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Review: SpellForce III Reforced

Daniel Waite

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Jul 29, 2022

The RTS genre has long dominated the PC market. However, console gamers yearn to be included in this captivating and time-consuming endeavour. Yes, a few titles have made their way onto PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, but not enough for my liking. SpellForce III Reforced tries to mix things up with its eclectic blend of mechanics and fantasy themes.

Developed by Grimlore Games and published by THQ Nordic, this is an RTS RPG hybrid. Furthermore, it is the remastered version of the 2017 PC exclusive SpellForce III. This console edition has been successfully ported and gamers can enjoy the additional DLC in the complete version. Alternatively, it can be purchased separately at a later date. So, shall we see if the jump to console has worked? Yeah, let’s wait no longer and take a closer look.

SpellForce III Reforced has an array of special units to train. — Probably best to keep out of their way.

SpellForce III Reforced: jack of all trades, master of none.

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, jack of all trades, master of none. Well, that’s pretty apt for SpellForce III Reforced. This is one hybrid title that takes it to the next level. Consequently, there are plenty of ingredients to play with as you progress. Unfortunately, though, none of them truly excels, and this somewhat dampens down the depth and complexity. However, this shouldn’t put you off, as its multi-faceted approach will entertain you throughout.

The story revolves around the hero Tahar and a group of mages known as The Circle. A deadly plague is sweeping the realm, and the protagonist and their group of adventures must somehow stop it. The plot takes place before the acclaimed SpellForce: The Order of Dawn. Consequently, fans of the series must adjust their timelines to get their bearings.

If you are a newcomer to the franchise, you may worry about being out of your depth. Fear not, this can be enjoyed as a standalone title! Moreover, the drip-fed lore and excellent storytelling drag you into this grim and troubled world.

SpellForce III Reforced is full of drama and epic battles. — So many dramatic battles to witness.

Base building, resource management, and real-time strategy.

What I loved about SpellForce III Reforced was its eclectic blend of elements. Now, the aforementioned lack of depth is a concern, and purists may dislike it, but I wasn’t worried. I adored how the action flitted from one area to another. Whether you were expanding your kingdom, building your base, or manifesting an army, it was captivating. These elements nicely support the RTS battles and are akin to a stripped-down Age of Empires.

The fights focus on each unit’s strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, the chosen race influences your approach and your tactical advantages. Elves, humans, orcs, and dwarves dictate your style and which element you’ll dominate. Further to this, your resource management is key if you wish to succeed. As more advanced troops become available, more complex ingredients are needed. Subsequently, you must balance a larger army with more specialist units.

SpellForce III Reforced has a classic look.

Baldur’s Gate and Diablo are excellent examples of isometric viewpoint titles. Luckily, SpellForce III Reforced can be added to that list. With its detailed characters, deep and moody tones, and excellent environment, it looks fantastic. What’s more, the RTS elements aren’t overwhelming, and the action flows perfectly. I encountered no frame drops, glitches or bugs during my extended playtime.

What isn’t so good, sadly, is the flat audio. It does a good job of installing that fantasy feel and whimsical magical edge. But this quickly falls away as the acting is dry and the sound effects are uninspiring. Don’t get me wrong, they are serviceable, but they lacked energy and were the weakest element.

The world is full of stunning architecture. — Check out the stunning environment and landscapes.

Surprisingly good controls.

My biggest fear with PC ported games is the controls. Thankfully SpellForce III Reforced has done an excellent job with its user-friendly approach. By using a radial submenu, the UI isn’t as cluttered as expected. Further to this, a lack of in-depth abilities ensures its easy to understand. Alongside this, the isometric viewpoint makes it straightforward to handle your troops and control your party. This was key when traversing large areas or scanning any landscapes. All in all, it’s a comfortable transition from PC to console that should be applauded.

As expected, this oozes both replay value and longevity. This is helped in part because of the excellent multiplayer options. If you tire of the single-player mode, you can play competitively against the AI and friends, or cooperatively. You can experiment with a purely RTS mode, try a campaign mode across multiplayer maps, or compete in an arena. Whatever you fancy, they add a nice distraction from the main event.

SpellForce III Reforced is an excellent remastered title.

There is no doubt that Grimlore Games has done a fantastic job. My only concern is its lack of depth across each specific genre. However, its hybrid design does enough to keep you interested throughout. What’s more, as a console player, it is nice to experience this much-loved title without the investment of a decent PC. All things considered, I enjoyed it and I recommend you to buy it here! Can you lead your army to victory? Expand your lands, thwart your enemies, and destroy the plague that’s spreading like wildfire.

A Closer Look at the Trust Bologna Sustainable Slim Laptop Bag

Tech

Andrew Edney

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Jul 28, 2022

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A Closer Look at the Trust Bologna Sustainable Slim Laptop Bag

Following the announcement of its Clevergreen initiative in August 2021 where leading value-for-money digital lifestyle accessories brand, Trust Electronics Ltd began pursuing many projects concerning the environmental impact of its products, packaging, and operations, have introduced its Bologna range of sustainable, spacious and secure laptop bags manufactured from 11 polyethylene terephthalate bottles.

The Trust range of Bologna bags hold laptops and other essentials while being comfortable on commutes. With a padded, top-loading laptop sleeve suited for laptops up to 16 inches and a zippered front pocket for small accessories, such as a phone, charger, and other useful items, the Bologna sustainable bags with ultra-soft microfiber lining keep laptops safe from scratches on the inside and bumps on the outside.

Practical and lightweight, the bags can either be carried by the handle, or by the removable strap that can be adjusted for a custom fit so everything can be carried comfortably, safely and in style.

The origin of the materials used in the Bologna bags has been verified according to Global Recycled Standard (GRS). This means that the fabric supplier is GRS certified, and a transaction certificate (TC) for each provides proof that the fabric is indeed made from recycled materials.

Style, function and a clear conscience; the Bologna range has it all, enabling potential customers to reduce their carbon footprint by carrying a bag that is almost completely made from recycled materials.

The Bologna Slim Laptop Bag 16 inch ECO is available in black/blue/green/red from Amazon for around £19.

Review: Turtle Beach React-R controller

Daniel Waite

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Jul 28, 2022

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Gaming controllers are incredible these days. They are robust, well-built, and look amazing. Obviously, there are exceptions to the rule. Therefore, you want to be sure you are looking at a quality product before investing. Turtle Beach is an industry-recognised brand. Consequently, when they release any peripherals, you are confident that they’ll be good. The Turtle Beach React-R controller is their latest product that pushes the boundaries without breaking the bank.

This Xbox and Microsoft-specific accessory looks great, feels wonderful, and is packed with special features. Subsequently, it is amazing value for money while enhancing your gaming experience. There are mappable buttons, tactile textured grips, audio controls, and a massive USB-C cable to power it. In short, it’s an excellent upmarket controller at a fraction of the cost.

The Turtle Beach React-R controller has easy to use buttons. — Switch on the Superhuman hearing function and stay ahead of the competition.

What’s in the box of the Turtle Beach React-R controller?

This accessory is packaged in a small but robust box. It has a familiar Xbox colour palette and highlights the key selling points. Furthermore, every part can be recycled, and this is a massive positive.
The Turtle Beach React-R controller looks similar to the official Microsoft products. However, it is lighter and has a cluster of additional buttons. Above the Xbox symbol, you’ll see a “Superhuman” hearing option, a mute button, and an audio toggle switch. Further to this, the d-pad can increase and decrease game and chat volume. To the rear, there are two mappable buttons. Finally, there is a 3.5mm audio jack port as well.
The USB-C cable. This 3-metre-long cable is rubberised and built to last.
Quick start guide. Learn the fundamentals immediately with this basic manual.

Technical aspects.

When I look for a new controller, I want it to feel comfortable, and to have great build quality. Luckily, the Turtle Beach React-R controller ticks both of these boxes. Because of its ergonomic tactile grips, and well-placed additional buttons, everything feels right. What’s more, the plastic shell is sturdy, lightweight, and built to last. This accessory comes in a range of colours, and I received the white and lilac variety. However, a plain black option is also available.

Whenever a controller has custom settings, they need to be easy to use. Fortunately, in this case, they are extremely straightforward. By double tapping the centre audio button, you can map the additional triggers on the fly. Alongside this, the centre button can also be used to increase the game volume or balance voice comms. This was a phenomenal idea, as changing your settings so easily is almost unheard of.

Alongside this, you can utilise Turtle Beach’s Superhuman hearing setting. At the push of a button, your audio is enhanced. You’ll hear footsteps, bullets flying through the air, and the quietest of noises. Moreover, if you need some privacy, you can mute your mic in no time at all.

The Turtle Beach React-R controller is comfortable and well designed. — Comfortable and well-placed ergonomic grips.

Is the Turtle Beach React-R controller worth it?

It’s nice to have all the elite additional functions. But, let’s be honest, all we want is a sturdy pad that is reactive and feels great. The Turtle Beach React-R controller analogue sticks have a useful movement range, feel sturdy, and react as expected. Furthermore, the additional buttons are comfortable to use and easy to alter.

On top of this, the audio functionality is excellent. It’s a game-changer to be able to alter settings on the fly, and Turtle Beach has this covered. What’s more, the Superhuman hearing is incredible. Accordingly, I loved how much this improves your gaming experience. Consequently, once you’ve boosted your sound, you won’t want to go back. All things considered, this is an amazing accessory that is inexpensive. It is for these reasons that I recommend you to buy it here!

Summary.

Turtle Beach has yet again proved to be an incredible player in the gaming industry. Though this wired option may not be for everyone, I loved everything about it. Accordingly, if you want an inexpensive but upmarket accessory, then look no further.

_{(More information on Turtle Beach can be found here!)}

The Turtle Beach React-R controller has been awarded the Movies Games and Tech gold award.

Review: Yurukill: The Calumniation Games

Alex Chessun

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Jul 28, 2022

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Review: Yurukill: The Calumniation Games

Yurukill: The Calumniation Games is a game you won’t see coming.

The best way to describe it would be to imagine the Ace Attorney series, the Zero Escape series and a shmup having a baby, but even then, you’ll probably still be blindsided by it.

Similar to Squid Game where competitions can lead to some rather grave situations, a group of murderers with dubious convictions are taken against their wishes to the amusement park from hell, Yurukill Land, and are forced to team-up with the victims of their crimes and compete, with the promise that the winning team would have their crimes exonerated and wishes granted, while the losers suffer a more unpleasant fate.

Rather than being a bloodbath, this is more a PG-13 campy anime thriller, which, like riding a rollercoaster in the pitch black, aims to surprise you at every possible turn.

While there is a decent mix of comedy and ‘shocking’ scenes, due to the slow unveiling of the story, the narrative can occasionally get stuck in repetitive ‘Oh, no I didn’t.’ ‘Oh, yes you did’ loops.

Each fabricated stage replicates the pair’s own crime scene, having huge implications for their cases with new evidence coming to light. The ‘prisoners’, who all emphatically profess their innocence, will do anything to learn more about the true culprits, while the victims vehemently wish for said prisoners to admit their guilt. As further motivation for the prisoners to follow the victims’ wishes, the victims, or so-called ‘executioners’, are all given the ability to end the life of the prisoners at any time via a metal tag around their necks.

It’s a story that likes to keep its cards to its chest, but as the plot thickens and the stress heightens for the participants, the characters’ vulnerabilities and tragic backstories reel you in and I found myself invested in most of the characters and their motivations.

As a Japanese-voiced (with English subtitles) visual novel, the player ‘controls’ one-half of each of the 4 murderer/victim pairs in point-and-click puzzle investigations which eventually lead to VR-like vertical shoot ’em up battles.

If that wasn’t enough, after defeating the ship of your partner, you then launch into Phoenix Wright-esque cross-examinations (which are interfaced to your opponent’s logic and emotions) and produce evidence in an attempt to resolve their disputes, all while still manning their ships in the futuristic interface.

‘Yurukill’ is the combination of the Japanese word for forgive – ‘Yurusu’ – and English word ‘kill’.

Logically, this makes little to no sense both narratively and in general for a standard genre game, but strangely, it actually works. Admittedly, it’s quite hard to imagine Sherlock Holmes challenging a criminal to a VR shoot ’em up game instead of catching them in the act or handing them over to the police, but even with the negligible link between the two, with desperate characters in do-or-die situations (due to the hold the executioners have over the prisoners), the urgency and high tempo of both the soundtrack and the gameplay matches the mood well.

With visual novels and shmups being two of my favourite genres of games – separately, mind you – due to their ability to take their time in telling a story and providing thrilling gameplay respectively, my biggest concern was not actually the combination of the two, but rather the puzzle sections.

I often find puzzles to be unnecessary inclusions that have zero context and add nothing but filler gameplay to the proceedings, but, thankfully – for the most part – the large number of puzzles (that range from code breaking to pattern recognition) is not only varied but all have a legitimate reason for their existence, aiding the story as it progresses.

Interestingly, the biggest disappointment I had was with the shmup gameplay which relies a lot on the high-stakes nature of the story to carry its shallow gameplay. It’s one thing to provide variety with 4 different ships with different evasive characteristics, but it’s slightly underwhelming when your ‘special’ abilities are less impressive than your standard weapon, essentially reducing the gameplay to holding down ‘X’ and using the left analogue stick to move your ship.

The visuals are decent and there is enough a difficulty to tide over the boss battles during the story, but what this means for the overall game is that despite having a separate score attack mode just for this gameplay style, it’s not enjoyable enough as a standalone feature, with its removal from the context of the story highlighting its weaknesses.

Despite the slipups, the crescendo of the story is as many outrageous anime stories often are, ending in an admittedly unbelievable, but still satisfying conclusion.

Stuttering transitions between scenes, low frame rate cutscenes, and numerous loading screens are also an issue that plagues the game throughout, and although it is relatively minor in the grand scheme of things, as most of the gameplay is in a visual novel format, it is another unfortunate footnote for what is otherwise a brave gamble for the developer.

With enough twists and turns to give you motion sickness, Yurukill: The Calumniation Games is a unique anime visual novel that isn’t afraid to try something new, taking you places you’d least expect. While the shmup gameplay doesn’t particularly hold up its end of the bargain as a standalone feature, as the enjoyable sum of multiple parts, this is a visual novel that genre fans should consider.

Review: REDSHOT

Lee Fairweather

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Jul 27, 2022

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Since the release of Castlevania: SotN back in 1997, Metroidvania games have consistently retained popularity in the consumer market. Countless takes on the genre are widely available across each and every platform. And while this is certainly a great thing, it can also make it difficult to find something fresh to play. REDSHOT is one such title that has successfully managed to separate itself amongst its peers.

At its core, REDSHOT is a Metroidvania side scroller, with a focus on bullet time gameplay. It was created by solo developer Brian Lynch over the course of seven years. His hard work has certainly paid off though, as REDSHOT is incredibly well made title, albeit with a few hiccups.

Story

Our story follows Galactic Defence Force agent Jack Redshot, AKA “Goose.” While making his standard rounds, he receives a distress call about an ongoing invasion on the planet Carcosa. His higher ups task him with investigating the attack, along with safely extracting the royal family back to HQ.

Predictably, Goose is ambushed on his way to the planet, causing him to abruptly crash-land. In true video game fashion, this somehow leaves him with very few resources at his disposal. Now isolated from his allies, he aims to successfully complete his mission against the mysterious enemy forces.

On the surface, REDSHOT seemed pretty cut and dry narratively. However, the further I delved into the game, the more I started to find myself genuinely captivated. It all seemed to be leading to an epic grand reveal, but sadly, that never occurred. Instead, the story was practically dropped half way through the game. And worse of all, the plots conclusion was straight up abandoned in place of obvious sequel bait.

To say this was both disappointing and unsatisfying, is putting it incredibly mildly. It did somewhat sour my experience of REDSHOT, but the unmistakeably awesome gameplay brought me right back on the games bandwagon.

Gameplay

Gunplay

In REDSHOT, you’ll face off against a countless bombardment of enemies. To combat them, you are provided with a vast array of weapons and equipment, all of which serve their own purposes. These range from pistols, shotguns and rocket launchers, all the way up to energy blasters and flamethrowers. They are all absurdly entertaining to use, and most important of all, control extremely well.

The ability to slow down time also provides you with a massive strategic advantage. However, since using bullet time drains your stamina, you still have to have the wherewithal to use it smartly. Letting it tick for too long will leave you exhausted and vulnerable, thus, unable to avoid the enemies’ attacks. With all that said, if you use this mechanic efficiently, it’ll make you feel like a total badass.

Throughout the entirety of my playthrough, I never once felt exhausted with any aspect of the combat. In fact, I found it to be so enjoyable, that I had no qualms about replaying it on multiple difficulties. For all intents and purposes, REDSHOT’s gunplay is a well-polished gem, and a collosal breath of fresh air.

Movement and Upgrades

The movement is also tantamount to the gunplay in how smooth and seamless it is to perform. It quickly becomes second nature to make precise jumps, leap off of walls, and slide out the way of incoming attacks. Its implementation meant that I could exclusively focus on the action, instead of worrying about finicky controls. This was especially important during the boss fights, which often had a lot of things in play.

REDSHOT has the advantage of being a non-linear game. Effectively, this means you can traverse the map in any way you want. This is great from a replayability standpoint, as each subsequent playthrough can be tackled in new and unique ways.

You’ll also discover a myriad of useful resources and entities throughout your journey. These could include upgrades that buff your characters potency, exclusive shops that sell new tools, or unique NPC interactions. These are usually hidden in secret areas, which gives you more of an incentive to pay attention to your surroundings. It is also a prime example of well thought out level design, which this game has in spades.

Art

To put it simply, REDSHOT is an utterly beautiful game. The environments up front and striking colour pallet, mixed in with its stylistic sprite work, aggrandise the overall aura of the game. Each of the regions also have their own individual appearances. While this is a nice design choice, it is also handy when it comes to navigating around the world.

While I wouldn’t say they are on the same level as the backgrounds and landscapes, the character designs still retain their own charmful approach. Of particular note are the boss designs, with my personal favourite being the Little Shop of Horrors inspired Man-Eating Plant. Its floral patterns and tendrils simply pop out exuberantly on screen. With that said, most of the other NPCs are fairly bog standard, and I’d argue that they are the least impressive part of the game.

Contrary to this is the animation quality, which is equally stellar in its execution. The VFX employ a similar pixel aesthetic, and blends in nicely with the rest of the visual presentation. Goose himself also has a fairly distinctive appearance. The frames for his actions are ridiculously fluid, with his oversized scarf being the most obvious example.

Audio

The music in REDSHOT feels vaguely similar to the 90s anime Trigun. That isn’t a knock against it though, if anything, it’s a massive positive. The arrangements span a number of different genres, all of which do an insanely crisp job of capturing the ambient and desolated feeling of the planet. Some of the tracks can get a bit overbearing at times, but overall, the soundtrack is pretty great.

In addition to the OST, the sound effects are recorded and implemented extremely well. The guns, items, abilities and enemies expertly match the onscreen visuals, all while successfully retaining the games overarching thematic.

Conclusion

REDSHOT is a game that genuinely surprised me in the best way possible. The mixture of smooth platforming elements, tied in with seamless bullet time gunplay, made for an overall enthralling experience. The stellar art direction, and equally as impressive OST, capture the isolated mood of the alien planet immaculately. While the story does have one or two captivating moments, it ultimately ends without any real resolution. Overall, REDSHOT is a heck of a lot of fun, with a unique twist on the Metroidvania genre. If you enjoyed titles like Hollow Knight, Dead Cells or Bloodstained, then I recommend you check this one out.

Review: Coromon

Natosha M

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Jul 27, 2022

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Ready to set out on an adventure, being able to build your own personalized hero? Have the ability to design not only the appearance of your character but also create your own experience as you play the game?

Well, then you might enjoy this turn-based, JRPG-pixelated game such as Coromon. It’s packed with a variety of options allowing you the choice for an easier experience that is more laid back and strongly about the narrative, or if you want, there is a choice of the difficult mode. Well, if this is something you feel like trying, then you’ll need to step up your game and prepare for a challenge at every battle as well as try for greater stats! Either option you decide, the game practically adjusts and changes to fit the way you want to play. Also the many in-game features, every decision made on your behalf is part of building the game’s story and it’s up to you to complete and survive the destruction of the demonic monsters.

How Was The Game

First, I must admit I thought of this game to be as similar to playing a classic and a more modern style, pixelated Pokémon and adventure game like Zelda combined. Especially, by how you capture, train, and use each new Coromon creature to battle against others. You’ll mainly be a trainer or as they put it, Battle Researcher. Your job is to capture and enjoy playing up to 100 unique and adorable creatures, or just as many as you like to use in battle with other demonic monsters who are causing destruction. Some that you go against could be a few new friends you’ll want to capture, rather than defeat.

I did want to also mention that I found the adventure portion of the game to be enjoyable! I love the ability to roam around in a game with such beautiful graphics. Each location is filled with such a realistic appearance that you can easily detect where and what an object is when you enter a room or destination. Sometimes it’s possible to find hidden items by checking out every object in that location as well! In some ways, I felt like I enjoyed not only the game’s main purpose for playing but the surroundings and what else you can do. It felt as close to playing an RPG and a simulation game in one.

The freedom portion of the game I totally love, it’s different from just playing a straight one-path game. That is what really makes me enjoy the game even more! For example, I can slow things down and play a fun game on the computer in our bedroom called Flappy Swurmy and try to win a few times on that. Even if I want I can change my hairstyle or clothing whenever I feel I want to. There is no need to restart or buy anything extra for adjusting the clothing and my own appearance. Even plant seeds to grow helpful products for your creature’s health, figure out side quests, and do many other little things, also including the ability to change one’s name in the settings menu at pause or adjust the way the character moves and much more!

In addition to all of that, like a real RPG-style game, communication is so important. Many of the people will provide plenty of worthy knowledge about the game and what you need to do and even gift you some special items to add to your inventory. This also occurs, find special items when you begin checking out objects all over the different locations you visit, such as hidden items some in boxes and others just behind other objects. Either way, everything will all be useful to have in this game.

So moving on to the main goal of the game, being a Battle Researcher is an uncommon job, never seen in another game. Nevertheless, it might be really fun to really have a job title like that, where one performs the job of a creature trainer. Plus, everything is very well explained from the start and even the first practice battle training is provided to you. So there will never be any type of confusion about how to play the game as you move forward. Even at the start, the similarity of Pokémon, choosing your first creature from the three in front of you, looks so familiar.

As you do move forward in the game, discover some new creatures to capture. You’ll not only get to keep a log and learn about each creature captured or found during battle, but during a real battle with the six you can have in your team at a time, you’ll be able to show off their powerful abilities that each possesses. Additionally, each battle also aids in your milestone log, gifting you rewards as you also get to level up, just as the creatures do during each battle. So the more you fight, the wild creatures or those you meet from other Battle Researchers, the better and the more powerful of a trainer you become. That also includes the creatures you will be used to battling, they begin to evolve and transform with better stats and obtain some new powerful attacks as you battle more!

Sometimes many may have found some RPG-styled battle games to be difficult to play, but not this one! It’s way easier for every type of player, beginner or expert to enjoy! Everything is clearly explained and simple enough to know how to use or know what to do next during any turn-based battle. Every creature will have its own special earthly, powerful abilities. Every one you find will provide its own earthy style of power like fire, water, and many others. So it kind of makes it easy to know which one to use while going up another creature that is based on a different powerful attack source.

That way, when you get an idea of the type of power each collected creature can possess, you’ll know who will provide the most damage to each creature of all different sizes that you come up against to fight. The game continues to get challenging for those who play the normal or either of the two other difficulty modes. However, the easy version makes it a bit simpler, so if it ever gets too hard, that is still an option! Otherwise, the challenging portion of the game continues to keep adding pressure on you and your team when it comes to the battle sequence.

There is one other thing I must admit. I adore playing RPG games specially designed like this one! It’s fully engaging and pleasing to the eyes. Everything about the battles, the beautiful graphics, and the story as well as the gameplay in total is just brilliant! I even enjoy the character; the hero that we are able to play in the game. Since we can control the design of what we look like, which was something we never had that type of freedom in some similar classic battle-trainer games. Plus, you can also obtain even more gear to help move you along on your journey by helping others out on some mini-quests, and also completing a few larger tasks. It’s fun to see that not only do the creatures we train gain some leveling up and stronger skills with better, but so do we; Battle Researcher.

I guess all of this mentioned above is why it was hard to put the game down and stop playing. I just kept wanting to charge my console up and continue on this adventurous journey. Even if the goal is clearly to defeat the demonic creatures and monsters in this world, I found everything else going on in the game to be so much fun! I guess that is why I couldn’t even find one flaw in this game. Maybe I’m just too blinded by how well this game really well created. Plus, add the additional ability to play online in multiplayer mode, where you can battle another team. Well, the game just got even more entertaining to play.

Final Thought

Lastly, Coromon has so much going on, but it’s not difficult to play. This game is just really entertaining and fully engaging with plenty of challenging battles between creatures you capture and train. It’s got so many different paths that will set up as you continue to play, cause each choice you decide will create the journey you’ll need to continue on to complete the game. I feel that this game is really something worth playing. It’s perfect for all styles of gamers, beginners to expert RPG gamers, and will keep you playing over and over again and again.

Review: Train Valley: Console Edition

Daniel Waite

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Jul 27, 2022

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I know it’s a little geeky, but playing with trains is pretty cool. Now, I’ve loved this theme in gaming ever since the original Railroad Tycoon. However, these days, I don’t have the time or patience to micromanage a whole railway. Yet, I still want to play something that will scratch that itch. This is where Train Valley: Console Edition comes into play.

Developed by Flazm and published by Blitworks, this is a resource management simulation title. Accordingly, it’ll test your patience, planning, and management skills. Furthermore, the gentle learning curve will suck you in, while the unfortunate hectic action will spit you out. As such, it is unhealthily addictive and bloody good fun.

Train Valley: Console Edition is simple to understand but challenging to master.

What makes Train Valley: Console Edition so moreish is its simplicity. Effectively, all you have to do is connect stations and run your trains. However, things quickly heat up as more trains are introduced. Moreover, the vehicles vary in length and speed, and the track layouts become more complex. In short, it is simple to understand but challenging to master.

Sadly, there is no story to follow and this may disappoint some gamers. Instead, the action spans 5 seasons that revolve around real locations and famous events. You’ll see the fall of the Berlin Wall, WWII, the Gold Rush of 1849, and more. These renowned moments add a fascinating and historical twist to the addictive and relentless action.

Train Valley: Console Edition is full of historical landmarks. — So many glorious landmarks to avoid.

Planning, and many tasks.

Though building your railroad is essential, you have other tasks to focus on. Accordingly, every level is ranked up to a maximum of 3 stars. Each of these represents a task that must be completed during every stage. You’ll be able to spend money, lay tracks, demolish properties, or make money. There are, of course, other jobs, and they will test your ability.

Every level starts the same, no matter the environment. You must connect each coloured station with train tracks. Then, it is your responsibility to send each train to its corresponding goal. En route, you must switch the point work to set the path you wish to take. Sounds easy so far, right? Well, don’t get too confident as things soon go astray. As more trains are added, you must plan and prioritise your approach. If you take too long, the drivers lose patience and will go without your authority. Consequently, your plans will be scuppered and accidents will happen.

How will you cope with multiple stations and many trains? — Too many stations to focus on.

Crashing and hectic action.

Talking of accidents, train crashes are a big no, no. They cause damage to infrastructure, cost lives, and will set you back. If, and when, your vehicles collide, the surrounding area becomes damaged. Subsequently, you must replace the tracks, and you lose the money for each train that has exploded.

As you can tell, the action gets pretty hectic even though you don’t have to micromanage your business. Instead of the normal sim/resource management tropes, you experience puzzle elements. As such, you must think logically and methodically at all times.

The moment you fail to plan or you go off course is the time it’ll go wrong. Luckily, the developers aren’t monsters as the action can be paused, slowed down, or sped up. This was a godsend as it gives you time to think, build, and prevent the inevitable crashes.

Train Valley: Console Edition is painfully colourful.

Though a very simple approach has been taken, this doesn’t undermine Train Valley: Console Edition. Instead, the vivid colour palette and basic graphics allow you to focus on the ensuing madness. The top-down viewpoint and fixed-screen perspective allow you to plan and observe your progress with ease. Furthermore, the basic UI is clutter free and sufficiently comfortable to complete every task. Therefore, it’s a nice but not visually impressive look that works extremely well.

The seriousness of the gameplay dissipates because of the fun and jovial audio. A Western folksy soundtrack accompanies everything you do. Alongside this, loud sound effects indicate when tasks are started and completed. Thankfully, it is a simple affair that works wonderfully with the gameplay.

Train Valley: Console Edition has a fantastic array of landscapes to explore. — Brrrr such a wintry scene.

Occasionally clumsy controls.

Train Valley: Console Edition suffers from the usual PC ported ailments. By that, I mean its controls are occasionally clumsy. With no free cursor to use, you are forced to move rigidly between point work or stations. This is particularly testing when your track layout is complex and you have many moves to complete. Sadly, this leads to frustration and certain failure. This could easily have been resolved if a free-flowing cursor was introduced alongside the other control method.

As tradition dictates, simulation and resource management games ooze longevity and replay value. Luckily, Train Valley: Console Edition ticks both of these boxes. Not only is it tough as hell, but you also have the ranking system and a sandbox mode to explore. Consequently, this will keep you busy for hours.

Train Valley: Console Edition made me scream.

I’m not sure that I have sadomasochistic tendencies, but I adored the brutality of this game. As such, Train Valley: Console Edition made me repeatedly scream with rage. You’ll learn that minor mistakes cost you dearly, and this will haunt you on every level. However, there is lots to love and enjoy about this addictive game. Accordingly, I adored it and I recommend you to buy it here! Running your railway shouldn’t be easy, but surely, this takes the biscuit?

Review: Gravastar Venus Speaker

Reviews
Tech

Daniel Waite

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Jul 26, 2022

0

If you are in the market for a Bluetooth speaker, you are spoilt for choice. There are so many options that every box can be ticked, and every budget accommodated. However, I don’t want to get by with an “okay” device. No, instead, I want something that looks great, has excellent audio quality and is built to last. Furthermore, it needs to have a great battery and should be portable as well. Fortunately, the Gravastar Venus Speaker does all those things and much more.

Having recently looked at the Gravastar Mars Pro speaker, I couldn’t wait to see what awaited me. This large Bluetooth speaker was awarded a gold award for many reasons. Therefore, I had high hopes that the Gravastar Venus Speaker would tickle my fancy as well.

Immediately, I was struck by the incredible Mecha Sci-Fi aesthetics and the wonderful build quality. Alongside this, the small but mighty speaker delivers a crisp and powerful sound. I was shocked by its exceptional audio quality and its ease of use. Consequently, this is one of the best portable speakers I’ve got my hands on.

The Gravastar Venus Speaker has an array of extra accessories. — Charge your speaker with the handy charging station (*sold separately*)

What’s in the box of the Gravastar Venus Speaker?

I adore a well-packaged accessory as I’m a sucker for an unusual style. Luckily, Gravastar has packaged its speaker in a compact but striking cardboard case. The outer sleeve highlights the many key selling points while also being decorated with Sci-Fi imagery. Within the box, the device rests on an audacious but snug velvet centre.
If you want a conversation starter, then get yourself a Gravastar Venus Speaker. This compact but sturdy speaker has a futuristic look, triangular support feet, and an array of LED lights. There are 4 buttons located on the top of the device, and a USB-C charging port as well.
USB-C charging cable. A small rubberised universal USB-C charging cable.
Quick start guide. Understand the fundamentals because of this user-friendly manual.

Technical aspects.

Materials	Zinc-alloy
Product dimensions	2.8″H x 2.4″L x 3.2″W
Weight	1 lbs
Drivers	Full-range subwoofer drivers
Bluetooth	Version 5.0
Light	6 RGB
True Wireless Stereo	Yes
Battery life	Up to 10 hours
Output Power	10W
Transmission Range	10M
Power supply	5V/1A
Charging time	<2 Hrs

A few elements jump out at me whenever I consider a portable speaker. I want to know the weight, its size, the battery life, and finally, the charging time. Consequently, if any of these fall short of my expectations, I tend to look elsewhere.

Fortunately, the Gravastar Venus Speaker is small and only weighs 1lb. This is incredible when you consider the level of detail in the casing and the zinc-alloy shell. Accordingly, this minuscule design is perfect for a portable speaker and ticks the first of many boxes.

Now my attention turns to charging times and the battery life. You don’t want to be partying and your speaker to run flat. Therefore, it is essential to be able to “juice it up” quickly and for the device to last. The Gravastar Venus Speaker lasts up to 10 hours and can be fully charged in under 2 hours. Subsequently, this makes it the perfect travelling companion.

Breathtaking sounds and incredible lights.

Small in stature doesn’t equal poor sound, at least not in this case. Thanks to the exclusive built-in DSP audio algorithms, you experience breathtaking sound. With rich bass and raw power, you’ll be blown away by the quality. What’s more, thanks to the full-range subwoofer drivers, a punchy bass line is delivered no matter the volume. I was astounded by the crystal clear audio and the range of tones. For a tiny speaker, it certainly packs a punch that won’t disappoint.

Alongside the exceptional sound was a stunning aesthetic. The Mecha Sci-Fi looks are complemented by the 6 RGB lights. At a touch of a button, you can change the mood by flicking through an array of colours. Alternatively, you can go old-school and turn them off altogether. Lighting to one side, the Gravastar Venus Speaker feels like a quality product. It is well built and perfectly balanced, and the shell cradles the speaker safely.

Enjoy stereo sound with two Gravastar Venus Speakers. — Enjoy truly wireless stereo sound with a pair of Gravastar Venus Speakers.

Is the Gravastar Venus Speaker worth it?

I’ve raved about all the plus points, but is the Gravastar Venus Speaker worth it? Well, if you are in the market for an unusual but striking speaker that won’t break the bank, then yes. This tiny device will amaze you as it is full of top-end features. Its 5.0 Bluetooth connection has a 10-metre transmission range and offers a truly wireless experience. Alongside this, you can connect a second Venus Speaker for a stereo setup.

Furthermore, you must consider the excellent battery life, quick charge time, build quality, and amazing RGB lights. Moreover, the sound is incredible, it is easy to use, and it is great to take on trips and days out. Accordingly, I adored this product and I happily recommend you to buy it here!

Summary.

The Gravastar Mars Pro speaker is still the king, but the Gravastar Venus Speaker is great as it is designed for a different audience. If you want a portable device that is phenomenal and delivers punchy audio, then look no further. Gravastar has done it again and no one can question their marvellous market-leading products.

_{(More information on Gravastar can be found here!)}

The Gravastar Venus Speaker is awarded the Movies Games and Tech gold award.

Review: Flexispot Sit2Go 2-in-1 Fitness Chair

Andrew Edney

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Jul 25, 2022

0

Review: Flexispot Sit2Go 2-in-1 Fitness Chair

Here is our review of the Flexispot Sit2Go 2-in-1 Fitness Chair.

The Sit2Go Fitness Chair provides a super comfortable sitting experience, which could be a perfect alternative to your office chair.

What’s in the box?

The box contains all the pieces of the chair, instructions, tools and screws.

A Closer Look

Putting it together

Final Thoughts

So the Flexispot Sit2GO 2-in-1 Fitness Chair is two things in one – its a chair and its an exercise bike (but without handlebars). The idea is that you can sit at a desk or a table (or anywhere else for that matter) and get some exercise in whilst you are doing work, reading a book, well basically doing whatever it is you would be doing if you were just sitting down.

Putting the chair together took about 15 minutes in total – some of the screws can be a little fiddly but you just need to take your time with it. Flexispot have included everything you need in the box – including an allen key, screwdriver and wrench. Its basically a case of putting on the peddles, fitting the seat, then then chair back, and that’s it. Don’t forget to put some batteries into the LCD display at the front though, you don’t get any in the box, so just have 2 AA batteries to hand.

You can easily adjust the height and position of the seat so that it perfect for you. The seat is comfortable and has breathable mesh on the back in case you start getting very sweaty!

The chair is on casters so you can move it around easily, and the back legs fold back in to make storage that little bit easier.

Even the peddles are comfortable to use with or without shoes – although personally I found it easier with shoes!

There is a dial for adjusting the resistance level as well, so set it to whatever setting you want and away you go.

The LCD display enables you to select between exercise time, speed, distance, calories burnt, total distance and other parameters. Everything you need to check what you have done.

All in all this is an interesting combination of chair and exercise bike, and if you want to get fit whilst sitting doing other things, this bike’s for you!

The Flexispot Sit2Go 2-in-1 Fitness Chair is available now priced around £299.99 (down from £399.99 at the time of the review) and is available in Black or White.

You can learn more about the Flexispot Fitness Chair from the Flexispot website.

FlexiSpot Tech Day 6th Anniversary Sale Up to 27% OFF 7th September 2022 to 9th September 2022.

Review: DC League of Super-Pets

Daniel Waite

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Jul 25, 2022

0

Whenever a major kids’ movie is released, you can expect a barrage of related products. Whether it is toys, clothing, or computer games, you know it’ll be bright, loud, and annoying. Accordingly, DC League of Super-Pets is on the horizon and so the floodgates of unwanted items are well and truly open. Consequently, parents will be hiding their wallets while trying to ignore their young offspring.

Developed by PHL Collective and published by Outright Games Ltd, this is a child-focused adventure title. As such, older gamers will find the action to be tedious, underwhelming, and repetitive. However, this is the perfect title for 6 to 10-year-olds. Thanks to its simple approach, bite-sized levels, and vivid aesthetics, this was a hit with my children.

DC League of Super-Pets is influenced by the movie.

Though much of the gameplay isn’t a direct representation of the upcoming film, it has clearly taken inspiration from it. DC League of Super-Pets follows the action of Krypto and Ace as they take to the skies to take down Lex Luthor. This world-famous villain has captured the stray pets of Metropolis and imprisoned them in his LexZoo. Determined to beat Lex and free the animals, Krypto and Ace must destroy the LexBots, free the pets, and save the day.

I know what you are thinking, “BORING”! However, this OTT plot and combination of whacky characters captured my kid’s attention. Further to this, they found the rescued pets to be adorable, cute, and irresistible. Subsequently, they beamed with joy as they completed each stage, destroyed every bot, and rescued every pet.

DC League of Super-Pets revisits many of it City backdrops. — Krypto loves to soar through the air.

Repetitive gameplay.

DC League of Super-Pets was tough to swallow. Sadly, the action is mind-numbingly repetitive and tough to watch. However, I knew what to expect as Outright Games Ltd is responsible for Peppa Pig, Blaze and the Monster Machines, PJ Masks and more. Therefore, I must focus on the audience it is aimed at and understand its child-friendly approach.

The core gameplay revolves around 3 unique missions comprising 5 stages. As you unlock each one, you discover a new ability for each hero. First, you have a twin laser, then you can increase your speed, and finally, you can equip a bulletproof shield. Whatever you decide, they’ll adjust your style and make it surprisingly much easier to play.

Alongside this, each of the heroes has unique powers. You’ll discover your favourite, but each has strengths and weaknesses that can be exploited. Once you’ve picked your hero, you must fly along a set route through the city streets. You’ll destroy LexBots, pick up captured pets, and undertake a QTE. As you finish each level, your effort will be ranked and the story progresses.

Upgrades and bosses.

Disappointingly, the game lacks depth. Yet, my kids weren’t deterred as they enjoyed it on a shallow level. To add some meat to the bone, you can upgrade your skills, and powers, and look after your pets.

As you complete each stage, tokens are awarded to upgrade your health, stamina, or special powers. Once this is completed, your flying canines are uber-powerful and can easily defeat the bots, bosses, or Lex Luthor himself.

Talking of bosses, each chapter has an annoying mechanoid that’ll test your patience and skills. This is the only portion of the game that will trouble younger players. Consequently, it was a nice twist on an otherwise balanced and low-difficulty approach.

Each of the protagonists has 2 special powers to use. — Power up those lasers and annihilate your foes.

Pets and a break from the norm.

Alongside this, there are side missions the further you progress. My kids adored this out-of-course situation, but I saw it as unnecessary padding. However, I enjoyed the deviation from the normal gameplay. Instead of fighting waves of robots, you spend your time dodging cars and weaving between buildings.

Finally, the pets incorporate a puzzle/riddle element into the gameplay. Here, you must read the clues and pick from a choice of 3 answers. If you are successful, the pet will be ready to be adopted. From here, you must select a new owner and the right answer earns you upgrade tokens for your canine team.

DC League of Super-Pets won’t wow you.

Kids’ games and great graphics aren’t a match made in heaven. Accordingly, the dated look and unpolished finish are all but assured. However, the use of vivid colours and simple, contrasting backdrops makes it easier to play. Consequently, it is perfect for children even if it’s not so pleasant for adults.

The same can be said about the audio! The loud and obnoxious sound bites are grating and soon become an irritant. Yet, they do their job as they add drama and excitement to the action. What’s more, I shouldn’t complain too much as they are in keeping with the superhero theme. Though much of the audio is painful to listen to, it creates a high-energy atmosphere that’s perfect for this genre.

DC League of Super-Pets is full of those annoying LexBots. — Don’t let the LexBots stand in your way.

Simple enough for a kid to play.

Unsurprisingly, the UI and control setup are easy to understand. Thankfully, the straightforward approach means that youngsters can play with limited supervision. Sadly, though, it wasn’t as responsive as I’d have liked and this caused some issues. Aiming and shooting weren’t as simple as they should have been, and this causes you to fly into walls and cars. Luckily, it’s a minor issue that didn’t reduce the fun or undermine the end product.

Like its peers, DC League of Super-Pets has some replay value. Because every stage is ranked, you can try to beat your score on each. Other than this, there is little reason to return once you complete it. Annoyingly, the developers missed an opportunity by not including a speedrun mode or collectables to find. Had this been done, the longevity would have been vastly increased.

DC League of Super-Pets: amazing for kids, not so much for adults.

As a parent, you learn that sacrifices need to be made. One such sacrifice is playing inane games with your offspring. Disappointingly as an adult, you won’t enjoy DC League of Super-Pets. But your children will love everything about it. It’s for this reason that I recommend you to buy it here!. Will Krypto and Ace stop Lex Luthor? Give your child the controller and watch them enjoy this vivid and colourful child-friendly title.

Top 3 Tips for People Beginning Work as a Photographer

Tech

Andrew Edney

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Jul 25, 2022

0

Top 3 Tips for People Beginning Work as a Photographer

Photography can be a very lucrative job if done right. Most beginners get into photography as a hobby. But you can turn it into a full-time job and enjoy the big money some of the elite photographers have been making. However, that will take some work and commitment.

With that in mind, there is no elaborate formula for becoming a successful photographer. Some people wing it and still enjoy a very successful career. But, you can follow a few guidelines to increase your chances of hitting the ground running.

Market Yourself

If you are ready to take photography as a full-time career, the first step you need to take is marketing your work. Marketing has always been the key the success in every business endeavor. Without an elaborate marketing plan, most businesses fail a few years after they are established. A good strategy, however, can help you keep your photography business alive and ensure it enjoys a desirable growth rate.

There are plenty of marketing strategies you can use to market your photography business as a beginner. For instance, you can use social media platforms to reach your target audience. Most modern customers frequent social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. Use this Facebook ads maker to generate top-quality content for your Facebook advertising page.

Give Your Portfolio an Overhaul

Another essential tip you should pay attention to as a beginner photographer is giving your portfolio an overhaul. If you have been doing photography as a hobby, there is a great chance you have taken pictures of virtually everything you set your eyes on. In most cases, a hobbyist portfolio will contain a wide range of genres and sub-genres, which makes it look like you lack some sense of direction.

When looking to step into the professional photography world, you need to think about creating a professional photography portfolio. You can easily do that by splitting your existing portfolio into two primary categories: a business and a personal portfolio. The business section should contain pictures of specific industries you want to major in, e.g. sports and real estate. With the personal portfolio, you can include everything you want, be it pictures of your pets or those nice rides you come across in your neighborhood.

Consistency

Like any other business, photography requires a certain level of consistency to ensure success. You must ensure consistency in every aspect of your business, whether marketing and networking or delivering quality work.

The best thing about a photography career is work brings more work. If you deliver quality work to a client and they are satisfied, there is a great chance they will recommend you to their friends. On the contrary, inconsistencies in your work sends all the wrong messages. So, always strive for consistency in everything you do.

Final Thoughts

Transitioning into a seasoned photographer will take some effort and commitment. Other tips you should consider as a beginner photographer include utilizing photography tools, identifying your weakness and addressing them, working on your charges and rebranding your social media profiles to suit your new business.

Review: NOPE

Cody May

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Jul 25, 2022

0

To create film, is to create a spectacle. With suspense, when done correctly, it leaves you on the edge of your seat, as the monster clings to the shadows, forcing your imagination to fill in the gaps. These spectacles, they wow us; they define us, and they leave an impact on us which lasts a lifetime. Jordan Peele set out to make a spectacle, and he did just that with his newest film NOPE.

Submerged in Suspense

As a lover of anything UFO, and an equal lover of suspense, this movie checked all the boxes for me. Me and my girlfriend sat next to each other in an empty theater, thanks to living in a small town, and continued to wonder what would happen next, anticipation rising as each minute passed.

With a film such as this, every scene matters. You observe every line, every image, every little detail attempting to add another piece to the ever-growing puzzle.

Peele does this very well, first with GET OUT, then US, and once again with NOPE. There are so many little things thrown in there, that only on a second viewing you would pick up on, which makes me appreciate the film even more.

Selling the Horror

Acting was superb across the board, from main stars like Daniel Kalyuua, and Keke Palmer, to supporting roles from Steven Yuen, and Brandon Perea. The performances feel real, and Peele did a fantastic job at getting the most out of them for every scene.

Create a Spectacle

The cinematography was excellent as well. I love when films pop, and NOPE does without question. It all looks incredible, from the camera work, to the locations, and the visual effects.

These are crucial for films to leave a lasting impression with the audience, and when movies look as good as NOPE does, it makes you appreciate all of the hard work that went into making something as difficult as a movie.

Final Remarks

In closing, I loved this movie. I think overall people will be divided, and it really boils down to if you like this genre or not. If you love suspense films, those that build anticipation over a large stretch of time, then you’ll really enjoy NOPE. If that’s not your cup of tea, and you like action movies with very little character development, NOPE is not the movie for you.

I appreciate Jordan Peele for continuing to progress the medium, by always pushing his films further, and attempting to do things in new and exciting ways. For the beautiful and wild spectacle that NOPE is, I hope everyone gets a chance to check it out in theaters, as movies like these need to be supported.

Review: Harlow

Natosha M

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Jul 24, 2022

0

Have you been searching for something new to play that is a bit tricky and yet different from any other platformer game you’ve probably ever played before? How about if I said that the game is filled with the need to plan moves to avoid danger, take on a few adventures through new locations and puzzles to solve, and enjoy plenty of additional finds to set up for a special space party? Then, maybe you’ll enjoy the game Harlow, a little AI robot that gets to investigate large 2D environmental locations with many obstacles to overcome.

How Was The Game

To start, the game isn’t as easy as it seems. The game from what is stated in the detail and how it appears with the many in-play game images might look like this simple game. Especially where you can move the little AI, Harlow all over, with the analog key or arrow keys. However, it isn’t that easy and to be honest a bit difficult!

You must toss the little round axil-like wheel around to get him to the right locations he needs to get to. It’s completely hard to even move him on some exact targeted areas as it’s never straight or simple. You get this arrow line that aims the guy, but it doesn’t mean he’s gonna always land there or be able to reach some high destinations. That might be my only biggest flaw in this game. It took me longer getting through the levels because of the way you must move Harlow, then the obstacles around me trying to cause harm. It almost feels as if I’m tossing a ball, but without it being so easy enough to get it to aim or reach places I need to.

Of course, after a while, the game does get to be a bit familiar with what you need to do and how to move around easier. However, I have two other issues, sometimes when you get stuck in a position and can’t move forward, there is no restart from the last saved area, just have to return back to the ship and reenter the game. It just feels like there isn’t a complete way to abandon a game when any mistake occurs, which would make it so much easier. Plus, I wish there was a little quicker way to move the robot quicker when the moves won’t be accurate to the targeted location. It just feels a bit slow and could be great to have a way to speed things up a tiny bit with the other controller buttons.

Many may think that the setting or main menu, there could be a way to adjust the game. However, with the few setting adjustments, it doesn’t really do anything for the gameplay as I wish it could or should for those who need it to be a bit more personalized for their liking and easier to play. So to be thankful for one thing, I am grateful there isn’t any other higher difficulty level to choose from as it’s plenty challenging already!

On the other hand for a 2D game, the graphics are nice. I do love 2D games they are very easy to play and not bad if you get sick with vertigo in a 3D environment that requires a bunch of moving around. Plus, the levels are a mix of challenging and sometimes can be easy but don’t always expect it to be that easy. Also, the music is a bit upbeat and isn’t bad for the game. Fits the scene and them of the game quite nicely.

I really can’t say that the game is really that bad, it’s just a little difficult to move. Plus, to add to the movement issue, the amount of jumps and time you take is also being recorded. It’s at the end of the location, it will state how long it took you to get to the finish area. Plus, another way to make this game difficult is that sometimes, you’ll notice locations in the level that is safe to touch and really are not! A few objects are there that look fine to land on, but you’ll soon find out that they are traps and dangerous. So I can totally tell you, it isn’t always clear what is safe or not, providing you with a few tricky levels to play from start to finish without a few oopsy and mistakes along the way.

Final Thought

I would have to conclude by saying that this game is challenging to play. The worst thing I could say is that even if the game isn’t full of demons or enemies that are out to destroy you, the movability of the game is tortuous. So are the times you get stuck in the game. Yet, don’t get me wrong, it’s cute to see his smiling face as you push or actually toss him around, but it can become frustrating most of the time, I guess that is also what makes the game a challenge and even more like a puzzle.

Is this game for me, probably not, but it did put up a challenge to play! Regardless, don’t let my negative experiences make you feel unable to take on the challenge and try it out. There are still plenty of interesting things and levels to enjoy. It is just going to put you to a whole new challenge, how well you can move through each level and survive without defeat.

Review: Industria

Daniel Waite

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Jul 24, 2022

0

If you are in your late 30s or early 40s, you’ll remember the fall of the Berlin Wall. I wasn’t fully aware of the political ramifications, but I knew it was a significant event. Consequently, I’m more surprised that this key story doesn’t feature in more games or books. Industria aims to break this mould with its strange take on a key event.

Developed by Bleakmill and published by Headsup, this is a first-person shooter with a sci-fi edge. What’s more, it has dramatic undertones, some minor puzzle elements, and a bit of resource management. Think of War of the Worlds crossed with Half-Life, and you get the idea.

Most of the futuristic buildings are overbearing and mysterious. — What the heck is that structure?

Industria is an odd game of cat and mouse.

Now, I enjoy a slightly unusual title. Therefore, I knew I’d like the bizarre gameplay of Industria. On the surface, it’s just another first-person shooter. However, its combination of a gritty plot, strange puzzle elements, and ammo management, make it stand out. What’s more, it has distinct Half-Life vibes, and that is just fantastic. You spend most of your time creeping around grim rooms or sneaking through corridors. Why? You may wonder. Well, the world is full of deranged robots. Consequently, they stop at nothing to end your life.

So, why are the robots so pissed off? Well, this is the crux of the story. Industria is set in an alternative reality of 1989. The Berlin Wall is being ripped down and East and West Germany are no longer divided. However, not everyone is happy about this news. A scientist known as Walter Rebel is less than pleased as his experiment must come to an end. Worried about her colleague, Nora rushes to their lab to try to help. But on arrival, her colleague is missing. Using the “ATLAS” tech that they have been studying, she is flung into a parallel dimension. With no sight of Walter and an army of robots attacking her, Nora must fight for her life. Thankfully, though, she is not alone. With the help of a mysterious man, she uncovers the truth behind the top-secret experiments.

Industria asks you to take out robotic monsters with dated weaponry, so best of luck! — Using a dated pistol on robots has trouble written all over it.

Slow but captivating gameplay.

Industria isn’t a fast-paced first-person shooter. Instead, it has a slower and more considered approach. With its combination of simple puzzles, exploration, and claustrophobic environments, you must take your time. Yes, there are fleeting moments of madness, but stealth and guile are the name of the game.

Guided by your mysterious helper, you will follow a semi-linear path. There are minor detours en route, but much of the gameplay funnels you towards one conclusion. Accordingly, fans of open-world games may feel disappointed in this restrictive approach. What’s more, the small selection of weapons is distinctly underwhelming. Now, I wasn’t expecting a Rambo-esque arsenal of weapons, but I wanted so much more.

If you place the lack of weaponry to one side, you experience a wonderfully suspenseful and fascinating story from the off. Even the combination of sci-fi and the drama of the Berlin Wall didn’t put me off.

Industria is somewhat dated.

If a game is discussed in the same sentence as Half-Life, then it’s done a great job. However, this does have its drawbacks as well. See, Half-Life isn’t exactly a modern title, and Industria suffers an outdated aesthetic as a consequence. Yet, I still liked what I saw. The robots are varied, aggressive, and petrifying. Then there are the dark, dank, and claustrophobic areas that are uncomfortable to explore. In short, it may not be modern, but it looks fantastic nonetheless.

The atmosphere is enhanced thanks to the excellent audio. With a dramatic soundtrack, thumping sound effects, and excellent acting, it captures your imagination. The use of walkie-talkies and a lack of human presence creates a cold edge to the plot. I adored its clinical approach, as it made the situation more sinister and desperate.

The blend of dated architecture and sci-fi tropes is wonderful. — Oooohhhh shiny portal.

Familiar controls.

If you a first-person shooter aficionado, you’ll feel right at home. Industria uses a familiar control layout that is easy to understand. Alongside this, helpful prompts assist you in finding key items. My only complaint is that the controls aren’t responsive enough. The slight input delay is a little frustrating, but you soon get used to it. Therefore, it has a minor impact on the action.

Because of its linear approach, its longevity and replay value are reduced. Now, there are some collectables to find, but they do little to help the experience. Subsequently, one playthrough is sufficient to get the most out of it.

Industria is a great indie title.

Indie games divide the community. Some believe they are of poor quality while also undermining triple-A development. I, however, think this is nonsense. Yes, a smaller budget has its limitations, but there is usually more originality. Industria wears its influences on its sleeve, but its gameplay is a breath of fresh air. I loved its storytelling, the claustrophobic world, and its cold and callous undertones. It’s for these reasons I recommend you to buy it here! The fall of the Berlin Wall is a momentous occasion. However, surviving this ordeal is now your main priority.