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Review: Die With Glory

Daniel Waite

-

Mar 22, 2021

Valhalla, the dream resting place of the world’s bravest warriors. You have served your country, fought with all your heart, and died in glorious combat. You have now earned the right to enter the hallowed grounds and stand next to your fallen brothers. Imagine if you were so good at combat that death never came for you! Wars pass, and blood is spilt, but none of it is yours. This would frustrate, right? This is the reality for the hero and undefeated warrior Sigurd in Die With Glory.

Developed by Veslo Games and published by ChiliDog Interactive, this beautifully presented story-driven puzzle game takes you on many adventures. You must interact with everyone you come across, hoping that somehow one of them will offer you a glorious death and a way into Valhalla. This is easier said than done, and the slightest of mistakes sees you resurrected to the land of the living.

Die With Glory is a game of tall tales.

We’ve all got that friend who can tell epic tales. He can entertain a whole room with his unbelievable antics. Yet, his stories are always flawed, and soon the lies come to the fore. Your friend is exposed for the half-truths he is spinning, but you don’t mind as you were amused for 5 minutes. This is the main concept behind Die With Glory. You flit from story to story, telling different versions of what you believe to be true. If you stray away from your narrative, you are mocked and you must right this wrong.

It’s a simple premise, but boy is it enjoyable. The beautiful settings for each part of Sigurd’s story help to transport you into his world. Each person he interacts with is; witty, rude, sarcastic or just ignorant. The humour runs through every scene, and you will chuckle with joy as each tall tale is recounted. 5 chapters of his life must be looked at, each set in a bold medieval land. There are at least two versions of each event, and as the plot evolves the puzzles get increasingly elaborate.

It’s a wonderful way to ramp up the challenge in the puzzles while gently breaking you into the game. The difficulty is relatively low throughout and is open to most audiences. Younger gamers will need help though, as some logic-based puzzles require forward-thinking.

The perfect death isn’t easy to find!

You may think “just die already, it can’t be that difficult!” I agree, death is just around the corner, but the perfect warrior’s death is not! Die With Glory asks you to complete 3 tasks to unlock the gates of Valhalla. Sadly, this is easier said than done. You must; find the right weapon, encounter the correct foe, and die at their hands. Unfortunately, Sigurd is a mighty warrior who has a habit of decimating his foes. You must think logically, and outside of the box to get to your resting place.

Where better than a tavern to tell a tall tale?

Each story plays out repetitively. There are slight variations in how it is told, and your approach must be altered to account for the key differences. For example; one story will have the red Knight surviving a deadly trap, the other he will face his demise. If you stray off the path, you must start from the incorrect moment. This, however, never got boring. The amusing dialogue and length of each chapter ensured that boredom never entered the equation. Each portion was balanced perfectly and kept you wanting more. Credit has to be given to Veslo Games for their clever writing style.

Die With Glory is beautiful to look at.

A distinct cartoon style has been utilised throughout. The colourful and bright landscapes offer many unusual destinations. You will visit; a lava-filled dragon lair, mushroom forest, an airship, jungle and a keep. Each looks unique and helps to convey the ridiculous tale you are exploring. The characters you interact with are well designed and amusing to look at. Though its approach was crisp and clean, it still had an air of old-school gaming. I loved how it was presented, and it was very easy on the eye.

However, what was odd was the delicate audio that accompanied the action. The music changed tempo, beat and style to match the story, yet it played softly in the background. It was strange that it didn’t take a more pivotal role, as I expected a louder and more intense soundtrack. The comedy continues with the use of childish and amusing sound effects. The over the top noises emphasise each strange death you are involved with. Overall, the audio was a success, even if my expectations were wildly incorrect.

The controls were the bane of my life.

Die With Glory has been ported from PC, and it shows. You can move around with ease, but interacting with objects was a pain. Circles appear on the screen to denote an action to be taken. A hand shows an object to collect, and arrows indicate places to go. The issues occur when over one choice is on screen. The highlighted orb flits between the two and you constantly select the wrong option. This wouldn’t be so bad, except you can’t cancel the action. This is prevalent in the boat scene. You can climb the mast to the crow’s nest. If you do this by accident, and you will, you must clamber up, just to climb back down (ARGGGHHHHH). It was infuriating as hell! The developers should have input a cancel action button, after all the button layout is so sparse it could have been done easily.

As with all great films, the writers leave it open for a sequel. This is usually done in a suggestive way, such as the hero has unfinished business. Die With Glory wasn’t so discreet. Upon finishing the 5 levels, you wander to the end of the tavern. Here you are told of the next chapter that is coming. I know not; its release date, price or if it’s a DLC, but I want it now. I completed this in one 3 to 4-hour sitting, obtaining all achievements, and I have to say I loved every minute. Sadly though, I won’t return to play it again as it lacks replay value.

Will you die with glory?

Sigurd has many opportunities to die, but will any of them bathe him in glory? I won’t answer this for you as I don’t wish to spoil it. What I can say is you will be treated to a beautiful art style, nice sound effects and some excellent amusing dialogue. As a puzzle game, it isn’t the most challenging among its peers, but its simplicity allows you to enjoy every aspect. For this reason, I recommend you buy it here! Death is a complicated affair, especially when you are a master warrior. Valhalla’s Gates will remain shut to those that lack honour. Can you plan your perfect death? Can you Die With Glory?

Review: Lumberjack’s Dynasty

Frances Addison

-

Mar 21, 2021

0

I’ll admit there has never been a point in my life where I’ve harboured aspirations of becoming a lumberjack. I have, however, now spent an entire year all but trapped inside a tiny flat in my own small pocket of the world, seeing the same sights over and over again, and it turns out that that’s about enough time to start idealising the rural life. In that regard, Lumberjack’s Dynasty is a brilliant game that really succeeds in taking you out of the trappings of real life and sets you firmly into the peaceful existence of a woodsman – unfortunately, what the game manages in atmosphere, it sorely lacks in performance.

The general story of Lumberjack’s Dynasty will likely be familiar to many players, following in the same vein as titles like Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon: the protagonist has been given a farm – which in this case also features a lumber mill – and is tasked with getting it up and running again after years of disrepair. The only real change to the trope is that this time the protagonist’s aunt and uncle, from who he has acquired the farm, are actually still alive and present in the game for you to meet. From there, the story follows as you might expect, getting to know the locals, rebuilding your farm, and settling into a new idyllic life in a beautiful mountain valley.

I want to say now, before we get into the rougher details, that I adored my time with this game. Imperfect as it may be, Lumberjack’s Dynasty is a delightful way of becoming immersed in a new, picturesque world and, combined with the soothing music and lack of any sort of threat, the game is a calming escape from the more challenging aspects of our current real world.

There’s more content here than you might expect at first glance too. Beyond the standard rebuilding of ruined farmhouses and chopping down trees, Lumberjack’s Dynasty allows you to collect recipe books to make more elaborate meals, fish in the local rivers, get married and start a family, and so much more that, while superfluous to the main objective of the game, really instills in you that the protagonist’s story is a life being lived, in all its many facets. As an experience, this game really nails the level of immersion it’s going for.

Unfortunately, the things that Lumberjack’s Dynasty does so right aren’t going to be any player’s main takeaway. While its content is, largely, great fun to explore, the game also has a fatal flaw: its mechanics.

By far the biggest problem here is that the game’s performance is extremely hit or miss. At times, it runs perfectly smoothly, while at others it suffers extensive frame drops and input lag, even when the settings are optimised for performance rather than visuals. In the worst instances, the performance was poor enough that I found myself having to restart the game before it could even be considered playable, let alone good.

Lumberjack’s Dynasty also seems to have a number of issues specifically relating to object collision, most commonly in the form of felled trees remaining upright until given a hearty shove. While relatively benign, the problem can also lead to vehicles or the player character becoming stuck on scenery or, occasionally, nothing at all. In one instance during my playthrough, the lack of collision with a window ended up in me clipping through a wall through which I could not get back from without teleporting back to my vehicle. Combined with a somewhat floaty control system – particularly when trying to walk on or climb any sort of slope – it’s a problem that a lot of players are going to repeatedly stumble on.

Outside of the mechanical aspects, there are some content concerns too. The first of these is the incredibly stilted and awkward dialogue, complete with extremely flat voice acting, that makes any conversation you have feel very unnatural. Given that this game is aiming for immersion, this is the one area in which it totally failed to achieve that goal.

Secondly, and perhaps more detrimental to the overall experience, is the general lack of direction the game gives you after the first hour or so of play. There are some tutorial sections at the start that teach you how to do certain things, but once that’s done, players are largely left to their own devices and it can quickly become difficult to know what it is you’re actually supposed to be doing. Having a general goal of ‘use the lumbermill to make money’ is all well and good, but without any real direction on how to do that when you only own a very small section of forest and likely don’t have the money to buy more means that the game comes to a complete standstill while you have to try figuring it out.

Lumberjack’s Dynasty is a game that I wish I could recommend, but in its current form, I’m just not sure that I can. If you are interested in spending a few hours getting away from yourself and relaxing into a peaceful rural life, then you could do far worse than this game, but be prepared going in that you’re probably going to find a lot of frustration here too.

Review: Open Sorcery: Sea++

Charles Ombler

-

Mar 21, 2021

0

Open Sorcery: Sea++ – because who can resist a game with two programming puns in the title?

I love indie games. As much as some of my favourite games of all time are AAA games, indies are where the really interesting stuff is going on. They lead innovation and experimentation and take the risks that your standard AAA developer can’t, due to the amount of money behind their games. Without indies, we’d be at risk of losing the soul of the gaming industry and being left with the big publishers pumping out this year’s Fifa and Call of Duty number 106. So, when I present you with a text-based adventure-puzzler, released in early 2021 rather than the 1970s, you better believe it’s the sort of thing that could only come out of an indie studio (or, in this case, a single developer) and it is glorious.

I’m not going to go into too much depth on the story to avoid straying into spoiler territory for a game I genuinely believe you should play. However, the premise of the game is that you awaken in the middle of an otherworldly sea, made up of emotions and feelings and dreams, as well as your regular underwater paraphernalia (fish). You have few memories of your life so you must traverse the underwater landscape that you find yourself in to pull together the shattered memories you find there and use them to compile coding themed magic to help you on your way. It’s a beautiful combination of computer science, philosophy and magic which come together in a thought-provoking narrative on the theme of identity. Again, it’s the sort of storytelling that you rarely find outside of an indie studio and I really appreciate the content warnings on the opening screen and throughout, as there are some difficult themes explored.

The gameplay itself is focused on exploration and puzzling. In the opening area, you’ll swim your way around a grid of the seabed until you manage to build a webship and can travel further afield. You’ll come across a range of incredibly well-written characters, including ghosts that you’ll be able to set to rest by reminding them of their life. This is done by solving a puzzle using information about the ghost you have gleaned by speaking to it, examining its body and speaking to some of the other beings around the sea. These other beings include slave-owning shopkeepers that you’ll be somewhat less inclined to help, again due to the detestably wonderful way they’re written. You also need to collected motes: physical embodiments of concepts like dark, light, love, life, death, etc. In an interesting gameplay decision, you collect these by completing word-searches – I’m not sure many people want to spend time on a word-search rather than exploring the game they’ve just bought, but fortunately, the developer has thought about that and immediately flags that you can turn on an autocomplete option in the settings menu, making them entirely skippable.

As someone with no familiarity with text adventures, I did find the game a little obtuse on occasion. Sometimes I felt somewhat directionless and uncertain of what my goal was or how doing certain activities would help me progress, like a character in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with an indecisive DM. I found myself wandering around somewhat aimlessly in the opening section, just trying everything I was able to do until something progressed, which was quite frustrating. The lack of a map made it quite easy to get lost because my 12-months-of-lockdown-brain is not up to remembering what’s in every segment of a 7×7 grid (although this is less of an issue further down the line as you can ‘fast travel’ to important locations in areas you’ve already visited). Equally, there is no log of conversations you’ve had, so if you can’t remember exactly what an NPC told you about a ghost you’re halfway through awakening (because, again, lockdown brain) you’ll have to go back to that NPC and ask again. I’m sure these points are features of all text adventures, but the modernisation of Open Sorcery: Sea++ doesn’t do anything to improve on the genre there.

Open Sorcery: Sea++ is very much a relic of an early gaming era and, if you’re nostalgic for those days and miss the concept of text adventures, you’ve almost certainly already bought the game. For the rest of us who’ve never played a text adventure, there’s definitely some interesting stuff going on in Open Sorcery: Sea++ and I think it’s a great introduction to the genre and a truly thought-provoking narrative if you can get over some of the slightly annoying legacy features. If you’re at all interested in trying something new in gaming, you could do much worse than trying out Open Sorcery: Sea++.

Spin Master DC 12-inch Action Figures – Batman and The Joker

Andrew Edney

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Mar 21, 2021

0

Spin Master DC 12-inch Action Figures – Batman and The Joker

Spin Master have a range of DC 12-inch action figures – we take a closer look at Batman and The Joker.

Create your own epic Super Hero and Super-Villain adventures with the Batman 12-inch Action Figure! This Caped Crusader action figure features three points of articulation, a cloth cape and comic styling that brings your favorite Super Hero to life!

Team up with Robin and help rid Gotham City of its most sinister Super-Villains like The Joker and Harley Quinn. Engage your imagination and pose your action figure as you play out your own Batman storylines and battles!

With 3 points of articulation, you can pose your 12-inch Batman action figure’s head and arms.

The Joker is ready to join forces with your little ones and unleash a reign of terror over Gotham City!

This officially licensed figure of The Joker, which stands at 30cm tall and features 11 points of articulation and detailed styling, is the ideal gift for little fans of Batman and long-term figure collectors alike.

With a range of figures to collect, expand your Batman action figure collection with Rebirth Tactical Batman, Robin, The Joker, Harley Quinn and more (each sold separately). Protect Gotham City with the Batman 12-inch Action Figure!

Each of the 12-inch action figures sell for around £10 and are aimed at children of 3 years and up. They are great fun to play with – you can create your own epic adventures through Gotham City and have hours of fun!

You can learn more about the range, and see other Spin Master toys from the Spin Master website.

Review: Escape From Life Inc

Daniel Waite

-

Mar 21, 2021

0

You may consider yourself a lone wolf. Someone that needs no help from anyone, as the world presents no problems for you to overcome. What will you do when that day occurs? When you can’t overcome the hurdles in front of you. Will you swallow your pride and ask for help? Or will you attempt to fix the issue yourself and fail miserably? These are the questions that are presented to you in Escape from Life Inc.

Developed by PowerBurger and published by Sometimes You, this old-school 2D platform game has taken influence from the much loved game The Lost Vikings. Escape From Life Inc is all about teamwork, communication, and problem solving. It’s not a game that will punish the amateur player, but it contains enough challenge to keep everyone entertained.

Escape From Life Inc is all about the best animal for the job.

The puzzles present themselves in many weird ways. You must; flick switches, move boxes, activate pressure plates, turn on buttons and more. Each of the tasks requires a certain animal to achieve it. Your team is a mismatch of creatures; a stubborn and blunt Eagle, a failure of a reindeer, and a genetically modified fish.

That onion is complex, he has so many layers.

The game opens with Bob; he begins as a normal fish. He starts his day off like any other and he swims off to school. It then flits to Ern, a master pilot bird who joins the Eagle Air Corps. And finally, you pan to Rick the stuttering reindeer. He doesn’t make the grade for Santa, and here you discover Rudolph is an arse. Each of their days takes an unexpected turn when the spaceship of Life Inc swoops in and grabs each of them with its claw. You are now prisoners of this alien lab, and your only way to survive is to escape from Life Inc!

A game with familiar mechanics.

With 5 chapters to play through, and a maze-like world to explore, you’ll easily get lost on your way to the headquarters. You will encounter some odd creatures on your path to the exit, some will be friends and others foes. This surreal environment is easy to explore, but leaves you confused and laughing at what you discover. Your first bout of laughter will come at the expense of little Bob. For reasons unknown, the aliens have genetically modified him to have legs. This innocent fish’s life has changed forever.

For all its unusual imagery, and weird creatures, the gameplay feels familiar. The core mechanics are tried and tested and will be a comfortable experience for veterans of the genre. Rick uses his antlers to flip switches and smash through cracked walls. Bob is the only creature who can touch the water. And Ern soars high in the air, collecting gold rings and activating otherwise unreachable switches. As the game progresses, you will be blessed with further skills that allow you access to secret areas.

Every element of Escape From Life Inc is a pleasure to experience. The well written and comical text based dialogue will make you chuckle. The odd creatures will leave you frowning with confusion, but smiling with joy. And each of the simple puzzles was a joy to solve. However, the straightforward gameplay takes a twist in the latter segment of the story.

It’s no longer about your own survival.

The unlikely team of three heroes starts out as a selfish bunch. Their survival is all that concerns them. This is until their plan is thwarted by the alien leader. You must enlist the help of others to fulfil their desire to escape from Life Inc. The second act follows the same mechanics as the first, but you are now tasked with rescuing 20 animals. These have been visible at all times, but to this point they were part of the scenery. You must revisit every section you have been to, collecting every animal you come across.

It’s a wonderful twist to the gameplay and reinforces the teamwork theme. There are approximately 40 creatures to find, alongside several pieces of fruit. These form the collectable parts of the game and act as a welcome distraction from the platforming action.

Retro looks and a colour explosion.

Using a simple pixelated style, the sprites and the environment have a basic retro style that is pleasing on the eyes. Every part of the world is filled with bright colours and you won’t get bored with looking at it. It doesn’t use the power of the current gen of consoles, but it matters not; the game runs smoothly and is a joy to play.

If you consider that the artistic approach is garish and in your face, it was surprising that the audio didn’t follow suit. An upbeat and classical soundtrack accompanies everything you do. This uplifting audio fills you with hope and is at odds with the situation you find yourself in. You will identify each of your characters’ personalities through the noises that they make. Each has their own sounds for when they speak, and though they are slightly annoying, it works well with the old-school approach.

Escape From Life Inc is easy to master.

Even though you have three different creatures to control its surprisingly easy to master. Each has their own abilities that must be understood to progress. Within 10 minutes you will be an expert in handling each animal and every action will come to you naturally. The simplicity of this title is down to its familiar mechanics and its uncomplicated approach. This is a family-friendly game that can be enjoyed by gamers of all ages.

I’ve already mentioned the collectables that add an extra layer of complexity to the gameplay. This vastly increases the replay value and ensures you want to return. I enjoyed every part of this, but was disappointed by the lack of co-op play. The PC version allows for multiple players to take each role. Including it would be a welcome addition to the console edition. As a solo player, you’ll be expected to take on a small achievement list that asks you to explore the alien craft. If you wish to obtain the 100% status, you’ll need to set aside around 5 hours. At £7 this proves to be good value for money.

Will you want to help the animals escape from Life Inc?

From the moment you switch this on, you will vie for the animals to succeed. Their comical ways and strong desires are infectious and will make you smile throughout. It’s no nonsense approach and familiar mechanics make this a pleasure to play. With nice retro graphics and uplifting music, you will have an enjoyable time solving each puzzle you encounter. I loved my time with this and recommend that you buy it here! Can you help the animals escape their new prison? Will the aliens continue to steal animals and succeed in their evil plans? Leap the platforms, and rescue each creature. You must become the hero of the hour!

Review: Sanity of Morris

Daniel Waite

-

Mar 20, 2021

0

There has long been a question mark around the existence of extraterrestrial beings. Some blindly believe, some believe they have seen them, and there are the ones that refuse to acknowledge their existence. No matter your thoughts on it, it makes for an interesting conversation and has been the basis for many great; books, films, TV series and games. StickyLock look to use this topic as the backbone of their latest game, Sanity of Morris.

Published by Altegro Games, this dark and creepy first-person action-adventure is a million miles away from their last title. Woven was a fluffy and fun game that was aimed at a younger audience. It had a gentle learning curve, a lighthearted storyline, and was shockingly colourful. Sanity of Morris is the polar opposite. It targets an older audience who like; suspense, puzzles, and a dark story.

A bizarre story with little handholding.

The game follows a man named John Morris. He comes from a broken family and hasn’t talked to his father for years. Out of the blue, he receives a voicemail, Hank wishes, no, demands that he come see him at his house in the small town of Greenlake. John thinks the message is odd, but cannot turn down the chance to reconcile. This decision changes his life and sets him on a journey of discovery. He will question his mental state while searching for clues, only to discover that aliens exist.

A psychological horror-thriller that uses the detective theme to perfection. You wander around poorly lit areas with nothing more than a torch to illuminate your way, and a journal to jot down your thoughts. You must use the light to identify; clues, notes, photos and cassette tapes. These collectables help to build up the story and remove the fog of mystery that lingers around this quaint little town.

When John accepted his dad’s invitation, he did not know the trap he was walking into. Hank had uncovered a secret that the government wish to be kept under wraps. He was threatening to blow the cover on the whole thing, and by calling John to the party he places his life in danger as well. This threat is a constant presence in Sanity of Morris. Not only must you; explore, uncover clues, and piece together information, you are required to hide in the shadows, avoiding the light of your enemies.

It’s frightening and full of suspense.

The constant looking over your shoulder, avoiding attention and hiding in the dark was horrendous. Mistakes cost you your life and being chased puts you on edge. Then there is the horrific imagery that flashes before your eyes as John’s mind plays tricks on him. You soon discover that you’re playing a twisted game that is anything but comfortable to play.

This creepy tale is broken down into 3 chapters. Each explores a key area of Hanks backstory. You hear his version of events through audio files and flashbacks. It’s a brilliantly delivered concept that enables you to see both father and son’s view on the same situation, even though they are seeing it at separate times, and with different issues. The documents that you discover are laced with cryptic clues to help you progress. They also help provide some much-needed meat to a confusing and unbelievable story.

Though you are provided with hints, no one will guide you. The answers will be laid out in front of you, yet you’ll not see the obvious. It makes for a brilliantly intriguing title that brings a wry smile to your face when you eventually overcome an issue.

Old mechanics and a tried and tested formula.

Most of the Sanity of Morris gameplay revolves around tried and tested mechanics that will feel comfortable to use. From a gameplay element, it doesn’t scream originality. But, this is more than made up with its brilliant story, well delivered narrative and logical puzzles that you must overcome. Each chapter has a repetitive nature with the developers using the same elements throughout. This wasn’t an issue for me as they matched the environment and setting for each of the segments. I believe that if StickyLock attempted too many ideas, it would have diluted the theme, and would have ended up a confusing mess. It was a well balanced and considered approach that worked extremely well.

3 different landscapes delivered in 1 world.

What was great about this was the delivery of three unique environments in one small area. Each has a different feel, quality and style. And though they all vary, they all have an underlying theme of; darkness, fear and uncertainty. The use of light and shadow creates an ominous and oppressive ambience that fills you with worry. At a distance, it looks great, but sadly this doesn’t hold up when you take a closer look. The finer details do not match up to the overall presentation and appear dated. It doesn’t ruin the game, it simply fails to be as impressive as the staging.

What was great was the sinister audio that was a constant companion. Like in all great thrillers, it set the scene perfectly overpowering no other elements. I loved how it shifted from its slow, sinister form to a shrill fast-paced panicky tone when danger was imminent. The gameplay was influenced by the brilliance of the music, and the excellence of the sound effects. The click of your torch, the heavy breathing, and the slap of your feet on the floor, all added to the suspense-filled atmosphere.

To add to this, the well throughout and acted voice-over work delivered both Hank’s and John’s words and inner thoughts perfectly. Fear, hope, and resignation are all present in the spoken dialogue. It captures the situation to a tee and rarely falters.

Just as you’d expect, glow in the dark footprints.

A control setup that lacks finesse.

The weakest part of Sanity of Morris has to be its control setup. It’s perfectly serviceable, easy to use. But it still lacks finesse and accuracy. I have a hunch that this was optimised for PC first, and console second. The control layout would suit a keyboard and mouse over the controller every time. It works fine on Xbox, and with a small amount of practice, you’ll be comfortable with it.

Whenever I pick up a story focussed game, I know I’m in for a potentially low replay value. If you concentrate solely on the story and gameplay, you’ll agree that there is almost no reason to return. However, 3 different groups of collectables must be located. There are also several “Easter eggs” from previous StickyLock titles hidden, waiting to be found. It was a brilliant little twist, and quite a challenge, as you must remember that you are always at risk of being caught if you venture out of the darkness.

A different direction, but just as good.

I like the work that this development team produces. I was taken back by both the theme and style of their latest game, but what they have released is of a very high quality. It will test your logical thinking, reasoning, and constitution. You need this in your life, so buy it here! Can you help John follow in his father’s footsteps? Can you do what Hank failed to achieve? Travel to Greenlake and see how you get on.

Review: Worms Rumble

Wil Raterman

-

Mar 19, 2021

0

Team 17 returns with yet another iteration of the cult classic Worms series. Leaving behind the turn-based stratagems and incorporating a real time action multiplayer mechanic, Worms Rumble attempts to rebrand again to adapt to the games being played today. Jump into matchmaking alone, or with friends in this online-only title, where you will find the usual Deathmatch game types. Though pieces of the original charm aren’t as present, Worms Rumble is most likely the best deviation from the classic gameplay to date.

Lock n’ Load

The developers have toyed around with their franchise formula in the past (Worms 3D), so this is not their first experiment. You don’t command a squad of worms, and instead play as a single team member, or solo in a free-for-all fight. Traverse a 2D map and collect weapons and other powerups to annihilate your opponents. That’s pretty much the gist of it. It’s essentially a 2D MMO similar to Duck Game. If you’ve played that, then you will know exactly how this title operates. And what’s here is done well enough. It controls like you would expect, maybe even a little better. The roll and wall jump mechanics are a nice touch to get around quickly and smoothly. Use a mouse and keyboard or controller; both work fine.

The maps are expansive and colorful, yet maybe a bit too similar

Finding and joining games online isn’t a slog, and there are a lot of players on the servers. However, there is no ranking or segregation to the matchmaking. As a new player, I got rocked by veterans over and over. Playing in Team Deathmatch was the best bet for me; I needed to be carried to victory. I would have liked to at least see a Casual and Ranked matchmaking option. Or even an offline with bots mode would have been nice. These would have helped curve a difficulty spike when playing with veterans. Replaying the training course doesn’t really provide you with enough to get better on your own. And since there is no offline mode, Worms Rumble cannot be played on the couch with friends. You can, however, party up online.

Suit Up

Choose from a decent selection of headgear, sunglasses, and skin tones to create a unique worm to join the rumble. This is all purely aesthetic, but in game attire seems to be the craze these days. I kept my worm classic for the most part to have a bit of nostalgia while playing. The characters on screen are relatively small, so playing dress up isn’t as rewarding as titles like Fortnite or Diablo, except from the spectator mode. There, you can see an enlarged view of each player in game.

Gotta look good when you get rocked by better players in matchmaking

With any game that emphasizes customization comes an in-game currency. Collect gold and experience from games played to, you guessed it, unlock more hats, weapon colors, and profile backgrounds. And this wouldn’t be the usual micro-transactional experience without different packages you can purchase separately. Maybe my boomer gamer mentality is showing a little, but I’ve already bought the game. Is that not enough these days?

A Familiar Realm

Hearing that recognizable melody from previous installments worked into new compositions brought a me a smile. I was filled with memories of nights staying up late with my friends and family playing Worms World Party on the original PlayStation. Aside from the classic motifs in the compositions, the music was great. I left the game on the main menu and jammed out to the track while sifting through screenshots captured to upload on this page. A lot of the personality is still here, even though I’m a purist and can’t help but want to revert back to the older titles after playing this one.

Also, some of my favorite weapons of the franchise make their return, including the Baseball Bat, Banana Bomb, and of course, the almighty Holy Hand Grenade. Hearing that “Haaaallelujiah!!” before detonation triggers some of my fondest, and most infuriating flashbacks. Staying on the subject of sound, the worms voices do feel a bit annoying and maybe a little too squeaky this time. I had to drop the voice volume down a bit.

Bottom Line

I wouldn’t dive into Worms Rumble looking for the original nuts and bolts if you’re an older player. I can easily picture that scenario since there are already a plethora of Worms titles and remasters on Steam. But if you seek a 2D Run N’ Gun multiplayer experience, you’ll have some fun. This game will stay relevant as long as there are enough players online to carry the torch. Without them, I can easily see it fall into obscurity.

Review: Fireworks Display Simulator

Jonah Ehlers

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Mar 19, 2021

0

Have you ever thought about your birthday, wedding reception, even funeral’s entertainment. I know I have. My personal dream is to have fireworks at my wake. Why have people bawling their eyes out (hopefully) over my passing? Let’s give them something to gawk at. Let’s give them lights, colours, loud noises and music as the ultimate send off.

Fireworks… Need I Say More?

I think most people can agree that fireworks are pretty great. The sheer spectacle is something that arrests your attention with extreme prejudice. Fireworks want every sense you can spare, and in the right hands they can do just that.

But unfortunately for all the joy and excitement a good fireworks display can bring. they are not perfect. They scare our pets, and they bring with them a considerable amount of noise pollution. On top of all that they’ll never be as magnificent as the fireworks from the Lord of the Rings.

But there are ways to enjoy a fireworks display without giving your dog tinnitus or bothering sleeping babies in any nearby homes. Which are truly unforgivable acts. Despite these shortcomings, there are other solutions you can find here. Enter the Fireworks Display Simulator. One of the best ways to enjoy controlled explosions indoors. Sorry though, there’s still no way to top Gandalf’s collection, but it sure does try.

Explosives Without the Risk

Fireworks Display Simulator greets you with an introductory display of what’s possible. A great show of timing and choice in fireworks that really caught my interest. I’ll admit I was more than a bit intimidated by what I saw. I had no idea how I would even get close to creating a display that wasn’t just random explosions in front of a static backdrop.

Fireworks Display Simulator takes a hold of your hand and guides you through the basics of what the possibilities are in a way that is easy to grasp. It did a pretty great job of bridging the gap between what they showed you before and what you are able to do as a novice. You get a feel for the easy to use and simple UI (User Interface). Or at least relatively simple compared to something like Adobe Audition, which to be fair is professional software. It has to be said though, accessibility aside, the UI does not look particularly pretty. I can only hope for a more appealing design, or at the very least a dark mode one day.

Sky’s the Limit

The tutorial provides you with the foundation of setting up a decent display, but there are still a lot more possibilities under the surface. It does teach you enough without bombarding you with information and mechanics which could muddy the waters terribly. However, I do think something in the way of an advanced tutorial would be more than welcome. Although, with some experimentation in the sim and browsing the support section of their website I discovered a couple of interesting things.

For one you have the ability to import 3d models for the backdrops of your displays; cars, buildings, etc. This adds some variety to the unfortunately few options you’ve got by default. Hopefully we see more models get added to the base game in the future though. It is still in early access, so I’m sure we’ll be seeing more content added over time.

The most exciting prospect however, has to be the Firework editor. This is the playground in which you build your ideal firework. Comets, mines, shells, whatever you want. You have the ability to create some spectacular stuff if you take the time to get familiar with it. This is something I’d have loved to see a tutorial on in-game. The manual is easily accessible online sure, but something that helped you along step-by-step would be a great inclusion.

More Fun Than You Might Think

Clearly there’s a lot at your disposal to create a really spectacular display, considering it’s on a PC and not outside. You’ve also got ways of inserting camera pans and sweeps to add some dynamic movement to the display or line up that perfect view. Although at this point you must be wondering about music. Well don’t worry, you have full authority over the soundtrack to your event. It’s easy to add any audio file you like. Hell even add an audiobook chapter to your display, and insert some culture to the occasion. Just as long as it’s in the right format.

Fireworks Display Simulator was a lot more fun than I’d initially expected I’ll admit. It turned out to be a fairly enjoyable sim. It does a great job at what it intended to do and it’s something you can inadvertently lose a lot more time in than you bargained for. Which is not a bad thing at all. There is a plethora of fireworks at your disposal, some good mechanics for dynamism and flair, and an Interface that’s pretty welcoming to newcomers; if not a bit plain looking. If you’re into simulators, fireworks, or both it could be a good time.

Now please, enjoy a little amateur display I spent a little too much time on, below.

Review: Pacer

Daniel Waite

-

Mar 19, 2021

0

No matter your age, we all have a vision of what we think the future will look like. For me, it’s robotic, cold, and controlled by money. You may think this a depressing outlook, but the more we allow robots to control our lives, the less say we have about our own destiny. Even if the way we live changes, the desire for high adrenaline sports will never fade! What better way to scratch this itch than to combine technology with supersonic speed. Pacer does just this! You are a racing driver, or pilot if you will. You control an anti-grav craft that must race around town circuits, winning events and shooting opponents from the sky.

Developed and published by R8 Games, this sterile vision of the future is; wonderfully brutal, insanely addictive, and is sure to get the heart pumping. Your futuristic vehicle soars above the ground and glides around corners. It comes equipped with deadly weapons, and has a shield to ensure that it stays in the race for as long as possible. The premise is simple; choose your layout, select your event, and race. The winner will be crowned the victor. There are no complexities, and the only thing that’ll hold you back are your reflexes and reactions.

Pacer is packed with content.

I’ve played many racing games in the past, including its nearest rival WipEout, but many are guilty of limited options, and repetitive gameplay. Pacer doesn’t fall into that trap. 14 unique and challenging venues are at your disposal. Not only do you have these locations to visit, they also have interchangeable variants; mirrored, night, reversed and so forth. You will take part in; 8 different race types, select 5 unique vehicles, 4 engine classes and wield 11 types of weapon.

It’s a content overload that will please the many racing genre fans out there. The races are a straightforward affair, with the classic speed pad being utilised alongside a ship boost that regenerates. Ammo and shield icons are dotted around each stage, flying over them enables you to pick them up, ensuring that you replenish your armour, or power your weapons to take down the opposition. Other than this, all you have to do is focus on your objective and go for gold.

It’s all about your career.

A fantastic career mode makes up the core of the game. This is broken down into sponsor based events with a specific number of goals to complete, and rigid objectives that must be achieved before you can progress. Medals are allocated that reflect your success, and these don’t affect your progression, they are simply a badge of honour. You will be asked to; destroy X amount of opponents, win every race, and many other challenging goals. There is nothing complicated about it, but the opposition can be frustratingly hard, and hitting your target can be easier said than done.

Pacer isn’t all about the racing. No, you are free to customise and design your ship layout as you wish. This is the section of the game where you must consider your approach and design your vehicle according to your style. Anything you select will impact another attribute; increase the acceleration, and the handling will take a dive. Improve speed, and your defence drops. It’s a constant juggling act, and finding the perfect balance can be difficult. Alongside the stats, you are free to pimp your ride as you see fit. Choose body kits, OTT parts, and many colours and wraps. The world is your oyster when it comes to design, but these options aren’t free. You must spend your hard earned cash on any improvements, meaning some tough decisions have to be made.

It’s all about the spectacle.

People want action, and that is what you are going to give them. The 8 unique races demand a different approach and skill set. Will you be asked to race over a set number of laps? Do you have to destroy X amount of opponents, or survive to be the last car standing? These are to name but a few, but with the variation in game modes, and different track, it’s hard to get bored with what R8 Games have presented.

The future isn’t all about overbearing cities and dull landscapes.

This is then pushed one step further with a selection of single-player game modes, and online play against friends and strangers. Like the career mode, online supports up to 10 players at once. You can select from 7 game modes, and the developers have attempted to keep things balanced by implementing a matchmaking system. I found this slightly floored at quiet times as I was chucked into lobbies to make up the numbers, even though they were clearly much more experienced than me. If you didn’t wish to take part, but wanted to spectate, this was also accounted for. The spectator mode was a great way for novice players to observe the higher skilled players, and to gain some valuable tips.

A friendly bunch!

The online lobbies were easy to navigate and were well populated, mostly. The community, though in its infancy, had a mixture of high end gamers, and those who wanted to play for fun. With the use of VOIP to help build a community environment, I was worried that it would be toxic from the go, but my fears were misplaced. I had no issues at all, and would happily allow younger players to join in with little concern of foul language or trolling occurring. If the developers can keep this high standard as the game expands, then it will have a marvellous following that will make this a family friendly title.

Pacer is buttery smooth to play.

With vehicles exceeding 1000 Kph, it would be easy for the imagery to blur into a horrible mess. This never happened, with the graphics easily keeping up with the game’s demand. The vehicles float past the neon lights of each city, maintaining the high detail of each ship, and the buildings in the background. The landscape uses a dark and gritty colour palette which opposes the bright and vibrant tones used for the power up icons and the boost pads. This decision by the developers made it easy to navigate each track even when the world was moving at a supersonic speed. I adored the custom options, and the many choices that were placed at your fingertips. It’s rare that you have such freedom to create the look that best suits your personality.

I can keep talking about my love of the garage mode and all the mods that this allowed, but I won’t as I now want to gush about how great the audio is. I knew the moment I switched it on that the music would be a loud upbeat affair, but I didn’t think that I’d love it as much as I did. The style isn’t something I’d normally listen to, but it worked perfectly in this setting. With a custom track list available to select any of the 80+ songs, you can race to your favourite tracks. The drum and bass sounds are accompanied by some excellent sound effects. Booming explosions, screeching engines, and the shrill scraping of metal on metal, it was glorious. The brilliance of the audio adds a strong and stable element to further improve a well delivered spectacle.

If only you could stop to take in the view.

No one wants a difficult to control racing game.

With so much going on, it would be easy to have made this insanely complicated to play. Luckily, Pacer is unbelievably easy to operate. Which in part is helped by the minimalist power up approach taken by R8 Games. Each ship uses two air brakes. These help you slow down immediately, but also allow you to bank around corners at high speed. Acceleration and boosting require no thought process, and weapon aiming is automated to your closest rival. With the world skipping past you at a ridiculous pace, a straightforward approach was the correct choice, and it makes the gameplay enjoyable and accessible for many gamers.

The racing genre is renowned for containing a high replay value, and this game doesn’t buck that trend. With many game modes, race types and an in-depth career mode, there are plenty of reasons to return. It can be repetitive at times, especially when attempting the tougher challenges. But, this was eased with a change of focus, or any of the many track variations you will come across. An extremely tough achievement list has been incorporated, so completionists are in for a challenging time if they want to finish this off.

Pacer stands up against its peers.

With many games trying to replicate the enthralling and addictive nature of WipEout, it’s understandable that many will fail miserably. Fortunately, Pacer isn’t one of these titles. With many well designed levels and modes, lots of weapons to choose, and 5 different vehicle types, there are plenty of options to make everyone happy. A fair but challenging difficulty curve will keep you interested from beginning to end, as does the wonderful graphical and audio presentation. I loved my time with this and recommend that you buy it here! Choose your ship, customise it to your liking, and make each of the sponsors happy. You must race for money, gold medals, but most importantly pride.

Square Enix Presents: 18/03/2021 Showcase – All News and Trailers

Gaming
News

Sean McCarthy

-

Mar 18, 2021

0

Square Enix Presents: 18/03/2021 Showcase – All News and Trailers

It has been a busy few days for all things Square Enix with the news of Outriders going into Xbox Game Pass on release day as well as the New Console Generation upgrade and Hawkeye DLC launching for MARVEL’s Avengers today as well. But this is the first showcase of what Square Enix has to come in 2021 an beyond and for me, my eyes are on the next Life is Strange game reveal most of all. So let us checkout the news and trailers from the show including my own final thoughts on the showcase:

Outriders: Story and Power Classes 101 Trailers:

Outriders will release April 1, 2021 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC (Steam, Epic & NVIDIA GeForce NOW) and Stadia. Learn everything you need to know about Outriders in this in-depth 101 trailer. Enoch was meant to be a fresh start… yet now you’re stuck on a hostile planet that considers you prey. Mankind might be on the backfoot but it’s up to you to push forward. You do not run. You do not hide. You are an Outrider. Outriders is a 1-3 player co-op RPG shooter set in an original, dark and desperate sci-fi universe. As mankind bleeds out in the trenches of Enoch, you’ll create your own Outrider and embark on a journey across the hostile planet.

Tomb Raider 20th Anniversary News: Tomb Raider ‘Definitive Survivor Trilogy’

Tomb Raider: Definitive Survivor Trilogy is the complete edition of the award-winning Tomb Raider origin games. This collection contains all the definitive edition content from each prequel title—Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. The new Anime and next Tomb Raider feature film were also mentioned.

Mobile Games Segment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tdkmyAE4ns

MARVEL Avengers: Next Gen Console Update Launch Trailer

The long wait for those with Next Gen consoles PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S is over with Marvel’s Avengers Operation: Future Imperfect and Next-Gen Versions launching today and available NOW!

Black Panther and the War for Wakanda are coming to Marvel’s Avengers along with Klaw, the Wakandan Jungle Biome, new enemies, and much more later in 2021. Bow before the king

Scarlet Nexus Kazane Trailer:

Connect with Scarlet Nexus when it launches June 25th, 2021, finally fans have a release date!

Balan Wonderland: New Trailer

Wonderworld is waiting for a hero… or two. Leo and Emma are lead into Wonderworld by the mysterious Balan to help bring balance to the hearts of 12 others, as well as themselves. Face your fears with the power of over 80 different costumes and join them on a journey to discover true happiness on March 26, 2021. This was originally one of my most anticipated games of 2021 until I played the PS5 demo and it completely lost me, personally….one for the bargain bucket sales end of the year possibly now.

Life is Strange: True Colours – Official Reveal Trailer

A bold new era of the award-winning Life is Strange begins, with an all-new playable lead character and a thrilling mystery to solve! Alex Chen has long suppressed her ‘curse’: the supernatural ability to experience, absorb and manipulate the strong emotions of others, which she sees as blazing, colored auras. When her brother dies in a so-called accident, Alex must embrace her volatile power to find the truth – and uncover the dark secrets buried by a small town. Releasing on September 10, 2021 for Platforms PC, Xbox One|S, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Stadia.

Life is Strange: Remastered Collection

Return to Arcadia Bay and experience two award-winning Life is Strange games like never before! Remastered visuals and animation breathe new life into the great cast of characters and gripping stories. The Life is Strange Remastered Collection includes ‘Life is Strange Remastered’ and ‘Life is Strange: Before the Storm Remastered’.

New Game Reveal: Forspoken

Introducing Forspoken, the new narrative-driven adventure set in a beautiful yet cruel world. Play as Frey Holland, an ordinary young woman who must harness her magical abilities to survive in the fantastical yet dangerous land of Athia. Developed by Luminous Productions for the PlayStation 5 and PC, Forspoken will take players on a magical and perilous journey.

Final Thoughts…

This played out pretty much as I had expected and whilst I know that many were hoping and expecting some sort of Final Fantasy VII Remake news for Xbox, there was far too much to focus on this show for that to really outshine what was planned. Opening with Outriders made sense and whilst the demo left me very disappointed, the fact it is coming to Xbox Game Pass means I can play the full game with no additional charge so I get to give it a fair chance, but it was interesting that this showcase made no additional mention of that for the game. MARVEL Avengers Next Gen upgrade, the long delayed and sought after upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S along with the new Hawkeye DLC featuring time travel and one of my own favourite characters in MARVEL, Maestro Hulk and as the showcase played my own Series S started a 72GB “upgrade” install so I am looking forward to diving into this new content later. The reveal of the first main expansion starring Black Panther is a welcome one although as I type this in the moments after the showcase has ended, if it will be one fans will have to pay for which is likely but also “later in 2021” because the wait for new content is why many players have walked away from this game since launch.

Nice to see Tomb Raider’s 25th Anniversary mentioned, the release of another collection was expected but the mentioning of the new Anime series and next big feature film shows there is some progress in celebrating the Anniversary. But of course, away from mobile games and short teases, it was the reveal of Life is Strange: True Colours that had my attention today and in a move away from the traditional Episodic release format of the previous games, will now be a full game experience when it releases this September, a much welcome change. I failed to connect with both “Before the Storm” and LiS 2 but I have already made a connection to the new power of “emotion” and the new main character Alex which has me excited for this game.

This Square Enix Presents ended with the news of a next one to happen this summer, perhaps this will be the moment to announced Final Fantasy VII Remake for Xbox as the one year PlayStation exclusivity will have ended but there is still much in Square Enix schedule we still need to look at such as Final Fantasy XVI but it is clear, Square Enix has more to show!

Win Torpedo U-235 on Blu-ray

Andrew Edney

-

Mar 18, 2021

63

We have three copies of Torpedo U-235 to give away on Blu-ray.

In this epic cinematic adventure, resistance fighters accept a suicide mission to deliver uranium from the Belgian Congo in a stolen Nazi submarine to the United States. Hunted by Hitler’s army, the crew must outwit the German navy to bring the cargo safely to America.

Filled with exhilarating action, suspense and a great ensemble cast headlined by Koen De Bouw (The Last Tycoon), Thure Riefenstein (12 Monkeys) and Ella-June Henrard (Admiral), Torpedo: U-235 is one of the most exciting war films of the year, from new writer-director Sven Huybrechts.

How to enter to win

We have three copies of Torpedo U-235 to give away on Blu-ray. All you need to do is enter below.

Win Torpedo U-235 on Blu-ray

The contest closes at midnight on 2nd April 2021.

This contest is only open to those in the UK – sorry!

Torpedo U-235 is available on Blu-ray and DVD now.

Review: Sir Lovelot

Daniel Waite

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Mar 18, 2021

0

No matter your location in the world, you would have grown up with fairy tales. These fantasy settings have been adapted over the years, and are more PC than the Brothers Grimm original scripts, but the core concept is still the same, nonetheless. A hero, a damsel in distress, true evil and love, loss, sorrow and more. These are the foundations that make up each novel, but when a game takes these fantasy settings as its main influence, are the rules still the same? Sir Lovelot is a fairy tale-inspired platformer that puts a chauvinistic twist on a much-loved tale.

Developed by Pixel.lu and published by Sometimes You, this retro-looking old-school platform title focuses on Rapunzel’s story, with the hero’s one true love being stuck in a tower for all Eternity. The twist comes when our super stud ignores Rapunzel and rescues other princesses who are suffering from the same tower predicament. What a sexed-up chauvinistic pig of a man, eh?

For Sir Lovelot, Love is in the air.

Sir Lovelot is determined to get his damsel in distress. He travels the four corners of Lululand just to find “The One”. You must take on over 40 handcrafted levels across several environments. Each has a unique set of nasties for you to avoid or destroy. Unlike other platform titles like Mario, where jumping on their heads will kill them, in this, you must use a laser style weapon to eliminate your foes (not very in keeping, but let’s ignore that.)

A broken heart, and no love for Sir Lovelot.

The platform element is pretty straightforward and certainly isn’t of a Metroidvania level of difficulty. The challenge comes from trying to finish each level 100%. You can achieve this by; killing a set number of nasties, finding all the hidden geese, collecting the golden coins, and plucking the white flowers. These objects can be hidden behind a range of moving traps, such as; pendulum axes, circular saws, pits and more. Secret rooms also hide precious items, so each stage must be searched thoroughly if you wish to collect everything. However, the only thing you must gather to progress is the flower. After all, no lady is going to want to kiss you if you have no flower to woo her.

As nimble as a gymnast.

Sir Lovelot is the most nimble Knight I’ve ever seen. He can; double jump across gaps, leap over traps, and spring off walls like a world-class gymnast. The choice of actions by the developers wasn’t exactly original, but they worked well in the platform setting. The obstacles that you had to overcome require little consideration, as did the approach of slaying your foes. Even though the difficulty ramps up in the later levels, it’s never unachievable to get to that lady in the tower.

This ease of gameplay is helped by the spawning mechanic. Each time you die, and you will a lot, you simply load back in at the start of that section. It’s easy to learn from your mistakes. Yet, this isn’t a game that’ll be completed in minutes. However, its simplicity won’t challenge the hardcore members of the platforming family.

For an expert of love, he’s not doing a great job.

A retro world for an old-school tale.

Anything other than pixelated graphics, would look wrong when the developers reinterpreted the Rapunzel tale. The delightful simplified sprites look great against each of the colourful backdrops. The 2D side-scrolling approach was a great success and worked smoothly without issue. The hidden rooms are well disguised, which increases the challenge of finding all the collectables.

Maybe I’ve played too many indie games as the audio from each blend into an indistinguishable combination of synthesised music and suitable sound effects. The audio in Sir Lovelot isn’t bad, but it isn’t great either! It performs its job well, helps to set the scene and then sits in the background becoming mainly forgettable.

It’s not a challenge performing so many moves.

Our hero has a lot of moves up his sleeve, yet it’s no problem to complete them. A lack of tutorial doesn’t hinder your progress, and like the classic nature of the actions he must complete, the controller layout is also a familiar place to be. The complexity comes from the accuracy required to avoid traps or to overcome monsters. With a small amount of patience and some practise you’ll fly past any obstacles finding yourself in the arms of another woman.

Even though new elements and traps are drip-fed into the gameplay, the core concept is rather repetitive. Some monotony is eased with a change to the backdrop, but unfortunately, this doesn’t remove the deja vu feeling you get throughout. Luckily, the levels are short, and this mixed with a lower difficulty ensures you won’t be stuck on a stage indefinitely. A small achievement list can be unlocked through natural progression, mostly. With a small amount of grind needed to complete the list, this sadly supports the feeling of repetition.

Sir Lovelot doesn’t reinvent the wheel.

I have a soft spot for old-school platform games, and I love the fairy tale theme. The only issue I have with Sir Lovelot is the lack of originality in the gameplay. Nothing felt new or fresh! It was done to a good standard, but it didn’t capture my imagination. I loved the tongue-in-cheek take on romance and the art style, but I wish the audio stood out more. I recommend it because of its theme and the good standard set throughout, and you can buy a copy here! Sir Lovelot is an old romantic at heart, he searches every corner of the realm to find his true love. Will he be successful, or is he destined to be with the first girl he finds?

Review: Encodya

Brendan Dick

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Mar 18, 2021

0

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not very familiar with point-and-click adventure games. My exposure extends to Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice—and that’s about it. But I’m getting the sense that atmosphere is everything. While studios can only innovate so much with the controls, they can play with the settings as much as they want. This is where Encodya succeeds. It creates a truly unique atmosphere that feels more like a quirky movie than a game.

The story follows Tina and her giant robot protector, SAM-53. Like all endearing robots, he behaves in a far more clumsy, human manner than he has any right to. Encodya opens on a typical day in Tina and SAM-53’s life. She lives under a makeshift shelter on a rooftop smack in the middle of a downtown city, assumedly somewhere in Japan, but called Neo Berlin.

There’s a creeping unease that settles in during Encodya. It goes beyond the typical dystopian bleakness and starts to feel flat-out disturbing. The streets are littered with humans completely enthralled by VR headsets—what SAM-53 calls “the opium of the people.” Everywhere you turn, you are greeted by odious hopelessness. The world is broken and Tina and SAM-53 are just the team to fix it.

Encodya’s official website suggests that the game is a mix between Blade Runner, Monkey Island, and Studio Ghibli. If ever there was an assertive boast, there it is. If you take three beloved pop culture staples and combine them, you better have something outstanding. Encodya gets close, but unfortunately it’s missing a certain je ne sais quoi. It almost does feel like a mix of these three elements, but it needs to add something fresh.

It feels like any game that dips a toe in the sci-fi genre pulls from Blade Runner. It’s almost inevitable. Here, I’m fine with it. Like I said, Encodya has something deeply unsettling about it. IT gnaws at you. Perhaps where Encodya’s ambition most widely misses the mark is with Monkey Island. This is because Encodya’s gameplay is fairly standard, and comes carrying all the familiar frustrations of point-and-click adventure games.

I admitted during my review of Leisure Suit Larry, that the truth might be that I’m just terrible at point-and-click games, but the solutions always feel a bit convoluted. Even if an item would be a logical fit, it never seems to work. The solution is always a little more difficult than expected. To be fair, Encodya offers you hints from SAM-53, but they are discouraged by an achievement that is only available to players who complete a playthrough without using them.

I’m focusing too much on the negative, though. Encodya is obviously a visual masterclass. It’s a sort of 2.5D setting that leverages foreground and background animation to great effect. I’m not sure if I get entirely Studio Ghibli feels from the animation, but something more akin to a Tim Burtonesque, early 2000s vibe. The disproportionate characters and their eccentric attitudes can be simply summed up as quirky.

For what it’s worth, point-and-click adventures largely end up becoming a story. Encodya is exactly that. It’s a heartwarming story of life and lessons learned. The gameplay is largely incidental, but the setting, though derivative, is an absolute win. Players that are unfamiliar with the genre may want to forego it if they crave a bit more action, but it’s difficult to not suggest Encodya to point-and-click enthusiasts. It’s difficult, it’s enchanting, and it’s a bit odd—even if it isn’t wholly original. But, to be fair, the studio praised their inspirations more openly than most would anyways.

The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos DLC Out Now!

Gaming
News

Sean McCarthy

-

Mar 17, 2021

0

The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos DLC Out Now!

Today, Private Division and Obsidian Entertainment announced The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos, the second and final story expansion for the award-winning and critically acclaimed sci-fi RPG, is now available for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox One consoles, and Windows PC. The expansion will release later this year on the Nintendo Switch. The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos is available individually or at a discount as part of The Outer Worlds Expansion Pass, which also includes The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon expansion for the complete narrative experience.

Venture to the skies of Eridanos and unravel the grandest murder mystery in the Halcyon colony. Everyone is a suspect in this peculiar whodunit after Rizzo’s spokesperson, the famous Halcyon Helen, is found dead just before the release of the brand-new Spectrum Brown Vodka. Uncover clues with the Discrepancy Amplifier, a semi-sentient device that shows the anomalies and inconsistencies of a crime scene. Unlock additional dialogue paths and different quest routes with each discovery. On your mysterious journey, you will encounter a host of interesting suspects, famous icons like Helen’s co-stars Spencer Woolrich and Burbage-3001, celebrity athlete Black Hole Bertie of Rizzo’s Rangers, and many more! Be careful as behind each eerie smile lurks a dark secret, but press on as your steadfastness is the key to unlocking this case.

“With Murder on Eridanos we set out to unveil more about the memorable cast of The Outer Worlds universe while continuing to put the player front and center in a gripping and intriguing narrative,” said Megan Starks, Game Director at Obsidian Entertainment. “This expansion sheds light on another infamous corporation in a nearly implausible new setting and introduces new mechanics that push how we develop the story. It is a wild ride, and we can’t wait to see the fans’ reactions.”

“Murder on Eridanos is a perfect climactic closure to this chapter in The Outer Worlds. It delivers on what made the original game great: deep player choice in a fantastic world,” said Michael Worosz, Executive Vice President and Head of Private Division. “Players should expect another riveting and humorous story, whip-smart dialogue, and much more. This expansion is an excellent reason to revisit The Outer Worlds or dive in for the first time.”

The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos also raises the level cap by three, unlocking additional options for even more skill customization. Obtain three new science weapons, one being Helen’s signature gun “The Needler,” and collect a variety of new armor sets. Explore treacherous new territory and venture to Eridanos, a collection of drifting asteroid islands chained together and being pulled through the gas giant’s upper atmosphere, which houses multiple locations to explore in this thrilling mystery like the Grand Colonial Hotel to Rizzo’s colorful Purpleberry Orchards.

The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos is available now for £11.99 digitally for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Players on Xbox Game Pass will receive a 10% discount to purchase Murder on Eridanos. Murder on Eridanos is also available through the expansion pass for £24.99 which will include the first expansion Peril on Gorgon. The expansion requires the base game in order to play.

More information can be found by subscribing on YouTube, following on Twitter, by becoming a fan on Facebook, and visiting www.TheOuterWorlds.com.