Do you thrive in fast-paced work environments? Do you love the comradery of the service industry? Are you an Overcooked veteran? Then this may be the next best title of the couch co-op party game genre. Very Very Valet takes all of the elements that work in this particular style of game, and simply changes the job. Toyful LLC and Nighthawk Interactive bring an easy to learn, yet rage-inducing personal parking experience to life. This title, much like the others of the same realm, is best played with others, so be sure to have your friends over when you boot this one up.
Those Cars Ain’t Gonna Park Themselves
Upon opening the game, the player will be greeted with very familiar sounding flute and string music. It’s heard in places such as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This is a clear indication that the melodic and optimistic city tunes are used in juxtaposition with the frenetic gameplay. Hearing the elegant sounds just adds insult to injury when you fail. Select your character model, and color, and get to work! The first couple of levels serve as a nice introduction, and a sick awakening if you’re masochistic enough to play these games alone like I did for a lot of the time.
Off to a great start with angry people on the first level.
Play as the valet parking team for restaurants, clubs, bowling alleys, and more creative environments later on. Customers line up and hop out of the car for you to park, and return after some time for you to bring the car back. If a customer is waiting too long at either of the two points, then a frustration meter will fill up. If it reaches max capacity, you will get an X, thus docking one of the three stars from your level rating (yes it’s one of those three star games). Three X’s and you guessed it, failure!
Things will quickly escalate as you progress in the game. More street traffic is introduced, along with teleports, and other hazards on the road in urban settings. Seeing how the world gets more creative, and challenging is half of the fun when playing games of this genre. There’s enough to motivate the player to see what is next, which is a good incentive to keep trying. Now does this reinvent the party co-op genre? Not, not at all. However, since the formula is basically there at this point, there’s not much need to deviate from the norm.
Engine and Paint Job
Controls usually make or break a title such as Very Very Valet. While Overcooked is also a challenging playthrough, the controls never feel too stiff or loose. For the most part, all mistakes justly fall on the player as a result. In this case, there are a few different driving options to use, but they all feel kind of awkward. This is less of a knock to the button layout options, and more to the car physics. There are times where driving feels a bit too loose to break and turn. This makes some of the special levels, where you drive and knock down a series of bowling pins, a bit frustrating. With more players, the issue becomes less about perfect precision and execution, and more about not getting in each other’s way.
The presentation is nice. The graphics are clean and cartoony, and the humor is not juvenile at all. Positively, this game can be appropriate for family night, or a gathering of inebriated friends in the college dorm. There’s not much to complain about the interface either. It’s easy to navigate around and figure things out as it should be.
Choose Your Highlights
What may be Very Very Valet’s best incorporated idea is the choice of specific highlights from each level to choose to save and watch later. Some random clips will appear, for the player(s) to vote on, to save for each level. This adds a little extra fun and competition to a co-op game by creating a small popularity contest. And for single player, it’s fun to choose the silliest real and raise eyebrows to your friends about how you actually made it as far as you did solo.
Bottom Line
While not much has been reinvented, the best elements of the couch co-op party genre are represented here. Very Very Valet is a slick and easy to learn title that’s good for all ages. The minor inconveniences are nothing to write home about at all. I still view the Overcooked series as the best of the genre, but I would much rather play this game than Tools Up!or Moving Out.
Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective is an interactive puzzle game reminiscent of Where’s Waldo and the I Spy books.
Adapted from the children’s book series Pierre The Maze Detective, this whimsical game is available on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Gameplay:
In Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective, you are tasked with the challenge to find the perpetrator who has stolen the Museum’s precious maze stone! The criminal is non-other than Mr. X, and he’s turned everything into a maze! Play as Pierre as you put your detective skills to the test as you traverse through many colorful mazes to track down the notorious Mr. X!
The gameplay is pretty simple. You control Pierre with the directional buttons and use the action button to interact with the environment and characters. The mazes aren’t made of simple walls but feature many obstacles, from traffic jams to little pups chilling on the street. Many of the interactions are silly animations and conversations, which gives the player time for exploration. Making your way through the maze, you can also find collectibles and treasures.
One of the most charming points about this game is the art design. The hand-drawn art style and paperlike animations make it feel just like a picture book! It’s so bright and inviting you can’t help to want to explore and see what will happen next! For a children’s game, I think the art style is perfectly fitting and eye-catching.
However, for a puzzle game, I really wished Labyrinth City was a bit more challenging. While I don’t think every game needs to be challenging to be fun, I do feel that this game was a bit too guided – even for kids. Also, unlike its unique levels, the gameplay felt too repetitive to the point of losing interest in the game. If there were more elements to the gameplay and the mazes, I really think it would take this game to the next level.
Pros:
Simple controls
Absolutely charming design that really feels like a picture book
Cons:
Lacks challenge
Gameplay is repetitive
Conclusion:
Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective is a really relaxing game that’s perfect to play with the little ones before bedtime – especially if they are fans of the series. If you’re looking for a more challenging puzzle game for yourself, I’d say that’s the only area where the game misses the mark. But if you’re looking for some relaxing wholesome fun, I totally recommend getting lost in this cute maze.
For some of us, life has no plan! We do not know what we are doing from one day to the next, and we love the random nature of our life choices. Other people, however, have their lives planned out for them by their parents. The school they will attend, the friends they associate with, and the career they will undertake. Having limited choices must be frustrating, but having everything selected for you allows you to excel in your field. You channel all of your energy into achieving your goal and if it goes well, you’ll be seen as the leader in that role. Trigger Witch uses this idea to form its old-school 16-bit inspired title.
Developed by Rainbite and published by Eastasiasoft Limited, this is a colourful and magical pixelated adventure title. With a SNES and Mega Drive aesthetic, this will tweak the nostalgia strings of retro gaming fans. Set in an open world, you are free to explore to your heart’s content while taking on many missions in this cute fantasy tale.
You control Colette, a young witch who graduated from “The Stock” to become a fully-fledged member of “The Clip”. She prefers firepower over magic spells and uses her trusty pistol and other weapons she acquires. Her graduation ceremony is ruined after a mysterious man invades her realm and her life is turned upside-down. She is the heroine in this tale and must use everything she has learned to stop this mysterious stranger before it’s too late.
Brrrrrrrrrrrr don’t freeze in the ice dungeon.
Trigger Witch uses the best mechanics from old-school games.
Many indie games come with the strapline “Inspired by retro games”. Some do well to capture the essence of that classic gaming era, but many fail and the gameplay feels hollow. Trigger Witch has taken the best mechanics and style out of many early console games to create a genuinely interesting retro title.
With many weird and wonderful characters to interact with, vast dungeons to explore, and a simple but enthralling story to work through, this captures your interest from the off. It’s a twin-stick shooter that requires quick reactions and accuracy. It will test new players to the genre but it’ll be a walk in the park for veteran gamers. Trigger Witch has an array of weapons to choose from and your arsenal increases as you find them on your journey. These basic guns can be improved with old parts that are found in chests and gems that you collect from killing monsters. The simple weapons quickly go from being pea shooters to overpowered cannons in no time at all. Arming yourself with these ridiculous tools was fantastic and you’ll be chuckling as you mow down every monster you encounter.
Something seems off about this king.
Well laid out dungeons, evil monster, and couch co-op.
An old-school adventure game wouldn’t be complete without fantastic dungeons to explore. Luckily, Trigger Witch has this covered. These labyrinthine areas are full of twists and turns and puzzles that require logical thinking, and quick shooting. You must destroy every enemy you encounter or unlock doors by hitting switches. This concept is simple and gradually increases in difficulty the further you progress. It’s sadly a little repetitive, but I never tired of the action. The monsters became more aggressive with different methods of attack, so rushing in all guns blazing isn’t always the winning solution. You must study their weaknesses, use the surrounding environment to your advantage, and clear each dungeon of monsters.
As well as the brilliant dungeons, you’ll encounter massive bosses that want to destroy you. Whether the battle takes place in a tiny arena or while riding a broom, the aim is the same. You’ll dodge their attacks, select the right weapons, and chip away at their health. The bosses offer little in the way of a challenge, but I liked the grand setting and the build-up to the fight. The battles were easy, but they were nicely intertwined with the story, so each one felt relevant and necessary.
I enjoyed many aspects of Trigger Witch, but my favourite had to be the “drop-in” multiplayer gameplay. A second player can join the action by simply connecting a controller. This was fantastic and captured the retro gaming scene perfectly. If the second gamer stopped playing it matters not, as their character leaves the world and you carry on, regardless. This seamless layer was excellent and made it much more accessible than many of its peers.
Trigger Witch captures SNES imagery perfectly.
Pixelated gaming is all the rage and I’m one gamer that loves it. Trigger Witch stands out against recent indie titles because of its vivid colours and accurate retro aesthetics. The viewpoint is reminiscent of old-school RPGs, and the cute but deadly monsters are fantastic to look at. The game uses simple imagery to create a magical world that is fun to explore and easy on the eye. I enjoyed the varied landscapes and the different enemies associated with each area. The changes sometimes were subtle, but they offered enough variety to keep things interesting.
The dynamic soundtrack and shrill sound effects were great to listen to. The deafening boom of the weapons and the twang of magic spells added to the fantasy theme. I liked how different areas had their own music and the tone and pace changed to reflect the mood. The basic audio delivers enough variety to prevent boredom and helps to create an exciting and magical adventure.
Ready…..Aim…….Fire!!!!!!
Shooting is easywhen you have a laser sight.
I’ve written about enough twin-stick shooters for people to know I suck at them. Yet, I found Trigger Witch easy to play. Is this because I’m improving at this genre? No! With a permanent laser sight for aiming, no one will miss the target. I really liked this approach, and it made the fast-paced action much more bearable. Alongside this user-friendly idea was the well-designed controller set-up that made learning the basics a walk in the park. Players from any skill set can master this in minutes, which made the multiplayer option even more appealing.
Though the game allows you to explore its open world freely, the story follows a mainly linear structure. This sadly impacts the replay value as the plot doesn’t change when you return for a second playthrough. If you are a completionist, you’ll find reasons to return as the achievement list needs patience and an eye for detail to unlock them all.
Trigger Witch is captivating, brutal, and exactly what you want from a retro game.
Trigger Witch has many interesting layers that make it a wonderful retro experience. Its story is simple but captivating and its combat mechanics are brutal. Some elements are repetitive, yet its mix of characters and interesting dungeons ensure you’ll want to keep playing. I enjoyed my magical experience and recommend you to buy it here! Grab your gun, defeat the bosses, and hunt down the mysterious stranger.
Put down your gamepad and pick up your sword, Samurai, we’ve got a castle to burn. Back from a 7-year absence the hack and slash Samurai Warriors mainline series returns with a 5th entry, with an all-new story and new character designs.
Title covers don’t often follow through with their promise of awesomeness, but Samurai Warriors 5 is the book cover you can judge – it’s as good as it looks.
Samurai Warriors 5 follows feudal lord Nobunaga Oda and his clan on their quest to unify the warring states of Japan, spanning from the end of the Ōnin War to the Honnōji incident providing a more in-depth look than previous games at the events and relationship with Mitsuhide Akechi that lead to Nobunaga’s downfall.
With an anime art style accentuated by Sumi-e Japanese painting highlights and a soundtrack containing traditional instruments paired with modern guitars, this title does everything to make the historical events as entertaining as possible while keeping the overall details accurate. There are only so many ways to tell the most told story in Japan, so there are some liberties taken especially with the over-the-top Hollywood-like ending when in real-life it was more like an anticlimactic betrayal, the motivation of which is shrouded in mystery due to Mitsuhide’s own demise not long after.
One of the many great cutscenes showing Nobunaga Oda – whose name I’ll never get tired of saying – and his plans. Nobunaga Oda. Rolls right off the tongue.
Plowing through your enemies on large castle battlefields takes place seemingly in real-time with constantly changing objectives giving the standard ‘mow down everything’ gameplay style a realistic twist with a boatload of tension and unpredictability. The size of the opposing armies gives it a great feeling of scale, and the many different mini battles dotted around the map feel like small dramatic movies happening all around you, especially as you are constantly communicated to about the shifting and updating battle from your allies.
I’m gonna knock all those guys over on my horse, because I can, and because its awesome.
Spiking your enemies in a gloriously overpowered game of human volleyball is done with two different characters – a main and a partner – to achieve the chapter objectives. It’s a great system where different fighting styles can be combined to defeat enemies while also effectively acting as fast travel across a map as you can assign your partner to attack other targets. Alternatively, you can dash across the map on horseback after receiving a desperate call from friends (presumably on their 1600s smartphones) and this allows you to see the tide of the battle change in front of your eyes. Despite you being the lynchpin in all the proceedings, it makes it feel like you are a small pawn on a very large and well-produced chessboard, and it exudes awesomeness.
Oda’s progress is detailed through cool-looking maps like the above and with a voiceover worthy of every action film trailer ever.
The action itself is loose and free-flowing but rather than being a downside, in comparison to more polished articles in Nier Automata and Devil May Cry 5 for example, it allows for the quick mowing down of small armies as you can more easily adjust your attacks. The only issue you might encounter is the camera which is entirely manual, apart from a not-so-great lock-on feature, and can lose track of the action that occasionally moves behind the camera. Some may call the action ‘rough around the edges’ with less than smooth horse riding animation, and enemies falling through walls or popping up as you approach them, but like an all you can eat action buffet that gets more delicious the more you have, you’ll likely be enjoying yourself far too much to care.
Facilitating this are 37 playable characters with skill trees, and 14 different upgradeable weapon types such as swords, spears and even a drum. While the traditional harbingers of death certainly suffice, it’s the less conventional ones that I enjoyed the most such as a tiny drum or the bow – the latter of which I’ve always wanted a video game to morph me into Legolas from The Lord of the Rings and finally I’ve found a game that makes shooting arrows feel as awesome. Nō, Nobunaga Oda’s wife, has a kick-ass bow that really lets loose with some epic combos at great speed making me feel like an Elf in a kimono and pleasing me to no end.
This scene, or any scene for that matter, with this many enemies creates a great sense of anticipation and rarely disappoints. Especially with Nō at the helm.
The upgrade system for the characters and their weapons is addictive but it’s locked behind a ‘my castle’ system that has a blacksmith, a dojo, horse stables and a shop that all need upgrading in order to further upgrade your characters. This means that you are forced to play a secondary defend the castle mode – Citadel Mode – but it doesn’t have the same allure as the story and perhaps more could have been done to differentiate it in terms of gameplay. An explorable castle showing the cool details teased in the background of the game’s maps and a more interactive way to explore the game’s relationship meters would have been nice to delve into.
Caused by a fox mask-wearing ninja rising like a phoenix engulfing enemies in a tremendous explosion of speed, fire and stupendousness. The arcade-like action here is super addictive and is a game I can see myself returning to over and over.
Normally I would say that most Japanese games don’t need a dubbed audio, but unfortunately, the lack of an English track affects the flow of your battles somewhat as you receive updates from your allies in Japanese and English subtitles, meaning that for you to understand what’s going on, you’ll need to divert your attention from the fight. It’s not always an issue as updates will sometimes come after you’ve defeated your foes in that area, but receiving them during the action is not exactly optimal. The soundtrack on the other hand salvages the audio presentation somewhat with addictive tracks peppered throughout and makes visiting the soundtrack feature in ‘the vault’ a pleasure rather than it simply making up the numbers.
Despite covering a shorter period in history – the previous games also covered the Toyotomi and Tokugawa shogun reigns – there is a lot of replay value in the story mode. Not only do completed missions allow you to replay missions with characters non-story related in a ‘Free Mode’, but it took me 16 hours to complete the 6 chapters of the main story, and I only completed 22% of the total objectives. Beyond that there are the 6 chapters of Mitsuhide Akechi’s story and a ‘What if’ section, so there is a great deal of content for those wishing to delve more into the game.
And if, after all that, the single-player experience isn’t your thing then you could always try the local co-op or online modes for more of the same full-scale warfare, but with friends.
Samurai Warriors 5 may not be winning any awards, but Koei Tecmo and Omega Force have more than done themselves justice with their basic action formula tremendous fun in short bursts and the over-the-top hack and slash battles playing out like small cinematic war dramas. The reimagining of Japan’s most famous struggle is also now more palatable to newer audiences with its revamped visual style blending perfectly with the action and representing a good time for all that give it a shot.
The first thing I did when I received a review copy of this game was to google the title, only to find myself faced with the tagline ‘You are old and angry and you’ve just been kicked out of your retirement home.’ Needless to say, I was instantly intrigued.
Further investigations revealed that Just Die Already is the most recent game from the developers of the widely popular Goat Simulator. It shares a lot of traits with its predecessor, so if you were someone who enjoyed the chaotic hircine mayhem from the last game then you’ll be sure to find something worth your time here. Of course, at the other end of the scale, if you didn’t enjoy Goat Simulator’s lack of real plot or cohesive narrative, this isn’t the game for you.
Being kicked out of your retirement home is a very literal process
The story of Just Die Already, such as it is, is that you are a pensioner who has been kicked out of your retirement home for causing too much trouble. Apparently enraged by this new development, you are then free to explore the city, causing as much chaos and destruction as you can along the way. To keep track of your exploits, you’re given an appropriately named Bucket List that provides rewards when certain objectives are achieved.
Conceptually, that’s all there really is to Just Die Already. As with Goat Simulator, the game is a sandbox with an incredibly loose physics system and a lot of destructible items. The only real guidance players have is their bucket list; otherwise they are entirely free to explore the world and discover the small self-contained scenes the developers have put together. To help add to the mayhem, the entire experience can be played in four-player co-op.
Easily this game’s best feature is its visuals. The environments are bright and beautiful, and different regions of the city have distinct visual styles that make navigation surprisingly easy considering the size of the map. The cartoony design really helps to sell the gloriously bonkers action, and there are a lot of art assets that make for great visual gags. In many ways, wandering around the city and just looking at things is the main draw the game has – unfortunately, that leads onto the core problems this game has.
Health regenerates over time, but missing limbs stay gone until you respawn
Just Die Already has two major issues, one more fixable than the other. The first is that the controls just aren’t up to what the game requires of you. Trying to grab items can often take several attempts and using melee weapons with any accuracy is impossible because of wildly inconsistent hitboxes, weapon range, and attack time. In some ways, that’s the point; your avatar acts and handles like a vaguely sentient boneless mass of flesh, and that’s part of the joke. Unfortunately, instead of being funny, it mostly serves to frustrate the player when they’re actually trying to get something done.
Which brings us neatly to the second problem Just Die Already has: the game isn’t very fun. For all that I deeply enjoyed discovering the game’s tagline at the very beginning, that sense of bizarre humour very rapidly wears off when you’re playing the game. There are certainly a lot of interesting things to discover and some of them are worth a laugh, but the paper-thin objectives aren’t enough to carry the game for more than an hour or two. Playing with friends through the co-op system can extend that, but even then the enjoyment is more coming from hanging out with people you like than from any inherent success of the game.
The bucket list book can guide you to objectives, but it does also run the risk of spoiling interesting things to discover
There are a few more minor problems to consider too. The overexaggerated physics can mean that your character gets stuck in the scenery from time to time, but there’s a quick reset button that respawns you relatively close by so it’s not a huge detriment.
More strange for me was the general lack of background music; this seems to be a game that would lend itself to a solid soundtrack as so much of the game is spent running around a city with no dialogue interruptions. Instead, aside from some sound effects, I spent a lot of my time with this game in silence. It was so weird that I’m still not entirely certain if this was intentional or simply a glitch, though from checking out some gameplay trailers and footage, it seems to be the former. If so, it was perhaps an indication that this game is meant to be played in co-op with players chatting to each other, but that’s not really an excuse not to have something in the single-player mode.
Some of the best jokes Just Die Already has are contained within small environmental details
It is important to note that Just Die Already isn’t being marketed under a triple A, £40 price tag. Going into this game expecting something that you could sink 30 hours into isn’t a realistic starting point and to criticise it for not meeting that level of content would be grossly unfair. With that said, however, I would still caution anyone buying this game that its charm wears thin incredibly quickly. If you have friends to play with then you might be able to stretch it out for a few hours, but despite the multitude of bucket list items to cross off, there is very little compulsion to keep playing for long.
If you did enjoy Goat Simulator and want more of that style of game, then go for it. Just Die Already certainly scratches the same itch, and it has a lot more polish to recommend it than its predecessor. For everyone else, though, you’re probably better off saving your money for something with a little more substance.
Every now and then I’ll have the chance of playing a game that is exactly the sort of game that I think I’d never like, and then it so happens that that game ends up being a welcoming surprise. Most recently, that was the case with The Touryst.
I first saw the game when it was announced that it would be leaving the Xbox Game Pass catalogue and, upon close inspection, I figured it was worth the try. Looking back now, I’m glad that I gave the game a chance.
The premise is pretty simple, you’re a tourist who’s visiting several islands during your vacation. So, what do you do? The Touryst might be best described as a puzzle-oriented game, but you’ll be able to do much more than solve puzzles. Participate in a surf tournament, join the local native band as a drummer, play football, get a paddle and row a canoe, explore a diamond mine, beat arcade high scores, and take lots of photographs. Those are all things that you can do in The Touryst.
Although I’m the type of person that just tends to play the main story and major side content in most games, The Touryst was an exception for me. There is no need to complete every task or collect everything to achieve the game’s ending, but I found myself so hooked on the game that I wanted to do everything. Pretty much every single task of the game is fun, unique, and cleverly thought out.
The game might appear to start slow, but it quickly opens up once you start unlocking new islands to visit. Each island is relatively small, but they all have their own theme and unique mini-games that you can play. In addition, you’ll also be solving the main mystery that’s behind all the intriguing monuments and their dungeons that you find across the islands. As for the game’s puzzles, I found them to be pretty casual and easy to figure out, even if it would take me a couple of tries.
For the overwhelming majority of the game, The Touryst is just pure fun and joy. The characters, the gorgeous and colourful world made entirely from voxels, the seemingly harmless theme of the game, and the fun mini-games, are all things that contribute to that. Everything just works together in great harmony, even though there are clearly some rough edges.
Unfortunately, The Touryst has these really odd moments that feel completely out of place when you compare them to the rest of the game. Whether it’s boss mechanics that aren’t properly conveyed to the player, or the controls not being the best when handling a platforming section, the game doesn’t seem to know if it wants to be just a casual experience or a frustrating challenge. It can really leave you scratching your head and wondering if you’re doing something terribly wrong, but you eventually realize that the game is just the way it is.
While some might argue that The Touryst ends in a big cliffhanger, I think that isn’t the case. Sure, the ending leaves a lot of thoughts in the air, but, most importantly, the adventure that the player started at the beginning of the game comes to an end. Having said that, the ending clearly indicates that a whole new and exciting adventure is about to begin, but it doesn’t give you anything more than that. Hopefully, we’ll get a sequel or some sort of content expansion that will expand the story.
At the end of the day, even though The Touryst is a fun game, it’s not the kind of game that I’d consider to be a “must play”. It’s enjoyable and that’s pretty much it. It’s far from being a bad game, but it also isn’t a game that I’d recommend to everyone, it doesn’t have that “wow” factor. Like myself, some people might be surprised by it, but it surely won’t blow you away. Furthermore, to be honest, this is exactly the kind of game that I wouldn’t buy and play on my own, but thanks to Xbox Game Pass, I got the chance of playing something that’s outside my comfort zone. Overall, The Touryst features about 6 hours worth of content that are well spent if you’re looking for a game to unwind.
In order to hit as many buzzwords as possible, Highrisers describes itself as a pixel-styled build-and-explore urban survival-RPG. It’s all true. It’s pixel-styled, sure. It has a bitty, pixel art aesthetic like your Metal Slugs and Intrusions. You build things. You explore things in a very urban manner. Survival is in there, yep. RPG, sure, go nuts. But the main thrust of the game is none of those things. It’s not even close. The game is almost entirely an inventory management simulator. But, for those of you who love a bit of inventory management, hold your horses (who am I kidding, you definitely have your horses filed away in a crate labelled ‘Equine, Misc.’) because I think you might be surprised about which part of the game isn’t very good.
In Highrisers you play simultaneously as four survivors of a zombie apocalypse, who must band together to fix the helicopter on the roof of their high-rise building (oh that’s where the name comes from…) and escape to where the grass is greener, or where the zombies are passive-er. Unless it’s a Racoon City situation, I don’t see why the zombies won’t be wherever they plan to go but they’re set on fixing this helicopter up so let’s roll with it. To fix the helicopter you’ll need materials which you’ll come across by exploring and dismantling the objects in the building. However, exploring is dangerous (zombies, remember?) so you’ll need to craft weapons to explore the lower levels of the building – the levels that are properly saturated with the undead. This leads to a vicious cycle of crafting, building and slaughtering until you can finally piece together the materials you need to fix the chopper and escape.
To control the four survivors, you use the number keys to select which generic stereotypical zombie-fiction character you want to control and the mouse to click on objects to interact with. Overall this system just about works but it’s really easy to forget who you’re controlling and absent-mindedly click for the wrong person to do the wrong thing. There’s a readout on the left-hand side of the screen that gives you information about the survivors such as their inventory, health and hunger. The majority of the game is clicking on objects around the map for your survivors to dismantle or collect the materials generated from that dismantling which you’ll then bring to a crafting table to use in recipes. Dismantling and crafting take real-world time so if you set all of your survivors doing something you might as well go away and make a cup of tea while they get on with it.
The key to this scavenging and building mechanic is, as promised in the intro, inventory management. I count myself among the fans of a good inventory management system. My main memories of Fallout 4 are fast-travelling back to Sanctuary after a mission and storing my junk (behave), upgrading weapons and armour and selling the stuff I’m never going to use. Unfortunately for such a key mechanic in Highrisers, the execution of the inventory management system leaves a lot to be desired. Your characters have a very limited inventory on them so need to regularly unload the materials that they’re not currently using but might need in future. There are shelves around to do that, great. However, the number of shelves is very limited and each set only takes around 9 materials, meaning you can barely clear out a single character’s inventory on a single set of shelves and that single set of shelves is all you’re going to get in a convenient place. What’s worse is the materials are stored as models in the world so you have to identify and click on materials when you want to collect them rather than doing it through a menu – not great when the materials look nearly indistinguishable.
The theme of clunky controls and not being sure what’s going on continues through the rest of the game. There’s a very limited tutorial that teaches you the equivalent of the amount school teaches you about how to survive in the real world, only without the benefit of having fun algebra and science experiments. A wide variety of things just don’t work and I don’t know if it’s because I’m missing a control, my characters aren’t levelled up enough to do them or if the game is just broken. The game doesn’t tell you what materials objects will drop and dismantling takes a while so you have to do a lot of slow and frustrating experimenting to get materials. There’s little clarity on what you can click on and what clicking on things does, beyond dismantling and collecting. The screen is half taken up with four character’s inventories and a map so any useful information on how to play the game that you might be blessed with is lost in that screen clutter.
Most frustratingly of all, fixing the helicopter – the one thing the game makes clear is your goal – just doesn’t seem to work. I’ve got all the materials for one of the repairs but the game won’t let me put those materials into the repair or let me carry out the fix. Do I need to unlock something to do it? Do I need to find some kind of tool? Is there a button or menu somewhere hidden away? I don’t know and the game has absolutely no interest in telling me.
I didn’t enjoy playing Highrisers. Clunky controls, poorly explained mechanics and difficult to fathom visuals all add up to make Highrisers a confusing and unenjoyable mess. The game has recently left early access and is still undergoing some fixes so maybe, with some more development, the game that the developers intended to create will start to shine through its issues. But, in its current state, I can’t bring myself to recommend Highrisers.
The history books are full of tales of misery and horrendous diseases that have decimated mankind. Each has its gruesome narrative and outcome, but I think we can all agree that the bubonic plague was horrific. It never surprises me that developers use this as the plot for their games and I’m always intrigued to see how far they will push their narrative to shock and appal their audience. A Plague Tale: Innocence uses a hearty mix of history, dark imagery, and fantasy in its heartfelt story.
Developed by Asobo Studio and published by Focus Home Interactive, this is a heartfelt story of survival filled with puzzling elements. Using the most disgusting and disturbing images from this blot on mankind’s timeline, you’ll be creeped out and left shuddering throughout. The oppressive world you explore is highly detailed but disappointingly lacks an open-world feel. The linear storyline leads from A to B with some delightful narration and simple but fulfilling puzzles to solve.
Where is that smoke coming from?
A Plague Tale: Innocence tells a tale of a ruined childhood and a dark family secret.
Set in France in the 14th century, the game takes place during the Hundred Years’ War. You control Amicia and Hugo de Rune who must escape the French Inquisition led by the black knight Lord Nicholas. The story revolves around Hugo and a mystery illness that has captured Lord Nicholas’ attention. He is a frail young boy who screams when he’s scared and relies heavily on Amicia. As you explore each of the seventeen chapters, you’ll overcome basic puzzles, using stealth as your go-to mechanic.
Amicia is both the brains and the brawn behind this young partnership. She is Hugo’s guardian angel and she’ll stop at nothing to protect him. Armed with her wits and a slingshot, they must evade the attentions of the Inquisition. The pair work together to solve the mystery surrounding their situation while moving slowly to safety.
Being chased by a bloodthirsty French army is bad enough, but how about adding plague-infected rats to the equation? These scurrying, nibbling disease spreaders burst from the ground and walls by the hundreds. The flood of vermin will make your skin crawl as they hiss and jostle to chew the meat from your bones.
Stealth, the French Inquisition, and rats make up the three key mechanics of this wonderful game. You’ll be kept on your toes throughout and will feel genuine fear and panic as you are pushed through this linear tale.
The “strong” protecting the “weak”.
Like many games of this ilk, the stronger link in the party takes the lion’s share of the work. Hugo sadly lacks strength, courage, or good health. His small stature makes him useful, and he can crawl through gaps in walls and climb through windows. Using him forms a key component of many of the puzzles and his tiny frame helps you evade capture many times. Amicia uses an array of tools to distract the guards, she’ll hit metal objects with stones or smash pots to create loud noises. You quickly learn that discretion is the greater part of valour, and staying in the shadows is your best option. Combat is usually the last resort, and until the later chapters, you’ll refrain from drawing too much attention to yourselves.
As well as the guards, you’ll want to avoid the teeth of the stinking rats. Luckily, these disease-ridden vermin are petrified of fire and daylight. Remembering this is essential, as burning paths prevent you from being killed and allow you to progress. Routes are created with lanterns, pyres that are lit with feeble twigs, and a concoction known as Ignifier. You must collect materials, plan routes, and avoid the army of rats. It’s tense, fills you with dread, and is super uncomfortable. Yet after a few chapters, you become accustomed to the horror and it fails to have the same impact.
Attack from the shadows.
Alchemy, resources, and odd boss battles.
The seventeen chapters are punctuated by strange boss battles. These events lack challenge and are devoid of the stylised mechanics used throughout the rest of the gameplay. Stealth and logic are out of the window, and dodging and brute force are the aims of the game. It was pleasant to have a change of pace from the constant cat-and-mouse action, but I would have liked something a little more in-depth. Therefore the final battle is both fantastic and disappointing in equal measures. Every element of the last encounter is phenomenal, and everything I was craving. The disappointment comes as I wish the developers had drip-fed this into the other battles to make a more fulfilling experience. A Plague Tale: Innocence isn’t tarnished by the lack of depth. I simply wanted more.
Great adventure games balance resource gathering with their difficulty curve perfectly. If the materials are plentiful it reduces the grind but also skews the challenge in the player’s favour. Sadly, A Plague Tale: Innocence hasn’t got the balance right. Equipment upgrades and the alchemy tools rely heavily on everything you gather, so when everything is at your fingertip you become wasteful. Whether it’s distracting guards or dispersing rats, you never worry that you’ll run out of the tools for the job. This undermines the fear element of the game, making it less suspenseful than intended.
A few shortcomings, but its story and characters fill it with charm.
Its lack of difficulty and almost obvious solutions will annoy some gamers, but I enjoyed going along for the ride. Its few shortcomings are shored up by an incredible story and a world of odd characters that add a macabre charm. Hiding from the guards or manipulating the rodents may not be difficult, but you’ll still get swept up in the emotion of the situation. Much of the time I knew there was nothing to fear, but my heart was still racing as I sprinted from fire to fire or bush to bush. I found the action to be captivating and I can see why a sequel is being worked on for a 2022 release.
A Plague Tale: Innocence has an array of environments and beautifully detailed graphics.
I was amazed by the variety of landscapes incorporated across the seventeen chapters. The developers have gone all out to create a game that is truthful to its era while still mixing in fantasy elements. The use of dark tones and imagery add to the oppressive nature even during the upbeat moments. The constant inclusion of rats and symbols of death pull the story back to its disease-ridden roots. Though it was unpleasant to see, I loved how the game kept returning to its core theme.
With fantastic acting, sinister music, and the horrific sound of hissing and scratching, you’ll be on edge throughout. I’m sure living when the bubonic plague was rife was horribly unpleasant and Asobo Studio has captured this perfectly. The on/off relationship between Amicia and Hugo is brilliantly acted and the additional characters in this fantasy plot play their roles brilliantly. The amount of narration and cutscenes is balanced well with the action allowing you to lose yourself in its heartfelt plot.
Use fire to hold back the horde of rats.
The well-defined UI keeps things simple.
When a game relies heavily on stealth mechanics, it’s essential that crouching, hiding, and sneaking is easy to achieve. Fortunately, the well laid out controller setup makes playing simple. The clear and well-defined UI enables you to understand the controls with little effort. When new equipment is added you are given a straightforward tutorial that explains the fundamentals with little fuss. A Plague Tale: Innocence had the potential to be complex. Fortunately, it isn’t and you’ll spend your time enjoying the story.
Because of its linear approach, the replay value is impacted. However, with fifteen hours of gameplay and an array of new mechanics, you’ll be kept interested throughout. If you lack the completionist instinct, you’ll enjoy the story, but won’t return once you finish it. If you crave achievements and the 100% status, you have plenty of collectables that offer a small amount of replay value.
A Plague Tale: Innocence is a wonderful puzzle stealth game with a heartfelt story.
With its fantastic but dark fantasy tale, and nice stealth mechanics, this is a game that’ll keep you interested from the opening chapter. A Plague Tale: Innocence combines excellent environments, great acting, and simple puzzles to create a captivating experience. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend you to buy it here! Gamepass subscribers can also install it for free. You must work together to stay hidden and avoid the army of rats. Accept the help of strangers and use their strengths to overcome obstacles. Can you discover the dark secret hidden in your family’s past, or will the rats consume you?
Science has experimented with genetically modified creatures and artificial intelligence for years. The dream is to make mankind stronger and our existence easier. All the mundane and dangerous tasks will be undertaken by robots and life will be a cakewalk. Freddy Spaghetti 2.0 tells a colourful tale where one piece of food has a mind of its own and runs amuck.
Developed by Playful Pasta and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a physics-based adventure title. The second instalment in the series, this sequel will have you smiling and laughing at the ridiculous nature of the plot. Using the docusoap format, you hear how the protagonist Freddy is loved, hated, and admired by his work colleagues.
It’s is time to flip around the office.
Freddy Spaghetti 2.0; bigger, better, stronger.
I played and reviewed Freddy Spaghetti back in January and couldn’t wait to jump into the sequel. Carrying on from the shenanigans of the first game, you control the second generation genetically modified length of pasta. The original tells a story of a naughty piece of pasta who wants to expand his horizons. Freddy’s creator has learned from his mistakes and after creating Freddy 2.0, he sends him to work. He hopes that a busy mind will prevent him from causing havoc….he was wrong.
Freddy Spaghetti 2.0 continues from the strong and silly foundations of the first iteration. You will fling yourself around the levels, aiming to hit the blue goal marker. Each stage matches the narration of its cutscene, but the aim is not always clear. Unlike the first game which focused on moving from A to B, this one asks you to play table tennis, foosball, swim in an aquarium, set up co-workers, and so forth. It’s absurd, but the story is hilarious and will capture your attention from the start.
It was working before Freddy turned up.
A short game, but worth every second of your time.
Comprising forty stages that are set over four seasons, Freddy Spaghetti 2.0 doesn’t take long to complete. However, I urge you not to be put off by its short game time. With six or seven levels at its core, you’ll repeat several stages as the difficulty is ramped up. The sports levels become quicker and more challenging, and navigating furniture turns into a deadly game. You’ll use your short term memory to recall how to overcome the obstacles, but this usually isn’t enough as the physics-based action can be challenging to get right. Freddy’s movement isn’t always spot on and you’ll miss your intended target by millimetres. You’ll groan with frustration, slam down your controller, and start again.
My favourite elements, however, have to be the brilliantly intertwined plot, the office atmosphere and the relationships that make you chuckle. Freddy acts as cupid, is the object of one lady’s desires, and is despised in this short story. The roller-coaster of emotions that one piece of pasta experiences is mind-blowing. By the time you’ve reached the end, you’ll be exhausted and wonder how he lives such a full life.
Freddy Spaghetti 2.0 is a basicbut colourful treat for the eyes.
Very little of Freddy Spaghetti 2.0 can be considered advanced. The basic graphics and simple backdrops won’t wow you, but they are pleasant to look at, nonetheless. I liked the vibrancy of the colours, the variety of level design and the unique characters. The bird’s-eye perspective helps you to explore each level, and the lack of detail ensured the finished product wasn’t too rough. If you’ve played the first game, you’ll know what to expect as the presentation has altered little from its predecessor.
The jovial music matched the silly action that unfolds before your eyes. Each level was accompanied by different tunes, helping to keep you interested. The acting of each character was great, and I enjoyed the deadpan delivery of their lines. The stereotypical look of the office team was matched by their voices, which added to the absurdity of the plot.
Freddy loves to stay wet.
Jump, jump, jump, and let gravity do the rest.
Though I find physics-based games infuriating, I loved how this one played out and the simplicity of its layout can’t be ignored! Moving and jumping are easy to control and you must hold down the buttons to make Freddy leap higher. Because of its straightforward approach, I could focus my energy on flinging my pasta around each stage with no need to think. You’ll admire the moments when Freddy leaps like a salmon and you’ll chuckle when it goes wrong.
Sadly, there is little replay value as all achievements are awarded on the first playthrough. Each stage is timed so gamers can return to test themselves, but this offers no fresh gameplay. Sadly, you’ll have no desire to do this and I don’t think people will want to waste their time. However, if you are a completionist, this is a dream as you’ll have it finished in around an hour.
Freddy Spaghetti 2.0 is a silly and fun experience that is worth investing in.
Freddy Spaghetti 2.0 offers little in the way of serious action. However, if you want a fun and silly storyline where you control a genetically modified piece of pasta, look no further. It’s absurd, stupid, and I loved it! I enjoyed it and recommend you to buy it here! Channel your inner pasta, take a new job, and try to work your way to the top!
Even at the height of gaming magnificence, among the hundreds of spellbinding titles available, it is still somehow possible to get bored of a certain genre.
Whether you’re waiting for a Witcher 3 shaped hole to be filled, or you’re fed up with the same old game mechanics popping up in FPS games everywhere, you would certainly be forgiven for wanting to wander down a refreshing new avenue of virtual delight.
If you haven’t already done so, the whacky and wonderful world of MOBA gaming could be the next place to try out, but if you needed a little extra convincing, here are some great reasons to immerse yourself in the immensely popular League of Legends.
The Thrill of Competition
MOBAs are among the most popular esports titles out there, boasting huge cash prize pools and sometimes even sponsorship deals for the elite players.
This is partly down to the thrill of the competition offered up by the fairly unique game mechanics. In addition, the (generally) fast-paced, easy to learn, hard to master setup makes it an enticing concept, one that can draw you in for hours, then before you know it, you’ve been awake for several days.
If you want to take the competitive element of gaming seriously and tackle it with all you have, League of Legends has you covered, and if you feel like just taking it slow and hanging out with the bots, that option very much exists.
There are some great supporting websites to help you out should you wish to delve deep into the metagame and truly lose yourself in the seemingly limitless possibilities the title has to offer.
For example, you might want to check out a League of Legends Tier List for some deeper insight and support into which characters are currently making the biggest waves. The list is developed using data analysis from current players, making it a popular, accurate go-to for many.
The Diversity
League of Legends has 155 champions to choose from as of right now, making the game nowhere near close to being short on diversity or possibility.
You would likely need a great deal of time to even start wrapping your head around all of the different characters and items at your disposal, let alone master them.
This might be good news for those of you looking to lose yourself in a new gaming pursuit anytime soon.
Competitive multiplayer games have technically been around since Tennis for Two was created in 1952, so the concept of esports isn’t exactly brand-new. However, what is new about League of Legends is the incredible balancing act that is the highly complex and constantly evolving metagame and the esports phenomenon that it came to be since its inception in 2009.
Although if you want to reach the highest heights, you’ll need to put in some serious time and focus. This is where products like energy drinks and a Delta 9o Vape can come in handy, as they can provide you with the extended focus you need to keep winning until you’re the best in your class.
The Visibility
Due to the overwhelming popularity League of Legends has found with the Twitch community, there is plenty of content to access outside of the game itself.
People around the world collectively watched 174 million hours of League of Legends content on Twitch in June of this year, so there is certainly no shortage of coverage or availability on offer.
This consistent stream of new content makes the game feel very much alive and flourishing, a trademark of MOBAs that can often be lacking in other genres. Additionally, an all-encompassing multichannel experience can truly add an extra layer to a title, which is perhaps a much-needed change of dynamic for those looking for a new outlet.
Socializing
If you can convince 4 of your friends to hop into a Discord server and join you on your virtual base-hunting adventures, League of Legends can be a highly sociable game.
If not, there is no need to worry, as the thriving online community has a wealth of players willing to join the good fight at a moment’s notice.
Places like Reddit, TeamTavern, or Unite LoL can be great for finding new teammates; forming friendships are just chatting.
Convincing friends to pick up the game in the first place is probably easier because it is completely free to play, so they do not need to make too much of a commitment to try it out.
No Two Matches Play Out in the Same Way
Even when you have mastered the maps and tried your hand at every possible character, matches will likely still play out differently every single time you approach them.
This is usually the sign of a great engine, solid mechanics, and a developer that cares about their content.
If you feel like keeping yourself occupied for the foreseeable gaming future, a great MOBA is probably worth considering, and not just because it’s free.
There are many warriors and fighters that have spanned our time, and each has a brutal tale to tell. Every one of them has a strength that sticks in your mind. Whether it’s the weapon they use, their brute force, or their tactics, we admire them for their skills. Ninjas have always struck me as a prime fighting machine, because of their discipline, stealth, and unwavering nerve. Within the Blade allows you to become one of these sacred warriors, who must defend his people while destroying the evil that tries to take over their lands.
Developed by Armetist Studio and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a stealth platform title with a tactical twist. A love letter to the great ninja games from the past, Within the Blade tests your patience, accuracy, and fighting skills as you decapitate your foes. Using a 2D side-scrolling perspective and a pixelated art style, this screams simplicity and old-school action.
Craft everything you need for your mission.
Within the Blade tells a traditional tale of power and madness.
I fell for the charms of many older ninja games; Ninja Gaiden, Tenchu, Shinobi, and more. I loved the history and the random stories that made the backbone of their gameplay. Within the Blade doesn’t stray from this path as it uses power, greed, and demonic forces at the heart of everything it does.
The year is 1560 A.D and Japan’s last Shogunate has lost control, causing a mighty civil war between the clans. Battles ensued and blood was shed by the bucket load. One clan in particular “Steel Claw” began seeking the knowledge of old forgotten practices and worshipping dark entities to curse their opponents. The leader, Mamoru, became infected by the spirit of an evil warlord and “Steel Claw” started a reign of chaos that enveloped every nation it touched. This dark army aligns itself with nine demons as they hope to take over Japan. One Shinobi clan, “Black Lotus” stands between Mamoru and victory. They must take down each demon boss otherwise Japan will crumble under this new satanic rule.
It’s absurd and far-fetched, but I loved its madness and fell for its charms instantly. It’s a classic hero story with a dark and magical twist that is ever-present on each level.
Not just a stealth ninja game.
I came into this thinking it would be a simple hack n slash title with some elements of stealth, but I was way off the mark. Armetist Studio has created an in-depth platform game that combines traditional elements with crafting mechanics and an RPG skill tree. Killing your opponents earns you gold and XP, these can then be used for equipment and choosing your ninjas path. It filled me with giddy delight that I could create the fighter that worked for my approach, rather than how the developers wanted me to play it.
Do you want to master stealth and speed or be an expert in handling weapons and projectiles? Whatever route you take is entirely up to you, but you will need to make a rounded warrior if you wish to get the best out of every level. The crafting mechanic complimented the skill tree and ensured that the gameplay and difficulty were balanced throughout. Gaining the relevant materials to fulfil the recipes wasn’t easy, and this prevented you from rushing through stages and steamrollering your opponents.
Such a handsome demon boss.
Objectives and enormous bosses.
Each level you complete has set objectives that must be achieved to be awarded the maximum score. They vary in difficulty and force you to use each of the skills that you have unlocked. You may need to assassinate enemies, annihilate them all, not be seen, use specific weapons, and so on. This was an intelligent move from the developers and added another layer that prevented you from using the same approach repeatedly. If you cannot complete the objectives it matters not, but personal pride is at stake as you see your score being worked out.
As you complete each world, you come face to face with one of the horrendous demon bosses. These hulking atrocities have unique movement patterns and attacks that must be studied. Using different abilities and an array of items will help you overcome each boss. Once you understand their weaknesses you’ll easily defeat them, but finding the chink in their armour can be difficult.
The bosses were another great example of how your skill path and weapon choices impact the difficulty of your playthrough. No matter which ability you picked you can still overcome them, it’s just that certain skills worked better in different scenarios.
Hide in the shadow or this will happen.
Within the Blade uses small but in-depth levels that keep you on your toes.
The pixelated and basic presentation harks back to a simpler era of gaming. The small levels were oddly complex, with many traps, obstacles, and platforms to navigate. The sprites contained enough detail that you can easily identify your foes, and the amount of blood was truly gruesome. Each world has a unique finish that represents the game’s Japanese roots and its dark tones highlighted the demonic bosses you encounter.
The audio also helps to support the theme with a traditional soundtrack that is stereotypical of ninja games. The sound effects were good and made you grimace regularly. The noise of your blade slicing through limbs, or a throwing star hitting its target, was satisfying.
Both the audio and video presentation screamed old-school, but their basic approach was marvellous. I appreciated the nod to games gone by and loved the developer’s style.
Leap in the air and slice them in two.
Fiddly controls but addictive as hell!
Within the Blade has a fantastic tutorial system that explains all the fine points surrounding movement, abilities, and combat. Yet I still struggled to get to grips with the action early on. It took me some time to realise abilities had to be unlocked, and this was confusing and caused frustration during the early levels. Once I realised the errors of my ways, I found it to be easy enough to play but it was still challenging because of the array of opponents you face. You will struggle to master the combo system and many forms of attack, but a little practise and some patience will turn you into a deadly ninja.
As your warrior gets stronger and more equipment becomes available, you’ll slowly become more addicted to the action. With its absurd story and even stranger bosses, you’ll want to keep playing to see if “Steel Claw” is victorious. It’s quite large for an indie title and its expansive achievement list and many levels offer great value for money. Completionists will need to dedicate some time to get the 100% status, and a full playthrough will take you around eight hours.
Within the Blade is a fantastic ninja game with an excellent blend of mechanics.
Other than its fiddly controls, there is very little to dislike about Within the Blade. Its blend of crazy bosses, fantastic mechanics, and wonderful levels make this an interesting and addictive game to play. Dipping its toes into several genres is a risk but one that has paid off handsomely. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend you to buy it here! Can you prevent “Steel Claw” from running amuck and destroying Japan? Fulfil your destiny and become the best ninja the world has ever seen.
Mario Golf has been a well loved franchise since it’s first release on Nintendo 64. Over the years the game has been reimagined for a multitude of consoles, eventually landing on the release for Nintendo Switch. Mario Golf: Super Rush is another successful rendition of the game, developed by Camelot Software Planning. It’s accessible, fun for all the family and features new and exciting elements never before seen in any of the Mario Golf games.
A real hole in one
As a sports game, like Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games or the absolute classic Wii Sports, it doesn’t really feature any storyline. However, the single player campaign is still engaging. You take on the character of your own mii, who is praised as a pro-golfer. This feature is basically a tutorial to the game, as you progress from beginner to pro golfing standard. It’s a fun way to engage with controls and get used to the feel of the game before just jumping in and playing with friends. There are several hours of gameplay within the campaign, so it’s just enough to sink your teeth into.
A truly crazy campaign
The campaign doesn’t just leave you to practise golf though. In a strange turn of events you are plunged into a world being pursued by the snow king. With plans to freeze over the world of Mario Golf, you are tasked as the hero. It becomes your responsibility to save the world from this devious plan, and what better to do it with than a series of golfing challenges. This shift in storyline appears to come out of nowhere, and it certainly goes from 0 to 100 real quick. As a sports game neatly packaged with the Nintendo title, you don’t expect this tense rescue mission. But it is most certainly appreciated when it comes to fruition.
This gives some meat to the game, and it’s a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I went in with the expectation that this would be a perfect party game for entertaining people for a few hours. I didn’t realise it would become a tense, evil defeating quest which not only gives you a deep understanding of how to play the game, but also leaves you feeling accomplished once the Snow King is finally gone. It’s a super engaging way to learn more about Mario Golf and rehearse your moves for friendly matches, and it definitely leaves you not wanting to put it down after a few holes. Completing this campaign unlocks certain buffs and game modes, so you better get putting.
Easy and enjoyable for everyone
As for the gameplay, controls are easy to understand and also easy to apply in game. At first, you feel a little uncertain as to what all the different bars and flags and widgets round the screen mean. But upon beginning the game everything is gently explained until it thinks you’re comfortable. I was very skeptical at first, due to not knowing what was going on and diving directly into single player mode. But after a few rounds I was absolutely raring to go.
Multiple modes to choose from
Super Rush comes equipped with four game modes. At first, this didn’t really seem like enough. But upon further gameplay and more hours spent in it, these modes are thrilling and fun time and time again. First up is Speed Golf, which aside from the core game held the most appeal from fans. It was definitely the most advertised element. It’s basically just golf but with more action after swings. Unlike other multiplayer golf games, where you swing and then it’s the next player’s turn, Speed Golf allows you to run around and chase your hit. The more players, the more chaos is caused. There are speed boosts and ways to sabotage others, and the end goal is essentially pot the ball first. It’s a whirlwind of fun, and doesn’t get old by any stretch of the imagination.
Secondly, Battle Golf is quite the interesting competition. It’s similar to Speed Golf but with less chaotic dashing about. Essentially you once again have to score all your holes first. Compared to the previous havoc caused this is a slight change in pace. It’s more of the relaxing elements of Mario Golf yet still has the competition people crave from a Mario game. I definitely preferred Speed Golf, but Battle was still fun. If you’re looking for something to play without the JoyCon snapping gamer rage of your peers, Battle Golf might be the mode for you.
Back to basics
Then there’s always the old classic mode. An easy, laid back approach to Mario Golf: Super Rush. It’s simple and fun, and with a whole carall of character to choose from you simply cannot go wrong when sitting back and just enjoying the game with your friends. Unlike previous Mario Golf games, there is a wide selection of beloved Mario characters to play. Rather than just having the original cast, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, players can choose from 16 characters (not including your mii). This list surely includes everyone’s favourite member of the team. Boo, King Bob-omb, there’s someone for everyone in Mario Golf: Super Rush.
Super Rush is a very visually pleasing game. Featuring the highly saturated bright colour palettes of the Mario franchise, and all the characters you’ve known to love over the generations, it’s just great. Everything looks the part, the grass is bright and elements are lit up when needed to be. It left me reminiscent of the endless hours I poured into Mario Kart as a child. There is just something so nostalgic about the Mario series, and each game definitely tries to echo the previous.
There are different courses depending on the game mode you select. There’s bright grass, sandy plains or ‘Bowser stages’ which dramatically contrast the comfortable environments we are used to golfing in. It’s a colourful explosion on the Nintendo Switch. The game also takes obstacles into account, so if you’re planning to bypass the majority of the course by slamming your golf ball through a nearby tree, I wouldn’t recommend it. If you’re like me, you’ll end up starting at the beginning of the course after trying to pursue one of these trickshots.
Final thoughts
As a whole Mario Golf: Super Rush was a storm of chaotic excitement, as most Mario games tend to be. It was fun, bright and still took a level of skill to compete in. I definitely plan on having many evenings in the future filled with laughter and a lot of Mario Golf.
Mankind is the most destructive species on the planet. We have a beautiful home to live in with enough resources to sustain us, yet our greed and selfishness demand that we want more. Bigger, more powerful cars, faster aeroplanes, and advanced technology to take us into the stars. However, this way of life comes at a cost and our planet is slowly dying. What would you do if you could start again? You’d get to pick your planet, choose how you wish to run it, and make everyone happy. But there is a catch! Money has to be made because you know that nothing in life comes for free. This is the principle of Imagine Earth, a colony simulation title that allows you to create a beautiful planet and forget about the mess known as Earth.
Developed and published by Serious Bros, this is a resource management simulation title that is out of this world. The allure of creating a paradise world is tough for anyone to turn down, so why not take the job? You control every aspect of your company’s planetary expansion program and you handle the health and wellbeing of every citizen that now calls it home. With an array of mechanics to master and a balanced learning curve, you will be up and running in no time.
He’s helpful, but he looks super creepy!
Imagine Earth is a bittersweet game that delivers some home truths.
Many of the points made in Imagine Earth are poignant and hammer home the mistakes that mankind has made across the years. Pollution, destruction of habitats, and a desire to become wealthy are key components of each stage you play. It’s a bittersweet moment when you get the balance right and your colonists are happy, healthy, and your bank balance grows.
The game is split across three categories, Campaign, Competition, or Endless Mode. The Campaign comprises nine planets for you to colonise, each has its challenges and unique opponents for you to defeat. The game has a fine balance between progress and environmental damage and you must weigh up your choices to ensure that your people prosper. The Competition option has you facing off against your competitors in a winner takes all scenario. The victor is the corporation who takes the most points, befriend your opponents or buy them out. Either way, be shrewd, move fast, and monopolise the planet. The last choice is Endless mode, which offers limitless gameplay with no end objective. Choose your homeland, design each city, and turn a profit.
Science, planning, and expansion.
What makes Imagine Earth so great is the simplicity of its approach, but the complexities of its mechanics. On a base level, the gameplay revolves around placing structures that grow and support each city. The aim is to bring many people to each planet while ticking off objectives as you go. You’ll mine certain resources, sell some rare minerals or provide the corporation with materials for another planet. Each task is intrinsically linked, and your progress on one mission supports the next you take on. This can be seen in the in-depth research tree that enables you to build bigger and greener structures. Whether it’s larger farms, environmentally friendly energy production, or improved housing, science is the key to a better future.
Would you like to live next to a pig farm, or a belching, bellowing coal power plant? I know I wouldn’t, and your new inhabitants don’t appreciate it either. Planning the exact placement for properties is a minefield, as alien structures offer buffs, as do certain terrain tiles. You must plan every move if you are to be successful, and this only gets more complex as the game goes on. Your one ever-expanding city quickly becomes two and then three. Each metropolis is a separate entity that requires energy, food, production, and more. You end up juggling many tasks as you plan to harvest rare materials, turn a profit, and keep the people happy.
Which scientific route will you take?
Imagine Earth is more than just base-building action.
Another great aspect was the constant requirement to sell goods, produce high-end products, and sell and buy shares. This base building game quickly becomes more than just that with its financial elements sneaking their way into the action. Your opponents are aggressive and will stop at nothing to be crowned the number one corporation. Do you allow them this accolade and lose out on your rightful place at the top, or do you manipulate the markets and slowly take over?
With space trading an essential tool to tip the balance of power in your favour, you quickly learn when to sell items and when to buy them. If you have no money, you can’t take over the opposition, so use the surrounding resources to mine for gold and other rare materials and make a killing. Alongside the legal money-making operations, you can use natural events to decimate your foes. Blowing them up isn’t considered best practice, but if it gets you one step ahead, who cares! There is no hard and fast way and whatever you decide you’ll need to remain flexible to get the best result.
A complex but well-designed UI makes an information-heavy game easy to understand.
The level of detail that has been placed into the graphics is impressive and you’ll be instantly struck by the smooth zoom function and in-depth planet design. The mix of colours and the clear habitat imagery make it easy to identify each zone with little effort, making it pleasurable to play. As you progress the amount of building options and menus you must navigate becomes mind-boggling. Luckily the well designed UI pigeon holes each key section making it easy to understand and simple to manage. With many of its peers taking a more complex approach, this was a pleasant change, and I really appreciated the user-friendly style.
Base building sims have an air of hotel lobby about them. The music is always “nice” and “safe” and makes you feel comfortable. Imagine Earth is no different with its calming tunes and understated sound effects. There is a futuristic twang to the audio and most of the time you’ll fail to acknowledge its existence. There are moments when you hear clear changes in dynamics or tone and these usually reflect moments of danger or anguish. I liked how this made you sit up, pay attention and helped to define serious game-changing moments.
Competition time.
Undoubtedly better on PC, but still great on console with a controller.
Base building games will always be better when played on PC. The ease to map buttons and keys to your liking will always be missed when using a console controller. However, Imagine Earth’s console edition is pretty easy to play. The fundamentals are drip-fed to you with its well-designed UI, user-friendly approach, and the opening tutorial planet. This slow but steady approach makes the steep learning curve manageable and at no point did I feel overwhelmed by the volume of information dumped on my lap.
Now, you may think that a nine planet main story is small, and you may be greedy and want more, but trust me, there is plenty to keep you going. Each stage has five stars to collect that are awarded for completing tasks and finishing the level. Alongside this are the challenging achievement list and the other two customisable modes. You’ll want to keep playing and fans will lose their mind and their lives to this once they get stuck into it.
Imagine Earth demands you make the future better while desperately holding onto our old morals.
The fat cats keep on growing, and no matter where they call home, they want their piece of the pie. Imagine Earth sells a picture of a bright future where you control the purse strings and the politics. Sadly, the greed of humanity kicks in and our old morals hold us back. Will you pave the way for a greener and happier society, or will you sell out and line your pockets? It’s a fantastic base builder and I recommend you to buy it here! Leave the past behind and attract new clientele to a fresh start. Overcome obstacles, beat the opposition, and get rich.
Not a lot in life scares me, but the thought of being stuck at the bottom of the ocean surrounded by murky water is terrifying. I’m unsure whether it’s the fear of the unknown, my impending death, or the deadly creatures that scare me more. However, if you chuck in a cataclysmic event and a desire to escape your impending fate, then it’s going to be a pretty uncomfortable situation. Narcosis drags you into this hellish situation as you find yourself stuck on the seabed with no help and a small glimmer of hope.
Developed and published by Honor Code, this is a horror survival adventure game with a surreal twist. It focuses heavily on the adventure you undertake and the many characters that make up this solemn plot. It has a linear story that narrowly drives you from point A to B with little in between. I wouldn’t suggest jumping into this expecting an in-depth survival game like Subnautica as you’ll be left bitterly disappointed.
Narcosis is a story-lite character-rich experience.
I was a little surprised at the concept and mechanics incorporated within Narcosis. I came into it expecting the usual stat management system with some crafting elements and a whole slice of claustrophobic environments. Instead, I was treated to a bizarre character profiling that gives you a thorough insight into the crew you never meet.
The story-lite plot is told wonderfully through heartfelt narration. The highs and lows of your journey reflect the protagonists’ guilt and alleviation that they have survived. As the game focuses heavily on its journey from beginning to end I expected something a little grander. Instead, the game drifts from one moment to the next as you are funnelled between checkpoints and the bodies of your dead crewmates.
Light the way with flares.
A tragic event and a race to the surface.
The idea of being stuck at the bottom of the sea for hours on end blows my mind. The desire to earn the big bucks while risking your life is a big gamble and one that could have you meet your maker. In Narcosis you control an engineer who works as part of a deepwater mining crew. Everything is going well and then disaster strikes. Crewmates die, the base is decimated, and your only chance of survival is hitching a ride to the surface. This is where your dash, or meander, begins.
The game experiments with three core concepts; lumbering around the seabed like a manatee in a diving suit, collecting information about each dead crewmate, and attacking squid and cuttlefish.
Core concepts.
Hunting down your work colleagues tells you key information about who you worked with and helps to identify who the protagonist is. You slowly tick off a roster of crewmates as you find each submerged body, it’s gruesome but somebody needs to do it. As you encounter the corpses, your heart rate increase and you consume more oxygen. This makes your mind play tricks on you and you see horrific sights. These nightmarish images haunt you throughout and offer little more than a corny half scare.
The slow progress from base to rescue vessel follows a set route between rocks and chasms. If you go off course your visor cracks and you die. This is obviously not advised. You tiptoe around and know you are on the correct course as some narration kicks in to progress the story.
The combat is painfully basic, but cannot be ignored. Your fishy foes constantly attack you until you slice them with your trusty blade. It offers little in the way of a challenge and it’s tedious to the point of boredom. You’ll face spider crabs that can’t be hurt and these moments require stealth and patience. Sadly, even these encounters couldn’t improve the combat mechanics.
One of the many crab spiders.
When is a survival game not a survival game?
Playing Narcosis left me with the reoccurring feeling that it was too easy for a survival game. So I asked myself, when is a survival game not a survival game? The answer? When you do not need to worry about surviving! Yes, the sea life can kill you, or you die by falling into a pit or running out of O2, but it’s unlikely to happen.
Conveniently the seafloor is littered with oxygen tanks, so one is never far out of reach (absurd, but very fortunate). You’ll never worry that you’ll suffocate or drown and this makes the gameplay hollow. If you fall into a chasm, you simply load it up and start again. You lose a small amount of progress, but it matters not. The combat is guilty of this as well, meaning you just don’t care. Death isn’t a concern and in survival games, it should be your priority.
Narcosis is horrifically claustrophobic.
Where Narcosis excels is its environmental presentation. The world you explore is dark, creepy, and fills you with fear. Though the story is linear, the paths to make progress aren’t always obvious. This leads you down dead ends and into deadly ravines. The reduced viewpoint from the dive suit restricts your peripheral vision, and this enhances the claustrophobic nature of this title. What wasn’t great, however, were the close-up details. It is dated, poorly designed, and set up for cheap scares. It ruins the visual aspect and needed more polish.
The audio, however, needs no polish! Produced to a high standard, you’ll be transported to the horrendous underwater world from the off. With realistic sound effects, the constant fear of consuming too much oxygen, and the wonderful narration, the scene is well and truly set.
Can you stay sane?
Slow gameplay, but easy to control.
Every portion of the game is as slow as molasses, except for the jet booster. This occasional burst of speed breaks up the glacial pace that envelops the action. Once you get used to the meandering speed, you realise that the game is easy to play. The basic tutorial teaches you the fundamentals, and every mechanic lacks complexity making it easy to master.
I don’t normally push people to go for the collectables, but you really should. Finding out every back story is fascinating and adds depth to the lacklustre story. The short adventure is over in around four hours and other than the collectables, it offers minimal replay value.
Narcosis is confused, lacks focus, and is a bit of a damp squib.
Narcosis appears to have a split personality. Each segment wants to be the top dog, but this undermines the end product. As a narrated adventure it’s fantastic, its environmental presentation is wonderful, and its audio is top-notch. Sadly, however, everything else lets it down and it’s a bit of a damp squib. I was disappointed and I don’t recommend it, though you can buy a copy here! Working underwater is dangerous, but this is something else. Find your crewmates dead or alive and get to the surface if you can.
