Review: Kona

Daniel Waite
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Review: Kona

2022 is going to see many released titles receiving their “Next Gen” updates! This is a wonderful thing, as anyone who has made the leap will finally reap the rewards. The latest game to receive this treatment is Kona. A previously listed Game Pass title, I had the pleasure of looking at it in 2020. Roll on nearly 2 years and let’s see what’s changed!

Developed by Parabole and published by Ravenscourt, this is a walking simulator with detective and survival elements. It combines ideas from Blacksad and Alan Wake, with elements from Firewatch and The Long Dark. You’ll experience puzzles and problem solving alongside survival mechanics and an immersive open world.

Kona offers an open world with a linear storyline. 

The world of Kona is a cold and mysterious place that is beautifully representative of the Canadian wilderness. It uses everyday survival mechanics of health, temperature, and stress, and this juxtaposes the supernatural moments in the plot. You must explore the surrounding environment while picking up clues to assist your investigation. Furthermore, the action is brilliantly supported by a warm and distinctive narrative that describes each scene as it unfolds.

Kona takes place in the 70s in a snowy town called Nord du Quebec. This quaint place was once a thriving location, but recently things have taken a turn for the worse. You control a private investigator known as Carl Faubert. He arrives in a deserted Nord du Quebec with no idea of what’s happened and an eerie suspicion of sinister activities.

The gameplay revolves around Carl’s investigations and your ability to find clues, solve puzzles, and manage the survival mechanics. It beautifully blends detective and survival skills with a free-flowing point and click adventure. To this end, it will appeal to fans of many genres.

Where is everyone?

Don’t venture too far. 

The beauty of Kona is the freedom to explore as you wish. Yet, the central plot demands certain events happen before you can progress. This was wonderful, as you could venture into the wilderness without losing focus on the story. 

If you wished to take in the Canadian landscape, you can use your flashlight to explore the snowy world. However, you must be aware of your stats and the wolves that vie for your blood. The cold can be tackled with fires or entering buildings. Whereas wolves can be shot or distracted by meat. Furthermore, stress is debilitating and accidents, upsetting moments, or tough situations make things worse. Therefore, calming your nerves is essential, and beer and cigarettes are the cure.

Everything was perfectly balanced, and no element felt overwhelming or out of place. Subsequently, the intricacies between realism and fantasy were enjoyable. Consequently, it lacked the expected cliched moments and the acting never ventured into the realms of absurdity. 

Are there any clues hidden here?

Kona is much improved on the Series X. 

One of my original complaints was the buffering issues, as the game would take between 3 and 20 seconds to load the environment. Unsurprisingly, this was unacceptable and made the original unbearable. Fortunately, however, this problem has been rectified, and this makes it much improved and more immersive. Therefore, it was easier for me to overlook its other shortcomings.

Kona is an older game and its graphics are of distinctly “Last Gen” quality. Yes, they have received a modern polish, but they are dated, nonetheless. This was evident in the textures of the landscapes and buildings. Sadly, it was distracting and I would have hoped for a better finish. 

The graphics may not be perfect, but the audio is! The blend of music, silence, sound effects, and narration create an atmospheric title. There are few games that deliver audio to this standard. Subsequently, this makes Kona’s shortcomings that bit more disappointing. If the other layers were as good as the audio, this would have been a phenomenal title. 

Where are you going?

Easy to control. 

It’s easy to grasp the fundamentals thanks to the clean UI and the first-person perspective. Set out brilliantly for use with a controller, so you won’t struggle to master the commands. Therefore, it was easy to explore the world and use every survival tool at your disposal. Thanks to the improved loading times, the game feels smoother and more responsive. 

Though the finale is fantastic, and the build-up to the end game well thought out, there are no alternative endings. Sadly, this hinders both the replay value and its longevity. Moreover, this was impacted further still because of the linear storyline. Unfortunately, there are limited reasons to return, unless you are a completionist. 

Kona: Jack of all trades, master of none! 

Blending genres and elements isn’t a bad thing unless it’s detrimental to your identity. Kona doesn’t know what it wants to be, and this undermines the final product. It has so many great moments and is worthy of your time. However, it could have been much better if it focused on one style. I enjoyed it and I recommend you to buy it here! The “Next Gen” update has improved the visuals, and it will appeal to fans of many genres. 

Review: 7 Years From Now

Kara Phillips
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Review: 7 Years From Now

This wholesome yet heartbreaking tale from PQube follows the story of Haruto Soraki. A high school student who is on a journey to recount the last seven years of memories he lost. With nothing but a gentle reminder and a promise he made, his journey feels hopeless. But upon visiting certain places and encountering familiar faces, it all begins to come flooding back. But it’s not an easy journey, uncovering the past of the town you’re visiting. 

7 Years From Now is available on Nintendo Switch, Steam, Apple and Android

Let’s begin at the beginning 

7 Years From Now was originally released in 2017 for both Apple and Android. But in Summer 2021, it came to Nintendo Switch with it’s pixelated charm. Upon first playing it, it definitely feels like a mobile game – but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s got a certain charm to it, which I think is reflected through walk cycles (or lack thereof) and general character interactions. I found myself to quickly adapt to how the game functions and the controls were very easy to pick up. 

Essentially this title involves a lot of reading. There isn’t much to do besides follow simple instructions given to you by other characters and engage with what they’re saying. There’s no mighty quests to embark on, no epic battles to engage in. It’s a very simple concept of talking to every single person you meet in order to gain an understanding of who you are. And how you got here. 

You never know who is around the bend

Take it one day at a time

The story is divided into chapters, which are bitesize chunks so it’s fairly easy to pick up and complete a few before putting it back down. The game as a whole has over 40 chapters so you aren’t going to blitz through it either. With such a story heavy idea, it would be a shame to condense it into a few large sections. I really enjoyed the chapter element of the game as I felt like it was way easier to track my progress. It also makes it easier to digest the content you’ve just engaged with. As I have already mentioned, this game is extremely text heavy so prepare yourself for that. The topics covered can also get quite heavy so regular breaks are needed to just relieve the weight. 

You’re given a timeframe right at the beginning of the game of five days. You have five days to explore your area and recount all the memories you possibly can. It feels as though these days fly by when you begin, but I assure you nothing is what it seems. It’s a perfect example of not taking what you have for granted. Which is a particularly important lesson to learn. You seek help from those around you, and rely on honesty and truth to progress. I found 7 Years From Now to rely a lot on important life lessons which embedded themselves neatly into the content of this title. 

Be sure to utilize the knowledge of NPCs

Final thoughts

As a whole, 7 Years From Now is an oddly charming yet extremely melancholic journey. When you think you’ve got somewhere and finally recapped a memory, you take two steps back and are back to square one. It’s an honest account of our protagonist, Haruto, and his thoughts and feelings when trying to understand how he got in this position. It’s frustrating, grating, lacklustre, but it’s also charming and heartwarming. You never know what to expect next, which is what makes it an engaging game.

Review: Aeterna Noctis

Vasilis Tatsiopoulos
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Review: Aeterna Noctis

It’s nice going into a game without having prior knowledge about it. Usually. However, if the game is Aeterna Noctis, I advise you against it. This is a tremendous game, a huge, sprawling metroidvania that’s hard as nails. Typical games of this subgenre take some 10-15 hours to finish. Not this one, though. In what is quite probably the biggest map ever seen in a metroidvania experience, Aeterna Noctis has you trekking around many different places, fighting a lot of enemies, unveiling secrets and jumping around, for tens of hours. Really, you will need more than 30 hours just to finish this game. If you want to see everything, well, you’re looking at around 70.

It’s impressive, then, how the gameplay doesn’t get boring. There’s a lot going on here, with a complex story about fallen gods and demons, ghostly knights, the king of darkness, gothic castles and with many gameplay ideas and mechanics to enjoy and master. Aeterna Noctis focuses on platforming more than you’d expect it to, making you overcome intricate obstacle courses and solve jumping puzzles. The thing is, the difficulty level is on par with some of the hardest 2D platformers out there.

It’s the kind of difficulty that makes you want to scream in agony after 30 tries, doing the same thing over and over, dying because you can’t do a perfect run. The same thing is true of boss fights, that are evoking Dark Souls vibes. It’s a shame that both the platforming and the fights are frustrating. Don’t get me wrong, the design is fantastic. The enemy patterns, be them bosses or simple mobs, are distinct, clear, fun to learn and to exploit. The enemy types are a lot, more than expected really, the weapons in your arsenal are enough, the skills too, and the overall progression is felt.

The platforming puzzles are great, too: cleverly designed, very hard but clear in direction and just a lot of fun. Sadly, the controls are not up to the task. The jumps are not responsive enough to tackle such a high difficulty, and some of the more complex features are a bit clunky. For example, late in the game, the skills you acquire start to stack, to be used in quick succession. You have to jump, throw an arrow, teleport to it, all in a few seconds. Again, these are excellent mechanics. You have to be in control of the timing, height and duration of jumps and dashes, and most challenges are tough but fair. However, more times than should be allowed, you will turn around without wanting to, you will lose a jump for a millisecond because of the slow response and, in general, you will get annoyed.

The worst of it all? There’s a prominent bug that erases some of your progress. Meaning, you will manage to overcome a hard part of the game, a boss or a particularly difficult ascent on a tower, and then you’ll lose the last checkpoints, and you’ll have to do it again. This happens a lot, mind you, and you can’t manually save, so there’s that. Normally, the checkpoints are frequent and correctly dispensed, but this bug absolutely destroys your soul every time it occurs.

Visually, Aeterna Noctis is a delight. You will explore flaming caverns, moonlit castles, crystal caves, underground molten steel factories, eerie caves and you’ll meet dwarven blacksmiths and bearded oracles, talking in a made up language. The backgrounds are very interesting, filled with details and life, the character design is fitting and well-made, with only some parts giving off a less atmospheric vibe, like the character portraits in dialogues that are not on par with their models. A problem arises with the foreground clutter: some environments are so detailed that’s it’s hard to distinguish the platforms from the gaps and traps.

The huge world is beautiful, the music is fitting if forgettable. This is a dark metroidvania, inspired mostly by Hollow Knight -and doing it justice. It’s the kind of game that will terrorize you with its extreme difficulty, but will make you stand up and shout when you overcome a hard obstacle. Fittingly, there are some souls-like mechanics: you collect something-that-is-not-souls that’s used for leveling up skills and getting perks, and when you die you need to go find your corpse to regain what you had. It’s basic, it works, but it’s brought down by a boring skill tree that’s only serviceable.

There’s zero hand holding here, too. You will be thrown in the sprawling world and not know what to do and where to go, even though there are some helpful pointers. I am not saying this as criticism; it’s fun to get lost in such games, and this one nails the feeling. There are a lot of secrets, you will find many, many distractions that beg to be explored, you will get immersed and lose yourself in this dark world. It’s a well-designed map, very complex and memorable. The only real problem is found in fast traveling, that’s done on specific points which are too sparse and result in needless backtracking back and forth, getting through dangerous traps and huge enemies to find a dead end and going back, and then finding a key and going back again. It’s frustrating.

All in all, Aeterna Noctis is great. A game that’s sure to impress and delight its audience, the people who are looking for a very hard, huge metroidvania. It needed more polish to truly shine, but even as it stands it’s quite surprising, incredibly big, hauntingly beautiful, atmospheric and fun in a specific, agonizing way. If that’s what you want, you can’t get wrong with Aeterna Noctis. Just arm yourself with patience and you’ll experience an incredible game.

Review: Asterix and Obelix: Slap them all!

Daniel Waite
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Review: Asterix and Obelix: Slap them all!

Gaming used to be a simple affair. However, these days, you can lose yourself in vast, beautiful worlds while completing an array of challenging missions. So, when a game takes a step back and offers a more basic approach, my ears prick up. Asterix and Obelix: Slap them all! Recaptures the beauty of side-scrolling beat-em-ups while maintaining a humorous and stylised approach.

Developed by Mr. Nuts Studio and published by Microids, this is a stunning beat-em-up title. Utilising the wonderful imagery and one-liners from the cartoon, you’ll quickly fall for its charms. It’s fair to say that this doesn’t break the mould, and there are better beat-em-ups on the market. Yet, this one is a stunning example of the genre, that it is worthy of your time because of its artistry.

Asterix and Obelix: Slap them all! relies on its name.

If any other title offers as little as Asterix and Obelix: Slap them all! does, I would be scathing in my review. However, I fell for its wonderful story, fun action, and excellent levels. The developers failed to explore any new mechanics, instead; they relied heavily on the duo’s much-loved status. You may worry that this may make for a tedious experience, yet its short levels offer enough to keep you interested throughout.

This solo or couch co-op game asks you to explore 6 acts each comprising a number of chapters. You’ll explore England, take on the Normans, head to Spain, Corsica, and so on. The array of locations sounds fantastic, but in reality, they all play similarly, just with a different look. To mix things up, the developers have created mini-games that ask you to grab food for a celebratory feast. This was a welcome distraction from the button bashing, but it doesn’t add any further challenge to the gameplay.

Get out of my forest.

Hordes of enemies.

If you tackle this solo, you can select between either character in an instant. Asterix loves nothing more than to grab his opponents and spin them at great speed. Obelix, on the other hand, uses his vast weight to steamroller his enemies. Each has a unique set of skills and both can easily batter the unrelenting hordes of Romans. Sadly, no matter the difficulty level you select, the game never really challenges you. This will frustrate hardcore players who want to get stuck in. Yet, if you like a more casual experience, you’ll love what’s on offer.

The action takes place across two modes; adventure and Freeplay. Both utilise the same maps and missions, yet the aim of the latter option is to get the highest score. This never appealed to me, as topping the leaderboard was a pointless endeavour. You were never rewarded for your hard work, and no new levels or cosmetics were unlocked. Subsequently, it reeks of padding out an already low content title.

So, Freeplay was out of the question, but the adventure mode was great if you loved the cartoon. Much of the action is taken from existing chapters of the franchise, though there is an exclusive act designed for this game. This was a great choice from the developers and something that will incentivise fans to keep playing.

My cruise isn’t as relaxing as I hoped.

Asterix and Obelix: Slap them all! looks amazing.

I’ve already stated that it’s not the best beat-em-up ever released, but it looks incredible. Its hand-drawn imagery, smooth action, and nod to the original cartoon are great to observe. I drooled over the vivid imagery and the wonderful comic book clichés. It was fantastic to see Paf!, Tchac!, and more appearing in every brawl. If you love cartoons, or you are a bit of a geek, you will adore every fight that unfolds. Furthermore, it has been polished within an inch of its life! With so many characters on screen and such vivid imagery, I expected it to be flawed and problematic. However, I was wrong, as I experienced no frame rate issues or bugs.

The charm offensive wasn’t limited to the graphics. No, the audio got in on the action as well. The excellent music complements each location while adding energy to each chapter. Yet, its brilliance is sadly tainted by the repetitive and slightly annoying sound effects and one-liners. Each action has an associated sound clip that quickly becomes tiresome, especially if you rely on one method of attack. I soon became disinterested, and this was a shame as the cinematic and music were delivered to a high standard.

The Romans get everywhere!

Button-bashing at its best.

Beat em-up titles rely on quick reactions and a combination of mashed buttons. Asterix and Obelix: Slap them all! demands you button-bash your way through every chapter. Each character has its own set of attacks, but the approach and delivery are exactly the same. You will smash your way through each stage utilising special commands that are earned through an array of combos. Subsequently, you must avoid being hit while bashing your foes to power up the strongest attacks. Luckily, the hectic action never overwhelms you thanks to the responsive and well-thought-out controller layout. Furthermore, the fundamentals are easy to understand and every approach can be mastered with ease.

If you aspire to top every leaderboard and never tire of repetitive action, you’ll experience a small amount of replay value. However, if neither of these things appeals to you, then one playthrough will be enough. Luckily, though, there are a lot of levels to tackle, an array of mini-games to overcome, as well as some fantastic cinematic to observe, so it does have some longevity. Moreover, a large and challenging achievement list will add hours to the base game.

Asterix and Obelix: Slap them all! does just enough.

Asterix and Obelix: Slap them all! could have been so much more. Unfortunately, the developers played it safe while relying solely on its good name and die-hard fans. Consequently, it didn’t reach its potential, and this was frustrating. With phenomenal imagery, excellent music, and flawless gameplay, it could have been brilliant. Sadly, though, there are better examples in the genre and they overshadow and outperform this on many levels. I enjoyed it, but I accepted its shortcomings. Therefore, I do recommend it, and it can be purchased here! Can you stop the Romans from invading the world? Team up or play solo as you battle your way across the globe!

Review: Alexio

Daniel Waite
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Review: Alexio

Hardcore titles have a niche audience that loves sadomasochistic gaming. Many genres have dipped their toes into this shark-filled pool, but platformers consistently produce rage-inducing experiences. Alexio is my latest controller smashing review that had me hating life, biting my lip, and generally regretting becoming a reviewer.

Developed by Duck Team and published by ChiliDog Interactive, this is a brutally difficult retro platforming game. You must venture through a dated and colourful world full of obstacles and enemies. Furthermore, you will collect power-ups, grab coins, visit a shop, and leap over untold amounts of spikes. It treads no new ground, but it retains some charming retro mechanics and aesthetics.

Alexio is cute, but looks can be deceiving.

Top marks to the developers for creating an uber-cute title that lulls you into a false sense of security. Subsequently, you control a fluffy duck called Alex, who makes you feel warm inside. However, SPOILER ALERT… this feeling quickly dissipates, as you soon despise Alex for the fluffy asshat that he truly is!

Alexio has a stupendously stupid story that demands little Alex undertakes a dangerous journey. He has turned six and his dad drops the bombshell that he must find his monobrow if he is to become a ‘true drake’. Undoubtedly, this is the most exciting thing ever to happen to a young duck and Alex jumps at the opportunity. Sadly, this immature fool fails to realise the dangers ahead as he must venture through meadows, lakes, mountains, woods and more en route to an ancient temple.

How did you get up there?

One-hit kills, mostly!

I’m very hesitant when playing anything that has a one-hit kill philosophy. I have neither the patience nor the desire to die repeatedly while edging closer to the finish line. However, many gamers love this challenge, and Alexio will be an attractive prospect. You begin every level with limited lives and some basic powers. Alex can jump, lay down, and fall through platforms. If he touches spikes, gets hit by projectiles or any enemies, he will die instantly. Furthermore, matters are made worse, as checkpoints are sporadically placed on every stage. Death returns you to the last save point, and if you fail, you must start the level again.

The developers have upped the old-school factor by introducing a password system in lieu of a save file. Therefore, you must hunt for the four-letter word on each level in order to continue from that point! This main seem a bit annoying, or downright absurd, but I loved this long-forgotten mechanic. Subsequently, I applaud Duck team’s audacious nature and their nod to retro gaming.

Luckily, though, there is a small light at the end of this extremely long and dark tunnel. Power-ups are found throughout each stage and these offer some protection. You will have the ability to shoot, hover, double jump, and more. Thankfully, these new abilities unlock areas of the map and allow you to take more than one hit. This was a small mercy and helped to make a tough game just a little easier.

Hover with your helicopter hat on.

Alexio is old-school and vibrant.

I love a good pixelated title, and graphics rarely bother me these days. Yet, I still want variety and clarity between enemies and the landscape. Sadly, Duck team didn’t get this quite right, and Alexio suffers because of this mistake. Enemies blur into the background thanks to the limited colour palette. This is made worse still as many of your foes hide underground, or behind blocks and trees. This made a tough game unbearably difficult and will be a game-breaker for many players.

If you can overcome these shortcomings, you’ll love the vibrant worlds and variety of landscapes. Exploring each of the different areas was interesting, even if it was rage-inducing and brutally unfair along the way.

The cute factor is enhanced by the deceptively upbeat audio. The chirpy soundtrack and annoying sound effects never stop, and this makes you angrier still. Your eyes and ears tell you that you should be relaxed and happy, but the gameplay doesn’t play ball. It’s a bizarre mix that matches the era and theme perfectly while making you enraged.

Just a duck in a hard hat.

Loose controls.

Difficult gameplay isn’t a new idea, nor should it put you off entirely. However, there is an expectation that the controls won’t make the action harder still. Sadly, Alexio has got its control system horribly wrong, and this detracts from the other great elements. Moreover, it’s not responsive, and this causes you to die repeatedly. Therefore, when a game is as hard as this one is, I expect it to play like a well-oiled machine. Sadly, though, this is clunky and hard to master.

If you love this genre, then you will aspire to complete every ball-breaking level. Yet, I can see that costing you many controllers and a considerable amount of time. Luckily, there is some replay value and its difficulty adds to the longevity. Consequently, it’s good value for money, if not a little torturous.

Alexio won’t appeal to all.

Duck team has done a wonderful job of creating a challenging and cute to look at title. Yet, the shortcomings with the controls undermine much of its potential. If this element was improved, you’d have a game that is tough but fair! But, in its current format, it’s a step too far and will appeal to a very niche market. I enjoyed it, even though it kicked my behind many times, so, I recommend you to buy it here! Can you find Alex’s monobrow, or will the game defeat you?

Review: World War Z

Brendan Freeman
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Review: World War Z

Zombies have been at the forefront of pop culture in the last few years. Since The Walking Dead and a little game series called Left 4 Dead. But since Left 4 Dead there have been very few squad-based games taking on zombies. Enter World War Z. You lead a squad into escaping from the clutches of zombies.

World War Z was developed by Saber Interactive and published by Mad Dog Games. They released World War Z in 2019 on almost all platforms. I was provided with a free copy of the Nintendo Switch version to review.

Way back when Left 4 Dead 2 came out I sunk hours into it. I loved playing with others while attempting to escape the zombie horde. World War Z tries to recapture that feeling, but unfortunately, it falls flat. Now, it has all the ingredients to make it a great successor to the beloved series. But the main issue is that it has no player base.

But the main issue is that it has no player base.

A game that focuses on multiplayer cooperative gameplay needs to have a large player base to support it. Unfortunately, the multiple times I’ve tried to play online was met with no other players. So I was unable to test the main feature of where it shined. So what does it offer that Left 4 Dead doesn’t?

Weapons and classes can be levelled up. By levelling up weapons they come with new attachments which can change their utility in combat. For example, you start with a silenced pistol which allows you to stealthily take out zombies without alerting the horde. Which can make the early game very easy. But you can upgrade it to a stronger version which can either be silenced or more damaging. It’s a great addition to the format, which gives you the sole reason to replay the levels.

The graphics are pretty average and not very detailed. This extends to the zombies which look very generic and have very few details to make them look like zombies. There are stronger classes of zombies which have unique designs such as the Hazmat zombie which explodes with bile when killed which inhibits your vision. But honestly, the game looks no better than Left 4 Dead 2 but that title had its own visual style.

Zombies which look very generic

The only reason I would keep coming back to play more isn’t the story or lack thereof. But the level up feature. Even then it’s not a very deep feature of the game and does not give you much of a reason to replay it.

I did manage to get a game online and it makes the game so much better. The AI won’t complete missions for you such as collecting supplies. But when you play with others they can wait near the next mission point and progress faster. But if you don’t get into a game with others it can be much better.

It feels like this genre needs a breath of new life to it and unfortunately, World War Z is not the answer to our prayers. Hopefully soon Valve will grace us with Left 4 Dead 3. World War Z is missing the core piece to even be considered worthwhile, a large enough player base to sustain the multiplayer mode. And with a tired plot doesn’t help it either. And it also doesn’t bring anything worthwhile to the genre. Because of this it only gets 5 out of 10.

Review: Evil Genius 2

Daniel Waite
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Review: Evil Genius 2

Dastardly villains always appear to lead a great life. They hide in monstrous mansions, have beautiful partners, and drive expensive cars. Therefore, it’s easy to see why people fantasise about running an evil empire. In 2004, Evil Genius was released on PC, allowing everyday gamers to run a criminal empire. Roll forward 17 years and its sequel Evil Genius 2: World Domination finally makes its full release.

This is a sandbox world domination title that was developed and published by Rebellion Developments. This massive game utilises multiple layers and approaches within each of its four campaigns. Furthermore, it offers DLC and an eclectic blend of villains, minions, and Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Evil Genius 2 allows you to be creative. 

Evil Genius was much-loved and well received. Its fans obsessed over the gameplay and were begging for a sequel. Sadly, when it was released on PC in March 2021, it was full of glitches and bugs. Luckily, however, the developers have worked hard to rectify the situation. As we welcome the year 2022, the game is much improved, and I experienced few issues.

The action opens with the option of 4 villains and 3 Islands. Each offers a unique game style as well as new challenges, missions, and superweapons. You must build your cavernous base underground with an array of rooms to choose from. Here you will train your minions, research new technology, keep everyone healthy, or kill people to maintain order. It’s standard base-building mechanics, but it lays the foundations for the most interesting elements of the gameplay. 

Nothing to see here!

Base-building is fun, but global domination is where it’s at!

Unlike its peers, Evil Genius 2 is a bit of a slow-burner. The base-building stage is interesting as you complete minor quests and start to form your empire. But the latter portion of the campaign is where it excels. You’ll lay traps to stop enemy spies and train your minions in three categories: Muscle, Deception, and Science. Each has strengths and weaknesses and a healthy blend is essential for a well-oiled criminal lair.

Your minions are the footmen who unwittingly help you take over the world. Once you leave the subterranean level, you enter a board game-like interface of the global element. Here, your workers will undergo a multitude of missions to earn gold and wreak havoc. Subsequently, you’ll build a criminal network and recruit powerful minions known as a henchman.

All this hard work rewards your evil empire with the most desirable weapon of all, a Doomsday Device. This is the epitome of any super villains’ plans and leads you nicely into the final layer of gameplay.

So many weird and wonderful rooms to explore.

The Forces of Justice!

Unsurprisingly, your evil plans don’t go unnoticed! Therefore, the further you expand, or the more crime you commit, raises unwanted attention. The Forces of Justice are the secret service that protects Earth from evil menaces, and they are a thorn in your side. However, this interference brilliantly brings every gameplay layer into action.

Your minions must protect the base by identifying suspicious individuals and utilising their specialist powers. This, combined with traps, a well-thought-out base layout, and maintaining order, should keep your devilish plans flowing.

Each James Bond wannabe stops at nothing to thwart your plans, and it can be increasingly challenging to juggle every element. Yet, this difficulty is what makes it extremely moreish.

Evil Genius 2 looks great on a console.

RTS and base-building games are better suited to PC, yet Evil Genius 2 looks and feels wonderful on a console. Its free-flowing camera pans and zooms smoothly, and the imagery is detailed. Furthermore, there is a nice variety of character models to keep you interested. Alongside this, the moments of cinematic are fun, filled with humour, and are a welcome distraction from the action. I experienced no visual glitches, frame rate issues, or bugs. Subsequently, it was a pleasure to look at and play.

I enjoyed the audio and its blend of emotive songs, dialogue, and sound effects. It plays to the clichés of the theme and this adds to the humorous moments. Sadly, though, it fails to repeat the brilliance of Evil Genius and I was disappointed that it wasn’t as atmospheric as the first instalment.

He’s short, but he means business.

Surprisingly good controls.

If you love the genre, you’ll appreciate using a mouse and keyboard over a controller. Yet, Evil Genius 2 is both easy and rewarding to play with a gamepad. Its excellent UI allows you to navigate the masses of menus with ease. Also, the option to pause the action slows the gameplay while making everything manageable. Subsequently, it’s one of the most straightforward games in the genre that I’ve tackled.

With around 80 to 100 hours of campaign action, this is a meaty and challenging sandbox RTS. With an array of styles, missions, and more to experience, this is a super addictive title. Therefore, it has bags of replay value and its longevity is helped by the large and tough achievement list.

Evil Genius 2: An excellent sequel.

Not every sequel is successful. However, Evil Genius 2 uses its well-laid foundation brilliantly. The well-thought-out controls and excellent graphics make it a user-friendly experience from the off. I loved the choice of islands and villains and this keeps the action fresh. Yes, the audio wasn’t as good as the first, but this is its only shortcoming. Xbox gamers can try this for free on Game Pass, or I recommend you to buy it here! Being good is tedious! Why not build a lair, develop a Doomsday device, and rule the world?

Review: Art Sqool

Natosha M
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Review: Art Sqool

First off, I’m not impressed by this game. Maybe I was expecting a bit more of a professional skill-building, educational-style art game, which this is not! Nonetheless, it isn’t totally bad if the player is going to use it for a more relaxing, calming, and just doodling program that doesn’t aid to improve or work on building drawing, and painting skills.

Art Sqool as mentioned above is really nothing I was expecting. The game at least does revolve around its name, spelled differently of course, but we all know it means art school. Regardless, I feel it’s so badly designed that the game isn’t as cool or maybe the word I should be using is qool? I do want to apologize, as I know it sounds a bit harsh to judge a game on only a few bad features that I didn’t like. Since I wasn’t expecting the game to be played or appear as-is. Maybe it’s more for a younger crowd or those who don’t really care too much about accuracy, but it isn’t exactly what I would love in a game teaching art.

Now, to be honest, school hasn’t ever been a place I loved waking up early to attend. Some of the courses could be a bit boring, but there were always a few I did enjoy. One of these would include taking art. It helped me improve and inspired me to do more. Consequently, I feel like I still want to express a bit of joy for this game as it’s still something that encourages being creative. However, there are so many negative features that cut the game a bit short of perfection.

Let’s Begin

I wanted to start off by saying that the music and the sound effects, well they are a bit strange. It sounded a little off and not entirely a perfect match for what this game is about. Maybe it was meant to sound cool, but it sounds a bit spooky and awkward. In addition, the two main names of the game were just as strange, professor Qwertz and the character who we play throughout this game, Froshmin. On the other hand, it did rhyme during the game’s main theme song. I guess that makes all of it better?

Don’t get me wrong, I can deal with the unique names of the main characters in the game. For example, the professor is basically the keyboard’s top keys with a z, and a computer-related A.I. and Froshmin to me could be related to Freshman, which I’m guessing would make sense as it is suggesting the first year at art school. So, I have no problem with the unique names, just the music and sound effects could have been done a bit better.

Nevertheless, the game is something I’ve never played before. In return, it made me a bit more intrigued to understand what I’ll really be gaining from playing this game, compared to any other art-style game. Especially when there is a teacher, this is the trained A.I. known as professor Qwertz who is meant to teach you and push you a bit by scoring and grading your work. I’m sure this provides a bit more of a push to challenge the player. However, I wouldn’t pressure myself, as it’s not too hard to get a passing grade!

A Few Arising Problems

Some issues arise with the choice of console. When I was playing the game on the Nintendo Switch Lite, I feel as if the screen size takes away from the enjoyment or possibilities that develop during gameplay. If it was possibly played on the original console with a better screen, especially using the TV as a way to visualize the game, it would most likely be easier to see what’s going on. Additionally, I just found it to be hard to draw on the Nintendo Switch Lite’s Screen as it is very small. Plus, the controls are slightly tricky to operate in such a small window.

Additionally, I found another problem with the camera, in which the player has full control. The camera can be rotated all over freely, which is nice. However, when walking and rotating it together, it ends up being a little difficult. Froshmin, as a good example, was difficult to get him to rotate around to see his face, facing the correct direction. Especially, when moving side to side or back and forward. You still can move him, but it just looks so inaccurate when you want the character to look like he is a real person and moving as a real person does. Another reason the game isn’t perfect.

There is one positive note about the camera’s capability. We are gifted the ability to control the camera’s rotation as mentioned above, but also we are allowed close view as if you are seeing the world through the eyes of Froshmin and many other views, from far to close. However, the odd part with the camera rotation again, if you get the view too close, well it distorts the visual aspect of the game and disrupts the gameplay until you fix it. At least you can get out of it, but it just could maybe have been done a little better to avoid such a problem.

What I did find interesting is that the school is designed very creatively and artistically! Including many shapely artifacts and objects throughout the digitally designed environment. So I have nothing against the graphics, but some parts are a little off. Especially, with the doors in the game, these colorful blocks, which you’d probably not realize you can enter till you try, and even the issue of falling down to other designed locations can be a bit strange and even spooky! At least, with the falling part, I found out that it ends up causing you to be graded when you fall off the one location. However, any player, as well as myself, may start off feeling a little confused. Especially, when one is falling from the sky and it’s not a game to cause harm.

I do find myself enjoying the seeking portion of this game. This is the way we build the list of art tools, which is collected to help us the player, make better paintings. So we can move forward with the challenges that the professor wants us to create on the canvas in front of us. While I’m speaking about the canvas, it is quite nice to design something on this game and save it to use for sharing or keeping on the console. However, it is best to have a stylus pen to perfect the art you draw as it will look sloppy and harder to design with one’s finger.

Yet again, the problem that I came across is that it’s not hard to pass! The professor won’t grade these by any means to improve one’s skills. I got an A or even a passing grade with the sloppiest art. So does this game really do much for anyone or is it just for fun? That is what took me to my conclusion of it being just a typical doodle game that isn’t really to push one’s abilities further but to just play with no skills being taught. Not truly educational!

Do I Still Feel the Same?

In conclusion, this game is fun for just the freedom to play as you’d like. However, there are so many portions and features that just don’t work well together or at all! I feel as it could be improved and still be a better game, but for a relaxing and calming, nonsense-style game then it’s perfect, but I prefer a bit more organization, quality and something worth pushing me to be better!

Review: Grim Dawn

Daniel Waite
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Review: Grim Dawn

War is a terrible and needless act! There are always winners and losers, and then there are the innocent bystanders whose lives are ruined. Grim Dawn: Definitive Edition explores this idea within its dark fantasy world and eerie and creepy atmosphere.

Developed and published by Crate Entertainment, this is a wonderful isometric ARPG adventure. Fans of Diablo or Path of Exile must pay attention, as Grim Dawn is a new contender to the throne. Capable of being played solo or with a party of four heroes, this is one game that’ll entertain you for hours.

Grim Dawn highlights mankind’s greed.

No matter the genre or format, I love a great tale that highlights mankind’s greed. Grim Dawn is the latest game to utilise this idea, and unsurprisingly, it’s the catalyst to our end. Cairn is a grimy, dark place that is on the brink of destruction thanks to an otherworldly battle between two spiteful beings. Mankind tried to manipulate these entities for their advantages, but shock, horror, it went wrong. Our error allowed these creatures to enter our realm, and this was one of many mistakes we made.

The evil monsters care not about humans or their world, they simply want to be victorious. They will stop at nothing, and they use us as a pawn in their deadly games. First, there are the Aetherials, who like nothing more than to steal our bodies for their own devious plans. And second, the Cthonians are a destructive bunch who love to kill Aetherials while they are possessing humans.

No matter which way you look at it, mankind is doomed! Grim Dawn opens with your character hanging from a noose. He/she has been possessed by an Aetherial and 3 wily hunters capture you to destroy this beast. Before they can complete their task, the creature leaves your body, and you are left fighting for your life. Here your journey begins as you are taken in and must build trust with this tiny pocket of humanity.

So many wonderful areas to explore.

Familiar mechanics that lack creativity.

Whenever I tackle an ARPG, I expect character customisation and an element of creative flair. However, Grim Dawn ignores this staple mechanic. Fortunately, though, this oversight matters not, as it has zero impact upon the gameplay or story. Unlike its peers, you open as a blank canvas with only the option of your gender available. As you level up, you are awarded ability points to spend on each skill tree. This was fantastic, as you could tailor your class to your approach. Furthermore, if you play with friends, you can create a band of warriors that complement each other.

Like others in the genre, this is all about quests, fast-paced combat, and oodles of loot! You must level your character, destroy all-powerful monsters, and arm yourself with absurd equipment. You quickly become absorbed by the madness that ensues as you hack away at your foes while exploring a vast, dank world. Subsequently, the story and its otherworldly entities play second fiddle to the intriguing quests that unfold.

You’ll be expected to listen to NPCs and make decisions from the text-based dialogue. The often depressing and sombre tales leave you with limited choices. No matter what you decide, the outcome is usually as grim as the information itself. It was wonderfully dark as you decided to help one party, kill another, or leave them to their own devices. This side of the game never became tiresome and was a welcome distraction from the unprecedented levels of hack n slash action.

So much equipment to collect.

Grim Dawn lacks the polish of its peers.

I’ve spent hours playing Diablo III, and I loved its polished finish and detailed world. I guess this has tainted my expectations of the genre, as Grim Dawn looks understated by comparison. Therefore, experiencing this on a 4K TV was painful, as the lack of details made it difficult to follow. Subsequently, the combat is usually a blur of spells, gunfire, and the flailing of swords. You tap away on your controller and kill the hordes of enemies that engulf you. However, you have little idea of what is happening. This gets progressively worse as you tackle more powerful creatures or attempt to play with friends.

Though the combat is blurry and hectic, the landscape and barren world are phenomenal. The Victorian-era setting is beautifully represented, and the atmosphere is enhanced by the earthy colours and grainy finish. The isometric viewpoint is assisted by the excellent and free-flowing camera. This was an excellent decision, as you can manipulate your viewing angle for the best possible experience.

In a gritty world filled with desperate humans, you need a strong and dramatic soundtrack. Grim Dawn delivers this by the bucket load thanks to its blend of upbeat and slower tunes. Complemented further by its snippets of spoken dialogue, you quickly become swept up in the moment.

Far too much going on.

Better with a mouse and keyboard.

Unsurprisingly, Grim Dawn is more enjoyable when played with a mouse and keyboard. A controller lacks the required accuracy, and this makes the UI clumsy and counter-intuitive. Therefore, altering equipment, combining items, or selecting submenus was tricky. Luckily, however, with a little patience, you’ll overcome the shortcomings and master the cumbersome controls.

ARPGs are created with longevity and replay value in mind, and this is no different! You’ll explore, gather loot, take on quests, and level up. There is never a shortage of things to do and this is helped further by the multiplayer option. Whether you tackle this solo or with friends, you’ll have a great time.

Grim Dawn: A great addition to the genre.

Creating a classic game in this genre is tough. Diablo has the lion’s share of the market and breaking that monopoly isn’t easy. However, Grim Dawn offers enough to make it stand out from its peers. It’s not perfect, but few games are. The graphics lack detail, the loot system is a little off, and the controls aren’t the best. Yet, these are minor flaws compared to their many positives. I loved it and recommend you to buy it here! The world is ending and survival is your primary concern. Do you have what it takes, or will the warring entities end mankind’s existence?

Review: Clid the Snail

Jordan Kirkpatrick
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Review: Clid the Snail

The idea of an anthropomorphic animal as a protagonist and sending them into battle is a unique genre of games that surprisingly works—and it works incredibly well when it’s done right. Take the classics; Crash Bandicoot, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Donkey Kong just to name a few. Now, we have a bizarre new face entering the fray. 

Meet Clid, a grouchy and cynically inclined snail with a habit for hard liquor and weapon tinkering. Unfortunately for Clid, this combination of hobbies gets him kicked out of his snail citadel with his companion firefly Belu and sent into a post-apocalyptic world where a slug plague is ravaging the lands.  

Clid and Belu make for intriguing protagonists

Clid the Snail is a twin-stick shooter that starts off nothing but promising. The in-game starting cinematic highlights fast-paced looter-shooter action, but what was provided was nothing of the sort. Instead of a drunken-fuelled rampage, combat truly does move at a snail’s pace. The slow shooting, recharging and rolling mechanics are okay at their base level, but after playing for a while it does get old very quickly.  

Conceptually, the world that Clid finds himself in is an intriguing one. This plagued new world has been rebuilt from the ground up by the slug and monster population out of post-human wreckage and scraps. You’ll occasionally run into small outposts that use discarded old-world materials as furniture and accessories, and from time-to-time dialogue from merchants and other travellers will reveal small details about the old-world in passing remarks. If you look closely, you might even spot the odd human skull scattered around. 

Clid isn’t very well-liked among his snail brethren

Clid the Snail also features a few different environments and biomes to traverse on your journey. Again, there was a lot of potential here with the inclusion of snow-paved mountains and desert landscapes, however, Clid the Snail falls just short of the mark. The linear nature of the twin-stick shooter hinders the ability for natural exploration, so a lot of the environments that Clid finds himself in don’t feel as rewarding as they could have been. 

The level designs themself because of this tend to feel very repetitive. Some stages will feature a branching option for Clid to explore that will provide new weapons and upgrades, but they will always culminate with Clid exterminating a wave of slug enemies. There are no checkpoints here, so if you die, you will be sent back to the beginning of the level to do it all again. What is even more irritating is the fact that you can buy these same weapons and upgrades from merchants you meet on your journey, so the mini-boss-like scenario is completely unnecessary and drags a lot of the enjoyment away very quickly. 

Clid has an arsenal of weaponry at his disposal

Speaking of the weapons, Clid’s arsenal can grow to include flamethrowers, grenades and landmines to name a few. Despite the wide variety at your disposal, these weapons simply don’t feel necessary or very powerful compared to your main rifle. The slugs and enemies don’t offer up much of a challenge where these secondary weapons are necessary. The gameplay does get stale very quickly as a result of this; you have unlimited ammo and waves of brainless enemies coming at you in a straight line, it doesn’t take much strategy or skill to take them down. 

Visually, the lighting lets down a lot of the experience. Whilst I enjoyed the general art style and direction, the muddy lighting and haze effect really overshadowed a lot of the locations, so much so that occasionally it would be difficult to tell the difference between a snowy mountain biome and a desert. The haze isn’t exactly aided by the fact that the lighting can blur the screen a lot, which results in the screen looking like Clid himself has slid over it a few times. 

In terms of dialogue and voice acting, Clid and Belu speak in complete gibberish. Whilst it is quirky at first, combined with how quickly the dialogue boxes scroll past you, it can get quite disorientating, especially if you’re trying to figure out controls or listen to plot details. The writing itself is solid with its own quirks, but the gibberish doesn’t do the story enough justice. Music-wise, it fits rather well into the world and adds a sense of danger to the post-apocalyptic environment.  

Explore the dangerous lands where humans once thrived

Perhaps the biggest disappointment for me overall was the fact that playing as a snail simply has no impact on the game whatsoever. You could replace Clid with any other anthropomorphic creature and you would essentially have the same result. Having the ability to hide in Clid’s shell as a defensive strategy for example would have been an interesting inclusion to his arsenal. 

Clid the Snail simply doesn’t hit every mark. The idea and conception are great and the characters of Clid and Belu are fun to learn about, and the idea of a plague-infested slug world is an interesting one, but the gameplay itself is where Clid the Snail has issues. Gameplay-wise, if you’re a hardcore fan of twin-stick shooters, Clid the Snail is nothing ground-breaking, but if you’re looking to kill a few hours (as well as some slugs) then Clid the Snail might be worth it.  

Review: Nuclear Corps

Michael Hoade
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Review: Nuclear Corps

Nuclear Corps is certainly an experience. 

Inspired by the real life nuclear disaster in Fukushima (2011) –  which was the most severe incident since the infamous Chernobyl (1986) – Nuclear Corps follows the aftermath of the tragic event. You control a group of three old folks – old heroes in fact – as they look to rescue civilians and stop the escaping nuclear radiation. 

You do this by dealing with puzzles, utilising each character in real time, to work your way through a number of stages. 

So how is the game? A bit of a disaster – to be honest.

Total (tonal) disorder:

You’d be forgiven for thinking that a game based on such a recent tragedy might be a tad distasteful. Nuclear Corps deals with the gravity of the issue in a pre-Newtonian way, with a colourful aesthetic and upbeat score completely juxtaposing with the severity of the games subtext. I found this incredibly strange. 

Levels consist of cartoony monsters, including charging bulls, aliens and even dragons. The overall design is incredibly cartoony and undermines the serious background to the games events. This approach just didn’t work for me.

Even your characters themselves feel more like ‘memes’, with the grappling hook pensioner, boxing Grandad and Rick from Rick and Morty? Well, maybe an alternate universe Rick.

I just don’t understand what tone the game was trying to achieve, and the absence of cutscenes or any sort of personality from the characters – beyond their cartoony design – made me feel incredibly detached from the experience. 

The wrong kind of difficulty:

Difficulty in gaming is a fiery topic that contains many polarising and clashing opinions. Soulsbourne titles reward player patience, with death being a key component to the experience. Roguelikes follow somewhat of a similar philosophy, with trial and error being encouraged to push player skill. Other games, like the recent Assassin’s Creed titles, create difficulty through settings. Higher difficulties beef up enemies’ attack and health – something that I personally hate.

Regardless of how you feel about the difficulty debate, each approach has its merits. As long as there is a sense of fairness and the experience is still enjoyable, things are good.

Nuclear Corps doesn’t have optional difficulties. Instead, each mission becomes progressively more challenging; more enemies, more puzzles and more resistance for your three playable characters. 

The biggest problem with the gameplay is that it actively feels like the game is working against you. Each character feels incredibly sluggish; movement is clunky and aiming – for the character with a gun – is awful. I didn’t enjoy controlling these characters.

The levels themselves are fairly short and do present some interesting challenges, which require you to use each of the characters in a certain order to progress. Each character has a particular skill set suited to dealing with any given situation. One character has a grapple hook that can help her reach areas the other two can’t. Another character can concuss enemies and block lasers with his shield. And Rick has a gun. To be fair, I’m underselling it: Rick is the most useful character by far, as he can actually deal with every enemy. 

I liked that the game was in real time, because this presented a certain risk to using each character. Whilst you’re controlling one character across the other side of the map, another one of your characters might be in a position to get absolutely stomped down by some enemies. There is always a risk to using each character, which is compounded by the fact that when one character dies the whole mission resets.

That being said, boss battles are unfortunately a complete let down. One particularly awful battle involves you trying to use the grapple hook against the boss in a tiny arena. This experience was especially tiresome because the game does a poor job explaining how to use this mechanic. Other boss battles, whilst not as challenging, are just boring. The first boss in particular involves you just shooting a single spot and occasionally avoiding a few bombs until the bosses large health bar is eventually withered away. 

Nuclear Corps is a game that feels unfocused, unpolished and at times, unbearable. Whilst there are elements of strategic play to be found, owing to the games real time approach, the absence of a compelling story, awkward gameplay and lack of progression make it a hard one to go back to. 

Regardless of if there is a case for making a game based on such a recent tragedy, Nuclear Corps undoubtedly fails to justify using such source material. And as a fundamental gaming experience, it misses the mark. 

Review: Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue

Charles Ombler
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Review: Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue

Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue is a procedurally generated 2D platformer where you play as a fire fighting and hose-slinging piece of pixel art. With a tight timer and a randomly generated building to explore, you’ll need to hose down the fire and rescue the inhabitants before the blaze engulfs the building and all hope of your steak even approaching being cooked rare is lost. Those hoping for a hack and slash adventure featuring Firegirl, a lesser-known superhero and outlaw who was bitten by a radioactive fire are going to be bitterly disappointed as the titular Firegirl is so named as a cutesy descriptor for a female firefighter and the use of Hack ‘n Splash is a cutesy play on Firegirl having a hose.

The first thing that struck me about Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue is the design of the game. A lot of games live and die by their lighting engine. Take Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 – essentially identical games in their design and textures, except Fallout 76 has much better lighting so blows Fallout 4 out of the park (as long as you don’t look closely at anything for too long). In a game like Firegirl, where 99% of the frames of the game involve some flames, it’s great to see that the lighting is up to scratch. With the fire generating lovely flickering lighting effects, casting deep shadows and bathing the whole environment in gorgeous dark oranges and reds, the game looks the part. 

The design is paired nicely with a slight narrative wackiness. You’re not fighting fires as such, you’re fighting anthropomorphised fire monsters instead. When you rescue people, they immediately abandon their promising careers in medicine, engineering and the like and offer their services to your fire department. As soon as you put out a single fire, you’re paraded in front of the mayor for a medal. All of this comes together to make the game feel distinctive and toy box-ey, taking the game-ifiable parts of firefighting into the game and abandoning the harrowing and consequence-laden part that heroic real-life firefighters have to deal with every day. This makes your inevitable failure to rescue a civilian, save the building or even leave the blaze with your life feel like less of a weight on your mortal soul.

Unfortunately, that’s where the nice things I have to say about the game start to dry up, like the remains of a civilian you failed to save from the inferno. Firstly, the controls. You have your standard running and jumping controls – an axe attack on the right mouse button for smashing through doors and destroying debris and a hose on the left mouse button that you control with the mouse pointer to extinguish fires and destroy fire monsters. The hose can also be used for an Iron Man-style boost jump, which is entirely required for vertical traversal. When moving vertically you can also look up and down to work out if anything is in your way before you do a boost jump or drop down to a lower level. The real issue here is how finicky the boost controls are when you’re using them in conjunction with looking up and down. I only have two hands, so holding left click, moving the mouse, holding the jump button and left/right for directions PLUS holding a button to see where you’re going is just not feasible. You can have a quick look before you commit to a jump but, in general, you have to jump blindly into the inferno thanks to the controls and, nine times out of ten, that puts you in a fiery-bad-time. To make things worse, you have a limited tank of water so, if you do crash and burn thanks to the awkward controls, you’ve probably emptied your tank and are doomed to burn in place without the ability to try again. There are water refill pickups dotted around the map, but you can still end up stuck in a hole unable to progress because their location is randomly generated.

That leads me onto the next thing that doesn’t quite gel – the procedurally generated-ness of the levels. Every single level is built up from pre-produced modular pieces which are sewn together procedurally with what appears like very little limitation on what permutations are allowed. This makes everything looks the same so it’s incredibly easy to get lost and means you have no idea where you’re supposed to be going. Am I going left or right here? Should I use my limited water to boost up to a higher level or continue to my left? Have I been here before? I’ve definitely been in an identical corridor before but was it this one or another example of this corridor being used in the procedural generation? This system makes the game incredibly confusing and frustrating. You never have any idea if you’re making any progress which makes you feel disengaged with the whole game and begs the question: What’s the point?

The final nail in the coffin is very much that, a very minor thing in itself but an issue that rubbed me up the wrong way, sealing the fate of this review. To quit the game you have to go to the main menu. When you go to the main menu it shows you the several-second-long opening logos first. If you mash skip to get through those, the skip button is the same as the select button so you select the first option, ‘New Game’ as soon as you get to the menu (which you can’t back out of once you’ve pressed it) and you have to start the whole process again – quitting, skipping and finally pressing the quit button when you finally get to the main menu unmolested. I was having a pretty miserable time with the game for the reasons discussed above, so this barrier to exiting the game dialled my frustration up from around an 8 to a full 10/10.

All in all, Firegirl: Hack ‘n Splash Rescue feels like a bit of a mess. Awkward controls, confusing levels and some antagonistic design come together in a game about as fun and engaging as actually being on fire. As ever, a pretty game doesn’t make a good game and, as gorgeous as the lighting looks, it’s a pretty veneer on an otherwise unappealing mound of gameplay mechanics. With some more development: tightening of the controls, limitation on the procedural generation, a map and some balancing on size of the water tanks, there could be something quite fun and charming on offer. But, as it is, it’s difficult to recommend Firegirl: Hack n’ Splash Rescue.

Review: Trophy

Daniel Waite
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Review: Trophy

There is a clear divide between the love of modern and dated games. You either adore the pixelated graphics, simple controls, and silly stories. Or you don’t! I love retro gaming and I admire the simple concepts, frustrating controls, and rage-inducing moments. Therefore, Trophy caught my eye thanks to its nostalgia-fuelled moments and sense of “just one more go”.

Developed by Gradual Games and published by 8-Bit Legit, this is a tough and addictive retro platform title. Originally developed for use with an NES cartridge, it now expands its appeal on the Xbox One. It captures everything that made the genre and era fantastic, and I loved the trip down memory lane.

Where it begins.

Trophy has a ridiculous plot.

80s and 90s gaming revolved around bizarre plots and interesting characters. Luckily, Trophy follows suit as very little makes sense. You control the amusingly named Dr Jared Sword. He and Dr Xela Quine befriend the inhabitants of the planet Gearus 9, and Sword returns to Earth to demonstrate his findings. One of the sentient beings called Beeper accompanies him to Earth to prove that robots and mankind can live in harmony.

The plan would have been perfect if it wasn’t for Quine. Sadly, isolation drives the doctor mad, and he genetically modifies the remaining robots. With a deadly army at his disposal, he declares himself Lord Q and plans to take over the known universe! Fortunately, though, not all is lost and only one being can stand in his way. Sword and Beeper use the secret technology of Gearus 9 as they merge to create a robotic being known as Trophy.

As I said, it makes no sense, but let those concerns wash over you. If you can accept the nonsensical story, you’ll love the challenging gameplay and the simple concepts. Effectively, you must move through each stage aiming to survive, while killing every creature in sight. You have limited lives and health, but you must still get to the finish line. You face nine levels and nine gargantuan bosses. Each has strengths and weaknesses, and you must exploit them in order to be successful. Alongside the level ending nightmares, you’ll face an array of creatures and traps that must be destroyed or avoided.

This robot never rusts.

Well-trodden but excellent execution.

Trophy doesn’t tread any new ground and this may frustrate some players. Me, however, I adored its nod to a much-loved era and its challenging ways. Though the levels are small, your enemies predictable, and the bosses can be manipulated, it will still test you throughout. This is a game that is as much about dated aesthetics as it is memorising each stage. You are required to remember every foe you face and the correct path to take. You will need oodles of skill and a healthy dose of luck if you wish to be successful.

Running around while avoiding every enemy is one thing, but killing everything in sight was my go-to option. Fortunately, Trophy is armed with a triple-shot laser, and this deadly tool will decimate your enemies while making you look badass. Blasting your foes while swimming through water, avoiding spikes, climbing ladders, and more was enthralling. However, one false move and you’ll die. Unfortunately, there is no room for error and the brutality of NES gaming is evident in every element.

If you are fortunate, you can collect extra lives or health boosts as your enemies falter. Unfortunately, though, the chances of receiving these bonus items are slim, and this makes the action harder still. If you die, and you will, you will restart at the last checkpoint. Furthermore, if you are unlucky enough to run out of lives, the level is over and you must start again. It is infuriating and you’ll be tempted to swear, rage-quit, or smash your controller.

Trophy is brilliantly dated.

If you’ve played an NES or Master System, you’ll remember the artistic slowdown and pixelated imagery. Trophy has captured this perfectly as the gameplay occasionally stutters to a near stop. Subsequently, this was frustrating at first, but this quickly turned to enjoyment as you begin to love the authentic retro experience. Moreover, thanks to its side-scrolling design, pixelated imagery, and garish tones, this will teleport you back to the 80s immediately.

Nothing screams early console gaming more than synth wave music. Luckily, Trophy has a brilliant blend of hard-hitting and calmer tunes for you to enjoy, and each stage has a unique soundtrack. I loved the variety on offer and the complementary sound effects! The shrill noises and rudimentary sounds are familiar, but they work brilliantly within the genre. It, unfortunately, doesn’t break the mould, but the audio is excellent and it was easy to forgive the lack of originality.

Who would create an evil robot spider?

Easy to play, tough to master.

Retro games lack complexity, and Trophy is no different. You must focus on shooting and navigating each level, and therefore, it is easy to play. However, you’ll be lulled into a false sense of security as it’s tough to master. You must remember every detail while trying to avoid projectiles, traps, and enemies. It’s easier said than done, as the controls are a little clumsy. The protagonist can only shoot horizontally, and this makes tackling some enemies much harder. These limitations test your ability, make you angry, and transport you back to the 80s.

Limited to only nine levels, you may wonder if it’s good value for money. If it wasn’t for the difficult nature of the gameplay, then it would be over extremely quickly. However, the action is wonderfully padded thanks to the brutal bosses and tricky monsters. Furthermore, you must memorise the traps, paths, and creatures on every level. It’ll test your reactions, patience, and memory, and rage-quitting and failure are guaranteed.

Trophy is brilliantly retro. 

Trophy will undoubtedly divide its audience, as its retro gameplay won’t appeal to all. Yet, if you are an older gamer, or simply love old-school titles, you must play this! It reeks of nostalgia, has excellent pixelated graphics, and the synth music is awesome. Then there are the era-accurate controls, brutal bosses, and great level designs. I adored it and I recommend you to buy it here! Can you stop the mad doctor in his tracks? Nine levels and gargantuan bosses stand between you and victory, so best of luck. 

Review: A Monster’s Expedition

Natosha M
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Review: A Monster’s Expedition

Do you wish there was a game that could reduce and calm your anxiety? Possibly one that isn’t only relaxing to play, but a little bit puzzling as well? Then, check out A Monster’s Expedition which is both, relaxing while still being an adventure and puzzle game, worthy of playing!

From The Start

When you begin for the first time and many times afterward, all you feel is how the game calms and provides this relaxation that no other puzzling game which I’ve ever come upon could do! The tune makes one’s cluttered and overworked mind easily transitions to a slightly sedative state. No need to say the words om or if it’s aum to feel unity or oneness with everything. Also, you don’t even need to be in a special space or room to feel so clear of mind and stress when you begin just playing this game.

A Monster’s Expedition is the most unique and original game, which also provides such great sound of waves in the background and includes beautiful and realistic graphics. Each of these just works together to build such a tranquilizing and peaceful place for the player. Unless you need loud sounds, violence, and tons of things going on, well then this isn’t that game for you. However, if you can take on the white noise effect with plenty of puzzles to challenge your mind in a mind-boggling, but practical way, this may be a winning choice!

Oh yes, it does help if you love adventure-style puzzle games, as it is a blend of the two. It’s a game that requires a little more planning to get you on your way, but don’t worry you won’t need to use too much brainpower to get through the different parts of this entire worldly adventure. In addition to the surroundings and the sounds in this game, which I’d like to admit that even without the music playing in the background, it can still be quite relaxing. The graphics and way we move within the game, of our character, the monster is great! We are dark and a black-colored creature, which makes it easy to never get lost and stand out quite well within this game.

Our main goal is to continue the expedition, figuring out the many puzzles from one island to the next, making them connect. All by working with what nature-style objects may be around us. It may seem quite simple to comprehend and yet putting it all together can make it puzzling at the same time. Even if this is a puzzle game, there is no need to fear a countdown timer or one that continues to go up, ticking away as you play. It’s so much more about the liberty to take as long or as go as fast as you like. Makes it perfect for all age groups, everything mentioned above. Additionally, there are no horrific graphics to visualize or sound effects to worry about. It’s a pleasant environment for everyone to enjoy and may I add a charming one too!

I do have one negative comment, nothing too harsh. It’s the background sound or music that plays repeatedly. It’s nothing too big to wreck one’s thoughts about the game or how the game plays. The problem I came upon is actually what occurs in the settings of the game. I know right in the front, menu portion. It’s nothing really to do with the music alone but the settings.

When you try to change the volume from loudest to the lowest, well it’s possible. Just the only difference is that it’s not a big difference. Okay, it does turn the sound off and on, but nothing with the music, and you’re given 3 options to adjust. The only one that really matters is the ambiance volume. Something new that no other game has in an audio control setting, as a choice. Well, none that I’ve played yet, till this game.

So when deciding the only sound that matters is the middle, ambiance volume. The higher it is the louder the sound, the lower it is the lower the sound. No matter if the music volume is off or on, it’s playing pretty much the same with every setting you decide to move the others to. I only know this is cause I had all the others turned to all different settings, while even the music and sound volume can be on zero or no music at all and the ambiance is all that matters. So my question, ping-ponging in my mind, is to why include those two others if it doesn’t change anything?

Lets Get Back To The Game:

It really doesn’t seem as if there is much to work hard on understanding. When you play the game, it’s basically moving the monster, which is our character with the controller’s arrow keys and the game’s left analog button if you want to move a bit more smoothly. I’ve played this game on the Nintendo Switch Lite and I’m sure it would be the same when played on the regular console as well.

Additionally, there are a few other buttons one can use on the controller. These buttons are located on the right side that helps you choose to undo, restart or look around the world we are stationed at, as well as the many different islands to come up next. On the other hand, skip those buttons altogether and you can use your finger to touch the screen and make the monster head towards the tree or object and location you want it to go.

Simple and straightforward right? Well, this is a bit of what you need to do to play the game. The objective of the game, the puzzling aspect is what will help you find these humorous and monster views on humanity as well as help you continue the expedition. The puzzle portion is again not too hard to comprehend, just by pushing objects to make one island connect to the next is all it takes.

Regardless of the puzzles, you must accomplish, the game does have a feature I find quite brilliant. It’s all very interactive to the touch on the objects. You can even make the monster, we the player sit down and enjoy taking it easy, relaxing without moving forward if you don’t want to. Another way to enjoy the calming sounds in the background and scenery as well!

Don’t Get Stumped, Just Undo or Restart!

When you have a chance to plan which way a tree trunk should be moved. That could be either on its side to be rolled or pushed from the top and bottom, moving up and down. By the way, yes this monster is strong and can break trees and move the trunks with ease! Anywho, you can make sure to position it correctly to get it to connect to the other side. The only thing, the monster doesn’t jump so don’t expect a floating log that is not a direct walk from one island to the next is considered correct.

This is where restart or undo can come in handy, even if you need to go back a few steps. However, restart is a better method to clear the section and start it back to the beginning. The way I mention it to be easy, well it is easy to many, but don’t be fooled it does get harder and harder to accomplish. The more you move on through the adventure, the more you discover new territory that needs a bit more work to get you further.

It does appear to become a bit mind-boggling, but with any good puzzle game, it’s a must! However, if you’re playing the game through it’s a little bit of an adjustment than just super fast, but there are those simple push-and-go islands where it doesn’t require much brainpower. However, even with some leisure, it’s best to have the game pick up and make it difficult. So I do find that the many things you need to do and work out a good plan to accomplish are going to present themselves.

Nevertheless, using undo or reset really puts you back to that feeling to not worry, you are able to begin again and not take any cost from you, lose points or waste time doing so. It’s all a calming and game that just allows you to restart as much as you like or undo the same way!

Final Thoughts

I feel there is nothing better than a game that puts one’s anxiety on the back burner and makes you feel free from all of the stress going on in the world. This is such an easy game to understand and works with so many different controlling formats. Either touching the screen or using the controller, it’s all perfect and even the game is straightforward.

The music could be strange, as it doesn’t make any sense or much of any adjustment. You really just need to focus on the ambiance. Other than that, the graphics and sound that do play are soothing and easy on the eyes. There is one last thing, a game portable like this can be an excellent way to escape to a more interesting location and feel happier, by just playing or listening to the sounds in this game!

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