Review: PopSlinger

Daniel Waite
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Review: PopSlinger

PopSlinger is a colour-blast title that blends genres, mechanics, and weird gameplay. Moreover, it is tough to follow as the story is dumped at your feet, and you must work out what the hell is going on. If this wasn’t enough, you need the patience of a saint and otherworldly skills to progress. Consequently, if you love to bum-rush a game and enjoy an easy-to-follow plot, then this may not be for you. However, if you want to be tested, and you adore a strange tale, then I suggest reading on.

This side-scrolling adventure title was developed by Funky Can Creative and published by Artax Games. What’s more, it has a sense of mindless beat ’em-up action at its core. Accordingly, you can destroy everything in sight with little planning. Yet, this isn’t advised as your progress is held back by a harsh and ruthless scoring system. If you fail to follow the basic principles, you will be chewed up and spat out. Therefore, you must take your time and think through every move in this funky 80s and 90s-inspired garish experience.

PopSlinger tells a tale of danger.

Few people would sit back and watch their loved ones become corrupted. However, in PopSlinger, you have no choice. Unfortunately, the world, as you know, is changing! Hordes of invaders are corrupting the minds and hearts of people, and you must protect the city from the evil Corazones. These creatures are the shells of humans that have had their hearts captured by entities from another dimension. Consequently, you must stand up to them and stop them in their tracks if you wish to become a hero.

This strange story doesn’t become clearer no matter how much you progress. As such, you must take every moment with a pinch of salt. Moreover, you’ll learn to accept the strange cutscenes and the weird dialogue. You control Ria Carbon, a PopSlinging heroine that must save humanity. She is partnered with a ghostly entity known as Gin. This whimsy and often-cutting individual spurs you on and assists you as you tackle an array of monsters and bosses.

Colour-matching madness.

The basic concept of PopSlinger is easy to understand. Effectively, the hero explores a range of levels filled with coloured creatures. Each of these monsters must be combined if you wish to maximise your potential. Furthermore, if you combine each colour, you enjoy a short-term perk and an enhanced score. If you manage to kill 4 monsters of one colour, you will be awarded a powerful shield, a turret, or a double-shot bonus. However, if you are hit, or you shoot a different coloured creature, your streak is over and you gain no bonus.

In theory, this should be straightforward. Yet, it is stupidly painful to achieve, as monsters spawn from portals, and you rarely have the chance to succeed. Additionally, it is almost impossible to avoid unwanted colours as the hitboxes are odd and creatures aggressively run towards you. Consequently, you have to have the reactions of a god and the memory of an elephant if you wish to succeed.

A lack of balance.

Though the idea of an unfair battle should have put me off, it wasn’t the most savage element of this game. Instead, that accolade lies at the foot of the imbalanced gameplay. Sadly, the boss battles are ridiculously difficult. On top of this, you need superhuman skills if you wish to beat the scoring system and progress from one stage to the next. 

PopSlinger rates your efforts on a sliding scale. As such, you can give it your all and still fall way short of your target. This is particularly annoying as you can be forced to repeat the same level over and over without light at the end of the tunnel. This lack of balance and the often unfair influx of odd-coloured creatures prevents it from truly excelling.

PopSlinger is vivid but basic.

In typical anime style, PopSlinger has a vivid exterior. Yet, once you push past this fancy layer, the core gameplay is relatively basic to look at. Each side-scrolling level has an interesting design but each of the creatures lacks a unique edge. Thankfully, the bosses break this mould and this helps to keep things interesting.

The audio combines pop-funk with 80s synth to create a weird but moreish soundtrack. Furthermore, the shrill voiceover and harsh sound effects add a sci-fi edge that complements the madness. This unusual combination works well with the bizarre story and the interesting anime/manga approach.

Wayward controls.

When a game demands accuracy and a tactical approach, you need the controls to be perfect. Sadly, the hitboxes are ridiculous, and the controls leave you wanting. Disappointingly, the inputs weren’t as responsive as I hoped and this made avoiding the never-ending wave of enemies almost impossible. Sadly, this compounds the issue of progression and will force many players to quit.

In theory, this has both replay value and longevity. Visually, it is attractive, and the strange plot is moreish. Yet, the brutal gameplay and the odd hitboxes hold it back. If you then consider the strange spawning patterns and the imbalanced gameplay, there is plenty to annoy you. As such, unless you love to have your ass kicked, you will probably quit before you get too deep.

PopSlinger should have been great.

There are plenty of great ideas to get your teeth into. However, the execution of each element leaves you wanting. Sadly, it is far too difficult and the learning curve and scoring system will infuriate you. Consequently, unless you love to be pushed to your limit, I suggest giving this a miss. More information can be found here if you wish. Can you step up and become a hero? Grab your gun, combine the colours, and save the world.

Review: The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered

Jack Curran
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Review: The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered

I have a hunch that there is a subset of JRPG fans who will enjoy sinking dozens of hours into The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered. For those craving a traditional JRPG experience with turn-based combat and open-ended exploration, it may well prove to be an enjoyable adventure. But sadly, my playthrough was more frustrating than fun. The wafer-thin story and excessively grindy combat gradually killed my enjoyment of the game after the first few hours.

As you probably guessed from the game’s title, this is a remaster of an older game, which was originally released on Nintendo’s 3DS handheld system in 2015. In this new HD release the graphics have received a noticeable upgrade, with character models looking especially sharp. Still, there’s no way anyone will mistake this for a modern game releasing in 2024. The visuals adopt a painterly, cell-shaded style similar to Bravely Default (also on the 3DS), with many objects in the world outlined in black ink. It’s a style I like, although there are some areas that would have benefited from more of a glow up in the remaster. The hub town of Initium (which you’ll return to often) is full of blurry textures, and while I imagine it looked nice enough on the 3DS’s small screen, it just doesn’t hold up when viewed on a PC monitor or a flat panel TV. On the other hand, there are plenty of environments that look much better than Initium, with bright colours and a good variety of landscapes from dense forests and caves to windswept deserts. 

You’ll start the game by picking from one of seven characters before setting out to explore the magical island of Avalon, which appeared out of nowhere ten years ago. Each of the seven characters has a simple motivation for going to Avalon, such as a mercenary who is being paid to track down apostates to a frog prince searching for clues to his mysterious origins. After a brief visit to Initium, you’ll be given a map and sent to explore the island.

Each map has several sub areas, all of which display a percentage which ticks up from zero to 100 as you explore. You can sell your maps in Initium at any time, but you’ll get a lot more money for them if you wait until you’ve completely explored an area before turning it in. Monsters don’t drop much cash, so you’re incentivised to reach 100% whenever possible. As a result, you’ll find yourself hugging the edges of the screen a lot as you chase those last few percentage points that will allow you to sell the map for maximum profit.

The exploration mechanic works fine, although I’d hoped there would be a bit more to it than just watching a percentage counter tick up. There are various exits and connections between maps, and a few caves and hidden chests to find, but overall the exploration wasn’t as interesting or as varied as I’d hoped.

As you’d expect, maps are filled with monsters who are eager to cut short your expedition. These aren’t ‘random encounters’ in the sense that you can see the monsters roaming around the world and can usually avoid them if you wish. Combat is turn-based and will feel familiar to anyone who played RPGs in the ‘90s. You’ll select abilities from a list and watch animations of your party (of three) unleashing their attacks on the enemy. 

There are a few wrinkles to combat that make The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered stand out from other JRPGs. Avalon is full of elemental spirits, which you can make a contract with during battles to unlock powerful abilities. These elementals fall into familiar categories like water, fire, air, and shadow, and certain areas in the game have more of one type of elemental than others, leading to stronger effects. You can find and activate pillars throughout the world which dial up the strength of specific elemental effects within a small area around the pillar. 

Every battle begins with you selecting a formation for your team. For easier fights, you may want to use an aggressive formation to maximum damage. For trickier encounters, you can select a formation that allows one character to block all incoming attacks, which allows you to use the tankier members of your party to protect the squishier ones. Skills are tied directly to the weapons you wield. If you equip one of your party with a new weapon, you’ll start off with only one relatively weak attack that doesn’t cost any SP to use. You’ll gain new abilities with that weapon as you use it, but it seems to be impossible to predict how long this will take. You might gain a new ability almost immediately, or you might spend ages whacking enemies with it without any new skills appearing. Likewise, characters will gain HP and SP after battles seemingly at random. 

Although I liked the way formations and elemental skills worked, the somewhat random way the game handles levelling up and acquiring new skills left me confused and a bit frustrated. There’s a guidebook in the game, which is apparently a new feature in the remastered version, but it didn’t go into as much depth as I would have liked. To be fair, once I got into a rhythm with combat, it was quite enjoyable, and the best encounters felt like teasing puzzles to be solved.

Far more for a problem was the game’s story, which was surprisingly thin on the ground. The focus is on exploring the island of Avalon and discovering its secrets. I liked this set up, but the story never really takes off and the characters don’t develop much throughout the adventure. Much of the story is relayed to you by ancient monoliths tucked away in distant corners of each area. When you find them, these statues give you a brief snippet about the history of the island. The problem is, these snippets are rather vague and the story they tell in a roundabout way isn’t that compelling. Worse, it doesn’t seem to have much bearing on either the main character you chose at the beginning or any of the companions you acquire along the way. 

In the end, the story and characters felt like an afterthought to the exploration and combat, which was a big disappointment for me. Even the process of recruiting new personnel into your party feels oddly truncated. You’ll find new party members wandering around Initium, and they ask to join you after literally a couple of lines of bland dialogue. There’s no sense that any of them are real people with anything more than boilerplate motivations. Even the sense of exploration is dulled somewhat when you realise that Initium is the only proper town in the game. I understand the story reason for this—Avalon is largely unexplored, and Initium has been set up on the coast as a base camp for explorers—but I was still disappointed that there were no other towns to explore. Initium itself feels small and lifeless. It’s like the developers added the basics—a shop, an inn, a place to save the game and swap members of your party—then stopped there. 

Although the combat can be enjoyable, this is a very grindy experience overall. You’ll be fighting many of the same enemies again and again, so a sense of monotony sets in fast. I appreciate the fact that you can (sometimes) avoid battles when you want to, but most of the time your best move is to fight every encounter, because if you don’t you’ll soon find yourself underleveled. Battles against common foes are often trivially easy, but there are some brutal difficulty spikes that frequently took me by surprise. You’ll want to make frequent use of quick-saving to avoid losing progress. 

To be honest, I don’t have a high tolerance for grinding, so for some this may be less of a headache than it was for me. If you enjoy the combat system here and don’t mind working your way through a lot of repetitive battles, you may have a good time. I think I’d have felt more positively about the grind if the story had provided compelling reasons to keep going, but it rarely did.

One bright spot was the game’s soundtrack, which I enjoyed a lot. It’s full of cheerful orchestral tunes that perfectly capture the feeling of a band of fearless adventurers striking out across a magical land.

Overall, The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered is a competent remaster of a game that is polished in some respects and severely lacking in others. Outside of its original context on the 3DS, it’s hard to recommend this when there are some many wonderful JRPGs, new and old, that can be enjoyed on modern systems. While there may be some willing to overlook the phoned-in story, I sadly couldn’t. For me, this is one game whose legacy is best left in the past.

Review: Kingdoms and Castles!

Matt Cooper
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Review: Kingdoms and Castles!

Originally released in 2017 on pc, ‘Kingdom and Castles!’ has finally made its way to the PlayStation console, but is it worth checking out?

Beauty in the Blocks

Developed by Lion Shield Studios, ‘Kingdoms and Castles’! is a medieval city-building simulator that originally was crowdfunded on the now defunct Fig website. At its core, the game tasks with one main goal: create and build a medieval town that can thrive and survive. You begin with creating your own banner and house name for your kingdom which is a fun way to start your journey for what’s to come. What struck me instantly with the game is its beautiful simplicity. The game presents itself in a block-style aesthetic, similar in some ways to ‘Minecraft’ but one that I find both beautiful and striking. The villagers roam as little blocks throughout your land, each brightly coloured so you can watch your town thrive or struggle with the various roadblocks the game throws at you. Dynamic weather is particularly impressive as the game ranges from beautiful summers to harsh winters and vicious rainstorms. The developers have done a fantastic job in creating these seasons within the game.

Long live the king(dom)

In the games main standard mode, the goal is simple: create a town and make it thrive through a variety of challenges. Like any building sim, the interface and UI of the game are vitally important. Through its sleek and simple design, all menus are very easy to navigate within the game. Whether you are finding the right building you need for your town or checking the needs of the town, everything is laid out in easy to follow terms to allow the player enjoyment and a particular amount of freedom in building your medieval utopia. You choose how you want to build and rule, whether you want to focus on the food trade and build lots of orchards or go down into the mines to get iron and stone; the choice is yours.

Complexity begins within the game once you have established a small town of 25 villagers. From there, you need to keep on top of villagers needs such as food or enjoyment, making sure you have built enough houses, farms, taverns etc. This created a variety of challenges for me that I felt were rewarding; making sure I had built and structured my town to enable me to have maximum happiness for my people. Taxing the town creates issues with happiness and makes you balance a fine line of greed and practicality. I particularly love the addition of the job priority bar, allowing me to focus on what I felt was the most important for me and gave me a sense of freedom within the game. The variety of information I can get from the press of a button is impressive, given the small size of the development team.

Dragons, Vikings and Ogres oh my!

Along with the demands of the villagers themselves, the real highlight for me were the combat encounters. Over the years within the game you are given warnings of enemies ranging from Viking invaders to dragons. This creates a combat dynamic I wasn’t expecting within the game. Designing your defences and then seeing these defences blown away from a dragon was both exhilarating and soul-destroying.

I found particular joy in using the ballista towers against the dragon while my standard archers could withstand the Vikings. The real surprise of the combat came when I thought I had beaten the system. I had walled off my city impressively so the Vikings couldn’t breach it. They retreated but after a year had passed in game they returned, this time with an ogre in tow to breach my city walls. This spectacle was a true wow moment for the game.

A calm and commanding presence

The music in this game really shines depending on the situation. A calm orchestral theme occurs when the town is plodding along and living a normal life, creating a real sense of peace within your created kingdom. When combat occurs the score becomes dramatic and has a real sense of battle. The dread of the dragon theme really creates the panic for the player and the urgency required to deal with the beast.

The sound design in general is top-notch with beautiful crisp sounds for planting a new farm and building a new important structure for the town. Hearing the transport ships arrive at the dock or hearing the Vikings flee in defeat really allows the sound and the music to help create and shape your story. You can certainly tell the team have taken their time and poured love and care into game and it is refreshing to see

What lies beyond the kingdom?

The one downside to the game itself is its lack of depth. The game has no in-game missions or side quests which could really help flesh out and create more unique situations. Difficulty modes are not challenging or rewarding for the players and border on the realm of tediousness. Training the soldiers in the barracks on harder difficulties can be particularly annoying as they don’t seem to follow the orders you give them creating uncertainty in your defence strategies.

The other game mode Sandbox is exactly the same mode as the campaign, with the added twist of being able to customise options. Whether you want to spawn multiple dragons on a whim or give yourself unlimited money, the mode provides you with a fun distraction albeit barebones.

Verdict

‘Kingdoms and Castles!’ is a fantastic indie building sim and at a great price. Great yet simple visuals and a beautiful musical score help you really feel part of the medieval era. Lack of depth can hurt long term replay ability but it is a fantastic game – worth checking out if you love a building sim!

UGREEN Unveils Its First Network-Attached Storage Solutions: The UGREEN NASync Series

Andrew Edney
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UGREEN Unveils Its First Network-Attached Storage Solutions: The UGREEN NASync Series

Ugreen, a leading innovator in consumer electronics, is excited to announce the launch of its inaugural Network Attached Storage (NAS) series. The launch is scheduled for March 26 on the popular crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter.com. This campaign is specifically aimed at users in the United States and Germany. As a special incentive, UGREEN is offering an early bird discount of 40%, with prices commencing at just USD239.99. Visit Kickstarter.com to be among the first to experience UGREEN’s innovative NASync series.

UGREEN NASync series is a versatile range designed to cater to a variety of use scenarios. The NASync DXP2800 and NASync DXP4800 and DXP4800 Plus are tailored for personal and home users. For power users and business solutions, UGREEN offers the NASync DXP6800 Pro and NASync DXP8800 Plus. Lastly, the NASync DXP480T Plus is specifically designed to meet the needs of creative and media professionals.

These models are all powered by the 12th Gen Intel® Processor and feature up to Intel® Core™ i7 Processor. Specifically for business and professional users, models such as the NASync DXP6800 Pro, DXP8800 Plus, and DXP480T Plus are equipped with a 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 Processor. This leads to enhanced responsiveness, efficient data processing, and seamless multi-tasking. Furthermore, the advantage of seamless multimedia processing and transcoding significantly improves the media file playback experience.

Additionally, the NASync DXP6800 Pro, DXP8800 Plus, and DXP480T Plus are all equipped with dual Thunderbolt™ 4 Ports. These ports can be connected to a variety of storage devices, such as mobile hard drives and disk array cabinets, enabling high-speed data transmission. Impressively, the transmission rate for a single port can reach up to 40Gbps.

It’s also noteworthy that both the NASync DXP6800 Pro and DXP8800 Plus models come equipped with dual 10GbE network ports. These two high-speed 10GbE network ports can be combined to provide a total bandwidth of 20GbE, allowing for theoretical download speeds of up to 2500MB/s. Furthermore, the load between the two port links can be dynamically adjusted and balanced, enhancing the overall transmission efficiency.

Every model in the UGREEN NASync series is equipped with an expandable 8GB DDR5 Memory. DDR5 is a significant technological advancement over DDR4, with its performance and transmission capabilities far surpassing its predecessor. In fact, DDR5 operates at speeds 2-3 times faster than DDR4, providing a substantial performance boost. The 8GB DDR5 4800MHz memory offers the latest in processing speeds, leading to significant improvements in software and system performance. For models like NASync 4800 Plus, DXP6800 Pro, DXP8800 Plus and NASync DXP480T Plus, with the capacity to expand memory up to 64GB, even the most resource-intensive software becomes manageable, and multi-tasking is more efficient than ever. Importantly, it accelerates data processing, which is particularly advantageous for tasks such as AI recognition and video transcoding.

The UGREEN NASync series, unlike cloud drives, securely stores substantial amounts of personal data on local devices. This approach significantly reduces the risks of information leakage and surveillance, providing users with control and peace of mind. With its professional data security features, such as multiple layers of protection and high-strength encryption, the series ensures the safety and privacy of user data.

The series prioritizes data security during transmission by employing secure protocols like SSL/TLS. It uses robust SHA256 encryption, a standard in the financial and communications sectors, to safeguard user account information and password confidentiality. The app’s built-in Security Manager offers real-time protection and conducts scheduled virus scans to ensure data security.

Price and Availability

UGREEN is offering a Super Early Bird Discount of 40% off on the products. Here are the details:

ModelSuper Early Bird PriceMSRP
DXP2800$239$399.99
DXP4800$359$599.99
DXP4800 Plus$419$699.99
DXP6800 Pro$599$999.99
DXP8800 Plus$899$1499.99
DXP480T Plus$479$799.99

Review: Pocket Fishing

Laurence Wall
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Review: Pocket Fishing

Sit back, cast that line and connect to nature once more, as the sounds of rustling leaves and birdsong fill the forest around you. Experiment with fishing techniques and upgrade your equipment to become a true fishing expert while travelling the globe. Engage with the denizens of the deep and use the skills you’ve harnessed to wrangle with challenging opponents and collect incredible rewards.

Does this sound exciting? Yes? Well, you’d best keep looking then, because I’m afraid you won’t find any of that here. A baffling Frankenstein’s Monster of a title, this is truly a test of patience and mental fortitude for anyone who might dare download it. But why? Pocket Fishing is a wonderful example of how to alienate your prospective players before the game has even begun. The first thing that appears upon starting up this game is a flat, lifeless title screen. No music, no introduction, nothing to ease you into the experience, just a fish, gawking at you. But alright, a bland title screen isn’t the worst thing in the world, let’s get into it. Suddenly one is struck by the controls, and the cursor that hovers in the middle of the screen. A mouse cursor, on a Nintendo Switch game… that moves at a snail’s pace across the menus, bound to the right stick (and you can’t change this by the way). It’s a mind-boggling decision, that certainly paints the game as unoptimized and lazy before we’ve even had a chance to start.

So why the strange choice of controls? Well upon further investigation, it turns out that Pocket Fishing is a port, and it’s a particularly sloppy one at that. What may have worked for mouse and keyboard, or even touch screen, certainly doesn’t translate well to a controller set-up. When you eventually dive in and begin spin fishing, you’re forced to perform some awkward finger gymnastics to even complete the catch. During a little cutscene (which is the same one that plays every single time) you must move both hands over to one side of the controller, hold the mouse cursor over the reel button with A, then slide the thumb stick up with your other hand, without, of course dropping your console if you’re playing handheld like me. It’s clunky and unintuitive. Why the right thumbstick even moves the mouse cursor is beyond me. The left controls the player’s movement, while the D-pad beneath turns your vision. And if these controls don’t seem unfriendly enough, steer well clear of the boat, for its maneuverability I cannot even wrap my head around.

Enough rambling about the controls, what about the gameplay? Well, there’s no intro, save for a couple of screens that faintly cover the basics, and then… start fishing I suppose. Gain experience and coins for catching fish so you can level up and buy new equipment. That is, of course, if the game actually recognizes that you’ve gained a level, unlike mine. After reaching level 4, I wanted to try a new map and buy some new gear, yet the maps were locked and the shop said I was still level 1. At this point, the bewilderment had truly set in. Yet after a few particularly deep breaths, I restarted the switch, which seemed to remedy the situation.

I tried a few new maps, which all looked fairly similar (I was in Riviere du Rempart, but the selection menu doesn’t update this fact) and after catching a few more fish found myself questioning the point of the whole experience. Is the whole aim to catch all the fish? They all seem just as easy to catch, a frankly boring trial of mashing the shoulder buttons and furiously tapping X. And all the prompts and colored bars on the screen? Who can say what they mean? Who is this game meant for?

One would have thought a game specially designed for catching fish would be more polished. I for one actually enjoy fishing in games. Whether it’s the simple but effective fishing in Stardew Valley or the universally reviled story of Big the Cat in Sonic Adventure, (I oddly love this fishing minigame with its funky catch music and emerald-swallowing frog) I always love a good virtual fishing experience. So why doesn’t Pocket Fishing induce this same feeling? Well the previous two examples, love them or loathe them, tie in with the greater world, have interesting progression and music, and tell a story through the gameplay. In one word: they have soul. Pocket Fishing feels empty in comparison, and I struggle even now to force myself to pick it back up.

I want to give this game some compliments, really just anything that might save it, but honestly, even that feels like drawing blood from a stone. The water looks alright… maybe? But even that leads me onto the topic of graphics which I haven’t even touched yet. The visuals are shockingly poor, to say the least, full of dull, flat 2-D textures that make me feel like I’m playing on a Nintendo DS rather than a Nintendo Switch (and I feel that’s even a bit cruel to the DS). This is a game released in 2024. Just let that sink in. And this isn’t a stylistic choice, mind you, this is sheer laziness at play.

If you’re looking for a rich and relaxing fishing sim experience, then there are plenty out there, but this isn’t it. Whether it’s the shop that looks like a micro-transaction hellscape (but isn’t), the confusing control scheme, or the general lack of direction, I can’t wrap my head around the choices that were made with this project. This unfortunately leads me to think it was simply a cheap soulless port, made to slurp up a few extra bucks before sinking back to the bottom of the riverbed. Yet apparently, this is a common occurrence for the folks over at Ultimate Games, so perhaps I shouldn’t be so surprised. Save yourself time and money, and support the indie devs out there who put their heart and soul into their projects, and for a lower price too! Keep on casting that line folks, there are plenty more fish in the sea.

Review: D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers 

Daniel Waite
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Review: D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers 

The D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers from Majority pack a massive punch. Additionally, there is so much tech stuffed into those tiny shells, that I couldn’t help but smile. These compact bookshelf speakers deliver incredibly crisp audio. On top of this, they incorporate HDMI arc technology, so they can control and play all of your devices from one convenient remote control. If this wasn’t enough, they are straightforward to set up, and they are affordable as well.

These self-powered speakers deliver an incredible 80W of power. This may not seem a high value, but the audio quality and the volume will blow your mind. Moreover, the lack of distortion and the delightful range of tones and depth of bass will impress you from the off. Alongside this, there is an array of connectivity options that enhance the usability and versatility of this device.

What’s in the box of the D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers?

  • The colourful packaging will catch your eye. Moreover, it is robust and it can be recycled.
  • The D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers look great. The black finish and compact stature ensure that they don’t overpower your workstation. Additionally, the front panel of both speakers is clean and understated. 
  • An RCA to aux cable is provided to enhance connectivity options.
  • Connect the speakers with the provided speaker cable.
  • Control the device with a handy and straightforward remote control.
  • A power cable is provided to power each speaker.
  • Learn the basics with the user manual.

Technical aspects.

Gone are the days of having a set of speakers for every device in your household. Instead, you want one decent pair that tackles every job head-on. Thankfully, the D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers cope with these demands and much, much more. These impressive little beasts utilise an array of connectivity options to enhance their versatility. First, you can use the optical connection for your TV. This crisp and high-quality option is perfect for audiophiles who love their movies or TV series. This option reduces latency problems while ensuring you enjoy the audio as it was created.

Alternatively, maybe you wish to stream music or a video from Deezer, Spotify, or YouTube. With the touch of a button, the D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers can connect to any Bluetooth-compatible device. The Bluetooth 5.0 option uses a low power consumption to help extend the battery life of any streaming device. Furthermore, it increases the range and the strength of the connection. Accordingly, you can enjoy your music from different rooms in your house without the worry of losing connectivity.

Finally, you can go old-school and connect your device via the included RCA connection. Though this wasn’t my preferred method, I experienced no crackling, popping, or distortion. Subsequently, if you wish to utilise this option, you know that the quality is as impressive as the modern alternative.

Sound quality.

These active-powered speakers deliver exceptional audio quality! Consequently, they are perfect if you love to watch films, play video games, or enjoy the latest TV blockbusters. Either way, you are assured of a meaty bass line and a delicious range of tones. The clarity between the sweet highs, warm mids, and deep lows was impressive. Moreover, the silk-domed tweeters offer a rounded soundscape compared to their peers.

80W of power shouldn’t have been impressive. However, the built-in amplifier delivers awesome stereo sound. Additionally, the combination of modern connectivity options ensures you never experience mediocre audio. No matter how much I cranked up the volume, the D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers never failed. The sublime audio performed admirably, no matter the genre or the layers of aggression from every FPS I tested. Accordingly, these speakers were undeniably versatile and wonderfully robust whenever they were put under pressure.

Build quality.

The D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers won’t impress those who wish to have an RGB in-your-face device. However, if you want something understated and professional, then this is the option for you. Additionally, the compact design is ideal if you have a smaller workstation, or you wish to reduce clutter. On top of this, the ability to reduce wires while using the HDMI arc port was a stroke of genius. 

Alongside this, the curved shell and the delightful silk-domed tweeters look fantastic. Subsequently, these will not look out of place in a modern office. Finally, the decision to hide the switches and buttons at the rear of the device was impressive. You may switch the speakers on, play with the connectivity, and adjust the EQ settings. Moreover, you’ll discover the optical port, HDMI arc port and the RCA jacks. This compact, but well-considered approach is straightforward to use while delivering a clean and refined finish.

Are the D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers worth it?

Buying the right speakers for your house or your gaming rig can be difficult. No one wants to pay too much and then discover poor quality or a lack of versatility. Fortunately, the D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers break the mould. Not only do they look great, but they deliver exceptional audio. Moreover, they won’t break the bank. Therefore, if you want plenty of bang for your buck, I recommend buying them here!

(More information on Majority can be found here!)

The D80 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers has been awarded the Movies Games and Tech Gold Award.

(Full disclosure! Majority provided a sample for this review!)

Review: Moto Turntable

Daniel Waite
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Review: Moto Turntable

The Moto Turntable from Majority adds a modern twist to a much-loved music platform. Vinyl has always been popular. However, it is growing from strength to strength as retro everything is all the rage. Furthermore, nothing beats the crackle and hiss as the stylus touches the surface. Though youngsters may not understand the nostalgic vibes, they can soak up the warmth and honest tones of a bygone era.

This turntable looks incredible! The walnut finish is rich and wholesome to the eye. Additionally, it has some spectacular features that make it stand out from its peers. First, the AT3600L Audio-Technica Cartridge delivers a spectacular tone and a strong and reliable connection. Second, you may use the built-in speakers for convenience or connect to an external speaker system (wire not included). Third, there is the option to play music from a USB drive or a Bluetooth device. Accordingly, this is wonderfully versatile while looking delightfully old-school. Finally, you can record every track directly onto a USB drive. Therefore, you may back up your favourite tracks and store them for future use.

What’s in the box of the Moto Turntable?

  • The packaging is robust and attractive to look at. Moreover, it has key selling points and some interesting imagery.
  • The Moto Turntable is easy to the eye. This stylish turntable has a felt map to protect your vinyl, 3-speed options, and a latch to protect the arm. On top of this, the controls are easy to navigate and the built-in speakers complement the slick and streamlined finish.
  • A plastic dust protector is provided. This easy-to-fit extra is sturdy and easy to handle.
  • Power the device with the power cable.
  • Maximise your options with the 45 RPM adaptor.
  • Learn the fundamentals with the user manual.

Technical aspects.

Though the Moto Turntable is jam-packed with modern tech, it was surprisingly easy to use. If you have never delved into the glorious world of vinyl, this device should be your starting point. Majority have thought about every possible aspect as they have included the options for 3 RPM settings. You may select between 33, 45, and 78 RPM. Accordingly, you will have no issues with any vinyl that you test out. Alongside this, there is an auto-stop switch that prevents your stylus from becoming damaged. Each of these options was straightforward to select and even easier to understand. Consequently, this is an ideal device for technophobes and newbie music lovers.

Using the Moto Turntable as a vinyl player is its primary function. However, you can easily use your phone or a USB device to mix things up. The well-labelled front-facing switch can be adjusted for each input mode. Moreover, you can connect to external devices using the 3.5mm port. This array of connection options was phenomenal, and it ensures that versatility is a priority.

If you love the idea of recording your songs to play and edit on your PC, this device allows you to do that. Simply plug in your USB drive, hit the record button, and the turntable does the work for you. Alternatively, maybe you wish to sample elements of each tune. If this is the case, you can hit the split button, and you’ll record segments of every tune you are listening to. The recording quality was decent, and I’d say that the Bitrate was equal to most streaming platforms. Subsequently, you will experience decent audio quality if you wish to sample and edit songs.

Audio quality.

The built-in speakers deliver a pleasant range of tones and a decent bass line. Though this element may not concern everyone, I was impressed with the clarity and the authentic sounds. These tiny speakers were punching way above their weight and I experienced no distortion or crackling when pushed to their limits. However, if you want the best experience, I recommend combining them with a decent set of external speakers. 

The AT3600L Audio-Technica Cartridge is a great addition to this device. This excellent cartridge is easy to handle and simple to replace. Moreover, it helps to deliver the best quality audio time and time again. I was impressed by the generous range of tones and the punchy bass line. Its authenticity and rich sound quality were welcome no matter the genre I tested. Whether I enjoyed the upbeat layers of a Motown classic or plumped for a drop of rock music, this device never let me down. Accordingly, it was a brilliant decision to include it in the Moto Turntable.

Build quality.

A classic audio device needs a sophisticated design. Thankfully, the Moto Turntable delivers this in spades! The walnut effect finish has a classic look that is complemented by the black accents. The larger dials and push buttons are simple to locate and easy to use. Additionally, the helpful LED system helps you to know when a device is connected and what the system is doing. 

Each of the ports is secure, and I had no issues with poor connections or audio quality. Moreover, I loved the smooth nature of the raise lever and the auto-drop feature. Consequently, it was a pleasure to watch the needle move into place. Furthermore, it was reassuring that the stylus was protected, and my precious vinyl wouldn’t become scratched or damaged.

Is the Moto Turntable worth it?

If you wish to listen to music in its purest form, then you must invest in a turntable. The ability to listen to vinyl and all its imperfections changes the meaning and the experience of each song. Additionally, the Moto Turntable looks incredible. Subsequently, if you want a conversation starter that delivers incredible audio and an unquestionable level of versatility, then this is the device for you. As such, I adore it and I recommend buying it here!

(More information on Majority can be found here!)

The Moto Turntable has been awarded the Movies Games and Tech Gold Award.

(Full disclosure! Majority provided a sample for this review!)

News: Train Sim World 4 DLC

Daniel Waite
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0
News: Train Sim World 4 DLC

Train Sim World 4 has been a revelation since its release last year. Train spotters and fans of simulation titles have lost hours of their lives to this ultra-realistic game. Furthermore, with plenty of routes to explore and a vast range of trains to drive, there is plenty to keep you busy. Consequently, you may shrug when I announce the release of a new Train Sim World 4 DLC. The Gospel Oak to Barking Line addition allows players to enjoy a section of the London Overground.

Lovingly nicknamed the Goblin, this route traverses some famous sites and has been running for 150 years. Accordingly, you’ll pass through 7 unique boroughs of North and East London. This route forms part of the TfL’s initiative to simplify the London Overground. As such, you’ll note that it is part of the Suffragette line to honour the 20th-century movement. This name change will not impact the gameplay. Instead, the acknowledgement from the developers enhances the level of realism.

Some details of the Train Sim World 4 DLC.

An Aventra Adventure awaits in Train Sim World 4! Discover the dense North & East London boroughs aboard modern traction. Furthermore, you’ll traverse a newly electrified and extended line fit for future riverside services. Become something of a London Overground driver yourself and conquer the pumpkin-orange passenger duties of the Suffragette line: Gospel Oak – Barking Riverside.

150 years in the making; the Gospel Oak to Barking Line was happenstance-constructed through the means of multiple companies building adjacent lines. As links, junctions and various termini were built and changed, this meandering route through no less than 7 of North & East London’s boroughs took shape as a vital strategic railway, albeit not a well-looked-after one.

Once earmarked for closure, and allowed to be rundown into disarray, Transport for London (TfL) took the line under their wing alongside other routes in 2007 when London Overground was launched to transform them into lines fit for the future. State-of-the-art throughout, the line from Gospel Oak is now an electrified, high-density passenger route, making use of the brand-new Class 710 Aventra, while also still leaving space for freight as part of the National Rail network.

Where can I buy it?

The Train Sim World 4 DLC is available on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. This exceptional add-on will test your patience and your ability to work in high-pressure locations. Subsequently, you can experience the hustle and bustle of London life whilst helping every commuter and tourist explore our wonderful capital.

(More information on Dovetail can be found here!)

Review: Clash 2

Saim Khurshid
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2
Review: Clash 2

This review has been scrapped and rewritten three times as everytime I sat down to put my views on paper, I found myself going back to Clash 2, hoping that there would be something else this turn based strategy game could give me, just enough to sway my mind but the result was always the same… Clash 2 has to be one of the most boring games I have ever played!

A struggle to Enjoy

Oxford dictionary describes disappointment as sadness or displeasure caused by the non-fulfilment of one’s hopes or expectations. I would describe disappointment as the main gameplay loop of Clash 2. 

From the onset you are shown a really promising and fun-looking concept. Roam the map collecting resources to upgrade aspects of your base so that you may have access to better soldiers for your party. Then take your party of stacked soldiers and one commander and fight scattered enemies around the map for more loot which will then allow you to upgrade your base, which will then give you better soldiers. So on and so forth, till you achieve the final goal which is usually to defeat a certain enemy or reach a certain indicated point on the map. 

The combat of this turn based strategy game itself is a simple turn based system not different from that of Fire emblem. Here you will be stacked up(max 8) against the enemy team and the fight goes on till one team runs out of members. If a soldier dies they remain dead and if your main character dies, game over. So remember to keep saving. There is an auto-save but I found it too random to trust.

This is a basic gameplay loop for the turn based strategy game and one you will be on for the whole duration of your game.

I know what you are thinking, “This sounds alright, how is it boring?” but listion and I will tell you about the tedious horror that awaits.

The game begins with players having access to their main character, who may or may not already have a team assembled. From there you are told to run around to gather gold. This in itself brings out the first glaring choice; You can only walk a few steps before you can no longer walk for the turn.

Meaning just to get enough gold to even think about starting the game, you will spend over 4 uneventful turns, each taking a sweet time to load up. Then with the gold, you click on your base, here you can grab either basic characters that would be as useful to you as cardboard cutouts or you can make upgrades such as hospital or smith or whatever.

You can stack only 6 tasks at once, assuming you have the gold to do this. For each upgrade, you will have to wait one turn. Once you have the upgrades done and you are 7 turns in, now we can proceed with gameplay.(Each character you make, takes one turn each to summon as well and they take up the same spot as the upgrades)

Oh, it gets worse!

With a team ready, you head for enemies. 

So 6 turns later and every weather in the game experienced, you reach your enemy. Not the enemy you need to defeat to progress the story or win the game… No no no! A random enemy standing around for you to kill and there will be dozens of these everywhere and you need to get into combat with most of them to get the resources you need.

It made me laugh when I went to fight my first enemy and the game showcased quite boldly that you can just automate the result. Like in any sane world would I consider the preceding gameplay to have been something I would want to focus on.

When you get into the fight, you are taken into a small grid based map with rarely any terrain. From here the game works just as would something like a Fire Emblem(without any of the actual personality or attachment to the characters, of course.)

In itself the combat is fine but when you have to do it over and over and over and over again…. You start to consider pushing that shiny ‘Automate’ button. 

That got me thinking; what is there in this game? Like what’s the reason behind its existence? It clearly does not have much in its base building or loot gathering elements and the combat, although passable, soon becomes just as tedious and monotonous as everything else.


There must be an online multiplayer, right? And this story mode(more on that in a bit) is just some glorified tutorial…… Nope! The game has no online modes, there is the same PC multiplayer though so I called a friend……

Worse With Friends

Starting the multiplayer was quite simple. Go to skirmish. Pick the colour of your flag, the battle style of you main commander character(magic, archer, swordsman) and your faction.(more on that later) Then you have to pick a team number even though you can only have 2 teams.

From there we access the most useless menu. Here the game asks you to make settings: choose a map and choose weather. 

Hover your mouse over ‘choose a map’ and you get the text: “More maps coming soon” (Wow! Can’t wait for that DLC) 

Go to the weather and the game asks you, in detail, how you want the weather. Despite the fact, that the damned thing keeps changing by itself regardless.

Once inside you will find that the slow paced gameplay does not get any better in multiplayer. They decided to place both characters on opposite ends of the map with both players trapped by a dozen enemies. These enemies must be defeated to progress. 

It took us over 1 hour to get to each other and the final fight took less than 2 minutes. Then all one had to do was walk over to the enemy base and take it as their own.(which was insanely tedious) 

The tale of cliché

The story of Clash 2 is a clash between two religious factions. The Heathens; a tribalistic people who worship nature, more accurately a sort of Avatar-esque great tree. The others are The Purians; a more aggressive type of people who believe in more modern day stuff. 

The game comes with 2 story lines, either play as the Heathens or the Purians.

Without spoiling much, you can see this difference in the way both sides name their locations and characters. For example: with the Heathens having a sacred site as their base healing, where the Purians have a hospital. 

The plot for the Heathens starts with the main character(Elena) going to save her brother(Hjarn). Only to realise he had betrayed them and joined the Purians (who she referred to as the new faith.) (the scene has a more to it but I do not wish to spoil) 

The story for the Purians goes in the opposite direction. It tells us the other side of the story with the rise of the Purians. Here you play as a commander named(Harvig) looking to fulfil his orders to the fullest and at any cost.

A Journey Best Forgotten

The turn based strategy game Clash 2 falls short of expectations and fails to deliver an engaging gaming experience. Despite its promising concepts, the gameplay quickly becomes tedious and monotonous. From the laborious resource gathering to the repetitive turn-based combat, the game struggles to maintain interest. 

With Rarely any real brain power required for this turn based strategy game, the less said about the multiplayer, the better!

While the story attempts to inject some narrative depth, the clash between factions feels clichéd and fails to captivate. Whether playing as the Heathens or the Purians, the plot fails to resonate, leaving players disinterested in the outcome.

Ultimately, the turn based strategy game, Clash 2 lacks the essential elements that make a game enjoyable. With its tedious gameplay, uninspired storytelling, and lack of innovation, it’s difficult to find redeeming qualities in this title. 

For those seeking a truly engaging gaming experience, Clash 2 falls short of the mark.

Review: ABRISS-Build to Destroy

Daniel Waite
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0
Review: ABRISS-Build to Destroy

ABRISS-Build to Destroy is a contradiction in terms. The idea that you create something beautiful, intricate, and spectacular, just to annihilate something else was alien to me. However, this is exactly what you must do if you wish to succeed at this unusual building game.

This physics-based builder was developed by Randwerk Games and published by astragon Entertainment GmbH. Moreover, it has plenty of game modes to keep you entertained. However, no matter which mode you select, the gameplay rarely changes. Consequently, if you love to test your building prowess, and you enjoy destroying stuff, this will be the game for you.

ABRISS-Build to Destroy focuses on its action. 

ABRISS-Build to Destroy doesn’t have a core plot. Instead, its campaign mode adds new elements to test your experimental mindset. Moreover, there is more than one way to skin a cat. Accordingly, you can tackle each stage however you wish. It was this freedom that caught my attention and I loved testing out new ideas. 

Each level centres around an immense structure. At its heart is a red orb that must be struck. If you succeed, the level is over, and you move on to the next stage. Yet, that is not all. You are awarded points depending on how destructive you are. Additionally, you may combine your building blocks to create complex machinery or structures that’ll annihilate anything in its path. Subsequently, you are only limited by your imagination. 

More than just a campaign.

ABRISS-Build to Destroy would have fallen short if it didn’t have additional modes to enjoy. Luckily, you can build whatever you wish in Sandbox mode. Alternatively, you can aim for a high score in Endless mode. Alongside this, there is the opportunity to capture each build using the in-game camera system. 

Though the freedom to build whatever I wished in Sandbox mode was fun, it didn’t keep me focused. I liked the structure of the campaign mode. 7 unique worlds and a restriction of building parts test your mindset and imagination. However, if you wish to push your ability and get a high score at the same time, Endless mode is the option for you.

ABRISS-Build to Destroy has a futuristic edge. 

The clean lines and neon-infused imagery give ABRISS-Build to Destroy a futuristic edge. Alongside this, the red hue of the target gives you something to aim for. The cold and industrial imagery is complemented by the stark and defined UI. Accordingly, you can focus on your build and the minor hurdles that stand in your way.

The audio complements the clinical finish. The high-tempo music has an electric feel. Additionally, the crunching sound effects as the buildings are struck were perfect. Moreover, I liked the blend of futuristic noises and the calm ambient sounds. As such, though it is a little strange, it is pleasant to listen to.

Brilliant controls. 

I expected ABRISS-Build to Destroy to be a pig to play. Thankfully, though, the controls were perfect when using my gamepad. Thanks to the brilliant UI and the excellent camera angles, you can navigate every stage with ease. Moreover, it is simple to undo any terrors or remove an array of blocks at once. Subsequently, you can experiment without too many hiccups.

The 3 unique game modes and the 7 worlds ensure that this has plenty of replay value and longevity. Additionally, the inclusion of a leaderboard will get those competitive juices flowing. As such, you can return to this repeatedly without getting bored. 

ABRISS-Build to Destroy is an unusual but fun title. 

Though I was never entirely comfortable with the concept, I liked ABRISS-Build to Destroy. I had great fun creating monstrous towers and weird destructive equipment. Moreover, the drip-fed elements and the drive towards experimentation kept me coming back for more. Accordingly, I liked it and I recommend buying it here! Destruction is the dish of the day. Therefore, you must pick your ingredients, create something special, and watch the rubble build around you.

Review: Telmari

Phant0m
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0
Review: Telmari

” A plunging wonderful time! “

Not many games have captured my attention quite like this one! Its fun, exhilarating and creative. Hi My name is Phant0m and these are my thoughts on… Telmari!

Visuals!

First thing I’d like to talk about is how gorgeous the visuals of this game are. The artstyle is fun and creative, every area looks stunning even if similar. Furthermore colors pop, the colors range from cool green, to bright oranges, to eerie purple; The only issue I experienced was how little diversity there was in the levels, until you leave certain chapters you’ll be looking at the same thing for quite a while, for example in the first few levels you’ll only be looking at green plains in the background, a floor to walk on, a character to move with, and things to avoid. It’s pretty simple and fails to excite me most of the game.

Gameplay!

What is exciting! The gameplay! Each level is fun to traverse (even if I’m dying most of the time) . It consists of you trying to avoid obstacles or creatures to get to the end with a plunger bow that helps you move around. Although a simple concept they do a lot to make it entertaining like the mentioned animations which are fluid, your movements responsive, and enemies are ruthless. Combine these elements and you have the ingredients to create a good time, but the puzzle design might crash your party; I personally got stuck on levels for over a hundred deaths before figuring out what to do, and at first I blamed myself for being an idiot, but after a few more runs I realized that my creativity hindered my ability to complete levels; This game is designed for you to follow the fox that leads you, and lacks the ability for me to create my own path, most of the levels are blocked by vines or enemies that kill off certain paths, and I could only describe it as irritating. Even more irritating is the fact that there aren’t many rewards besides added items that try to improve traversal but are also limited.

Story/Characters/Music

There isn’t much of a story here, since most of the game is just gameplay, but when there is, its simple, maybe youll see fun dialouge, and cute characters, but thats all i truly saw, and when it comes to music, there is quite literally one track, buuut in its defense its a really good track, i think its awesome and helps the experience feel cool.

Performance

Lastly the performance of the game is great, I ran into 0 issues running the game, I didn’t have to tweak settings, it all worked perfectly right out of the gate and it never crashed. In fact the only issue I experienced was audio being a little too loud but that was quickly adjustable.

Verdict

Anyways if your wondering I do recommend Telmari, it’s a nice small escape into another world that’s beautifully created.I give it a 7.5/10 The negatives are mostly caused by the lack of freedom making the game difficult to recommend to those who don’t like linear puzzle experiences, but for those who do, the small price of this game and the small experience is easy to recommend as someone who has difficulty making time for big triple AAA experiences. Those were my thoughts on Telmari. Thanks for reading! And keep doing great things! Your good at them. Bye 🙂

Side Notes

I think Telmari is a game that could be amazing on mobile, it’s simple style and aesthetic seem perfect for small screens. The controls are also simple if your worried about them being confusing or difficult to work with. The Pc I used is a laptop using a GTX 1650 and an Intel I5 10300H and 16 GB of RAM.

Get the game at: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2468110/Telmari/

Review: The Thaumaturge

Jax Sun
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0
Review: The Thaumaturge

Image credit: 11 bit studios

Thaumaturge, in simple English means miracle worker. One who wields magic and use them in benefit for human society. We can find such figure in Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, etc. Now, we able to enjoy role-playing as a miracle maker in the new release game by 11 bit studios,The Thaumaturge.

The Thaumaturge Trailer

Video credit: 11 bit studios

Gameplay

Image credit: 11 bit studios

You play as Wiktor Szulski, a Thaumaturge who investigates the mysterious cases that happen in Warsaw. Due to the lack of interaction with the environments and NPCs, it’s a bit lackluster to find myself wandering around but unable to interact the citizens and objects. Then, the only people I can interact with are the key characters who plays a great part in the story and sub-key characters who are involved in cases. Which literally means the only things I can interact with are those with indicators.

Investigation Puzzles

Image credit: 11 bit studios

The case emerges when Wiktor interacts with the surrounding objects. The object can be vary from paperwork to personal belongings. Sometimes, Wiktor will discover the Traces of Emotions that linger in the objects. Once Wiktor found the traces, he has to track down the owner of the traces. The emotions can be anything, such as sadness, fear, pride, etc. Usually a wild Salutan connects to the owner of the emotion because they bear a Flaw. Only a person with Flaw will attract a wild Salutan, that connection could potentially make the bearer as Thaumaturge.

Turn-Based Combat

Image credit: 11 bit studios

The turn-based combat can be considered as understandable and simple to master. The Queue indicates each turns of Wiktor and his enemies. Wiktor’s attack time consumption will arrange his turn accordingly in the Queue. There are a number of options are offered to players: Quick Attack, Planned Attack, Damage over Time Attack and Influences. As Wiktor progress further, he will obtains different attack moves and can be used on battle. Furthermore, Wiktor can uses upgrade points to unlock different set of skills for different purposes and scenarios. Besides of the mentioned, Focus plays a vital role in battle. Player should pays attention to the Focus points. Wiktor’s action queue will be affected once it’s being drained. In the end, I find the combat system pretty fine and master it pretty well. The rest is the strategy, I personally recommend the passive debuff. It works well and saved my life in tough battles.

Flaw and Salutan

Image credit: 11 bit studios

Salutan, a spirit that in search of Flaw and a partner for Thaumaturge. Flaw is a negative mark that possess on human, it can be emotion or behavior. Wiktor possess FlawLike Upyr, Wiktor’s first Salutan since he’s young. Due to Wiktor’s Flaw of Pride, Upyr’s able to connect with him. Salutan has many usefulness in social interaction and during combat as well. They are like Stands from Jojo Bizarre Adventure which I enjoy it very much personally. During combat, you can summon Salutan to use its magic tricks to make a passive damage move or distraction.

In Overall

Image credit: 11 bit studios

In my humble opinion, The Thaumaturge is a AAA Open World wanna-be game but with limitations. In other words, a gem that is shaped but lack of fine edges. The story and background settings are amazing. Yet, from the world structure to minor details. The limitation of the game has many, such as loading section in between of traveling, the map for exploration isn’t that big enough, the animation lack of details, etc. Despite of all the mentioned, the game still has something to offer. The story campaign, the thaumaturgy and detective investigation puzzles. The Thaumaturge still worth to play if you love any gameplay elements I just mentioned.

Review on PC. (Also available on PS5 & Xbox series S/X).

Review: Silent Hope

Bryan Applegate
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0
Review: Silent Hope

INTRO – Welcome to the Silent Hope of the Abyss

Silent Hope is a video game created by Marvelous! In this dungeon action RPG hybrid, players assume control of one of 7 classes as they fight their way through an abyss to free a Princess from a Crystalized tear, and rescue a King gone mad. So, does this game serve up a good time, or is this one title that should be avoided?
Let’s find out!

STORY – Silent Hope, the Interactable Fairy Tale

There are 7 Playable Classes in Silent Hope

NOTE: The following Story preview/synopsis comes from the game description on the My Nintendo page for Silent Hope. All credit goes to them.

“One day, a terrible calamity struck a peaceful kingdom. In the chaos that followed, the people began to deceive and backstab each other. Their King used his powerful magic to steal away people’s ability to speak and hurled himself into the Abyss. His daughter, the Princess, cried an endless flood of tears until they encased her in a giant crystal teardrop.

Many years after these events faded to memory, seven rainbow-colored lights flew from the Abyss. These rays of hope appeared before the Princess manifesting themselves as seven heroes, ready to answer the Princess’ call for help. Why did the King abandon his daughter and his people? And why did he steal their ability to speak?” – My Nintendo story description for Silent Hope.

The rest of the story from there is full of twists and turns. The Princess will serve as Narrator for this game, so it feels like a storybook fairy tale come to life. I actually used to read fairy tales and have them read to me growing up, since this type of storytelling is right up my alley, and also suitable for young teens. But, how does the gameplay of Silent Hope stack up? Let’s dive into that Abyss and find out!

GAMEPLAY – 7 Classes, 1 Abyss, 1 at a time

Silent Hope Gameplay is pretty good with the randomized dungeon layouts.

NOTE: The following gameplay tidbits come from the software description of Silent Hope on the My Nintendo page for this game. All credit goes to Marvelous and Nintendo.

“◆Seven Heroes, Seven Unique Fighting Styles
Choose from a motley crew of characters like the well-rounded Wanderer, long-range specialist Archer, or heavy-hitting Warrior to find whose skills suit your playstyle, and embrace new roles and abilities as you gain more experience. Use crystals found throughout the Abyss to switch characters or return to Base Camp.”

“◆A Home at the Edge of the World
Find new recipes and materials and return to your Base Camp at the edge of The Abyss, where each character has a unique job. From alchemist to blacksmith to cook, each hero brings something different.”

“◆Engaging Exploration and Dungeon-Crawling
Experience a new layout each time you enter the enigmatic Abyss, keeping you on your toes every moment you explore, and look out for Memory Rifts, where greater rewards — and challenges — await.”

Essentially, in short, the dungeon layouts are randomly generated each time you enter the Abyss. A easy playthrough in one instance could be a nightmare the 2nd time around, or vice versa. Make sure to level up each hero, and not just your favorite one. Memory Rifts offer bigger rewards, but also greater challenges, so plan accordingly.

FINAL THOUGHTS – A Solid Game, with a bit much to do at times

In closing, Silent Hope is a excellent, Etrian Odyssey-styled dungeon crawler with a great story, lots of things to do at base camp, and randomly-generated dungeon layouts. That being said, the music was a bit forgettable, and only the title theme and the first dungeon theme stuck out to me on a first listen to. Also, there can sometimes be a bit too much to do in the base camp at one time, which leads to a sense of feeling overwhelmed.

Despite these 3 setbacks, the rest of the game definitely does way more than enough to make up for those shortcomings. I definitely recommend this game if you haven’t played it already.

Review: Rune Factory 3 Special

Khloe Turner
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0
Review: Rune Factory 3 Special

An eagerly awaited title . . .

Rune Factory 3 Special is a remaster of the 2009 original developed by Neverland Company Inc. This title was launched in Japan in March of 2023, then worldwide in September of the same year. This game can be played on Windows or the Nintendo Switch.

Rune Factory has accrued a devoted fanbase these past decades; and if you have never heard of the franchise before, it is similar to (and originally a spinoff from) Harvest Moon, but with a richer story and with added combat. Rune Factory 3 Special is an exciting mix of the action RPG and real-life simulation genres, which players can farm, craft, develop their relationships and fight monsters.

A short and sweet adventure

Compared to other titles in the franchise, Rune Factory 3 Special is short, sweet, and relatively easy even on the harder difficulty settings. This could be considered a good entry point for newcomers to Rune Factory. Purely the storyline itself may take 25-30 hours to get through.

While the story is shorter than some of the other Rune Factory games, players are overall encouraged to take their time and explore all the other mechanics of the game, including exploration, foraging, farming, cooking, crafting tools and accessories, and developing friendships and potential romances with the inhabitants of Sharance. To craft more advanced recipes, players must raise their skill levels in order to accumulate RP, or Rune Points.

In the game, you play as a young man named Micah who is suffering a bad case of amnesia (of course). The daughter of Sharance’s mayor, Shara, offers Micah a place to stay within the enormous Sharance Tree at the forefront of the town, where Micah must raise and tend to the farms around it. However for some strange reason, the Sharance Tree has not bloomed for 50 years and the surrounding land has begun to decay. Creatures, called univir, from Sol Terrano Desert have also become hostile towards Sharance’s townsfolk.

Early on in the game after completing Shara’s first quest, Micah is able to recollect that he is indeed a half-monster himself, and is able to turn into a golden wooly. He decides to keep this a secret due to the unfriendly relations between humans and monsters. After traveling to Sol Terrano Desert, Micah learns that humans and univir used to live in harmony before the former kicked them out, which is what led to the current hostilities and hatred.

Throughout the story, Micah travels to four different major areas and upon each dungeon completion, he recovers memory orbs that heal his amnesia and allows him (and the player) to learn more about Micah’s past. These memories provide key information on what players need to do next. It is learned that in order to help the Sharance Tree blossom, monsters and humans must unify and coexist peacefully once again. To unite the races, Micah tells everyone the he is half-monster, and after some arguing that follows, the two sides agree to unify at the Unity Festival.

The tree begins sprouting at the Unity festival but cannot fully blossom until Micah marries one of the human bachelorettes in Sharance. Players are allowed to pursue whichever girl they choose, but on the wedding day, the bride is nowhere to be found. Players eventually learn that their bride-to-be is somewhere within Dragon Cave. After defeating the final boss Aquaticus–who insists that Micah does not deserve to marry either monster nor human, and that humans and univir should never reunite–Micah reconnects with his bride and chooses to stay in Sharance to wed and return life to the tree and land.

From golden boy to golden wooly

So, yes, Micah is half-monster. Players can transform into a golden wooly and play the game in that way! Being a wooly feels silly and powerful, and in combat, you can knock enemies around and issue massive physical and splash damage.

Combat is overall quick and dynamic, and there is a plethora of weaponry to choose from. At the start of the game, Gaius offers you any weapon of your choice, from aces to short swords to staffs. I chose the double blades, which are fast and deadly, but it does negate the power of the shields I equip and consumes a chunky amount of RP. Every weapon comes with its own perks and cons, so choose wisely to your own playing style.

As you progress through the game, Micah can invite other townsfolk to join his party. Each party member has their own stats and abilities: Sofia is a capable healer who can also wield swords, Raven has incredible fire spells and a high HP stat, and Evelyn utilizes ranged attacks. Unfortunately, you can only recruit one person at a time, alongside a monster companion or plant pet. Overall . . . I did not use the recruiting mechanic too much since Micah is heavily capable on his own, especially in the golden wooly form.

Meet the bachelorettes

The most significant, popular feature of Rune Factory is the friendship system, where Micah is able to flourish relationships in a platonic or romantic way. In order to advance relationships, players can complete tasks requested by villagers and talk with them and give them gifts. Micah can develop a romance with any of the 11 girls of Sharance, and in order to complete the main story of Rune Factory 3 Special, Micah has to marry one of them.

Players can choose from Shara, Daria, Collette, Sofia, Sakuya, Pia, Raven, Karina, Carmen, Marian, and Kuruna. In fact, Micah can date multiple women at the same time . . . but you can only choose one bride in the end after hitting relationship level 10. Once this is completed, players can select the Newlywed mode from the main screen of Rune Factory 3 Special which offers additional content separate from the main story, showcasing Micah’s life with his new bride. Players can select any of the eleven girls’ stories in the Newlywed mode regardless of who Micah married in the main story.

It is also important to note that in the Newlywed story, all recipes are unlocked and Micah’s crafting level is automatically set to 99.

I personally chose Carmen, because I love her short hair and theatrics. Honestly, I also enjoyed getting closer to her brother Carlos along the way. Speaking of, it is worth noting that players must marry a female candidate. Micah cannot date nor marry other male villagers, but can foster friendships with them. I viewed this as a major downside and it would have been a huge plus if the remaster had allowed same-sex marriages, or at least the option to play as a girl and not only the male version of Micah. However, the remaster is fully faithful to original and does not deviate in this mechanic.

Final thoughts

Rune Factory 3 Special is truly special indeed. Despite being shorter and simpler compared to other titles in the franchise, the game offers such a fun experience with cute, charming characters and hilarious and self-aware dialogue.

The remaster is a major performance upgrade from the original, with smoother running fps, more convenient controls, and other components that adds that well-deserved “special” in the name: a new “Hell” difficulty to challenge more experienced players, as well as Newlywed mode and “Another Episode” DLC (short voice-acted scenes of the life of Micah, his wife and children).

The qualms I have with this game include its super easy combat difficulty (which newcomers may enjoy) and the slight bugginess and sensitivity of the farming mechanic. The remastered voice acting is not as favored as the original cast, particularly because there is less distinction in the vocal personalities of the bachelorettes. Even though the voicing sounds a bit more indistinguishable and less dynamic, one can still sense the effort put into the lines, and there is also much more voiced dialogue overall.

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