi represented in high-quality illustrations and cards with unique abilities. Each round brings new challenges and changing agendas.

Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace – A Love Letter Game is developed by Z-Man Games in collaboration with Lucasfilm and published by Asmodee.

To learn more about Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace – A Love Letter Game and Z-Man Games, visit the game website.

Review: Dread Hunger

Vasilis Tatsiopoulos
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0
Review: Dread Hunger

John Carpenter’s “The Thing” was made into a game once. But it was not made into the right kind of game. Its premise is one that would be perfectly translated into a survival/social deception game language. We did have our chance at this, with titles like Among Us, but we never got the icy, gritty, survival version. Dread Hunger comes now to scratch that itch, throwing us in a frozen wilderness to try and survive while being wary of our mates.

There are no monsters here, kinda. Well, at least there’s no focus on monsters, and you will not see huge tentacles spawning out of chests. You most definitely will summon cannibal armies to devour your crew, though. It’s all in good fun!

You are a member of the crew of one ship that tries to cross a narrow, icy passage without dying. That’s the premise, the gist of it all. You choose a class, be it a cook, hunter, captain, engineer or whatnot, and then start off on a table, playing a game of poker. When you finish the round, two of the players (out of 8 total) are assigned the “thrall” role. Thrall, to be honest, just means annoying dude who ruins it all. Your role as a crew member is to navigate the ship, “feed” it with coal to run, gather food and resources, repair holes that can lead to sinking etc. Normal stuff, things that an explorer would do. Your role as a thrall, then, is to sabotage the expedition.

This can be done in a number of ways. For sure, you can go in the quarters guns blazing, shooting anyone you lock eyes on. You can try to kill them all. But this is not the efficient way, nor is it the fun one. You should know that Dread Hunger is a social game, so you’re meant to own a pair of headphones and a microphone to communicate with your ship mates. If you don’t, you will be assumed as a thrall, most likely, and thrown to the fish. So, your best chance as a thrall is to be patient, to blend in, to pretend you’re doing your job. You will gather food, but you’ll poison it. You will gather coal, but, when nobody’s looking, you’ll throw it in the water, and not in the machine that powers the ship. You can sabotage the expedition slowly, from the shadows, so that nobody knows you’re doing it.

Then again, you can build magical totems and summon cannibals to attack, by plunging a stone in your arm, filling it with your blood. If dark magic is your preferred way of action, you can go that way, but, understandably, you have to cast your spells when nobody’s watching.

Any way you choose to play, Dread Hunger is fun. It’s gory, dark, silly fun. If your team is made of nice people, you will have a blast. If you play with people you know, the blast will be bigger. It’s a solid premise, executed decently. There are some problems, sadly. The most obvious one is the total lack of guidance. You will complete the tutorial, but you’ll still not know anything about the game. The training stage teaches you about survival, how to craft things, how to kill animals and repair holes, but it doesn’t bother to explain what you’ll actually be doing. This leads to a confusing kick off, with you starting off in the first few rounds without understanding the meta, relying on the kindness of strangers to get information. Well, we all know how that goes, don’t we.

The crafting mechanics, too, are a bit lacking. They are not bad per se, they are working, but they don’t add much to the mix. Crafting, gathering, eating and getting warm are by now utilized in almost all games, and this is not the best iteration we’ve seen. It’s all a bit slow and clumsy. Also, Dread Hunger suffers from minor problems here and there that, when combined, can be annoying. The controls are not super tight, the graphics, while decent, can show some drops in performance here and there, the places you visit look almost identical and the repetition can be a bother.

Dread Hunger is a good game, with fun matches that can last around 30 minutes each. Sadly, your fun is depending of how competent the random people playing with you are. As it often goes, you will encounter many annoying players that just want to destroy your fun. Well, I guess it’s a fitting role too, in a way, but it’s not entertaining, to say the least. Minor problems do bring the experience down, the content gets repetitive soon, but it’s still a solid, atmospheric game with a strong premise, if a bit rough around the edges.

Review: Kungfu Kickball

Daniel Waite
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Review: Kungfu Kickball

Whenever a developer decides it’s time for a mashup of genres, I raise an eyebrow! I always wonder if it’ll work, or if it’s even necessary. Kungfu Kickball has blended martial arts, football, and volleyball, to create an eclectic and bizarre title. I’ve played some weird sports titles in my time. I’m looking at you Alpaca Ball: Allstars. However, this has to be up there with one of the strangest combinations.

Developed by Whalefood Games and published by Blowfish Studios, this is a martial art and goal-scoring extravaganza. It can be played solo, against another, or 2v2, as you kick, punch, and headbutt your way to victory. The dated aesthetics and cheery music will transport you to a simpler time and a bygone era.

Football in the dunes.

Kungfu Kickball lacks depth.

When this landed on my desk, I didn’t expect there to be a deep and fulfilling plot. Unfortunately, my concerns were confirmed once I loaded it up. With three game modes to select from and three difficulty settings to overcome, this certainly lacks depth. Kungfu Kickball allows you to pick from an arcade option, tournament, or training. The latter mode lets you pick any unlocked characters and you can experience each of the six stages freely.

Training. 

Training allows you to play an array of mini-games that should hone your skills. Unfortunately, however, a lack of an explanation forces you to fumble around for the answers. This was poorly executed by the developers and should have been much more thorough. They had an opportunity to explain the fundamentals in a fun way but fell short repeatedly.

Arcade mode. 

The arcade mode is where you’ll spend your time. Here you can work with another gamer or take on the computer alone. You must battle your way across 6 varying stages with only one aim and that is to score more points than your opponent. Ceremonial bells are located at opposite ends of the pitch and you must punch, kick, and headbutt the ball and ring the bell. You are free to beat the snot out of your opponent and anything goes. It’s a brutal free for all that gets messy very quickly.

Tournament. 

The tournament mode was both fun and disappointing! It uses the same mechanics as the arcade mode with a couple of exceptions. In this competition, you must fight your way through a knockout tournament. Defeat means you are out, and the game is over. Subsequently, only the best will pick up the crown. Where this mode falls short, however, is its lack of solo action. It can only be tackled with other players and this was absurd. If you have no one to play with, your gameplay options are limited to arcade only, and this isn’t acceptable. The developers have made an error as this seriously undermines both accessibility and the fun factor. 

The next goal wins.

Kungfu Kickball belongs in an arcade. 

Whalefood Games clearly love the arcade era, as Kungfu Kickball has been inspired by this style. Its vivid tones, simple and pixelated imagery, and bizarre level design are reminiscent of 80s gaming. Furthermore, the excellent but basic sprites are enjoyable to look at thanks to their unique appearance.

Where the developers have excelled is the great level design. Each of the 6 arenas was fantastic to experience, and each one offered a different challenge. Whether it was pillars and platforms to avoid or sprawling dunes to climb, you had to adjust your approach to win. 

You know when you are on hold and you have to listen to awful repetitive music? Well, welcome to the audio of Kungfu Kickball. Its arcade aspirations have negatively impacted its sound quality. The basic but shrill noises would work perfectly in a loud seafront entertainment venue. However, it’s just a little annoying and repetitive when played on a console.

Kick some panda ass.

The controls lack explanation. 

Fortunately, the simplicity of the action combined with the basic gameplay makes this easy to play. Luckily, this approach pastes over the shortcomings that come with the lack of a tutorial. Sadly, however, it took many matches and some trial and error to discover most of the moves. This was annoying, as a simple list of controls or basic instructions in the training mode would have removed this issue. 

Regretfully, the problems don’t end there. No, unfortunately, Kungfu Kickball is sadly lacking replay value unless you have friends to play with. A few hours of solo action are fine, but then you yearn for more. Luckily, playing with another makes this much more enjoyable. If the developers had increased the number of modes or made the training section better, this would have improved the longevity vastly. 

Kungfu Kickball is great in small doses. 

As a casual title, Kungfu Kickball excels. Its vivid aesthetics, annoying but addictive music, and simple controls make this a fun game in small doses. If you have like-minded friends, you’ll have a whale of a time battling one another while mastering the martial arts mash-up. It’s for these reasons that I recommend you to buy it here! However, be aware of its shortcomings. Can you better each arena and be crowned the champion? Kick, punch, and headbutt your way to victory. 

Review: Draw a Stickman: EPIC

Natosha M
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Review: Draw a Stickman: EPIC

Maybe you have some time in your day, possibly feeling a bit bored at a meeting, school, or just need time to release your inner creativity by doodling? Well check out this game, Draw a Stickman: EPIC. It’s a game that is so simple to play while being pleasantly enjoyable, and on top of that, all you need to do to play this game is bring your ability to be creative. By the way, there is no requirement to be a perfectionist!

Additionally, Draw a Stickman is much more than just a drawing game, but instead it’s one that ties in some puzzling obstacles, roleplaying action, and of course, the freedom to draw and name your own character, a friend, and even doodle objects or items whenever you want. That was what had charmed me about this game and why I’ve fallen in love with playing it. I’m just free to create as much as I like, anywhere I want.

For example, I made a cat as my stickman character in this game and it still plays quite well. Plus, with a little more humor, Bob which I left the name that is given as a choice, but can be changed, well I made it a ball of orange yarn. Now how fun and free is that, when you don’t need to be a human or a real stick-person while playing this game.

The possibilities are endless within this game, and the ability to be creative and original is a fun factor, especially for myself. Plus, I found that it works great with the controls on the handheld console, Nintendo Switch Lite, and even if used on the original Nintendo Switch. Plus, while the player gets further into the game, you are now obtaining a few new features, pencils to draw with as well as learn how to use, and colors to design and create as much as you’d like. It just gets better and allows for more reasons to doodle with additional gains that make the game even better!

The Adventure Begins!

It’s a fun game that has plenty of levels to explore. Plus, being such a relaxing game, nothing about being a perfect player or losing lives, time, or anything. You don’t need to be a gamer to enjoy this game. It’s very well explained, has simple controls, and is just adorable in total. Additionally, with so many levels to discover new pencils and allow you to obtain new skills. These help you draw and design something new, which form into a creation that could be making a cloud that causes lighting or just rain. Even if you want to learn to draw fire, that is there too. Plus much more!

What I do enjoy is that each level in this book is a world of imaginative play. It’s not all the same redundant gameplay and won’t get boring from what you can do. In fact, you can grow some veggies within a garden, by creating a rain cloud above them. Watching them grow as you see it come to life! The same goes for starting a flame to burn dynamite, trees, and even slaying the enemy. Oh and a few more like even with bad doodling you can just draw a squiggle and make a key, armor to protect you better, or even use an ax to cut down trees. Plus, they all become animated while you press the button to activate the creation and location you doodled it at, come to life.

There is one truth with all the things you can do within this game and I’ve just told you a few that occur at the very start, but there is plenty further inside this game. The problem that might cause you to take a true and critical hit, causing your character; doodled character to be destroyed and need a restart is if it’s in drawing mode and you accidentally doodle a weapon-style design near you. For example, lightning or fire doesn’t really pan out great when it’s next to you or going to cause something to affect a large area around you.

So the planning portion of the game is a little bit of a requirement. Despite this and as I said before, The game is all about fun and enjoyment. So even if it makes you restart the level, you can love to learn and take on the challenge to plan accordingly and still watch other things take the effect of what you create. Oh yes, that doesn’t end the pain. Imagine the problems you can even get with the enemies in the game. Many are cute little characters like animals that aren’t all kind and friendly. So being ready to take action with your pencil, is a must, and again planning correctly will be the key to success so you don’t hurt yourself, but defeat the enemies only.

Two main issues I came upon is that how fast our character may die could be an issue or not to some players. However, it’s so easy to get hurt and be killed without much damage, just one hit at most times. This can be not that pleasing, but then again it doesn’t really take much energy to return back to where you left off. Perhaps, this just adds a bit of a challenge to the game, making it harder and a bit more necessary to think things through before continuing. Plus, it also makes sense that a stickman or character you want to doodle can easily be hurt and die since nothing much to the design of our figure, or any shield to protect us.

The second one is that there are a few issues where the stickman character we designed won’t move freely. This little guy, girl, animal, or anything you’ve doodled up seems to have one issue in some parts of the world. The character seems to get stuck and not move as freely as it should. Like it gets stuck in one location and hard to budge for a few seconds, not even if there is anything in front of you to be blocked. So that happens sometimes and is a bit of an issue. Otherwise, it won’t mean the game is frozen, and no need to restart the game anytime, just being a few seconds of lagging in gameplay before continuing the game.

Therefore, what else can I say? The game’s epic journey is full of monsters; enemies that want to cause harm and stop you from obtaining or achieving your goals. Just like collecting pieces and finding Bob or whomever you like to call your friend. Plus, there are plenty of chances to doodle, while visiting many worlds in this storybook. So much to see and not much to worry about as it’s got no need to be an artist or have a good stylus, as the handheld or controller will work fine. I think that is one other feature I do enjoy about this game, easy controls to play the game and not necessary to have a stylus to doodle.

Final Thoughts

The game is quite entertaining and can be humorous how some may look at it. Especially, when played in a freestyle mode, burning things that don’t really need to be burnt or just anything you want to do. However, it can even just be played straight through. Collecting puzzle pieces, getting to obtain all these new colors, learning new things to draw without them being anything but squiggle lines if you want, and of course, the joy of being a hero of your own making.

There really aren’t many negative aspects to this simple, short game. It’s fun to play as close to a simulated-style game, doing as you like. There is no wrong or right, just humorous fun, and creative play! So I think the only thing that the game has me feeling is the need for more! It’s clearly a simple and a great game, and reminds me of a few well-designed games that required doodling; Scribblenauts or Drawn to Life. Despite the simplicity of the graphics and lackluster colors or character design, I’m just hooked to the charm of the freedom on how you play, I just can’t wait for another book to open and a new epic journey to begin!

Review: Dying Light 2 Stay Human

Daniel Waite
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Review: Dying Light 2 Stay Human

I’m not usually a reviewer who likes to be late to the party, but in this instance, my thoughts are long overdue. Dying Light 2 Stay Human has been out for nearly a week and it hasn’t received the stellar plaudits I expected. I felt a little disheartened when I read my peers’ articles, but I didn’t let it discourage me. After all, who doesn’t want to murder the undead while trying to find your long-lost sister?

Developed and published by Techland, this is a first-person open-world adventure RPG. Set in a bleak post-apocalyptic world, you must fight to survive. You will balance friendship, trust, and politics in a volatile powder keg that is ready to ignite.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a much-anticipated sequel.

The gaming industry has a fine pedigree of zombie titles. However, recently, the standards have been slipping. Therefore, when Techland confirmed Dying Light 2 Stay Human’s release date, many fans clambered to get their pre-orders in. The developers promised storylines that branched off in multiple directions and actions that had consequences. Moreover, there were promises of improved parkour elements and a better skill tree. I can honestly say that they haven’t let us down! The promise of a 100+ hours main story and an additional 400 hours for everything else seemed unrealistic, but I shouldn’t have doubted it.

The plot revolves around a “pilgrim” called Aiden Caldwell. He wanders the dangerous lands undertaking quests for others, no matter the consequences. However, his needs are now his focus as he arrives at the broken town of Villedor looking for answers. His sister Mia was taken from him when they were just children and rumour has it that she may still be alive. Therefore, he cares not for who he hurts, or what he must do as he desperately edges closer to the truth.

God damn, you are ugly!

There are some shortcomings.

Dying Light was so well received that the sequel was set an amazingly high bar. Therefore, it understandably falls short in some categories. Yet this doesn’t make it unworthy of your time. No, you may simply need to adjust your expectations slightly, that’s all. So what am I referring to, exactly? Well, the plot and the acting, in a nutshell.

Now, I really enjoyed how the story twisted and turned depending on your decisions and actions. Yet, this fluid approach has consequences! When you are free to undertake side quests or roam the open world, the political landscape can change. Subsequently, conclusions to other quests or interactions don’t always marry up with the current situation and this can be confusing. Unfortunately, there is little that Techland can do to remedy this issue, as to do so would remove one of its key concepts.

The problems sadly continue with the almost laughable acting. Aside from Aiden, whose character is likeable and believable, the rest of the cast is subpar. Now, I still enjoyed every cinematic and conversation I experienced, but the wooden nature of much of it will be underwhelming for many. I, though, found it highly amusing and consequently I liked the break from the sinister and horrific nature of the gameplay.

This will hurt a lot.

From shortcomings to shining moments.

When a game sets its bar high, it’s bound to disappoint some. Yet, when it does things well, it blows your mind! Dying Light 2 Stay Human has so many of these moments that it’s genuinely hard to put down. I haven’t looked forward to playing my Xbox as much as I have this past week. Subsequently, I found myself playing for hours without even realising.

Parkour.

Attempting to replicate the finesse and athleticism of parkour is tough at the best of times, yet Dying Light 2 Stay Human has it nailed. Sprinting, jumping, climbing, and falling come second nature to our hero. It was enthralling to climb mega-structures or to dive across gaping chasms. Furthermore, every moment was slick and buttery smooth!

What I particularly liked about this element was how the character progression directly influenced your ability. This was great as it ensures the whole world isn’t open to you from the off.

The day/night cycle.

Villedor is dangerous at the best of times, but the day/night cycle opens up an array of new problems. With time specific quests, shops to raid, and new monsters to kill, nighttime can be horrendous. The difficulty is compounded further by your rising infection rate and the constant threat of howlers. These screechy bastards start a deadly game of cat and mouse where you are, unfortunately, the cheese-eating rodent. Only the use of UV light, extreme parkour skills, and luck will ensure you survive.

Quit hanging around.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human has a spectacular open world.

I was blown away by Dying Light, so I couldn’t wait to see Dying Light 2 Stay Human on a next-gen machine. Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed. Yes, there are the usual annoying glitches, but these will be patched out. Therefore, what will be left will be a spectacular post-apocalyptic experience. You encounter some amazing characters, exceptional cinematic, and a gloriously large and varied map to explore. What’s more, as the sun sets, the familiar environment shows its sinister side.

It was easy to admire what Techland has achieved. Therefore, it was fascinating to explore the range of buildings, structures, and open spaces in this once-thriving town. Then there is the brutality of the combat and the endless amount of gore. Bludgeoning the undead with a hammer was amazing, and it was only bested when you managed to decapitate an arm, leg, or head. It is sure to make you wince, but it won’t stop you from doing it repeatedly.

The developers have brilliantly incorporated a haunting soundtrack that adds emotion and depth to the action. When innocent bystanders are in trouble, a daunting, yet upbeat track plays. As you explore restricted or dangerous locations, hard-hitting songs blare out. These moments were wonderfully complemented by the eerie sounds of people screaming, and the squelch of blood and falling limbs. Therefore, I can comfortably say that the audio is a raving success, as it will make your skin crawl repeatedly.

What a dank city.

Those zombies are in trouble.

Triple-A titles have a tendency to be complex to understand. Fortunately, however, Dying Light 2 Stay Human is easy to master. Thanks to a thorough tutorial and well-mapped layout, those zombies are in trouble. Yet, you will want to prove to the world how good you are! You can be put through your paces by undertaking parkour challenges. These tough events are not for the faint of heart as you must be quick, agile, and strong as you leap zombies and clamber buildings.

With a large character progression tree, an array of weapons to find and upgrade, masses of equipment, and a ridiculous amount of quests, this is enormous. Furthermore, you must unlock structures to assign to the factions. Whatever you decide has a political impact and alters side quests and relationships. On top of all this, this can be enjoyed solo or online with friends. Call for help and allow strangers into your game, or team up with your buddies and slaughter masses of the undead. This was truly an amazing decision from Techland as it increased both the longevity and replay value exponentially.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a must-play title.

I haven’t felt so consumed by a game for a long time, yet, Dying Light 2 Stay Human has got under my skin. Yes, there are some minor issues, but these pale into insignificance. Much of the gameplay and action are phenomenal and far exceed the first instalment. I adored it and I recommend you to buy it here! Will Aiden survive his ordeal and save his sister? Search Villedor, befriend the inhabitants and uncover the truth.

Review: The Book of Boba Fett Episode 7 – The Finale

Sean McCarthy
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Review: The Book of Boba Fett Episode 7 – The Finale

It has been an interesting time watching ‘The Book of Boba Fett’, which for me had a very strong start as it answered fan questions that had lasted for nearly forty years until Boba reappeared armor less in Season 2 of ‘The Mandalorian’ which had a finale that set the scene for this show to spin off from. This show has had great moments and also some very questionable choices in terms of where the show got from Episode 3 and 4, not to mention the fact that Episodes 5 and 6 simply went full ‘The Mandalorian Season 2.5’ as both episodes focused primarily on Din Dijarin and Grogu, which had fans going crazy but also meant that for those episodes, Boba Fett either did not feature at all or merely appeared to just nod to Din, and it left me questioning what the direction of this show even was, especially leading into the finale and whether or not Boba would even get to have the starring role in it.

Simply put, this is a finale that much like the direction of the show, confused me more than anything else. The big showdown between the Pyke Syndicate, who wants to continue running their Spice trade via Tatooine versus Boba Fett, Daimyo of Mos Espa with Fennec Shand and his crew. This is a fight that felt important by the end of Episode 4 but sadly at this point for me, completely overshadowed by the reintroduction of The Mandalorian story arc which has been incredible for fans and myself to see but the cost was in killing the momentum of Boba Fett’s story. Now here we are, Episode 7 and the finale and having now watched it through twice, it has left me rather puzzled.

The main reason for that is that this is a showdown that was pretty much by the book, and all expected even though Boba only featured in four of the previous six episodes worthy of note. We begin with the fall out of Episode 6, the Sanctuary having been bombed and now a burned-out ruined building, a location that Boba gathers his forces though Din Djarin is convinced that the people of Freetown are coming to help, unaware that Cad Bane shot Cobb Vanth and threatened the people not to get involved for their own safety. We are made fully aware that Boba and crew are completely outnumbered should the Pyke Syndicate arrive to finish what they began with Sanctuary. This is going to be a fight but not one that has a satisfying ending.

Before we do reach the final battle there are still some threads to tidy up such as the decision Luke forced Grogu to make, choose the life of a Jedi and forsake any possible relationship with Din and earn Yoda’s Lightsaber as a result or accept the gift of Beskar chain mail armour, the gift from Din and in doing so would be returned to him and no longer able to be trained as a Jedi by Luke. Well, every single fan knew what the answer would be and the moment an X-Wing comes into land at the docking station of Mos Eisley it was confirmed. To my surprise, it was a pilotless X-Wing with R2-D2 himself flying it to Tatooine to drop off Grogu for The Mandalorian, no Luke this time. This was indeed a very lovely moment, just one as much has been in the last two episodes, one that took away the focus of what this finale was supposed to be, but I was too busy grinning like an idiot to see the little guy back.

We do get to see some screen time between Boba and Cad Bane, who clearly have a history which I would love to have seen given more time to explain their story, another flashback episode would have been welcome for sure but here we see Cad Bane taunting Boba, trying to get him to make a mistake and ‘shoot first’. One of the things that does bug me about this finale, is how the crew of Boba, the mods and Black Krrsantan are divided up to simply watch out for Pykes though this immediately, and very obvious to the audience watching, was the moment the crime families of Tatooine betrayed the truce that Boba believed he had as each of them target the crew, with The Mod kids being cut off requiring Fennec to save them, Black Krrsantan seemingly being taken down and the two Gamorreans personal guards of Boba pushed off a high point, falling to their deaths. The disappointment that this was so telegraphed as a story device, making us feel Boba is facing odds he cannot overcome fell a little flat for me. However, what I did enjoy was the time spent between Boba and Din, with Boba giving approval if Din wanted to leave to which he responded he would stay, prepared to die alongside Boba in this fight as his word is his creed, though he has been expelled from his Sect, Din still believes in his Creed. For me this is just another example of how this show more than anything else, is the final passing of the “Mando” baton from him to Din.

A quick distraction allows for the real action to start, with the Pyke forces now approaching the shell of Sanctuary, a truly fanboy moment with both Din and Boba flying with the Jetpacks taking the Pykes out but it is a gun fight that leaves them both down under the barrage of fire from the Pykes. There really is just something amazing seeing Mandalorians, though Boba is not one the imagery alone gives so much hope of what we might expect from a third season of Mandalorian. A heroic moment sees the remainder of Boba’s crew return to join this fight but not before the people of Freetown arrive. With the Pykes on the back foot seemingly, there is a real moment of “is that it?” with this fight but then two massive gun droids with shields, take over the fight with one chasing the retreating Mods and Freetown folk and the other focusing on Boba and Din. Unable to break through the shields, Boba flies off to get “reinforcements” leaving Din to continue to have the Gun Droid give chase to him.

A fun moment then happens as the fantastic Peli Motto comes flying round the corner with her droids and rickshaw with Din screaming at them to turn around as he jumps on the back. This is the moment fans of The Mandalorian have been dreaming about, teased in Episode 6 but the moment is here as Din is reunited with Grogu finally and the moment Grogu jumps into Dins hand, I could hear the global “awwww” from every Star Wars fan all crying out in unison for this well-crafted moment though, and it was worth the wait and we also get to see a far more confident Grogu in his ability to use his force abilities during the final moments of the episode which I will come back to later but yeah, having Grogu back with Din might be the finest moment of this finale. Which is quite something to feel considering the next time we see Boba is when he returns riding his Rancor Calf, which I did see coming but was quite a moment to see Boba shooting from the top of his Rancor pet as it went full Godzilla on the Gun Droids, effects budget was clearly saved for this battle, and it was fun to see.

This allows the tide of the battle to turn which also leads to two very big moments for the show, one cute as all hell and another, which might prove to be controversial at first unless you are quite observant. That moment is when Cad Bane calmly stands up to Boba and his Rancor, using his own flame thrower gauntlet to scare off the Rancor, causing it to throw off Boba Fett leading to a showdown between these two iconic Bounty Hunters of Star Wars. Die hard fans of the Clone Wars might know that if it had not been cancelled, there was a plan to show Cad Bane mentoring a young Boba Fett, something this episode does not make all that clear other than Boba saying he is no longer a boy and Cad offering him his final lesson once he outdraws Boba. Boba then uses his Tusken Warrior weapon to take Cad down, leaving him seemingly dead on the floor. Already social media is a buzz with this decision but if you listen and look closely, a beacon is beeping on Cad’s chest, to me this could be the off-screen way out and that Cad will be recovered and placed into a Bacta tank to heal meaning this is not the end of the road for this icon and I really hope he does make a return.

The other moment is the Rancor going on a rampage without its rider, but this started off a little strange with Boba’s crew all shooting it even before it had a chance to attack them, only to make it more mad and make it attack. Din tries to take it down but fails which is where Grogu, this tiny little bean of a guy, steps out and using the Force, calms the Rancor and puts him to sleep, all with Din watching, ending with Grogu going tup to the now sleeping Rancor before curling up to sleep against it, more “Awww” could be heard around the world.

I really liked this action sequence with everyone having their moment to shine in what might be the longest shoot out scene in Star Wars yet, the effects were spot on and even the moments with the reunion of Din and Grogu in the middle of a fire fight chase did not feel forced or misplaced. Where this finale did fall flat for me, was in the ending scenes. Starting with the slaughter of all the crime family leaders and the Pyke Commander, now I expected Boba to do this himself, as they betrayed the truce the promised and since he discovered from Cad Bane that the Pykes wiped out the Tusken tribe that took him in and saved his life but now, it was shown to be Fennec, a moment to have one final absolute badass moment for Boba to reclaim his fearsome legacy and it is given to Fennec, who throughout this series has been the one to come up with the strategy, counsel Boba on how to be a leader and the action spots. It felt like a wasted opportunity especially when, as Boba and Fennec are walking the streets of Mos Espa being thanked by the people, even bowing to him, Boba turns to Fennec and says “we are not cut out for this” implying that being Daimyo of Tatooine, the one thing he has wanted to maintain this entire series, might not be the job we see him and Fennec doing in the future, this especially stands out to be as the post credit scene shows Cobb Vanth in Boba’s Bacta tank healing with the Mod surgeon preparing to go to work.

Overall, this has really been a strange show all in all, the start was strong for me and then grew a little weaker and frustrating with Boba seemingly doing very little before the show handed itself over to The Mandalorian and it is very telling to say that my favourite episodes were the ones that did not feature Boba Fett at all. The finale was a fun watch but also has a lot of issues in terms of how Boba is used in it, whilst it was cool to see him riding a Rancor, something set up in Episode 4, it is once again Fennec who stands out as the one to be fearful of more than Boba. I am not left at the end of this finale hoping to see another show featuring Boba Fett in this setting at least, and I am hoping that the little tease of “we are not cut out for this” and Cobb Vanth being healed, could be a sign that Boba is about to return to his Bounty Hunting ways with Fennec, leaving Mos Espa in the capable hands of Cobb Vanth which is just a theory of mine, but one I hope is the plan.

The fact that the final scene before the credits role on this finale and series, is that of Din with Grogu in space, with Grogu tapping the silver ball against his cockpit lid with Din saying “no” before giving in and saying “ok but this is the last time” as he triggers his ships sub light drive, sending it into its boost making Grogu very happy indeed. I really am looking forward to the next season of The Mandalorian, but for me to get excited for any future Boba Fett show, this good guy routine is going to have to go out the window to get my interest.

Review: Thomas & Friends: Magical Tracks

Andrew Edney
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Review: Thomas & Friends: Magical Tracks

Here is our review of Thomas & Friends: Magical Tracks on iOS from Budge Studios.

Packed with interactive mini games, this customisable magical train set lets your little conductors shape their own fun adventure. Ride the rails with all your favorite engines and collect all the toys and decorations you need to create your very own Island of Sodor! What magical adventures will you build today?

Thomas & Friends: Magical Tracks was originally released back in 2016 on both iOS and Android. The game is free, and a lot can be played and enjoyed, but if you want the full experience, including different trains, toys and adventure packs, these are all chargeable additions as in-app purchases.

Once you have chosen your train, and who isn’t going to want to pick Thomas, you can drive around, blow your whistle and choose where to go.

There are numerous mini games to play as well, including jumping bridges, outrunning boulders, having races and more. You can then get toys and other items to add to the world, including other engines to drive as.

The game is a lot of fun, especially if you unlock a lot of the content, and my trusty review assistant really enjoyed playing it again and again. This is actually a game he has been playing on and off for about two years now and he still enjoys going back to it and playing more.

Review: El Gancho

Daniel Waite
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Review: El Gancho

Power will make the sanest of creatures mad, just think of Smeagol from the Lord of the Rings. He’s a bizarre little being that becomes warped and twisted once he has control. Therefore, this proves that anyone can become corrupted given half the chance. El Gancho uses this idea at its core as you fight an invasion of aliens while trying to save the day.

Developed by Sidral Games and Eastasiasoft Limited and published by the latter, this is an arcade-action platform title. It utilises a wonderful pixel art style and has an addictive, albeit repetitive, soundtrack. Its fast-paced and physics-based gameplay is easy to pick up and tough to put down. Consequently, its straightforward approach makes it a wonderful casual title.

Missiles and lasers everywhere.

El Gancho: a weird sci-fi hero story.

I’m used to science fiction stories being bizarre, but this one takes the biscuit. El Gancho is weird, makes little sense, but its madness matters not. You quickly forget about the plot as you focus on the task at hand. The game takes place on a planet called Cocodu! This once peaceful location is home to the eternally happy Cocos. Sadly, all good things must come to an end and this happens sooner than many predicted. The evil Pogovon Empire has invaded and captured every Coco in sight! Regretfully, they plan to extract their happiness to power a superweapon of mass destruction.

How happiness will power a doomsday device is beyond me, but let’s overlook that slight digression. You play as a Coco who must save his fellow beings. This frail creature carries a gun, a laser-hook, and a secret ability. He must swing from platform to platform, creating a trail that destroys anything in its wake, and the quicker he moves, the larger the trail becomes. Thankfully, this Coco is wonderfully nimble and can fly around each level with ease. If you are hit, you can restore your health by gobbling up any of the food that is conveniently left hanging around every stage. Subsequently, your chances of survival are vastly increased, but this doesn’t make it any easier. Sadly, death is all but guaranteed, and this makes it super addictive and challenging.

Boom!

Procedurally generated stages and big bosses.

Everyone loves surprises, and this is where El Gancho excels. Thanks to its procedurally generated stages, no playthrough is the same. Therefore, you must search every inch of each level to save each kidnapped colleague. This isn’t as easy as it sounds, as every creature you encounter wishes to kill you.

Furthermore, your progress is halted by 6 enormous bosses! These beastly creatures love nothing more than to shoot you out of the sky. Sadly, your weapons and special ability are powerless to defeat these monsters, and you must find hidden switches to overcome each overlord. This was an excellent twist on the gameplay by the developers, and it helped to prevent the action from becoming mundane. Moreover, the inclusion of power-ups at set intervals allowed you to alter your approach. You can add a droid that protects you from missiles or simply increase your health. There are many choices and whichever you choose is up to you.

El Gancho looks wonderfully dated.

Retro aesthetics may not be for everyone, but in El Gancho they match the theme perfectly. Therefore, the simple and dated look complements the straightforward concept. Furthermore, the garish tones work with the bizarre Sci-Fi theme. Unfortunately, however, the simplified backdrops were a little disappointing. It would have been nice to experience a little more variety, as each run can last a considerable amount of time.

The repetitive nature of the gameplay is compounded by the upbeat synth music. Annoyingly, the soundtrack appears to be stuck on a loop and this quickly becomes tiresome. Though the tunes work with the action and add energy to the gameplay, it gets tedious if you play it for many hours. This doesn’t mean I disliked the audio. No, I enjoyed it! However, I just wish there was a considerably larger array of songs to listen to.

Can you dodge them all?

Timing is everything.

El Gancho is a title that requires accuracy and patience. Swinging between platforms and avoiding your foes is no mean feat. Thankfully, the fundamentals are covered with a thorough and simple tutorial. Unfortunately, though, this doesn’t prevent it from being tough to master. You’ll die and fail repeatedly before you can be considered competent. However, once you get to grips with it, you’ll love the death-defying moves and killing every monster.

There is no denying it. This is a small indie title. Luckily, it is also jam-packed with challenges and plenty of reasons to return. The aforementioned procedurally generated stages ensure every playthrough is fresh and difficult. Furthermore, you can attempt to beat any score from a previous attempt. If this doesn’t interest you, there is an array of Cocos to unlock that have unique skills and abilities. Therefore, you’ll want to keep playing to experience different tactical approaches.

El Gancho is casually addictive.

I love a casual title, but even this one took me by surprise. It’s a challenging beast that offers many unique opportunities, and you’ll never know what’s on offer or how well you’ll do. I loved it and I recommend that you buy it here! Will you prevent the Pogovon’s dastardly plan, or are the Cocos doomed? Grab your laser-hook, upgrade your skills, and save every Coco in sight.

Review: EGGLIA: Rebirth

Natosha M
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Review: EGGLIA: Rebirth

Have you’ve been lately searching for the next best RPG game? Possibly one that’s filled with mystical and alluring character design, a delightful story, plenty of playtime and things to accomplish, and possibly a slight strategic style of combat. Well, look no further! EGGLIA: Rebirth is a game that not only brings the gamer; you into a world of simulated-RPG style gameplay but also puts you in a position where you are the hero, to help defeat cruel and nasty ogres who have taken control of the kingdom, Egglia.

Right away, the captivating and beautifully environmental design of Egglia will grab your attention as well as the impressive and original character’s design, no matter if they are good or bad. Oh yes, and add in the music that plays in the background and you feel like you are bringing to life a real-life fairytale. Better yet, a game that allows you slight control over how the story progresses, even if the main storyline of the game is still to end the same way, no matter what option or way you play.

Unraveling The Game

In the beginning, the art of the game drew me in, as well as the interesting story. I am always pleased to play a truly engaging RPG game. Reading each little speech bubble, understanding the goals, helping others with their quests, and basically discovering how to play the game. At first, I admit the game begins like many RPGs with a little bit of a story to read through. Next, the adventure begins, discovering the many territories of the kingdom which is entrapped inside of eggs. Each one begins to reveal a new location to visit with plenty to collect, discover and even battle along the way. As each egg is found, they are opened where ever the player loves to place them, creating a larger world to move freely through. Of course, there is one main place, which we call our own location, by naming it and having our home and friends all living there.

After playing for a while and getting further into the game. You are able to do so much more, as many other locations become available for you to access. Such as being a bit of a farmer, planting seeds to create crystals, or planting bulbs to form new items worth feeding spirits, which you can call upon in a fight. Additionally, the new lands to visit, are able to obtain new products that fulfill many of the needs and quests requested and accepted by you the hero, from your new friends. All of this works together to not only benefit everyone but even allows us to acquire new furniture and even build a bigger house. Basically with all of this, we build a better relationship with our friends, we benefit ourselves and there is just so much more we can do and collect.

Honestly, there is so much you can do within this game, not just to fight and finish the story. There is so much to collect and have it marked in the encyclopedia of things seen and obtained, which there are so many! I honestly find myself loving the freedom to venture all over and play the game a bit more freely than just one path to start to end. I took much longer to play the game and still keep playing it because I love working on designing my own home and getting to know the villagers as well as helping to accomplish many more things.

BoardGame Battle Sequence

If you wanted to try something new when it comes to battling in an RPG adventure game, well this one is just that! It’s definitely not like any regular RPG battle nor like many other strategy games. It actually includes a die to roll and many other objects to collect, not just fighting or defeating. It can act as a way to obtain and collect some much-needed supplies as well as defeat enemies. Each option within the battle board is illustrated easily with the images that appear above each hexagon-shaped space.

There is no chance of getting lost or feeling confused, as the game has plenty of helpful guidance and as stated before, it’s very easy to understand how to play. Especially, by playing the game straight from the beginning to the end. Plus, what can’t one love. As it’s a mix of a simulated, RPG, and strategy game combo. Let’s just say it’s got something for everyone. Especially plenty of action worthy of leveling up our character, and things to purchase or obtain while playing.

I also want to express the other reason why I love this game’s battle design and effects. It’s very animated and comes to life as you play. I feel like I’m at first playing a board game, moving to my next area by the number that appears on the single die. Then I get to decide on what I want to do next, it’s simple. By just using a single button most of the time, a little planning, but nothing too complex, I’m playing and moving quickly without a problem. Of course, it also is just a fun way to play, and the joy you get of playing a board game and getting to see the animation being animated on the screen as you play.

The only little, minor negative feeling about the battle issue is that of the die. It is just this single die, no problem there, but it moves just as fast as the loading pages do. You can’t even hold it and hope for a better roll, it just seems to roll with one click and that’s it. Not that it will bother many, but I guess I miss holding the die a bit longer to get that real board game feel and hoping for a higher number. Still, it’s just a minor issue I have cause I like being able to hold the die a bit longer as I would if I was playing a game of Yahtzee or any other game with die or dice, like monopoly.

Is the Game Fully Finished?

Regardless, of the beautiful art that is seen throughout the game, I felt there were just a few issues I could find myself perplexed about the game. I wasn’t sure if it’s in a beta stage, waiting to be finished. Especially, where the graphics are a bit more stable and you can actually move around, visiting buildings than just being limited to what you see or can do.

At first, it feels like Animal Crossing with a mix of Harvest Moon. The art of character design and action in gameplay made me feel this way. Just played a bit differently. However, I felt it to be a bit limited in the simulated attributes of the game. I was just grateful to know it was going to be this combinational game, but that requires a lot of time to put that together and this just aims a bit short of perfection in just a few areas. On the other hand, if a few things were fixed, it could be just as great as playing Zelda or many grand RPG-style games, maybe even better!

There is one last thing I must add about me and this game. I feel as if EGGLIA: Rebirth had me on a tightrope, where I’m right in the center, trying to decide if it’s something I could love and get past the many limitations and the few improvements it could surely use. If this was possible, maybe the changes would allow me to keep going forward, or if it’s something I just want to head back and be grateful to have tried it and never pick it up again, as it’s not going to get any better. Maybe I mean to say, it’s a very well-designed game, especially in the RPG-style gameplay, but then it isn’t that great or completely finished as a simulated aspect of the game. Leaving me In some ways, I’m getting mixed signals on how I feel.

What Could Use Improvement

There is no doubt that this game totally can consume you with its beautiful, enlightening graphics and song that plays in the background. However, one minor issue with the graphics. There can be some issues that feel as if they could work on it a bit more. In some areas of the game, we can find ourselves walking straight through objects. For example, inside the house we are built, adding objects and finding myself like Animal Crossing, enjoying decorating the home. However, there is no ability to actually utilize them. These actually make the game feel less than perfect or as if I’m playing a beta version of the game. Nevertheless, I feel if this was fixed, it could have been way better!

At least, the details on how to play are very well explained from the start. Once you continue further into the game, more is taught and learned. Plus there are plenty of details shown in the form of photos and text printed on the screen. Better yet, when moving from one place to the next, as the player we don’t have to expect the loading time to be too long to get to the next section. It’s quite fast and could be a pleasing part of a game that many may desire.

Regardless of the speed in loading, this can be a bit of a displeasing feature. It won’t allow you enough time to read the helpful tips that may be important to learn. I actually feel that sometimes I just want to capture a screenshot before it’s done loading. So I can take a peek at what I’ve missed and be able to look over it again, getting the chance to read it fully and completely. Not to say that I don’t like that I can quickly get from one section to the next quickly, but if there are words to be read, well it isn’t very easy to do when you only have a few seconds to read it.

On the other hand, when you can bypass some loading time, it allows you to get into the next part of the journey or necessary obstacle you need to complete quickly. Yet, I do hope those tips weren’t too significant to know, as they were missed plenty of times. Oh but, wait, there are even more aspects of the game I do find perfect! I have to compliment how well the game is designed for all ages, which everyone can play! Nothing is too scary, bloody, or horrible for young or older eyes to view. The characters are quite lively in how they speak. It really is a game that is entertaining no matter if it’s reading the words spoken, understanding the gameplay, or venturing on and collecting, obtaining, and battling the baddies.

Final Thoughts

I finally like to say that this game is quite amusing and entertaining. It’s full of beautiful scenes, nifty-looking characters that I’ve not seen in any other game, and a few minor issues, but everything is well-designed. I mean it’s practically perfect from start to finish and everything in between. The world is gorgeous and the characters fit the story quite well. Each with their own personal spicy attitude and mannerisms.

I just still can’t get enough of the character design, as it was the first thing that attracted me to this game. So I am grateful to have had a chance to try it out, and honestly, couldn’t wait for it to be released! It really is an amazing game, long and enjoyable. Plus, it significantly exceeded my expectations and is way better than I could imagine it would have been!

When Baseball and Video Games are a Perfect Match

Andrew Edney
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When Baseball and Video Games are a Perfect Match

A love of baseball is something that you might find hard to contain to just moments on the small screen whenever you find yourself watching a game. Of course, there are ways in which you can expand this hobby, most notably by going to watch games live and maybe even playing some of the physical sport yourself, but those are more of events that are a part of the initial interest than meaningful extensions.

If you really want to immerse yourself in the prime baseball experience, you might find that your best course of action is to explore the territory where baseball and video games intersect. This might not be something that initially appeals to you, but it can be something that allows a depth of exploration into your love of baseball.

Fantasy Baseball


This might be the most direct, streamlined way for you to translate your love of baseball into the video game format. If you’re skeptical of that format, this might not even be something people often think of as video games due to its format being somewhat different and more managerial overall. You might find that this format is something that appeals to you, and the process of watching simulated online baseball games might fill the void when you find that your team isn’t playing for a while. In that void, this can serve as a way to hype you up for what’s coming up in real life. 

Something More Traditional


As with many other sports, baseball has been supported by regular video game releases over time. While these might not have been as consistent or long-lasting as other members of this group, such as FIFA for soccer or Madden for football, the games are there if you’re willing to dig deep and look. Of course, the obvious hurdle, in this case, is provided by the fact that you’re going to need a console or suitably powerful PC in order to play these games, which might not be something that you just have lying around. That being said, if you have a friend that has one of these consoles, a couple of controllers, and a love of baseball, you could make the experience of hanging out with them one in which you get to immerse yourself in the sport you love.

Motion Controls


While the concept of motion controls in gaming might be seen as a fad that started in the mid-2000s ending after the Nintendo Wii was phased out, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t still fun when the right purpose is applied. Baseball is a game that practically lends itself to motion controls, and if you can manage to get your hands on a means to play it in a way that encourages this kind of interactivity, you and whoever you decide to play with might have found a new hobby. With pitching machines being so accessible now, it’s a great entry point for people who want to learn the rules before heading to a batting cage.

If you’re struggling with where to begin, consider the sports titles on the Nintendo consoles for their varied yet accessible approach to games like baseball. 

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