Review: The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf

Daniel Waite
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0
Review: The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf

If I say “careful not to Smurf yourself!” or “run this Smurfing way, Gargamel is after you!” would you know what I was talking about? If you do, congratulations, you had an amazing childhood, or your kids love an awesome TV series. If not, you are about to enter the colourful and nonsensical world of the Smurfs. The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf is now available and is the latest string to this rather dated but much-loved bow.

Developed by OSome Studio and published by Microids, this is a colourful platform-adventure title. Set in the magical Smurf world, you will control your favourite characters. You must leap chasms, avoid traps, heal plants, and remove the cursed vegetation. It has a vivid and striking art style but is a standard platform title at its core.

Quite the obstacles to overcome.

The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf blends cute with the mundane. 

Creating a unique platform game is tough, but this is made much harder when you must incorporate classic cartoon characters. The developers have done a great job of making a brilliantly cute world that traverses many locations. They have also drip-fed mechanics to expand each area and make out of reach places accessible. This was great if you adore gathering collectables and cleaning up loose ends. However, if you find this tedious, you may struggle when playing The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf.

So, what the Smurf is it all about? Well, first you will hear the word “SMURF” a ridiculous amount. It’s to be expected, but I Smurfing hated the Smurfing word by the end of it! Anyway, now I have that out of my system, let’s get back to the story. The Smurf village is normally a peaceful and beautiful place. Its people live there in peace and harmony, and subsequently, its residents are content and happy. Unfortunately, the evil wizard Gargamel has other plans. He has created the despicable plant, the Vileaf! This devilishly evil creation attracts Smurfs and captures them while alerting him of their presence. You must control four iconic Smurfs and use the Smurfizer to remove the plants and scupper the nasty wizard’s plans.

New equipment and upgraded gear. 

Like all great platform-adventure titles, this one is full of collectables and new equipment to unlock. The Smurfizer is the key tool to new abilities and exploring the Smurf kingdom. It allows you to cure plants, hover, sprint, and more. With Handy Smurf’s help, you may upgrade it to increase its tank, power, and so forth. It was a wonderful way to make players revisit previous locations as you try to cleanse every plant and find every collectable. Moreover, I loved how the new tools and skills were added at a gradual pace. 

The inclusion of new mechanics never felt overwhelming, and revisiting old locations was exciting. Subsequently, the longevity of the gameplay was increased. It is true that the core concept was repetitive, and curing the plants was monotonous! However, each new ability reduced the tedium while grabbing your attention.

Can you cure all the poisoned plants?

Livid creatures and monstrous plants. 

Each stage is loaded with creatures that throw themselves at you or shoot projectiles. These Smurfingly annoying foes stand between you and your stage goal, and each level culminates in a battle with a “Viletrap”. These monstrous plants capture any Smurfs who step near them, and the only way to kill them is to cure every Vileheart. You will leap, hover, and sprint your way to victory. Sadly, though, none of these encounters are challenging and you’ll go through the paces with little difficulty.

I would have loved the developers to have made this much harder as victory was guaranteed. I know this is aimed at a younger audience, but the simplicity will turn off many older players. Fortunately, however, the challenge is found when you want to complete each area. Searching every nook and cranny, and using each tool and skill correctly, is the only way you’ll succeed. Subsequently, this takes patience, practice, and a very cool and levelled head. Needless to say, I failed this part of the game miserably. 

The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf is colourful and attractive, but its viewpoint is lacking.

I’ve been a fan of The Smurfs for years. Recently, my kids have got into it and I’ve been able to relive the classic art style. I wouldn’t have been disappointed if the developers had kept this approach, but I love what has been presented. The vivid colours, cute characters, and sprawling stages catch your eye. Furthermore, the animations are good, the movement is smooth, and this makes it enjoyable to play. Sadly, though, there is one glaring oversight, and that’s the occasionally distracting viewpoint. The camera angles can make depth perception challenging to understand and this causes mistakes. Subsequently, this leads to frustration and unnecessary failure.

The upbeat nature of the friendly characters and the chirpy atmosphere is brilliantly conveyed in the audio. The upbeat tunes reflect moments of success, whereas harder-hitting tunes highlight moments of danger. I adored how the music matched the action without overpowering each stage. This was continued with the amusing acting and familiar dialogue. Each character is captured perfectly and you’ll enjoy their unique personalities that shine through. If I were to change anything, it would be that the original actors were hired to voice each Smurf. This would have added to the authenticity, but I liked what was created, nonetheless.

Use the mushrooms to jump higher.

The controls could be better. 

The art of a great platform game is to ensure the controls are spot on. Sadly, though, The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf is a little clumsy. The developers could have mapped input options much better to make them more accessible. An example is that jumping and hovering use the A button. At times, you’ll just want to jump, but you’ll hover unexpectedly and mess up completely. Moreover, the movement is hindered by the poor camera angle and lack of depth perception. Therefore, it can be challenging to move around, especially when hovering. Unfortunately, there is little the developers can do, and it’s a case of making the most of a bad situation. It’s not game-breaking, but it is annoying and definitely noticeable.

At a base level, this title is repetitive and will put off players. Yet, if you love finding collectables and tidying up loose ends, you’ll love it. The drip-fed mechanics keep you coming back for more and allow you to see old areas in a new light. Where the developers missed an opportunity was the introduction of each new Smurf. I would have liked unique characteristics or traits. However, they all move, jump, and act exactly the same. This was a shame and was surely an oversight. 

The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf captures the cartoon magic.

It’s easy for developers to take a much-loved franchise and do little with it. To their credit, The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf captures the magic of the cartoon. The characters are great, the world is fantastic, and each level contains many secrets. However, its poor camera angles and repetitive gameplay stifle it and prevent it from being a phenomenal platform-adventure experience. It could have been better, but I still loved it and recommend you to buy it here! Will Gargamel finally succeed, or will the Smurfs dash his dastardly plan?

My vvideo review with footage captured from my Xbox Series X, enjoy!

Review: Port Royale 4

Natosha M
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0
Review: Port Royale 4

Port Royale 4 is absolutely excellent in design and gameplay! I’ve never tried any of the games before since it is in the 4th production, and a type of game I don’t play normally. However, if given the chance I would want to try this type of style of game that I never knew I’d be interested in as much!

This game is an absolutely great game that requires so much attention and like any strategy game, one on a digital device or board game, it’s something I love to put my brain to work at! Especially, the game really makes you feel like you’re an actual trader in the 17th century. You’re given so many choices of character who has their own unique gameplay, all freely chosen by us, the players! No one player is ever an issue, there are many to decide while taking on this voyage.

I love, love this game, and can’t say it enough! So to tell you a bit about the game, Port Royale 4 is a very entertaining game that takes you on a very long, historical adventure of trading. However, you get to make that story go the way you like; the adventure is all up to you. The only issue is that things will occur, choosing possibly a wrong strategy for the game can cause a fall in production and the cost of your own ship. So it’s not the simplest game, with so much that can occur, just like it would in a real-life situation.

There weren’t any issues that I acquired with the gameplay. It suited me quite well. I felt the ability to really have control of your own ship, direct and complete tasks was very well created and done. I do enjoy also the time it takes to take the voyage to one location and the other. It might feel a bit long, but it does really give a more true appeal when thinking the time it must have taken a real traveler and trader by ship.

There isn’t much that this game doesn’t provide, as it’s more realistic when you discover and have to even battle along the way. I might have felt a bit overwhelmed with so much to learn. Especially, when playing through the tutorial mode. This, on the other hand, can be skipped. I wouldn’t do so! For first-time players, it is a big help learning how to go from one place to another and buy or sell items. Plus, keep the ship and everyone surviving against attacks. Nevertheless, it can be easily skipped and the game can just begin!

Another reason to love this game is that, with such beautiful graphics and realistic it really appears. You also have such a variety of authentic-looking buildings, products, and ships! Plus the realistic features don’t end on appearance and trade. You also need to build this reliance, support, and care with the citizens that trust you will supply and protect them. Once that is also accomplished, it’s like granting you trust and allowing for better things to happen. Plus, more construction to build up each location, as much as you like.

When you happen to go through a battle with other powerful leaders. It’s similar to other strategy games that require tactics to make sure you come out on top! It is another thinking and planning part of the game, but very much enjoyed it. It can’t always be glory and joy, there needs to be some kind of disturbance and villains to defeat.

Lastly, this game supplies plenty of things to do. You aren’t focusing on just trading but building up, protecting what you have, and even building a civilization that everyone can live in. It’s as if the story is up to you, and you have your hands on the reign. Well worth trying!

Review: Overboard!

Natosha M
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0
Review: Overboard!

I never played many games like this one, but it’s not too bad! Right away, Overboard reminded me of the start of the Titanic. How the big ship is in traveling in a different period. However, the story is totally different. Plus, very obviously not related. Since the conflict or problem, which must be resolved on the ship. The missing guy who our character caused in the middle of the night. Throwing off, in the open sea Malcome, a guy we’ve been traveling with.

Of course, what really appealed to me is that this game isn’t quite like any other I’ve played. It is a fast-paced game but can be played slowly. However, it is not too difficult to play it for under an hour. Also, it can be played a few other times and played a bit differently. Depending on the path we decided as lady Veronica. Our choice, which it’s in a multiple-choice to decide, which in turn forms the story and can sort of be very exciting to see the outcome! I mean, the possibilities there are so many! The results can either hurt or help. Nevertheless, it is a game that provides something unique, being the actual culprit!

No, it’s not anyone else, but the person, Veronica whom you are playing as. The story can be changed by the selection of words you choose. Not all are words to use for the speech you’ll be carrying on, but also the location or action Veronica will take. It’s not difficult, but easy. Something I feel is great to just entertain one for a moment, less than an hour depending on how fast you want to play. However, the many ways one can choose what goes on could make this game a bit more interesting and extended in time.

I didn’t find myself as excited as many other games would make me. It’s quick, that is true and I probably mentioned that so much already. However, what really bothers me, is that even if it might provide a variety of stories to see happen and play through. Yet it doesn’t show much visual appeal. I am speaking more about the story in general and the choices you select. There won’t be too much, but one similar screen that everything you do occurs on.

So as you decide and do certain types of actions, nothing really is shown. Honestly, I wish there was more to see. Even just to bring some more thrilling feeling to capture’s one attention. I know i’s a simple and fast game, but if the classic music playing in the background is all that it really has to hold one’s attention, it would be nice to add more visual appeal. Again, this is all my own opinion, so it’s not that everyone will feel the same. I just always get captivated by the art and visual appeal of a story.

Some changes that I feel would be a bit better are to see the places we are searching, heading towards, and even located while on the ship. It may just make for a great visual appeal, knowing how we are performing each task and what is around us while doing so. Oh well, it’s still quite interesting. Especially on the positive side of things. One good edition is that this game is not super easy as you can choose freely and expect nothing to challenge your choice. Instead, the game does provide a time to make you think about what you are choosing, as it will cause the clock to move forward and cause you to lose time. The time you need to fix it so that no one is wise to think you’ve got rid of Malcolm. As Veronica our character, we must work a plan towards setting up someone else, but the addition of a time limit really makes it better! So it’s gonna require planning when playing the story and deciding what to do next. No one wants to end up failing and being caught as a criminal, we know we are!

Lastly, I’d like to say that I’m in between on my opinion of this game. It’s a change in gameplay, just wish it was a bit more exciting, but I guess in a way I can also suggest it reminding me of Clue, the board game. Yet, we know that we are the killer. I guess at the end of it all, it is an original style game, but I do wish that the visual appeal.

Review: Nowhere Prophet

Natosha M
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0
Review: Nowhere Prophet

Nowhere Prophet is a very different game, mixed with an adventure and card strategy battling together. It’s not too difficult. Like many strategy games, it requires you to keep your brain concentrating and planning each move, possibly a few moves you’ll want to make later on the board. No matter, it’s easy to comprehend and a game that can easily be played by many new card players.

The many impressions I got from the game, is it’s like my crew is going on an adventure that requires planning and tactical moves when moving across the map, to the location you are aiming towards. However, it’s not only just a game you move on freely and battle enemies, like a typical strategy game. Instead, your battles require you to play against the others by using cards against the enemy.

Plus, the cards are actually the team we have, and each card is a new member to add to the main gameboard. So each encounter on this adventure could be a win, where we can move on or a loss. It’s not too different from many strategy games, just its design is a bit unique with a combination of games in one, adding a more challenging twist.

In addition, there is another challenging aspect other than the card game battle against another enemy at each encounter. While traveling you never know what may happen on this journey making it another plan you must think about to avoid these obstacles. Nevertheless, even if there is much to think about, it’s not too hard to play or understand after you get the gist of the game. To me, it’s an interesting game when it comes to a strategy card game, which I’m liking quite a bit!

There feels to be one advantage with this strategy game. If anyone wants to learn what it takes to defeat others in a card game, this can be a good place to start. It’s too difficult how it’s designed. The game’s cards are easy to read and know the info of each explained quite clearly, what the cards will do for you and how much pain it will give the other team.

Again, with the easy read of the cards. What I like is that the cards are done with two colors, yellow and red. The two explain clearly how much or how less the battle capability would be when trying to attack another. If you aim to hit the enemy’s card that is with a 2 and you have a 3, you’ll defeat the enemy quite easily. There is only that one type of hit the card will give from your hand. Making it straightforward.

The other feature that can put a bit more damage towards your card played and many others is that it also will get a hit right back at you after the defeat or incomplete defeat. So it’s not super easy and it won’t always end up the way one wants, but it definitely requires time to plan for the present and future attacks. You never know what will lurk next in the other’s hand and if you have anything to defeat them.

Afterward, it’s not just the cards you play as the crew; team members. Instead, you are also in charge of your own self. I guess it’s like you are a card in this game too. If the team isn’t defending or blocking anymore, and vice versa for the other side. You end up fair game for attacks and can be defeated, causing you to lose. So it’s practically everyone you hold in your hands and yourself can be attacked, while you or the enemy can’t possess an attack, but the cards you play. Very different and quite a nice addition to the game.

Lastly, it’s a game I feel quite easy to learn after just the first round of battles. The challenger is a bit harder and it will provide one’s brain a bit of a workout, thinking out the next tactic. However, it doesn’t really bring that much difficulty if you plan and focus on the cards being played, which is pleasant. Though focusing on the game in total, from the adventure to the card game, it can pose a few challenges to keep your team going and you as the player to reach the goal location.

Review: Neon Abyss

Natosha M
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4
Review: Neon Abyss

Neon Abyss, is one game that turned out to be my favorite and really impressive! It’s the first stunning game I’ve played lately with the features. Of course, it’s all done in this bright neon style design which is what you see throughout the entire game. It’s very much a grabber of my attention, plus the background music just works with it, perfectly! The characters just appear a perfect fit and the story is designed excellently, making it all just work!

My first impression of this game was just how excited I am to play it! When I first turned this game on, I honestly didn’t want to put my controller down, once I started playing! It’s just something I can see myself investing time in enjoying on a daily basis as it’s quite amusing and entertaining. Plenty of weapon choices to take advantage of, which the cat as a weapon was cute and a bit comical. Plus, the chance to choose a new character, unlocking different ones as well as earning enough to upgrade one’s accessories or buying specific items really proves that there is more to the game than something that will last only an hour.

It totally won’t be the most boring game, but the most exhilarating style platform game one can play at this time! I honestly loved the story design as well as the funny features that are included. It’s seriously a cute game for everyone. Plus not too difficult to get a hang of.

What was funny, is that I got a bit spooked, like the game was going to be closely related to the Purge. Those movies had a round-style face and neon lights on them. Like a spooky mask, even can be for Halloween. However, this was totally not the case. Though it does add to the edge and possibly that underworld feel, as the game goes on. I just thought it was a bit spooky and intriguing what this game had to bring before even playing.

So I guess even a game’s cover image or title screen won’t be exactly what one should expect. As true as judging anyone. No matter, it’s quite an excellent game and the title screen made me want to play it even more, or fear it if it’s spookier than I was thinking. Luckily, it’s not a scary game and much more enjoyable!

By the way, one downside that I felt really annoyed me in this game. Just in the beginning. I felt the one issue I had and it really isn’t something horrible as the game is superb even if it wasn’t able to be fixed. So I confess that I had a problem with the controls as the game may be an easy one to learn by the beginning guidance, explaining in each section the controls to move the character. However, it is a bit hard when I am so used to playing a game with the jump and weapon action being designated as one of the letter buttons on the controller. So it’s not that hard to get used to, but thankfully they allow for a controller adjusting; change.

I was able to make my jumping a bit easier on my controller, but unluckily the shooting needs to be with the analog stick as it’s used to shoot in every direction. The rest was perfect, just really two things that bothered me. Yet, when I was able to adjust to a key; a button that suited me it wasn’t quite bad. I don’t there was anything else that annoyed me. As the game plays great and I couldn’t want better!

Honestly, platformer games are very amusing and entertaining for me. Especially growing up with Mario as my favorite. So to play a pixel, platform-style game even in these modern, 3D style times, I really just love it! Therefore, I can only say that out of many of the recent ones I’ve tried this year, this game is superb and so worth it!

Review: Necromunda: Underhive Wars

Natosha M
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0
Review: Necromunda: Underhive Wars

The game, Necromunda: Underhive Wars is something that really is unique, original, and honestly isn’t really something I’d play. Honestly, I don’t want to say anything bad about a game as it’s not how the game plays, the genre, or the design. I just feel a bit lost in what needs to be done. Maybe I can blame it on that I’m not a big tactical, strategy-style gamer. Yet, I don’t mind giving it a shot every once in a while.

I feel that this game just lost me from the very start. It’s a bit confusing, especially for first-time players. I’ve tried to realize what I need to do to control the team members while playing. It was crazy trying to hunt down the buttons on the controller to figure what does what. Nevertheless, I just got lost each round and did anything I could at least do, like move somewhere to get out of the way. That didn’t really help me and possibly why I ruined many of my turns. Never getting me closer or helping me dominate the other side. Also why I’ve lost and was defeated on my first run of the game.

The entire mapping of the controls is what I am wishing I could see clearly in the pause menu option. Yet it’s not something I’m finding. However, most of the buttons are labeled on the screen what you can do, but I felt a bit lost still. Not that I don’t know how to put it together, or understand what I can use.

It was when trying to know if I can do other things like moving my teammates and possibly jump over objects, which I’ve always disliked when playing a game. That actually made me feel a bit limited with the movement I can make. It even took me some closer look to notice in areas you can press the letter A to climb over a block of things in my path.

Additionally, I know there was a map viewing, another thing that took me a while to figure out, and yet I still felt limited in the location we are battling in. Again, just being lost and unsure what or where to go next, well it made me uncertain if I wanted to keep trying to play. On the other hand, the weapons and design of the game are no problem, nothing but well-done art. As well as the background scene around. So nothing wrong or bad to report there. Yet, even the design of the game can’t help how I feel.

Each time I tried playing, I just really can’t seem to find myself getting into it as much. Maybe a break will be a good thing then give it another go. Of course, It’s gonna take time to actually understand the controls and what I can do or how far I can go before I can’t. I just wish it was a little different, with a tutorial on how to use or choose different features before throwing the player into the game, expecting it to be a piece of cake.

Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy that it starts off with women as the players in the game. Two to be exact, defeating two similar ones on the other side. Yet, it still doesn’t help when I can’t understand my role or what is being asked of me when I need to move wherein the game or how to defeat and use a weapon correctly. It just doesn’t suit me as a game I’d play right now.

Lastly, I like to say that I’m so sorry Necromunda, you were well designed graphically and have an excellent camera controlling the action. Perfect view of everything going on. However, it’s just not as fun as many other games because I can’t figure it out as easily or find myself getting entertained or captivated by the story.

Review: Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water

Alex Chessun
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0
Review: Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water

It probably doesn’t behoove a game reviewer to say this, but I don’t understand the concept of a horror video game. 

Let me explain – we all know that video games are artificial, unchanging boxes with restricted freedom, but the very best make you forget that you are playing within a very specific set of rules and give you the impression that the game, neigh the world, is bending to your every whim.

A necessity for this to succeed is to provide a highly stimulating environment for the player and then to hand over the controls, but strangely, horror games aim to do the opposite and end up putting themselves between and rock and a hard place. It goes without saying that horror games require a large dosage of fear to be effective, but this emotion is felt most strongly when experienced passively – which kind of nullifies the point of a game – so in including functionality, and with each manually controlled step, the potential of each scare reduces. In a sense then, making a pure horror video game is like waging an unwinnable war between active and passive entertainment, with movement in either direction often affecting the other negatively – that is of course unless a hybrid horror game is made that include elements from other genres – i.e. Resident Evil.

Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water, the 5th entry of the Final Frame series, cares little for this though, nor the threat of following the long list of dormant horror franchises that were unable to provide something new, as it comes bulldozing into your eyeballs a very bland blast from the past. 

With a slow and deliberate formula of maze-like maps that hide keys to dark and ominous buildings and a story that’s read from notes scattered on the floor, you’d wonder if this was a remaster of a PS1 game rather than a Wii U title, and it’s because of this refusal to include any ‘improvements’ made in the last couple of decades, that it is likely to polarize its potential audience with many to likely consider it outdated while others might be glad to see a return of the good old days.

“Say hello to my little friend”

This is in relation to only one of its two parts though as the game can basically be divided into two sections – 1) The monotonous retro exploring with the litter collect-athon in the woods and 2) The camera ‘action’ and the black and white cutscenes. These might be the two sides of the same coin, but how very different they come across.

The camera, which the gameplay is centered, is a great gun-like system that uses the camera’s viewfinder to line up targets on the ghost’s person before snapping away to exorcise them. Dispatching the ethereal forms with House of the Dead-like sound effects from the loud camera shutter and shrieks from the ghosts carry the load that the exploration sections are incapable of holding, but as these sections constitute a small percentage of each chapter, the thrill is fleeting in the large scheme of things.

The best part of the gameplay is also one of the shortest lasting.

Unsurprisingly the black and white cutscenes are where the bulk of the scares come from, providing terrifying imagery and audio but the story itself is quite forgettable.

Furthermore, apart from a last-ditch attempt with 8 different endings, there is very little replay value or much to be gained in playing the chapters over again, as the game’s only gameplay – the camera function – is quite shallow, acting only as a weapon instead of solving story threads or mysteries of the ghosts you are shooting. It brings me back to my original thought that horror games need different genre gimmicks, such as survival and action elements to entertain as a ‘game’.

Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water is a decent, but antiquated title that was screaming for an update, but all it got was an artbook and some minor visual adjustments. While it’s hardly going to do the series any favors in creating a new audience it will be fun for those who enjoy a good retro horror title.  

Review: Venus: Improbable Dream

Daniel Waite
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0
Review: Venus: Improbable Dream

The world can be a cruel place, and your mind can be your worst enemy. Anxiety and low self-esteem can be the most debilitating ailments, and to make matters worse, the surrounding world is blissfully unaware of your suffering. Venus: Improbable Dream explores this touching and taboo subject in its immersive story.

Developed by Borealis and Ratalaika Games and published by Eastasiasoft Limited, this is a sombre visual novel. This moderate to long read comprises twelve tough and emotion-packed chapters. You’ll witness the power of friendship, music, and love as the protagonist’s world evolves alongside the story.

Anxiety can be crippling.

Venus: Improbable Dream offers minimal choices. 

The visual novel genre is renowned for its plot changing choices. Players have the chance to influence the character’s dialogue and your decisions change the course of the story. However, Venus: Improbable Dream steers clear of this staple mechanic. Subsequently, it’s a little unorthodox and may leave some gamers reeling. I, on the other hand, enjoyed that lack of input. The beauty of this visual novel is its immersive plot, and too many choices would have broken that connection.

You see the world through the eyes of Kakeru, a young man who was born with a birth defect that he hates. He cannot shake the negative feelings that haunt him, and depression and anxiety cripple his life. You follow his timid steps as he joins the school music club, where he tries to exorcise these demons. Here he finds friendship, serenity, and like-minded individuals. Can you guide Kakeru through this dark chapter and help him to dream again?

Laughter can be the cure.

Taboo subjects.

Though many people are more open-minded, taboo subjects still touch a nerve. Fortunately, however, Venus: Improbable Dream doesn’t shy away from its tough subject matter. Its beautifully worded script captures the clichés and common misconceptions. But it also makes light of these mistakes. There are undertones of an educational element running through the plot, and this was great. Luckily, though, it wasn’t preachy or in your face and it didn’t detract from the strong sense of emotion.

The twelve chapters fly by, mainly thanks to the lack of dialogue choices. Therefore, it was easy to become swept up in the situation thanks to the wonderful characters and excellent environments. Moreover, the developers did brilliantly to avoid the usual OTT and “shocking” Anime/Manga animations. The use of “normal” in your face elements was refreshing, and this helped to maintain its touching charm.

Venus: Improbable Dream lets its script do all the work. 

Visual novels have to keep you interested throughout, and most use bright colours and vivid imagery. Venus: Improbable Dream doesn’t! It’s a much more laid back and sombre affair, and this was fantastic as it matched the subject matter. The use of earthy tones and plainer characters gives a more grounded impression. Though the developers used an Anime/Manga style, it was scaled back, and I appreciated its simplicity. The normal over-sexualising of every character was avoided, and this was key because of the theme.

As expected, the audio followed suit. The calmer and emotive soundtrack enhanced the touching story. The low key music plays softly alongside the unfolding plot and helped you to connect with each character. You may worry that it was depressing, yet it certainly wasn’t. It’s true that it touched a nerve, but you can’t help but love how it supports every sad and happy moment.

So many beautiful locations.

Plays and reads like a book. 

Avid readers will recognise the relaxing and trouble-free experience of reading. You sit back with a drink, some food, and allow the book to take you on a journey. Venus: Improbable Dream does just this with its simple control setup and lack of dialogue options. You’ll watch the story unfold, build a rapport with the characters, and become wrapped up in the drama. It won’t be for everyone, but I loved its relaxed approach. 

Much of this visual novel is excellent, however, its replay value is sadly lacking. One playthrough is enough to uncover every subplot, and there are no alternative endings. This was disappointing and was a surprise. I expected it to have multiple outcomes, like its peers. Luckily, though, its wordy story will keep you interested and this proves to be great value for money. 

Venus: Improbable Dream had me hooked.

I love a great visual novel, and Venus: Improbable Dream had me hooked from the start. Its touching plot, relaxed approach, interesting characters, and varied landscapes all combine brilliantly. It tackles many taboos in a tasteful way, and I recommend you to buy it here! Watch Kakeru come out of his shell as his closed world slowly opens. 

Review: Zool Redimensioned

Jordan Kirkpatrick
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Review: Zool Redimensioned

Back in 1991, the gaming landscape was forever changed with the release of Sonic The Hedgehog. The beloved fast-paced 2D platformer changed the scope of gaming franchises and the loveable Sonic grew into a classic retro icon of early 90s gaming. 

The sheer success that Sonic was created a shift in the gaming landscape and every developer was clambering to create their own 2D platformer and iconic mascots. In 1992, the beloved Zool crash-landed onto the Commodore Amiga, and now 30 years later he has returned with brand new graphics, reworked sprites and a smoother experience of a classic game.

Off the bat, one of the most interesting things about Zool Redimensioned is that whilst it has been created with some input from the original developer team over at Gremlin Graphics, it has primarily been adopted by the Sumo Digital Academy, which features mainly students looking to further their experience within the industry. With this in mind, it’s clear that the remaster still has a lot of the heart and soul that the original Zool held—and that’s coming from someone who wasn’t even alive when it first came out.

It’s common that when a classic retro game is remastered that a lot of its soul and personality can be easily lost, but thankfully, Zool retained its most important features.

Zool Redimensioned has two primary game modes: Redimensioned and Ultimate Ninja. 

Redimensioned is a brand new modernised experience—as the game itself states, this mode is ideal for first-timers, speedrunners and those who want to practise their platforming skills. A new double jump control has been added to this mode, which is something new to the Zool series. This feature in particular comes across as one of the most influential, especially when you compare the gameplay to Ultimate Ninja mode where double jumping is disabled. The requirement of collectables to finish a level has also been made optional here.

Ultimate Ninja mode is the perfect mode for Zool veterans. As previously mentioned, double jumping is disabled, and you’re now playing with old school rules. As a newbie to the Zool franchise, this mode was pretty daunting at first. The addition of the double jump completely streamlines a lot of the difficulty issues I was having with Ultimate Ninja mode, so it’s crazy to think that this wasn’t even a feature in the original game. To finish a level, you will also be required to pick up any collectables within a time limit. The combination of the classic art style combined with the difficulty of Ultimate Ninja mode is iconic of the quintessential 90s platformer—I certainly need more practise regardless.

Level selection options have also been added in this remaster, which only further adds to the ease of gameplay for completionists, achievement hunters and speedrunners. 

Despite the fact that Zool is almost 30 years old, the designs, graphics and music composition hold up incredibly well. The music is instantly iconic and recognisable of something you’d immediately expect of any 90s cult classic retro platformer. 

However, there are some aspects that Zool Redimensioned finds itself stuck in the 90s with.

The levels in general are quite simple compared to some modern-day platformers, and the level design certainly isn’t as instantly recognisable or memorable as Sonic’s Green Hill Zone is for example. The levels can be somewhat confusing at times too—it can be difficult to differentiate what’s a platform, what’s a collectable and what’s part of the background and everything can blend at points. Some of the end-game bosses are rather forgettable too, especially if you didn’t grow up with them like me. 

Regardless, with over 30 levels and plenty of achievements to complete, Zool Redimensioned is a faithful adaptation that will instantly impress retro gamers and pull in new fans like myself. With lots of replayability, challenges for completionists and speedrunners alike, Zool Redimensioned is a feel-good 90s classic that shouldn’t be pushed to the side without a chance.

Review: Stellar Warfare

Vasilis Tatsiopoulos
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Review: Stellar Warfare

Building the terrain of a strategy game is hard, when it’s set in outer space. Navigating a 3D world using only your mouse can be difficult, and strategy games tend to ask more of us; we have to manage armies and micromanage units or buildings. In most strategy games, we play on a 2D environment, or, at least, we don’t build on the Z axis. Space tactics are different, though, and this is the most interesting aspect of Stellar Warfare.

A strategy game that’s set in outer space, Stellar Warfare tries a lot to create a playable 3D playground full of meteors, shipwrecks, huge spaceships with blaster cannons and intricate metal bases hovering above a distant sun. It really tries it best, but sadly it mostly fails. Listen, I know it’s a tough undertaking, and I really wanted for this game to succeed, but it doesn’t.

First things first, Stellar Warfare looks OK, it’s presentation is decent for a game of this caliber, but some big problems arise. Well, there’s just too much going on! We see stars, space-objects, floating stuff, space ships, planets and really everything that’s to be expected to be seen in space. Nothing looks bad, it’s all serviceable, but it also gets way too confusing to play. Sometimes you can’t see where your ships are, it’s very hard to distinguish between different types of spaceships or structures and the pathfinding suffers a lot because of the 3D environment.

The graphical presentation is adequate really, everything looks good in an indie kind of way, the ships are detailed enough, the brightly coloured battles are fun and it’s nice to zoom in and out of the battlefield to watch the huge scope of the spaces. The problem is mostly mechanical to be frank. You see, you can hover around the available space, you can turn the camera in any way you want, but the way these actions are performed is unnecessarily complex and not very intuitive. In the opening hours you’re sure to forget how to manipulate the stages’ space, and the game doesn’t help you a lot. Also, when assets are placed in close proximity, the perspective can get very confusing. There’s not a clear view to help you understand exactly how the structures are placed, and turning the camera rarely makes it easier.

Sure, the developers tried to tackle all these problems, they did, but sadly they didn’t get it right. You can move the camera, you can zoom on particular units, you can follow them, you can move up and down in the Z axis and in general there are a lot of options. However, the UI isn’t helping at all and the tutorial doesn’t really explain the ins and outs of the gameplay. After completing the training mission, you will not yet know how to do most actions and you will just read the manual found in the options menu. The fonts, the colours, the size of the letters and icons, everything is just subpar.

It doesn’t help that we have to look at a fairly large space and manage a fleet of small ships that can very easily get lost. There should be more options to group, find and control individual units, so that the large 3D space can be easy to navigate. As it stands, well, it’s frustrating more often than not and it has a big effect on the fun Stellar Effect could provide.

In its heart, this is a simple game. You build a couple of structures, you collect some resources (mostly an automated process, no micromanagement needed), you create a fleet and you attack enemy outposts. There are some different modes, familiar ones, like wave defense, skirmish, in single or multiplayer. It goes without saying that you’ll have a pretty hard time finding other people to play with, so it’s better to stick with friends or going it alone. The gameplay can be fun, and trying to out-ship the enemy fleet to win a fight can be rewarding, if only for some hours.

The campaign, too, is underwhelming. A story is implied, about something to do with a Light that destroyed civilization, and it could be an interesting sci-fi backdrop. The presentation, though, does not lean into the narrative. We are given some very simple objectives, with no real background to them, and it really is all about fighting enemies and breaking space blockades. It is apparent here that this is not supposed to be an utterly complex grand strategy game, but a simpler, wave-based one. And that’s ok!

All in all, Stellar Warfare is built on some interesting ideas and has some fun aspects going for it. What it needs is a more comprehensive tutorial, some ironing-out on the controls and a more engaging campaign. It’s not the space strategy game you were expecting, but it can be fun if you know what to expect. It’s a small game, ambitious but made by a single person, and in early access. it’t getting updates, so it’s bound to get better as time goes by.

Review: METROID Dread

Sean McCarthy
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Review: METROID Dread

Still a relative newcome to the world of the Nintendo Switch, I have a bucket list of sorts for the big-name Nintendo franchises that I have completely missed out on with Mario and Zelda right up the top. Another series that I have always wanted to try out for myself and experience has been the METROID series, and when I went searching to see if there was anything I could pick up for my Switch, I was surprised to learn that is has been a staggering 19 years since the last released METROID game, I was therefore extremely excited when the big return was announced for METROID Dread and I immediately placed my pre-order. Full transparency, I was not prepared for the game I have now come to love the most on my Switch console!

All I knew about Metroid was that it was a series of 2D side scrolling shooting with platforming and puzzles and that it created the METROIDvania Genre of gaming. I wanted to dive in and just immerse myself in the world and I was completely taking back by an experience that quickly became one of my favourite Switch experience since picking up my console in the summer and of 2021 overall. I loved how the opening brings newcomers to the series like myself up to speed on the story history of the series, which was very much appreciated by me because Dread gets straight to the point very quickly.

With the X seemingly destroyed, a surprise signal on a new planet ZDR which is possibly a sign of more X, has Samus tasked with investigating this signal but on arrival is somehow knocked out and wakes to find her suit demoted to a basic form and no knowledge of high-level skills or what happened to her that caused it. Quite the opening for a newcomer like me but probably standard story set up for veteran METROID players. Thankfully, the game gives players a little bit of time to get familiar again with the controls and how to navigate the level maps to know how to progress or backstep depending on what is required. I came to really appreciate the level design so much in this game, there is a real depth and intricacy to how the levels are layered in every area the game takes you. There are areas which are obviously designed to be the classic “Come back later when you have this ‘thing or item’” mechanics, something I do appreciate as it lets the player know that this is a level you will be returning to.

The visuals to METROID Dread are exceptional for the switch, the animation is just eye candy for me whether I am playing in handheld mode or docked and through my TV, whilst my Switch is the original model, I have had the chance to see and play it on a friend’s OLED Switch and the vibrance of the colours whilst in handheld is quite something, but that said, it is for me so far, one of the best looking games I have yet to experience on the Switch. The sound scheme and musical score is fantastic with the music just helping to immerse players into the METROID world and the sound, from weapon use to just moving around is incredible. Both combine to help one factor of Dread that truly stands out above all else, the E.M.M.I. threat.

I like the overall 2D side scrolling which essentially uses “Screen Flip” to create the level as you move from one screen to another with left to right as well as up and down traversing to move to a new room or place on the level. One of the aspects I am starting to welcome with Switch games is how the 2D feels very natural to someone who often moves from games on PS5 to Xbox Series X and S then to Switch, Dread just looks so good in either Switch playable modes and I do love it on my TV. The way in which this all comes together when you encounter the E.M.M.I. robots just completely took this game to a whole new level.

Clearly inspired by the early Alien films, the E.M.M.I. serve as that enemy Samus is unable to fight or kill right away with the only tactic available is to either avoid or run away from to fight another day. If caught, Samus will have a small window to carry the E.M.M.I. robot attack but believe me, this is a very small chance to escape their grips and usually if they catch you, you are dead. What is refreshing is that the checkpoint system is very forgiving, often respawning Samus at the point you entered that screen, so you know what to avoid going forward or quickly check the map to see if there is another route. E.M.M.I. robots stalk the levels as well, with a patrol pattern designed to both hinder and unnerve the player. Now this is often a mechanic I find dull and boring, Alien Isolation did not work for me and Resident Evil 7 for example, had characters just designed to make you stop and spend ten minutes waiting for them to leave so you could progress.

There is something fairer about the way in which Dread applies this process however, and I knew when I was caught out by an E.M.M.I. robot, it was down to me making a mistake or not being careful. I never felt punished by this element and genuinely found it to be an exciting gameplay experience knowing I had to sneak by or bait an E.M.M.I. to chase me so I could use abilities to get by it to an area I needed to reach that they were blocking. The game warns the player that E.M.M.I.‘s are to be avoided which makes the moment you can take them out, all the more thrilling.

This moment comes when you defeat a boss and from their carcass you obtain the ability to destroy the E.M.M.I. but once you have, the ability is then lost until you retrieve it from the defeat of another Boss. That degree of payback for all the times you were caught is quite satisfying indeed. The lack of any real hand holding is also something that I enjoyed, once the tutorials are done, you are left in the world to work out what to do, other than an objective, the game leaves you to discover what is needed to progress to the next area. Sometimes you might need something to survive the environment of a new area, should you have missed this, you will need to back track and search for it. The requirement for abilities or suit capabilities which you might not obtain until much later for me makes the levels feel much bigger than when you first explore them. The game quickly sets up the E.M.M.I. robots as a true threat to you whilst other enemies can be put down normally and the boss encounters are a great way to put into practice what you have learned and hone your skills to work out the best way to take them down.

The action can be fast paced which I appreciate whilst learning to navigate the area using the map was rewarding for someone like me who likes to explore and discover rather than have a big marker on the map telling me to “GO HERE”. Since the game launched, it has been interesting to read the thoughts of newcomers like to me the series with Dread and those who are veteran players of the series reacting to a 2021 version of their beloved series. Good or bad, the common agreement is that METROID Dread is exactly what the series needed to feel modern again with plenty to drive it forward so the wait for the next game will not be another 19 years.

METROID Dread is quite simply fantastic and as the gaming year draws to a close, its inclusion on many GOTY Award nomination lists is very much deserved. Nintendo timed this release to compliment the launch of the OLED Switch but this plays fantastically well on the regular Switch of it not to be dismissed, if you have a Switch user in your family and looking for that gift idea this Christmas, METROID Dread is the perfect solution!

Review: Mary Skelter Finale

Michael Hoade
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Review: Mary Skelter Finale

Mary Skelter Finale is a bloody, in your face, dungeon-crawling RPG.  The third entry in the series, the typical anime designs and fairytale inspired characters feel incongruous to the games, well, ‘adult’ tone. 

Banned in Australia due to “implied seuxal violence and depictions”, I tried my best to go into this title – having not played the previous two games – with an open mind. Thankfully for new players the game does offer the chance to recap the story with the ‘Before story’ option in the main menu. 

This section recaps – I kid you not – every dialogue scene from the first two titles. So there was no excuse for me to not understand the story (… I watched a shorter video on youtube, for what I hope are obvious reasons). Even still, this is an excellent option for a newcomer jumping into the game.

That being said, there is a lot to take in…

A unique party system:

After sitting through well over an hour of confusing cutscenes, the game opens up. Jack and the Blood Maidens, your playable characters, have been imprisoned due to the efforts of an antagonistic group known as “Massacre Pink” (great name for a progressive Metal Band). The protagonists are reincarnations of noteworthy fairytale characters like Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty. 

The group is split into different parties and you are presented with the choice of which party to start with. 

Perhaps lazily named “The Jail”, your goal is to work your way back up through the “inescapable” prison. You do this by switching between parties with the game’s unique “zapping” feature. Effectively, when the group you’re controlling reaches a certain impasse in the dungeon, you can switch to another group to open up a pathway for them. A consequence of this system is that, at times, progression feels much slower as you’re regularly making small strides across the different groups.

Having said that, once I got accustomed to the system – and the massive cast of characters – I found this mechanic massively helped the games pacing (which is something we will get to later). There are a number of other mechanics that help this system shine. A connected item box enables your party to hand certain items such as keys over. Each dungeon also has a ‘Nightmare’ – aka boss, that will chase all of your parties, and it was cool to have the choice over which party finally takes on the boss. 

Each character can also learn multiple jobs, and with 18 different characters, there is an impressive amount of options for builds and customisation. Certainly overwhelming at first, but if you just try and take each bit of information one step at a time, this is a very deep – and rewarding – party system. Just be warned: tutorials for the job system are light and youtube will be your best ally on this front.

Pacing, pacing pacing…

Mechanically Mary Skelter Finale has a lot of very cool and unique things to offer. The sizable offering, which includes an additional visual novel, means that fans of the series will certainly get their money’s worth. 

However, given the sheer volume of content, the pacing needs to be carefully balanced. Spoiler alert: it isn’t. 

The Maze-like dungeons quickly became tiresome for me to navigate through. As much as I enjoyed the zapping mechanic and unique party system, one of the pitfalls of it is that you’re essentially going through the same dungeon multiple times. The dungeons themselves aren’t all that visually engaging either, and with the sparsity of save points this can really make the game feel incredibly slow at times. You can, at times, go multiple hours between story developments.

When I did manage to get between gameplay sequences, I was met with some excruciatingly long cutscenes. Now, I’m no stranger to long cutscenes (having played through the Yakuza series), but even I felt that these were a bit too drawn-out. Also, whilst the 2D portraits of the characters are full of charm, the lack of more dynamic cutscenes also hampered my engagement. Dramatic moments in the story are just not captured as well as they could have been because of this design choice. 

Jumping from long stretches of gameplay to long stretches of dialogue sadly made getting through the game feel like a bit of a chore. Even though the gameplay and dialogue was generally very good (with a solid dub), my enjoyment suffered because the game just doesn’t know how to properly balance the players’ experience. 

Engaging and thoroughly creative combat:

For me, the absolute best aspect of Mary Skelter Finale is the combat system.

You control your party of six in what is a very involved “high-risk high reward” form of turn-based combat. Blood is the popular theme of this game and that unashamedly transfers to the combat system. This combat system, without having played the game yourself, is quite hard to convey.

Your party leader is a “Mary Gun user” who can use a special gun that uses their blood (of course) to purify corruption. Are you still with me here? This is important, as when you defeat enemies their blood will splatter across the screen and hit your party – which can cause their blood to be corrupted. If you fail to purify your party they can end up in a known as “Blood Skelter” and this leads to them attacking anyone – including your own party – without restraint. Now, you could luck out and use this state to wipe out the enemies in quick fashion. Alternatively, it could lead to a quick party wipe for your team. There is also the “Massacre” state which is again triggered by blood from battle, and offers the chance to deal ridiculous damage. 

The stat boosts and other benefits from both states give engagements a real ‘risk / reward’ system, which makes the whole experience much more considered. 

There is a lot more going on here, that I haven’t mentioned, that helps keep the experience engaging despite the pacing issues. 

Worth it… with certain conditions:

Objectively, Mary Skelter Finale is a game that offers players an impressive amount of things to do. The combat and job systems are engaging and rewarding, and for fans of the series, there is a real dedication to developing the characters.

Despite some of my frustrations with this absolute unit of a game, it is clear that so much love and dedication has been put into just about every aspect of it. 

For new players, there is a lot to take in and I’d strongly advise checking out the previous two games to see if this is for you. The pacing is a real issue and whether you can stomach it or not is going to depend on how much you’re invested in the characters and getting to that next story development. Also, be prepared for the narrative to be presented more akin to a visual novel, than conventional video game cutscenes.  

Oh and… the soundtrack is a banger, by the way.

Review: Alchemist Simulator

Daniel Waite
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Review: Alchemist Simulator

The Magic circle is a secretive place reserved for the greatest of magicians. To reach the pinnacle of this mysterious world takes skill, effort, and possibly a marvellous beard. When magic is mentioned, people picture Gandolf, Merlin, or Paul Daniels (actually, forget him.) What we don’t picture is the hard work and necessary abilities it takes to pick and blend the right ingredients. Alchemist Simulator opens the door on this long-ignored side of magic as you attempt to become a world-famous magician.

Developed by Polyslash and Art Games Studio and published by the latter, this is a resource management simulation title. Set in a dingy cottage, you are tasked with learning recipes, preparing ingredients, and making potions to order. It sounds straightforward, but until you understand the fundamentals, it’s confusing and clunky as hell to play.

Alchemist Simulator is its own worst enemy. 

Simulation titles are all about planning, preparation, and a methodical approach. So, fans expect the learning curve to be challenging but achievable. Sadly, however, Alchemist Simulator is its own worst enemy as its poorly translated instructions leave you scratching your head. I sat for the first hour or so with a fixed look of confusion on my face. Also, these words kept popping into my mind, “what the hell is going on?” Unfortunately, it wasn’t the easiest of starts, but I’m glad I stuck with it.

After many restarts, lots of trial and error, and some re-reading of the instructions, I grasped the basic principles. Once I understood how the tools worked, how to dissect the ingredients, and the meaning of the four elemental lines, I was firing on all cylinders.

The elemental chart.

Don’t live in your relative’s shadow for too long. 

The story, or what little there is of it, revolves around a novice alchemist who is the relative to a world-famous magician. He has been asked to fill in for his uncle, who is away on business. During this time, you’ll learn from his rat assistant, brew potions, discover new recipes, and improve the workshop.

The game uses a day/night cycle that enforces you to complete your tasks before nightfall. If you fail to do so, you collapse and all your loose ingredients will be lost. You’ll take on orders, brew potions, and finish each mission. If you are successful, you gain fame and fortune. Both are essential if you wish to reach your goal and progress in the game. The business element comes into play when purchasing stock. The ingredients vary in price each day and it’s essential to stock up when they are inexpensive. To succeed, you must be savvy and attentive as this will maximise your profits.

Chopping, crushing, drying, cleaning. 

I didn’t expect alchemy to be easy, but Alchemist Simulator is something else. Cutting, crushing, drying, cleaning, and more are required to prepare every ingredient. It’s a bloody minefield and one that’s going to be tough to explain, so bear with me. Every ingredient contains a trait from different elemental branches. These are further broken down into four categories, each with a positive and negative side. There are Life and Death, Order and Chaos, and so forth. Each potion requires certain trace elements, and this is where your skills and magical tools come in.

You’ll use the cutting board to remove one elemental branch. The mortar will increase potency, whereas the drier will weaken it. You may clean one negative or positive trait, and more. By experimenting with ingredients and tools, you can create every potion in different ways. Subsequently, you’ll enjoy the rigidity of the recipes, but with the freedom and flair to create them how you wish. 

Cook up any potion in this automated beauty.

Clear as mud!

Now, I know that explanation is confusing and is as clear as mud. However, a little practice and trial and error works wonders. If you are still struggling, you are provided with an Almanac to help fathom things out. This is your bible when playing Alchemist Simulator as it contains vital information.

You can find recipes, ingredients, workshop upgrades, and your level of fame. It also contains a handy elemental guide that helps you to make each potion. The level of support and helpful hints are set just right. They allow you the freedom to go it alone or use every available tip. 

Alchemist Simulator is colourful, whimsical, but also pretty basic. 

I admire the developers’ fun sense of humour and eye for detail. Their use of handwritten fonts, floating candles, and other clichéd fantasy imagery was great. The playable world may be small, but it’s packed with character. I loved the scurrying rodents, the automated cauldron, and the unusual ingredients. Sadly, though, the symbols for the potions were hard to read and blurry. Subsequently, this made a tougher game much harder. This is a key component of the gameplay and the developers should have done much better. 

Before I switched this on, I knew how it would sound. Its bizarre and unusual world requires an airy and fun soundtrack to distract you from the monotony. Unsurprisingly, this is what you get. Its cheeky music will make you smile as you go about your business. When you combine it with explosives and the chopping of ingredients, it completes the package. 

Delivery incoming.

It’s a bit clumsy. 

Simulation games normally handle much better on PC, and this is no different. Its clumsy controls lack accuracy and this is frustrating. I had to adjust the sensitivity to play it as the cursor was all over the place. Undoubtedly, a mouse and keyboard would have been better, as would the ability to carry multiple items. The constant back and forth to collect items is annoying and this could have easily been resolved with a small backpack. 

Alchemist Simulator is addictive during its short playthrough. Once you grasp it, you’ll love creating every potion. However, the gameplay is repetitive, and this impacts its longevity. Fortunately, though, the replay value increases slightly if you are a completionist. To complete it, you must discover, make, and sell every potion.

Alchemist Simulator is tough to master, and addictive but lacks depth. 

Simulation titles are all about the legacy you create, and sadly, Alchemist Simulator is lacking in this department. Unfortunately, it doesn’t evolve past its core concept and this leaves you wanting. I wish it had more depth and a larger world as this would expand upon the business elements. I still enjoyed it, despite its shortcomings and I recommend you to buy it here! Prove yourself to be a worthy successor and become the next big thing.

My video review with footage captured from my Xbox Series X, enjoy!

Review: Yolked

Brendan Freeman
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Review: Yolked

Ever wanted to know what it feels like to be an egg? No? Me neither. What about an egg trying to escape being used for baking? Again, never crossed my mind. Yolked puts you in the shell of an egg. Trying to escape and having to use its arms to escape by grabbing and climbing the environment. Developed by Hardboiled Studios (what a great name). It was released on Steam on October 27th.

You’ve Been Yolked!

Initially, I tried playing with a keyboard and mouse. But for some reason, my hand-eye coordination was not working well with the controls. I switched to a gamepad and it made the game far more enjoyable. The analogue sticks are to control each arm independently and the trigger buttons are used to grab the environment. Once you’ve mastered the controls the game stops being frustrating and starts being fun.

Yolked introduces new elements of the environment slowly but effectively. In the background, there are other eggs trying to escape. These will then fall victim to the next obstacle that you will get to. Which is a great way of doing it without hand-holding too much.I found this more enjoyable than a tutorial as it feels like you are building your own skills gradually. Rather than being handheld through the stages. One of the early Megaman games did this which a lot of players appreciated.

The obstacles that are in your way vary depending on the environment. On the first level, you are in a bakery. The obstacles are utensils or condiments that can smash your egg if you get hit directly. But if it only grazes your egg, it won’t always smash the egg. This makes it far more forgiving and contributes to the fact you want to get to the end.

Yolked’s Egg-cellent Presentation

Yolked is a beautiful game to look at. The details on the environment really shine. Especially when seeing your egg peers find their demise. The point of view also puts into perspective the world compared to an egg. And nothing feels out of place. The very first level you are climbing a fridge. The obstacles are fridge magnets and they do not look out of place. Due to the graphics being cartoony like they run really well on laptops and non-gaming PCs which is always a bonus.

Yolked sound effects are brilliant. The familiar noise of your egg going splat becomes one you begin to fear throughout your time with Yolked. Each obstacle and environment produces its own sound which helps the comical atmosphere.

The music also matches the tone of the game and blends into the background. It doesn’t detract from the focus of the gameplay. But it isn’t music I intend to add to my daily playlist. Which it doesn’t need to be for a casual game.

Why Did the Egg Cross the Road?

The main reason to keep replaying Yolked is the skins. Throughout the levels, there are various accessories that are difficult to get to or hidden. These can then be equipped by your egg to give their look a bit of variety. Some of these accessories are in response to what you have done. In the very first level, you can microwave a fellow egg. You are then rewarded with devil horns. Many other levels have you trying to launch into locations where you will certainly get smashed in order to obtain new objects. It’s a great reason to replay and try to collect them all.

Yolked Final Verdict

When I first booted up Yolked and used a keyboard and mouse. The game felt unresponsive and unplayable. This probably says more about my own skill than the game’s controls. But once I had moved to a gamepad it all clicked into place. Swinging across the environments is enjoyable and escaping the various obstacles in the process makes you feel amazing.

The gameplay is very similar to Happenlance. Which takes the platformer gameplay and tried to add something new. But Yolked does this far more effectively. It may be easier as well. I recommend anyone give this game a try and just enjoy it for what it is. A great platformer. 

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