Well was not expecting this when the trailer for ‘Ancient Gods Part 2’ was teased earlier this week but it is officialy, the finally part to the DOOM Eternal journey ends on March 18th!
The Ancient Gods – Part Two is the second campaign expansion to the critically acclaimed DOOM Eternal. You denied the gods and awoke an ancient evil. Now rally the scattered Sentinel armies, lay siege to the last bastion of Hell, break through the fortress walls, and face the Dark Lord himself. The soul of the universe hangs in the balance.
Your war against Hell ends here.
For more information on DOOM Eternal, follow these channels:
In high-pressure industries, the word safety is deemed an ugly phrase. Not by the PR people, or those on the front line. No, the shareholders and the people in charge of productivity only care about one thing, and that’s money. Cash and greed are the underlying tones of the beautifully worked story in Sumatra: Fate of Yandi. An old-school pixelated title that proves that gaming has moved on from its high-end graphical obsession.
Developed by Cloak and Dagger Games and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a point and click adventure title with a puzzle twist. Set in the heart of the Sumatran jungle, you are Yandi a young and dedicated man who loves his wife Adiratna and his job for a logging company. Young love isn’t always plain sailing, and this couple have their fair share of fights. But on the day of the accident, these words will continue to haunt him.
Sumatra: Fate of Yandi is surprisingly deep.
What starts as a simple tale of survival soon turns into a deep story. It takes many twists and turns, and you meet some interesting characters on your journey. A classic take on the point and click genre, Sumatra: Fate of Yandi screams of Monkey Island influence. You must explore each scene you wander into, observing objects and interacting with items. Your inventory must be combined and used at specific times so you can proceed. Characters that you interact with will give you cryptic clues to what must be done next, but this doesn’t make the gameplay any easier. It’s a fantastic experience that explores; the sadness and loneliness of survival, the joy of helping others, and the beauty of the world that is all around us.
What’s this shack doing in the middle of nowhere?
Your adventure starts on a mountainside, your boss cares not for safety, he only wishes for trees to be felled no matter the cost. As you and your best friend get to work, a tremendous landslide occurs sucking you into its path. You are swept miles downriver, where you awaken on a riverbank. Was this just an accident, or could it have been avoided? These are questions that will need to be answered if you survive, but more pressing concerns lie before you! Where are you? What will become of Adiratna? How will you survive? This is the beginning of Yandi’s story, and how it is written is down to you.
A small world, but it feels big and immersive.
The gameplay explores but a small section of the Sumatran jungle. Where different elements can be investigated to gather items and overcome the many challenges you face. You will discover; caves, a village, waterfalls, stomach-churning flowers and more. You will also encounter many animals; monkeys, elephants, tapir, bears and tigers. Each of these forms a key part of the plot and doesn’t simply act as a window dressing.
Every section flows into another with an area of “dead” space between. This empty zone, gives the environment a feeling of vastness and helps to increase the immersive nature of this title. It also ensures that you can get lost easily on each of your explorations, which adds a sense of realism to the plot. I enjoyed the movement between locations and each part loaded quickly, flowing smoothly from one to the other. The only downside was Yandi was incapable of mapping his route, which seemed odd. I had to draw out my adventures on pen and paper, which emphasised the old-school approach and brought back memories of my Amiga gaming days.
Bears are scary enough, but these look horrific.
Sumatra: Fate of Yandi is old-school personified.
Everything about this game is as retro as it comes. The control system, audio, text font, pixelation and animation. It’s brilliant, but it takes some time to adjust. Once you familiarise yourself with the brash colours, harsh lines and limited tones, you’ll lose yourself in the glorious world. It will not win a beauty award, but it oozes charm. The few cutscenes you experience are hilariously bad, but they are excellent because of it. My favourite had to be the cave bears (see the above image). It made me chuckle a lot more than it should of. The comedy soon dissipates when memories of the life he left behind come to the fore. This is shown by a change of light and colour between the present day and the past. These flashbacks were an excellent concept and helped to convey the emotional impact the journey had on Yandi.
The audio was equally touching. 30 mellow and melancholy songs emphasise the plight that our hero faces. The minor tone adds sadness and fear to each scene. Yet, this is beautifully halted with uplifting melodies when a fleeting moment of success is enjoyed. The music is accompanied by realistic sound effects from the jungle; tweeting birds, the whoops of monkeys, or the growl of predatory cats all adds realism and transports you to this beautiful yet dangerous setting.
Obviously a PC port.
Sumatra: Fate of Yandi was first released on PC, and this is obvious because of its challenging control system. This would work perfectly with mouse and keyboard, but the controller is slow and cumbersome. The inventory requires the cursor to hover at the top of the screen. This wouldn’t be bad apart from when you try to exit to the North. You interact with your inventory every time in error, and it soon becomes tiresome. If you then add in the need to jump in and out of your inventory repeatedly, it soon becomes an arduous task. Not that it’s broken, as it’s not. It simply isn’t as clean and user friendly as it should be.
Finding Kevin was a bit of good luck.
This is a game that won’t take up a lot of your time. If you have a logical mind and remember the map layout, you’ll complete this in 5 hours. Once you’ve run through it, there will be little desire to want to return, other than to grab the achievements that you missed. It certainly lacks replay value, but makes up for this with a fabulous storyline and an excellent cast. At £5.99 it proves a good investment and great value for money even with the lack of desire to return.
Is Sumatra: Fate of Yandi worth it?
If you are all about high-end graphics, then this won’t be for you. If, like me, you love a great storyline filled with emotional subplots, then you’ll love it. It’s a well-delivered tale of; loss, sorrow, survival, friendship and love. Cloak and Dagger Games have created an amazing world to explore, and I suggest you buy your copy here! Will Yandi find out the truth? Can he escape the jungle and find his love? Begin your adventure and find the answer to these questions.
Here is our review of the Ekster MagSafe Card Holder.
A MagSafe compatible cardholder that turns your iPhone 12 into a slim wallet with room for 3+ cards or some cash. Strong magnets keep your add-ons securely in place, and a thumb slot on the back ensures easy access.
The MagSafe Card Holder is small and lightweight and looks very professional. Fitting it to the back of my iPhone was simple – it just snaps on. One thing to remember is that it won’t work if your iPhone is in a case – I had to remove mine which obviously reduces the protection to my iPhone, but depending on the situation it might be acceptable.
Putting the cards into the wallet and removing them was simple – the cards all felt very safe and secure in the wallet.
Removing the wallet was simple too – just pull and it comes off. You can then use it as a normal card holder until you want to reattach it to your iPhone.
Overall this is a useful thing to have, its easy to use and it will keep your cards safe and with you, and it looks good too – what more would you want?
The Ekster MagSafe Card Holder is available now priced around $33.
It’s time to sit back, relax and recapture the thrill of a magical movie night, with UNFORGETTABLE ENTERTAINMENT, a week-long celebration of unmissable content and incredible deals across the UK’s digital stores.
Pop the corn, settle down and make the sofa special again, with the very best entertainment available to buy or rent in an instant. During the UNFORGETTABLE ENTERTAINMENT week,nine film and TV distributors have united to offer an unrivalled choice of films and boxsets available at unbeatable prices. Running for seven days only, and with offers across all digital retailers, including Amazon Prime Video, the Apple TV app, BT TV Store, CHILI, Google Play, Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store, Rakuten TV, Sky Store and Virgin Media, UNFORGETTABLE ENTERTAINMENT provides a huge range of quality content to excite everyone in the family, whether they want to settle in for a blockbuster movie night, recreate the magic of family movie time or revisit a much-loved classic.
Escape to another world and delve into a collection of classic movies, the biggest releases and iconic boxsets, available in an instant. The UNFORGETTABLE ENTERTAINMENT collection brings you an unbelievable selection of films and shows to own and watch again and again, across all your devices.
From family favourites like Trolls World Tour, to epic classics like Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, pick-me-up musicals and comedies, including Bill & Ted Face The Music!,or amazing TV like His Dark Materials, the range offers something for everyone.
2021 just got better with a huge selection of unmissable movies and TV shows to own at amazing one-off prices. Head to www.unforgettableentertainment.co.uk to find out more about the seven day digital event, or visit your favourite digital store now.
The UNFORGETTABLE ENTERTAINMENT celebration runs exclusively from Monday 15st to Sunday 21st March with all digital stores. Offers and titles may vary.
There is something mysterious and captivating about ninjas. Their secretive ways, high levels of discipline and deadly skills make them a worthy adversary for the most battle-hardened individuals. Years of training are necessary to perfect each technique required to become a master. This is before you consider the demands placed upon their mental state. Every fighter must be coached and guided by a Sensei. They are a someone that is; respected, quietly feared, and demands your all. Can you imagine the disappointment they must feel when their pupils let them down? Years of training wasted on a person who cannot make the grade! They may have the fighting prowess, but lack the mental discipline. This is the story behind Katana Kata, an indie fighting game that demands perfect timing, patience and understanding.
Developed by Stas Shostak and published by Samustai Limited, Katana Kata is a 3D fighting game that will test your ability to balance when to fight, and when to dodge. Not all battles can be won with one slice of a blade, so planning and observing your foes is a must.
Probably not the best time to take a still shot.
A tired story, and a simple concept.
There is unfortunately very little originality in the plot. You are the last apprentice that the Sensei has at his dojo. You are haunted by a shadow warrior that fights you every night. Your master puts this vision down to an internal struggle and sees this as a positive as you do not stop questioning your abilities. His previous pupils mastered the skills, but they all failed to push themselves mentally. Each of them left the safety of the dojo, and now they wish to cause problems for you and the people of this quiet community. You must venture into the wilderness, attacking every; Sumo, warrior, karate expert and master that you find.
The game takes place over 5 stages; Bath House, Garden, Lake, Waterfall and Castle. As you progress through each one, you note enemies get progressively tougher, and weapons improve to ensure that the difficulty stays on track. Each of the levels is small, but offers a fair amount of challenge. This is assisted by the use of a single life, and rogue-like features. If you die (and you will), you will face your shadow nemesis in a 1V1 duel. Defeat this fighting expert and you continue where you left off. But fail, and all your XP, your active perks and your weapons are stripped away from you. You are also expected to start your run through from the beginning level, though you can cheat if you so wish.
It’s a brutal approach.
This tough mechanic will break some players. A lack of healing potions causes you to enter a battle already battered and bruised. The dodge mechanic uses a high amount of your stamina (breath), and enemies can swarm you quickly. If you then realise that your weapon can break unless you use a whetstone, you know you are in for a chastising experience. Like the potions, the whetstones are limited, so your equipment will break. Luckily, swords can be found in the grips of your fallen foes. So replacing damaged tools, or finding new weapons can be done regularly.
Someone has Jedi Powers.
Your ninja is well trained, but he is still a rookie. As he slashes his way through the sea of people he faces, he gains XP. This can then level up 4 attributes; Strength, Health, Dexterity and Breath. Each is denoted by its own colour, and each multiplies the base skill of the hero. Alongside these improvements, you can gain temporary perks from certain warriors. They are easily spotted as they carry a coloured flag on their back. Once you slay them, you can collect your reward and equip it at a Buddha statue. Yes, a Buddha statue helps to make you; faster, stronger, healthier and battle longer. It adds a nice touch that matches the theme, but wow, was it clichéd.
Gore and low detail.
Katana Kata uses a cool wash of colours across every stage. This weird stylistic choice gives the game a computerised feel, similar to a Holodeck, or something out of The Matrix. It was all very bizarre, but worked really well because of the size of the levels. Each character is drawn with a small amount of detail, and each individual class was usually identified by the weapon they wielded, or the armour they wore. Every stage has a unique look, and you could instantly tell the difference between them, but it still wasn’t enough to wow me. What I was impressed with, however, was the decapitation of limbs, and the bodies left strewn around the map. This gory touch was glorious, disgusting, and just what the doctor ordered. Overall, it works well as an indie presentation, and I enjoyed the direction that Stas Shotak had taken.
And now we are back to the clichés. The audio screams 80s martial arts film, where an oriental soundtrack chimes away in the background, unnecessarily creating the impression that you are fighting in a Tibetan monastery. The swishing of swords, thuds of hands and feet, and the screams of battles were all great, if not a bit OTT. For all its ridiculous ways, I actually loved the audio! It was cheesy, unnecessary, made me smile, and it works well with the theme and style.
That blood will never come out of the rugs.
Limited controls that are tough to master.
A simple button layout, and a good tutorial are normally enough to set me on my way. Unfortunately, in Katana Kata not all elements are clearly explained. It takes a considerable amount of trial and error to learn the finer points. Mastering the controls is not an easy matter, as this isn’t helped by some aiming issues and button lag. When you attempt a power hit, you no longer can aim, so enemies move and you swing into fresh air. This happens a lot, and almost renders this powerhouse attack useless. In order to get the most out of this, you must practice and fail an awful lot to master a not so perfect control system.
With only 5 small levels, it would be fair to consider this a tiny game. Content wise, that is a fair statement, but that can’t be said for the gameplay. With such a high difficulty, many perks to collect, and an array of warriors to face, you will return to each stage to slice off some limbs. Sadly though, each playthrough is exactly the same as enemies are in the same position each time. This rinse and repeat approach was lazy, and should be looked at ASAP. If the developers want its player base to keep playing, this should be made a priority.
Katana Kata is a tough but fun game in short bursts.
This is one of those titles that you will need to play casually. It’s great fun when approached in manageable chunks, but it becomes tiresome quickly because of the aforementioned issues. If the developer added in additional challenges, an NG+ mode, or more levels, then it would improve this no end. I recommend Katana Kata it in its current build as its; tough, gory, will test your patience, and you can buy a copy here! Can you make your Sensei proud? Will you be able to take down his previous pupils and bring peace to the realm? Grab your sword and slice your way to victory.
Green Hell is the first title by Creepy Jar, a Polish studio comprised of industry veterans, and, after spending a good number of hours playing the game, I can definitely say that this game serves as a testament to their experience. Green Hell is a survival game set in the Amazon rainforest, which sounds like a great place to visit, but as you can expect, the Amazon isn’t really a welcoming place. I must say that before playing Green Hell, it had been quite a while since the last time that I played a survival game, but honestly, this was probably one of the best picks that I could’ve made to dive back into the genre
Green Hell not only offers a fully voice-acted main story mode, which follows the story of Jake Higgings, an anthropologist that has been studying a local tribe, but it also features an endless survival mode, as well as 7 different time-based challenges that focus on completing specific objectives. Besides that, more recently, the game has received the first of a three-part expansion that will serve as a prequel to the main story. Green Hell also supports co-op play with up to 4 players, both in Survival and Story mode. Despite leaving Steam’s Early Access back in September of 2019, the game’s continuous free updates not only speak of the game’s success, but also of the studio’s commitment to supporting their game post-launch.
As a survival game, Green Hell has all it, from crafting, combat, building, farming, hunger and thirst, sanity, resource harvesting, exploration, a superb atmosphere, it has the whole package. With that said, Green Hell isn’t a fast-paced survival game, it’s very much slower than many of its peers. Green Hell is a far cry from games where you can simply fill up your hotbar with the required items for your survival, and then all you need to do is just spam food or medicine whenever you get into trouble. Green Hell is a lot more methodical than that, and I find that to be one of the biggest reasons as to why I like it so much. In a genre that’s been oversaturated for many years now, playing Green Hell felt like a breath of fresh air. However, truth be told, I can certainly see how some people might not enjoy this slower gameplay style, and that’s absolutely fine.
Just so that you get an idea of what I mean when I say that it’s slower than its peers, let’s assume that you get a bruise on one of your arms or legs. To treat such a wound, you’d first have to inspect yourself to locate it, and then you’d have to open your backpack and drag whatever medicinal item you have over your wound. This is just a simple example that you’ll experience pretty early on. Things such as resource gathering can also be a slow and steady process, as often times you’ll have to keep going back and forth carrying resources with both of your hands in order to build something. On the other hand, something such as the process of using the coordinates of your smartwatch’s GPS and landmarks around you to figure out where you are on the map just adds an extra level of immersion to the game.
Still, one of the great things about Green Hell is that it doesn’t really have its own pacing, at least as far as the story mode is concerned, which is where I spent pretty much most of my time with the game. Instead, the game allows players to approach it however they see fit. Part of this is achieved thanks to the fact that the game isn’t an open world, it’s more of a few interconnected areas that you can go traverse at your own pace, as you gather the necessary equipment and tools to move forward. If you want, you can simply rush it, or you can take things at your own pace and delight yourself in the game’s hand-crafted world.
The game doesn’t force you to settle down anywhere, you can just keep on moving forward and exploring, but there are obviously benefits to settling down and establishing a base of operations. There are numerous structures that you can build, each with its own unique function, from farming plots to water collectors and filters, traps, storage containers, furnaces and forges, and even shelters made out of mud thanks to the game’s modular building. It’s entirely up to you to decide how you want your stay in this hellish jungle to play out.
The developers have done a great job in creating a believable and immersive environment. Both in terms of visuals and audio, Green Hell is a wondrous achievement. From the sound of the leaves and the wind to the chirping of the birds, everything in Green Hell plays a role in setting up its ambience. Likewise, the story does a great job in keeping you hooked and craving for more. It is mysterious and intriguing, and there’s no telling what secrets and dangers lie waiting for you in the jungle. What could possibly convince you that a long term stay in the Amazon rainforest was a good idea? Well, I certainly I’m not going to spoil it for you, as the game’s surprises just keep on giving and are thus best experienced first-hand.
Despite everything, Green Hell definitely has its shortcomings. My biggest complaint about it is the fact that saving is directly tied to having access to a shelter. This is quite inconvenient, as you might find yourself having to unexpectedly leave while you’re playing the game and you’re far from your nearest shelter. There’s not even an auto-save feature, which means that if you die, you’ll go back to the last time you manually saved. Trust me, this can really mess you up, and I learned this the hard way. There I was, calmly building my first shelter, when suddenly a jaguar decides to pay me a visit. Needless to say, that jaguar had a fine meal that day, while I ended up losing more than an hour of progress. Not fun. In any case, this is something that you’ll have to get used to, but it unfortunately makes Green Hell a tough game to play in short bursts.
Although the above is my biggest issue with the game, there are certainly other things that could have certainly been better implemented. For instance, the game only highlights things on the ground if your cursor goes over them, which can make it hard to find things such as sticks or leaves that are under the low foliage of the jungle. Meanwhile, although the combat is something that just simply works, I’m still not particularly fond of it. The fact that you can pretty much kill everything by just throwing a spear at the head just makes the game feel a lot trivial than it probably should be.
Nonetheless, as far as bugs go, I only encountered one which was kind of game-breaking. Basically, I wasn’t able to move according to the terrain, I was walking way above the ground, as if floating in the air, and I couldn’t go back to where I came from. This ultimately led to my demise, as I was unable to retrace my steps. Other than that, every now and then I did also find animals stuck on terrain.
Now, in terms of accessibility, Green Hell does a great job by not only presenting multiple difficulty options, but also by allowing players to create one of their own. Green Hell caters both to hardcore survival fans, by including things such as perma-death, as well as casual players. The different options allow you to disable things such as predators, hostile tribes, and even health loss. The developers have undoubtedly done a bang-up job in making sure that their game is as approachable as it can be, no matter what kind of player you are.
It took me about 14 hours to complete the Story mode, but I did rush things a bit towards the end. Nevertheless, Green Hell is one of those games where you can easily spend more than a hundred hours, if you’d like to. Sure, you can absolutely just stick to the objectives while playing the story mode, but if you’re like me, if you love to explore the world around you at your own pace, then I’m sure that Green Hell will surprise you in numerous ways. This is mostly thanks to the fact that Green Hell takes place in a careful hand-crafted world.
If you’re a fan of survival games, no matter if hardcore or casual, then Green Hell will surely provide you with a gaming experience like no other. Despite a few minor complaints, Green Hell is tense, gorgeous, immersive, and even terrifying at times. This game ticks all the right boxes for me, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of survival games. I absolutely loved playing through the story mode and unravelling its mystery, and I can’t wait for the Spirits of Amazonia expansion to be fully released, so that I can dive into that.
After another cryptic tweet from the official Xbox Game Pass Twitter account this past weekend, today it has been confirmed that the new looter shooter from Square Enix, Outriders will launch in Xbox Game Pass on release day!
Announced via the official Xbox news site Xbox Wire, you are an Outrider, re-awoken from cryostasis 30 years after the first landing on Enoch – emerging as an Altered – a being with access to powerful skills and healing abilities. And now you get to flex those skills on the ever-raging battlefield! Create and customize your own Outrider, then use their devastating array of abilities to annihilate your enemy as you embark on the journey to discover the source of a mysterious signal on a dangerous and untamed world.
You can play single-player or co-op with up to two friends as you combine skill and speed in a frenetic attempt to survive a savage future in this aggressive third-person perspective RPG-Shooter. Outriders is also fully cross-play so players explore Enoch with any of your friends on any other platform (Xbox and PlayStation for example).
Outriders will release April 1, 2021 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC (Steam & Epic) and Stadia.
For more information on Outriders see the below channels:
SQUARE ENIX has announced the debut of a new video program called SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS, a series of shows in which the company will reveal new games, updates and news directly to the global gaming community throughout the year. The first show, debuting on March 18th at 5pm GMT, 10:00 a.m. PDT / 1:00 p.m. EDT on Square Enix’s official Twitch and YouTube channels, will run approximately 40-minutes and include the world premiere of the next game in the critically acclaimed and award-winning Life is Strange series, featuring an all-new protagonist wielding an exciting new power.
The show will also feature trailers, gameplay videos and announcements for the following:
Outriders, the high-intensity RPG-shooter set in an original dark and desperate sci-fi universe, coming out on April 1
Balan Wonderworld, which arrives on March 26
The ongoing celebration for the 25th anniversary of TOMB RAIDER
Marvel’s Avengers, the story-driven, third-person action-adventure game from Crystal Dynamics
Upcoming action shooter Just Cause® Mobile
New mobile game announcements from the award-winning Square Enix Montréal studio
A look at a few of the whimsical games from Square Enix sister company TAITO
To receive event updates and other Square Enix news, sign up to become a Square Enix Member; and be sure to subscribe to Square Enix’s official Twitch and YouTube channels ahead of the showcase on March 18th 2021
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout will teleport 2021’s most memeable jelly beans to a neon-drenched Blunderdome of the future, when Season 4 warps into view on March 22nd for PS4 and PC!
Astronauts, alien invaders and even mysterious Beans In Black will try to outrun their rivals in a maxed-out season that’s loaded with 7 radiant new Rounds, fluorescent fashion, emotes and loads more as they party like it’s 4041!
There’s definitely something a bit ‘suspicious’ about that new trailer…
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is out now on PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam. Stumble over to fallguys.com, join Discord and follow @FallGuysGame for regular updates and continue your inevitable failure in front of the whole world!
Fall Guys is also coming to Nintendo Switch and Xbox Summer 2021!
The epic conclusion to the DOOM Slayer’s saga is coming soon but you can watch the full trailer reveal on March 17th, 2021.
Your war against Hell ends here. From the moment you were activated by Samuel Hayden at the UAC facility on Mars to the destruction of the Icon of Sin, all your battles have led to this. Prepare to siege Immora, the last bastion of the dark realm, challenge the Dark Lord in combat, and seal the demons within Hell for good!
DOOM Eternal is available for PlayStation and Xbox Consoles as well as PC
Visit SlayersClub.com for full details and more demon-crushing content.
For more information on DOOM Eternal, follow these channels:
It’s time to pack your notepad and detective shades. Robot Pumpkin Games channels their inner H.P. Lovecraft and brings a visual novel experience where your choices matter. Visit Innsmouth in attempt to investigate a missing child and return unscathed. An eerily suspicious small town vibe plagues the atmosphere and it’s only a matter of time before things get real, for lack of a better phrase. If you’re new to the genre, The Innsmouth Case welcomes you with open arms. The text isn’t too dragged out and there are a plethora of endings which yield replay value.
There Goes The Weekend
You play as a rather unkempt, self-employed detective whom gets a last minute case before the weekend comes. You grudgingly accept and leave your home of Boston to investigate the disappearance of a rather strange looking child in the fictional town of Innsmouth. Though you planned to drink and wallow in squalor all weekend, money talks, so off you go.
the characters all look so creepy
Once you arrive, you’ll familiarize yourself with a rather typical “strange people in a small town” atmosphere. Things feel off right from the get go, which makes you feel unwelcomed, yet motivated. There are many places and people to interact with. Shall you check in to your hotel and get that over with? Or maybe head straight to the police station and get to work? Or even meander around town and see what you’ll get yourself into? The choice is yours and one thing will lead to another.
Choose Wisely…
Where The Innsmouth Case really shines is it’s library of locations, responses, and actions in this relatively short story. The town of Innsmouth and its inhabitants feel realized and fleshed out enough. After you step off the bus and into the city limits, the story appears to open vertically at a pretty high level, and a lot becomes available at once. It’s not necessarily drinking through a firehose, but figuring out what to do next seemed to take some consideration. While I praise the verticality of this title, I also feel like it steals a little too much spotlight.
what’ll it be?
It takes a little under two hours to experience the main story. This means that the majority of the gameplay is spent flipping back and forth through previous segments and choosing different options to unlock new endings. This resulted in skipping past a lot of reread text and spacing out a little. It can then become easy to lose interest trying to find all 27 endings. While I don’t disagree with the developers main goal to put so many endings in a short game, I feel like the actual horizontal storytelling may have suffered a bit as a result.
Presentation
The Innsmouth Case feels like reading an actual book, for the most part. The majority of the screen is taken up by the hardback itself with images and text on the right page. The pages turn as the story unfolds. It looks nice, even though roughly half of the screen is actually being used here. While the left side serves a good enough purpose in showing your location, the right side feels a bit empty. What appears to be an Innsmouth postcard is on the table. The developers could have zoomed in a little to expand the pictures and words. The animations and drawings are really well done and I wanted to see them a little bigger to better encapsulate the adventure. Playing this game on a mobile device may not be the best experience.
this can’t be good
The music is, well, music. It serves its place in the background and isn’t intrusive at all. There are crescendos, accents, key changes, etc. to illustrate the mood and align with the ongoing events which is nice, albeit expected. You can turn the volume up, or mute it completely and listen to something else while you play and it won’t make a big difference. The choice is yours (see what I did there?).
Bottom Line
I enjoyed my time with The Innsmouth Case. The pacing is great and the atmosphere is captivating. While I do find that unlocking all endings may cause players to lose interest after some time, it doesn’t take away from my experience with the first couple of playthroughs. The endings I got were quite bizarre and unexpected and for that, I applaud. Spice it up after you finish, and read this story to someone else and let them make the choices.
Monster trucks, what a wonderful example of human engineering. These massive contraptions will; smash, crush and destroy anything in their path. They are cars on steroids, and they are a lot of machine to handle. It takes a certain mindset to get in one and decide to go as fast as possible, yet this is what the insane drivers of the monster truck racing world do, day in, day out! Monster Truck Championship allows you to take on this role, to live out the fantasy of controlling one of these gargantuan beasts while competing to become the number one driver in the world.
Developed by Teyon and published by Nacon, this racing simulation game asks you to take on the career of a rookie driver. You must start at the bottom and work your way through the ranks. Your powerful yet basic machine will need to be improved vastly before you can challenge for the title. Complete races, earn cash and become sponsored, it’s all in a day’s work for these adrenaline seeking racers.
I’m not obsessed with Monster Trucks, honestly I’m not!
Recently I wrote an article on Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 (MJST2), where I state that I’m not a massive fan of the scene (the review can be read here for comparison). Yet, here I am writing about another truck racing game in little over a week. I’m definitely not becoming obsessed, but I can see what all the fuss is about. Both games play out in a similar fashion, they have; racing, tricks, vehicle damage and progression at the heart of the gameplay. But MJST2 is an open-world experience, like Forza Horizon, whereas Monster Truck Championship follows a more traditional approach. Races are selected from a menu, and there is zero freedom to explore a vast world.
Why is the world upside down?
The decision to focus predominately on the racing was a fine choice. The gameplay benefits from the lack of a watered down concept, and the action plays out much quicker because of it. You don’t lose yourself in hours of aimless driving, just to realise that you haven’t progressed in the game at all. Some gamers may find this approach restrictive, but I believe you’ll experience a more in-depth game because of this structured style.
Lots of meat on the bone!
With 3 different leagues to compete in, each with its own level of difficulty. 4 styles of races to try, 4 game modes and plenty of custom options and parts to improve your vehicle, you’ll find that there is plenty of meat on the bone. Let us start with the game modes: Events, Training, Quick play and Online. These are self explanatory, but I’ll expand on them, anyway.
Online.
This allows you to compete against friends and global players in any of the 4 standard races. This is all about bragging rights and proving that you are the best around. Lobbies are easy to find and join, and private rooms can be setup if you want to race under certain conditions.
Quick play.
You only have a limited amount of time, but still want your racing fix? This allows you to jump into races quickly with little thought needed to get going. The most shallow element of the game, but it serves its purpose well.
Training.
This is where it all begins, learn the fundamentals, understand how to complete tricks, and prepare yourself for anything that these heavy machines can throw at you.
I feel the need, the need for speed!
Events.
This is the heart and soul of the game, the career mode where you’ll spend most of your time. Here you will compete in different competitions that’ll earn you ranking points. You’ll move through each of the 3 leagues to become the number one global racer. This mode is more than just racing, it’s also about the customisation of your truck, your team and financial backers.
Management.
Here you control your staff and sponsors. This element seems irrelevant, yet it plays a pivotal role. Your team will give you performance boosts, increase or decrease cash flow, and improve your chances to win. The sponsors set you challenges that’ll earn you cash and more importantly parts. They add an interesting layer to the gameplay and give you something to focus on rather than racing.
The Garage.
Racing games and custom options, go hand in hand. Monster Truck Championship impresses with a wide range of cosmetics and paint jobs. Many of the options cost you your hard earned prize money, but the investment is worth it when you roll out in a slick machine. The aforementioned parts are also equipped and purchased from this screen. These improve; the handling, speed, braking and durability of your vehicle. Once you enter the toughest leagues, these improvements are a must.
Finally, the Races.
Freestyle, destruction, drag and race. The first 2 are arena based competitions which follow a similar approach. The difference is the latter awards you points for smashing up specific objects. They’re time based events where the largest score determines the victor. Drag is a 1V1 knockout tournament. Launch yourself from the starting line and beat your opponent to the chequered flag. Race is the classic option where a set amount of laps must be completed and the winner takes all.
There’s plenty to do, but how does it perform?
Racing games aren’t just about the content, they must look great and perform brilliantly. So how does it stand up? Let’s see how it looks next to MJST2.
Similar looks and approach make it hard to choose between the two.
Not bad at all; bright colours, good details, a wide choice of camera angles and the machines look amazing. They both run on par with one another, so you are getting a modern experience, whichever you choose.
Sadly, the audio is the weakest part of Monster Truck Championship and fails to hit the heights of MJST2. You get your standard fare, high-tempo audio that is very much a given these days. You are also treated to an assistant who talks you through the finer points of the game. Her crisp and robotic tones make it very easy to understand how to navigate the menus and what to do. Where this falls down are its inconsistencies with the commentary, and its flat baseless sound effects. The first issue I can live with, but the latter is unforgivable. The gameplay is made to feel lifeless and hollow, and this oversight is truly disappointing.
A pirate pizza truck, who’d have thought it.
So much vibration that I may get white finger.
I’m not sure if Teyon were attempting to compensate for their poor audio when they implemented the rumble function, but my hands are still numb (a slight exaggeration). Where the engines should roar and screech, you instead get a wrist shattering rumble. It’s uncomfortable, unnecessary, and distracting. If you put this to one side, the controls are really well thought out and handle much better than MJST2. The twin-stick controls for both axles are responsive and challenging to master. Tricks are tough, but the method to perform them is well explained and can be completed with some practice. If the rumble function was reduced, it would improve the enjoyment factor no end.
Though it’s linear in its approach, you still have the freedom to select whatever unlocked events that take your fancy. With many sponsor challenges, different parts to collect and online play, this has lots to make you want to return. A challenging achievement list adds replay value and at the time of the review, no-one had completed it, so completionists beware, the 100% status is going to be hard to achieve.
A tough choice to make.
I’m never going to consider myself a monster truck fan, yet I really enjoyed my time with this. I can see why gamers love the genre, and how they easily get addicted to each game. Other than its lame audio and OTT rumbling, I believe Monster Truck Championship offers a better and more rounded experience than Monster Jam Steel Titans 2, and I recommend buying it here! Start your career, choose your team members and race, smash and destroy everything in your path.
Here is our review of the Lexar NQ100 2.5” SATA III (6Gb/s) SSD.
Improve your system’s performance with the Lexar NQ100 2.5” SATA III (6Gb/s) SSD. This easy upgrade gives you faster boot-ups, application load times, and data transfers, with read speeds of up to 550MB/s. It is also cooler, quieter, and more energy efficient than a traditional hard disk drive.
Features
Boost your computer’s performance for faster startups, data transfers, and application loads
Fast performance, easy upgrade
Shock and vibration resistant with no moving parts
Three-year limited warranty
Specifications
Color : Gray
Capacity : 240GB, 480GB, 960GB
Interface : 2.5” SATA III (6Gb/s)
Speed :
240GB —sequential read up to 550MB/s 480GB —sequential read up to 550MB/s 960GB —sequential read up to 550MB/s
Operating Temperature :0°C to 70°C (32°F to 158°F)
Storage Temperature : -40°C to 85°C (-40°F to 185°F)
Shock Resistant : 1500G, duration 0.5ms, Half Sine Wave
Dimension (L x W x H) : 69.85mm x 100.2mm x 7mm / 2.75” x 3.94” x 0.28”
Weight : 34g
What’s in the box?
The box contains the NQ100 drive.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The Lexar NQ100 SSD is small and lightweight and is very easy to fit into a PC or laptop, or use it as an external drive if you so wish.
It’s quiet (there are no moving parts which makes it quiet) and its very fast too with read speeds up to 550 MB/s.
My only criticism (and that’s a strong word) is that the size of this NQ100 SSD we got in for review is 240GB which is very small, so it’s not going to be big enough to be your main drive on a laptop or computer, however at the price it’s really great for an additional drive. If you want to replace your main drive then go for the largest capacity – you won’t be disappointed.
The Lexar NQ100 2.5” SATA III (6Gb/s) SSD is available now priced at around £32 for the 240GB version which is incredibly good value.
During the recent PlayStation VR Spotlight, Sony presented a number of PSVR compatible games, which are scheduled for release in 2021. Just like many other VR games, the list consists of titles that will turn the players into the game’s hero, giving them the opportunity to explore, to use weapons, to use special powers and to interact with NPCs or even other players. All that is possible, by simply using the VR headset, PS Move and the VR Aim controller.
VR Gaming Is Not Everyone’s Favourite, but It is Worth Trying
It is no secret that Sony has had a hard time selling as many PSVR units as they would have wished to sell, and the reason for that is that the product does not really give players something extravagant. Most players feel that spending so much money in order to get a headset that offers inferior gaming is not as rewarding as playing Mega Moolah in New Zealand – mansioncasino.com/nz and they are not wrong. The VR gaming experience players have had up to now feels like gaming has gone back to its sixth generation. Nevertheless, things are about to change as studios are starting to focus on VR gaming, and this means that virtual reality is going to get a lot better.
The 2021 VR Highlights
If you have managed to buy a Sony PlayStation 5, then you are up for a treat. All PSVR games are compatible with Sony’s ninth-generation console and this means that you will be able to play some incredible virtual reality games on your new console. The most anticipated VR game of the year is, of course, After the Fall. This cinematic action-adventure title is a fast-paced game that will get your heart beating faster in no time. It is a masterpiece created by the team that worked on Arizona Sunshine, and it is the game that is expected to be named the VR Game of the Year.
Another highly anticipated VR title is Doom 3: VR Edition. This version of the game consists of the original Doom 3 game and of all its DLCs. The only difference is that now, players will have the ability to play it in VR, and this promises to make the gaming experience even more enjoyable. Doom is the trademark game for first-person action, and getting the opportunity to play it in a virtual reality environment feels like a natural step for the evolution of the series.
VR Games Worth Their Money
Fracked is a title that aims to steal the spotlight from games like After the Fall and Doom 3. This game will make you feel like a superspy, not only because of the covert ops you will need to take part in but also because of everything you need to do to complete your missions. From skiing to climbing and from shooting down opponents to stealth missions, this game can offer you many hours of gameplay.
If you are a fan of JRPGs, then you should consider buying a copy of Zenith. This game feels like the VR equivalent of games such as Persona and Sword Art Online. All you have to do is to put on your VR gear and to take a dive into the magical open world of Zenith.
The last VR must-have of 2021 is Song in the Smoke. If you are a fan of games such as Ark Survival Evolved, then you really need to give this game a try. Just like in Ark, your survival depends on your every move. You will need to eat, to hunt, and to use your weapons in order to stay alive.
