The real-time strategy genre has long been at home in the PC ecosystem; a keyboard and mouse allow you to easily position units and issue commands in a way that is significantly more difficult on a gamepad. This isn’t to say a few brave developers haven’t tried to make RTS work on console, such as Milky Tea Studios with their alt-history project Grit and Valor – 1949.
Similar to the Wolfenstein series, the game presents a different version of the Second World War in which technology has progressed far beyond where it was in real life; battles are now fought with pilots in mechs as opposed to standard infantry soldiers. It’s not the most original concept (there’s plenty of WWII media that tries to put its own spin on the conflict) but the steampunk aesthetic presents as charming nonetheless.
Grit and Valor is a roguelite, asking players to progress through multiple boards with randomized nodes, culminating in a boss fight. Nodes will offer combat encounters, text-based decisions, and shops where you can purchase upgrades. The ability to choose your route is appreciated; you’ll be able to evaluate whether your team can realistically clear the area, or if a run should be dedicated strictly to gathering resources.
When you’re inevitably forced into combat, the skirmishes take place on square-shaped maps, often littered with cover, high ground, and additional objectives. Despite having a grid-based layout, all units still move in real-time, so you’ll need to make decisions quickly. Thankfully, the developers implemented the ability to pause the entire battle, letting you breathe and issue orders with a bit more comfort. It’s a shrewd balancing choice, almost certainly made to accommodate the console audience.
Effectiveness in the field is governed by the rock-paper-scissors of Grit and Valor’s mech types: ballistics trump flamethrowers, fire beats explosives, and grenades dominate bullets. It’s immediately easy to wrap your head around, and units will actually autoattack when enemies enter their range. Gameplay is largely relegated to just deciding where mechs should move, though the real depth comes from your unit customization.
Pilots selection proves to be rather disappointing. Each possesses a unique ability, but they fail to make an impact. None of them present any interesting ideas (AOE attacks, deployable mines, etc) so I often forgot about them. The only abilities that I routinely used were for healing, but that was more out of necessity than a genuine desire to interact with the game’s mechanics.
Modules are both more mentally stimulating and effective in battle. As you clear missions, you’ll acquire scrap. You can use this currency to craft modules within the Mech Yard, which will provide boosts to stats like damage, health, and armor among others. Eventually you’ll unlock the ability to fuse lower-level modules and replace them with better options. Furthermore, if your mech surpasses certain power thresholds, you can overclock it, fitting it with additional perks.
Each run you embark on will also shower you with randomized enhancements following an enemy wave. It’s a great way to experiment building your mechs in different ways, or double down on stats already buffed by your modules. Seeing your units excel in specific areas can make you feel like a tactical genius, and enemy scaling is appropriate such that the game never feels too easy nor excessively punishing. Of course, enhancements leave you as soon as the run ends, so you’re going to need a bit of luck to grab your favorites consistently.
Grit and Valor is an admirable effort for the underserved, if incredibly niche, console RTS market. Unit customization and teambuilding grabbed my attention more than the moment-to-moment action itself, though some diehards may chalk that up to traditional genre conventions. If you’re a fan of the roguelite formula and willing to dabble in alternate gameplay types, this is certainly worth a look.
Heading Out is a tough game to explain. However, if you were to give it a go, you’d understand the fundamental story and everything in between in less than 10 minutes. This addictive and often suspenseful title captures the idea of an American road trip perfectly. Yet, it isn’t the sights and the romance that are on your radar. Instead, you are escaping your fears and your past as you blast across every highway.
This rogue-like racing game was developed by Serious Sim and published by Crunching Koalas. It is a single-player game that combines racing with a choose-your-own-adventure twist. Alongside this, there are survival elements as car maintenance, fatigue, and cash, all come into the equation. Furthermore, no matter how fast you move, your fear follows you like a shadow.
Heading Out tells a fascinating story.
You play the role of Jackie. A rebel who doesn’t care about the law and the damage that can be caused. Instead, this renegade takes each day as it comes as she tries to escape her past. En route, she encounters pockets of humanity who will assist or hinder her progress. Additionally, her fame, reputation, and wanted status play a big part in her survival.
As you race across the country, you will encounter police, side quests, and plenty of would-be racers. Most events can be ignored, but the deadly ticking of the fear clock cannot be forgotten. If your fear catches up with you, your run will end. Accordingly, you must plan your route wisely, or risk losing it all.
Strategy, racing, and incredible tales.
Heading Out effectively combines various genres. Each isolated story shouldn’t work, but it does. Crime, fear, loss, hope, and friendship flow and break as you interact with the locals. The storytelling is brilliantly told, and the choices are cutting, unfair, and occasionally out of your control.
Though the racing is simple and a little repetitive, it is great fun. Each race day has a stunning soundtrack that also acts as a timer. Beat your opponent or outrun the police before the song ends. If you are successful, you win cash or your freedom. If you are not, you’ll lose precious time and the ability to pay your fuel bill. Therefore, you must be wise and fast if you wish to get to the end goal.
Heading Out looks incredible.
I’m a huge fan of film noir and Sin City. Monochromatic imagery and seedy undertones will always be a winner. If you then add in drama and a sinister edge, you can take my money. This is exactly what Heading Out has done. Amazing comic book cutscenes highlight the lore-rich story twists. Moreover, your car looks great against each unique backdrop. Consequently, this is beyond stylish and a real eye-catcher.
The music is even better. Every race has an incredible soundtrack that is catchy, aggressive, soft, moody, or dramatic. The developers have created an unbelievable soundscape that never gets old. On top of this, the acting is gruff, amusing, touching, and everything in between.
Simple controls.
The overworld map appears complex at first. However, it is remarkably simple and easy to navigate. Alongside this, the racing comprises some stunts and acceleration and braking. Other than this, there is nothing else to master. Subsequently, there is a simple learning curve, and it is a joy to play.
I’ve played this for hours, and I haven’t seen every storyline. Furthermore, the unpredictable nature of every playthrough and the cruel ticking time bomb ensure that you are always under pressure. Therefore, you can return to this repeatedly, and you will never have the same experience.
Heading Out is amazing.
Indie games can be a mixed bag. Luckily, Heading Out is spectacular! Aside from its repetitive driving, the game is otherwise flawless. It looks amazing and sounds even better. The concept is unique and interesting, and each quest and story was captivating. Accordingly, it is a no-brainer and a must-play game! Can you escape your fear? Choose your car, pick your path, and keep on driving.
A casino online looks harmless enough at first. The graphics are polished, the colours insistent, and the promises lined up like sweets in a shop window. For the curious, it is a mixture of invitation and warning. You’re being asked to sit at the table, but you can’t see who else is there, or if anyone is there at all. It is less like walking into a room and more like trying a door that might lead anywhere.
The suspicion is not always fair. Some offers that sound outlandish are entirely above board. A 1 dollar deposit casino looks like a stunt, the sort of thing you would expect to come with impossible conditions. Yet some of these are as plain and straightforward as they claim to be. The trouble is separating them from the crowd, because the crowd is wide and full of bright distractions.
The test of dull things
If you want to know whether a place is trustworthy, you don’t look at the decorations. You look at the paperwork. A casino that is licensed by a regulator has accepted a leash of rules. That means audits, checks on payments, and conditions about who can play and how. These details are rarely in the spotlight. They sit at the bottom of the screen, in the part most people ignore. Yet that is where the heart of it lies. If a casino doesn’t bother to show its licence, or if the wording is evasive, that tells you more than any glossy banner could.
Money moving in two directions
Anyone can take a payment. It is the sending back that matters. A proper casino will let you withdraw without theatrics. The terms will be written in language that doesn’t need a lawyer to untangle. If the site avoids specifics, or if the timeframes are hidden in footnotes, you should take that as a kind of shrug from the operator. Some players discover this the hard way, waiting weeks for funds that never quite arrive. A sound casino will not leave you in that position.
Presentation and care
You can tell a lot about people from the way they set a table. The same is true for websites. A casino that cannot manage working links or proofread its sentences is unlikely to have put care into the more important things. Customer support follows the same rule. If the chat box answers with stock phrases and vanishes when you press further, then you are not dealing with a place that expects to be taken seriously.
The curtain pulled back
Promotions are the most obvious bait. They are also the simplest test. If a site tells you exactly what a bonus requires, down to the number of times you must play it before withdrawing, then at least you know where you stand. If the details are buried or contradictory, you are meant to be confused. In The Wizard of Oz, the spectacle of fire and smoke hid the man at the controls. The same applies here. The less a casino wants you to see, the more you should look.
What other people have already found
There is no shortage of opinions online. They are uneven in quality, but patterns emerge. A casino that delays payments will be mentioned again and again. So will a casino that answers questions and pays promptly. You don’t need to believe every review, only to look for repetition. Consistency is the sign to watch.
Begin with caution
Nobody is obliged to plunge in with large sums. A few small deposits and withdrawals will tell you more about a casino than any marketing line. The way the platform handles your first request for payment is a clearer truth than the welcome message on the homepage. If you run into trouble at this stage, you have escaped with little cost.
The machinery of fairness
Games run on engines called random number generators. They decide outcomes, unseen, at a pace beyond human speed. Left unchecked, such systems could be tilted to favour the house more than the rules intend. That is why outside auditors test them. The presence of such certification is another of those dull details that actually matter. You don’t need to know the mathematics. You just need to know that someone impartial has done the sums.
Responsibility on offer
Casinos that think long-term include tools to limit losses, pause accounts, or remind players of time spent. These aren’t signs of saintliness. They are a recognition that gambling is a pastime, not a livelihood. When a site makes such tools easy to find, it signals a degree of care for the customer, which in turn suggests that the business expects to be here tomorrow rather than vanish in the night.
The small list worth remembering
Licence displayed and verifiable
Payment information that doesn’t hide
Support that answers like a person, not a script
Clear rules for promotions
RNG certificates from independent testers
Evidence of responsible play features
Player feedback that shows a pattern
Have fun but stay vigilant
Knowing if a casino is legitimate is not a trick or an art. It is a matter of noticing the things most people skim over. Trust is not built on flashing lights or clever slogans. It is built on rules, clarity, and whether money arrives back in your account when you ask for it. The rest is for show. If you keep your attention on these plain details, the difference between the real and the imitation reveals itself quickly enough.
If you’ve followed KEMCO’s steady stream of retro-leaning RPGs, Astral Takers will feel like a warm cup of déjà vu. Developed by VANGUARD and published by KEMCO, the game launched on July 31, 2025 across PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, promising an adventure built around a summoning system, bite-sized quests, and a classic top-down presentation.
Simple and enjoyable
You play as Revyse, a young summoner apprenticed to Master Volgrim, whose path crosses with Aurora, an amnesiac girl tied to mysteries bigger than either of them. It’s a familiar hook, lost memories, hidden powers etc. But it provides enough propulsion for a road-trip party JRPG with frequent story interludes and town stops. The official materials lean into the “shape your fate with the power of summoning” angle, which frames most systems you’ll engage with for 20–30 hours depending on your appetite for side quests.
Astral Takers keeps its progression linear. You move from region to region, hit a dungeon, watch a scene, and pick up a few optional errands before continuing. That linearity is a double-edged sword: it keeps the friction low and the story moving, but it also limits the sense of discovery. While the summoning twist gives party management a gentle rhythm, exploration and dialogue don’t always keep pace, sometimes dragging between highlights.
So faithful to classics that it feels like a re-release
Astral Takers’ calling card is its summoning. You recruit and fight alongside “astrals” which are summoned heroes that slot into your party flow much like traditional companions. In practice, this means turn-based battles that are easy to parse, where the tactical interest comes from timing skills, swapping astrals to cover weaknesses, and pulling off simple synergy chains. The combat loop as straightforward and approachable rather than systems-dense. In other words, it’s comfort food for fans of SNES/PS1-era design. If you’re craving a crunchy build meta or radical innovations, this isn’t that.
On the presentation front, Astral Takers aims for clean pixel-adjacent 2D/HD visuals with expressive portraits and bright spell effects. It’s not a showpiece, but it is crisp and readable across platforms, with light touches (summon animations, scene framing) adding charm. The PlayStation 5 version hit me with a familiar feeling. Nostalgia, cheerful, and easy on the eyes, with no obvious performance snags.
My Conclusion
Astral Takers feels like a deliberate “comfort JRPG” perfect for those 1-3 hour sessions to kill some time. A low-stress, linear romp with a likable party, dependable turn-based fights, and a summoning wrinkle that keeps encounters from going stale. It rarely overreaches and, as a result, rarely dazzles. If you grew up on 16-/32-bit RPGs and want something you can chip away at in short sessions on a weeknight or commute, this scratches that itch. If you’re hunting for bold narrative swings, open-ended builds, or modern design risks (think branching jobs, tactical grid depth, or roguelite-adjacent experimentation), you’ll likely bounce off its safe choices.
Minecraft is not just a game! For many people, it is a way of life—plushies, toys, swords, costumes, and, of course, a whole entertainment empire. Accordingly, I’m not surprised that KontrolFreek has collaborated with this monster franchise. The Minecraft thumbcaps are designed for next-gen consoles. Furthermore, they are vibrant, comfortable, and a great way to enhance controller durability.
These Creeper-themed thumbcaps are easy to install. Moreover, they feel pleasant during lengthy gaming sessions. Available as a No-Slip accessory for Switch 2 or a precision tool for Xbox and PlayStation, these durable thumbcaps add colour and a match-winning edge.
The Minecraft thumbcaps are a simple addition.
Improving your gaming experience doesn’t have to break the bank. Luckily, the Minecraft thumbcaps are available for under £20. Though this may seem a hefty price tag, it isn’t. The benefits are obvious once you clip each cap to your controller. Not only do they improve the basic thumbstick, but they also enhance thumb real estate and grip and accuracy.
On top of this, I adore the Creeper design. The rudimentary and simple geometric shapes are eye-catching. Additionally, who doesn’t love the pain in the arse Creeper? The hollowed face replicates one of Minecraft’s much-loved antagonists. What’s more, the etched pattern increases friction and accuracy.
A brand you can trust.
I’ve tested other KontrolFreek products, and I loved them. Although they weren’t as striking as this set, I adore the usability and the easy setup. Moreover, I hate replacing my gamepad whenever the analogue stick begins to age. Thankfully, the Minecraft thumbcaps remove that problem.
Build quality.
The Xbox and PlayStationMinecraft thumbcaps add height to each thumbstick. This takes getting used to, but it’s worth the effort. The additional height lets you fine-tune your aiming for a professional edge. Moreover, the GripTek material reduces slipping for a reassuring gaming experience.
The Nintendo Switch 2 version has a soft, rubbery, but durable finish. The flexible design ensures that fitting the caps is child’s play. Furthermore, the rubber material is durable and will not split or shift during challenging gaming moments. Consequently, no matter how hard you play, your thumbcaps will not let you down.
Are the Minecraft thumbcaps worth it?
I’m a sucker for unusual and interesting accessories. The Minecraft thumbcaps tick both of these boxes. They look great, and they add a professional edge to your gamepad. What’s more, they are robust, comfortable, and a joy to use. Accordingly, I think they are great and I recommend buying them here!
(More information on KontrolFreek can be found here!)
(Full disclosure!) A sample was provided for an unbiased and free review!)
I am not exactly ready for Out and About. I don’t think Walking Simulator should be a mark for shame, especially when your game has many different features and mechanics. However, if all those mechanics make me sleepy, we need to reevaluate the situation.
Developed and published by Yaldi Games, Out and About is a cosy 3D foraging adventure with cooking mechanics.
There is only so much walking around and looking at plants within an interface that makes you want to rip your hair out that you can take. Out and About never took off in any direction worth feeling excited for. It is all talking to lifeless characters or interacting with or cooking random items found in the game.
Out and About for some WEED
The idea at play, in Out and About, is exploring and foraging. As a young adult on an escape from zombie concrete life, you walk around a large forest and a little village, talking to people, gathering and noting down new species of plants, and eventually cooking them for one reason or another.
Most NPCs in Out and about are interactable, but talk in a very dull and suggestive set of dialogues that more often than not feel off.
As for the foraging part, it is insufferably boring. You find with small amounts of knowledge on plants. You use that knowledge to look at and detect different types of plants on the floor. Every time you find something new, it is added to your catalogue.
Rinse and Repeat, the game is complete.
The UI for most things in this game is very annoying. Not hard to control. Just annoying.
The Foraging System
Foraging in games should never feel like homework. At its best, it’s about discovery, pacing, and the thrill of uncovering something new. Whether that means stumbling across a rare resource, making a split-second choice, or pushing deeper into the unknown.
What it should not be is sitting in front of a UI screen, squinting at nearly identical plants, and clicking through until the right answer appears. Systems like that don’t reward curiosity or risk; they just drain energy and attention.
When foraging is done right, it feels fast, intuitive, and layered with surprise. Games like survival sims or RPGs use foraging not only to feed crafting loops but also to create those tiny, exciting moments where your heart races after spotting something rare in the corner of your eye.
That’s the standard: make it quick and satisfying, or make it engaging with a sense of mystery and reward.
In Out and About, the foraging system misses both marks.
Instead of pulling players into a lively world of interaction, it reduces exploration to repetition.
Walking around, cataloguing dull plant assets, and dragging them into menus isn’t a system; it’s a chore. Foraging shouldn’t lull players to sleep. It should spark wonder.
Out and About with a Thought
Out and About feels like a game with good intentions buried under lifeless execution. It wants to be a relaxing escape, a place where you wander, forage, and connect with a slower pace of life. But instead of delivering that meditative calm, it slips into monotony. Every mechanic.
Whether walking, talking, or cooking, it leans toward dragging things out rather than giving players reasons to lean in.
The real tragedy is that the ingredients are all here: a beautiful setting, a core loop about exploration, and the promise of meaningful interaction. But nothing connects. Characters don’t inspire, foraging doesn’t excite, and the world feels more like a backdrop than a place worth inhabiting.
Walking simulators and slice-of-life adventures don’t need to be high-octane thrill rides to succeed. They just need to keep players curious and invested, moment to moment.
Out and About never finds that spark.
What should have been a thoughtful, cosy trek instead feels like wandering in circles, waiting for something interesting to happen. In the end, Out and About isn’t offensively bad. It’s just painfully dull. And in gaming, dull is the hardest sin to forgive.
Have you ever sat on the couch with your partner, controllers in hand, and thought, “What if our wedding could feel like this, like stepping into the worlds we’ve explored together?” For a gamer couple like you, the wedding should be more than just the day when you exchange vows. It should be a way to create a celebration that also reflects the characters, landscapes, and stories that brought you closer over the years. And honestly, why shouldn’t your big day feel like your ultimate co-op adventure?
From gowns and flowers to food, décor, and entertainment, let’s wander through some of the most iconic games and see how they can inspire a wedding that feels magical, personal, and unforgettable.
A fairytale ceremony inspired by The Legend of Zelda
When thinking of weddings most women picture a fairytale, and chances are you do the same. And in the gaming world, The Legend of Zelda reigns supreme when it comes to enchanted forests, majestic castles, and timeless love stories. Imagine walking down the aisle in a gown that nods to Princess Zelda soft ivory with golden details, flowing fabrics that catch the light like something out of Hyrule. Your partner could slip subtle green accents into their suit, a quiet nod to Link’s iconic tunic, maybe even a tie pin shaped like the Triforce. Wildflowers and white lilies would make a perfect bouquet, especially if they look like they’ve just been picked from the fields outside Kakariko Village. And if you can host your ceremony in a garden, woodland, or castle-like venue, your guests will feel as though they’ve stepped straight into a Zelda quest. Finish it off with heart-shaped cookies or a cake adorned with the Triforce, and your wedding will feel like a true legend.
An elegant celebration inspired by the Final Fantasy
Maybe you’re dreaming of a wedding with cinematic romance and sweeping drama, and in this case you should take your inspiration from Final Fantasy. Think of Yuna’s elegant kimono-style gown or Aerith’s delicate pink dress, they set the tone for bridal attire that’s equal parts bold and ethereal. Grooms might draw inspiration from Squall’s polished style or Noctis’ darker, modern flair. And to complete the aesthetic, you should look for flowers. Orchids and cherry blossoms, arranged in tall vases or cascading bouquets, to capture the mix of fantasy and sophistication. And if your venue is a cathedral, a ballroom, or even a seaside terrace, you’ll have landscapes that echo the breathtaking worlds of Spira or Midgar. For dinner, serve up courses that feel as indulgent as a banquet in Eorzea refined, plated meals with delicate details. And when it’s time to slice the cake, imagine tiers decorated with shimmering crystals, each one a nod to the glowing shards that have driven the stories of so many Final Fantasy adventures.
A rustic feast straight out of The Witcher
You might be the type of couple who doesn’t want glitz and glamour for your wedding. You might prefer something that feels more earthy, grounded, and even a little wild – and this is the ideal time to have a look at The Witcher. Picture a countryside estate or a rustic vineyard that looks like it could have been plucked from Novigrad. Wooden tables, candles flickering in lanterns, and hearty food piled high on platters create a scene Geralt himself wouldn’t turn away from. As a bride you could channel Yennefer’s bold black-and-white palette or Triss’s rich emerald tones, while the groom adds rugged, Witcher-inspired touches, a wolf medallion cufflink, perhaps, or a suit in moody dark tones. Flowers? Think herbs, wildflowers, and roses tied with twine, bouquets that look as though they’ve been gathered in the fields outside Kaer Morhen. And the food? Roast meats, warm bread, spiced wine, and a tavern-style dessert table overflowing with pies and tarts. Your guests will feel like they’ve stepped into a feast straight from a medieval hall.
Whimsical charm with Animal Crossing
Maybe you don’t want a dramatic or serious celebration, maybe you desire coziness, joy, and bursts of colors. Animal Crossing will serve you as the ideal starting point. Imagine an outdoor wedding surrounded by sunflowers, tulips, and daisies, all arranged in cheerful displays that feel like they’ve been collected from Isabelle’s town square. Your dress could be a pastel dream, playful and lighthearted, with accessories that nod to the villagers’ quirky charm. The groom might sport a lighter-toned suit, maybe even with a patterned tie inspired by the game’s playful textures. Food is where you can really have fun here: cupcakes decorated with fruit, bento-box-inspired meals, or cocktails themed after your favorite villagers. And if you want to go all in, set up stations where guests can “craft” their own favors, much like you would in the game itself.
A majestical celebration with Skyrim
Do you dream of a wedding that feels grand, epic and unforgettable? Then you should totally let Skyrim guide your journey. You can have the ceremony in a stone-built lodge or castle venue, maybe on the mountain side where the air feels as crisp as in Whiterun’s plains. Your wedding gown can echo the Nordic beauty of the game with flowing fabric in silvers and icy whites. Your partner can wear a sharp dark suit with bold metallics. Flowers might include pine branches, winter blooms, and crimson roses, creating dramatic bouquets that feel rugged yet romantic.
And when it’s time for the reception, treat your guests to a feast worthy of Skyrim’s halls: roasted meats, hearty stews, and mugs of mead. A cake topped with a dragon motif is the kind of bold statement that will have everyone talking long after the wedding is over.
Gaming-inspired décor and entertainment
Now let’s talk about the details that will make your theme shine. Décor and entertainment are where you can have the most fun, because this is where your personalities really show. Imagine reception tables named after your favorite locations: Hyrule Castle, Raccoon City, Novigrad, or Citadel. For centerpieces, mix in small props, mini figurines, subtle game emblems, or even pixelated designs that still feel classy.
Entertainment is another chance to get playful. A photo booth with cosplay props lets guests step into the worlds you love, while your playlist can feature instrumental versions of iconic game soundtracks. And if you’re really daring, imagine a surprise entrance with a gaming-inspired soundtrack, walking into your reception to the opening theme of your favorite game might just be the ultimate power-up.
The VIAIM NoteKit takes the sting out of note-taking. Meetings, Zoom calls, and other recording tasks are stressful enough at the best of times. Accordingly, when you are asked to take minutes and accurate notes, this can push you over the edge. Thankfully, this compact recording device is a game-changer.
Omnidirectional microphones, automatic translation for 15 languages, to-do lists, automatic summaries, and instant voice-to-note transcribing make this the perfect tool for busy office workers. Alternatively, maybe you don’t wish to spend hours writing down your thoughts. Simply plug in the VIAIM NoteKit and let it take the heavy lifting.
What’s in the box of the VIAIM NoteKit?
The packaging is sleek, robust, and discreet. Moreover, it can be recycled.
The VIAIM NoteKit is unbelievably lightweight. Additionally, it is small enough to fit in your pocket or laptop bag.
Learn the basics with the user manual.
Technical aspects.
When the VIAIM NoteKit hit my desk, I expected a brutal learning curve. Thankfully, my assumption was completely wrong. This plug-and-play tool was remarkably easy to use. The free-to-download software lets you master every element in seconds. Moreover, the rudimentary design allows you to flit between 3 recording modes with ease.
Auto translation of up to 15 languages makes this a versatile device for many businesses. Whether you are chairing a face-to-face meeting, a Zoom call or anything in between, this device will not let you down. The omnidirectional microphones have a superb 5 metre range. As such, it’ll pick up every word with ease.
Usability.
I was blown away by its reliability, versatility, and straightforward approach. Install the app, connect the device via USB-C or A, and hit the record button. You’ll watch the app get to work immediately. It highlights every second of dialogue and delivers a word-for-word transcript.
Moreover, it’ll cope with loud meetings and highlight each key player in the room. This ensures that no detail is missed. On top of this, the software highlights key moments from each encounter. Whether it is a summary or a to-do list, you’ll be able to share the highlights with ease. This makes the VIAIM NoteKit the perfect tool for busy office spaces and international teams via streaming platforms.
Build quality.
Bulky goods can be essential. However, no one likes unsightly tech and unnecessary weight. Luckily, this slim and sleek device has a modern finish. A chrome design delivers a professional edge. Moreover, the ability to swap between USB connections reduces the risk of embarrassment.
The hardened case is a combination of plastic and metal elements. This increases durability and portability. The outcome is a device that can fit in your pocket without weighing you down. Selecting the correct USB connection was a breeze, and I love the easy-to-use design.
Is the VIAIM NoteKit worth it?
Without a doubt, this notetaking device is spectacular. TheVIAIM NoteKitis magical and a game-changer for office workers. Whether it is the simple app, straightforward design, instant note-taking, excellent microphone pickup, or language translation, this device has it all. Accordingly, when time is money, and you want accurate notes without the stress, you need this tool in your life.
I’ve always been a big fan of word games, I find them really enjoyable, challenging, and immersive which is why they appeal to me. I especially enjoy Scrabble and Wordscapes, whilst I rarely play them nowadays I would still get a lot of enjoyment from them now, so when I first loaded up Birdigo which had similar elements to both I knew this game would be right up my street which it definitely was, it was fun and addicting, but the one thing that ruined it for me was the difficulty.
And boy was it challenging and grueling…
The ever increasing difficulty was its biggest issue.
Now I’m not one to shy away from games which are challenging, as a matter of fact I enjoy them a lot, I like having to plan ahead and think carefully on my next move, it makes completing a game feel so much more satisfying being rewarded for your perseverance and planned out strategies. With that said it can be frustrating when it feels like no matter what new ideas you come up with or what different approaches you take, beating the game feels next to impossible, which is exactly how I felt after playing Birdigo for hours.
I failed at my first few attempts which I expected, so I didn’t think much of it at first, I was learning how the game worked so I knew that eventually I would get the hang of it and beat the first route which I did, but little did I know that was the furthest I would reach…
There are six different routes to beat, with each one having different amounts of stops (levels essentially). Each level has a specific distance requirement, so in order to progress to the next stop you had to reach the required amount. What I noticed quickly was that the requirement between one level and the next was very high, to the point where beating the stop seemed extremely difficult, which shouldn’t be the case if the previous level was somewhat beatable, so why did the requirement increase so much?
To make it challenging, of course. Which is absolutely understandable since a game which is too easy sometimes doesn’t feel worth playing, but the same goes for a game which is too challenging especially when it doesn’t have a difficulty setting. So as you can imagine I was slightly disappointed upon learning this, I really wanted to clear all the routes but it was just too hard. The first route as previously said I beat, it only had 14 stops and the last one required 1200 points, which mind you is still incredibly difficult, but because of the feathers and songs I got (I’ll explain more about those later) it was much easier.
Now the second route which had 27 stops is where the requirements became ridiculous, the furthest I got was around halfway and that was because I needed 3000 points to reach level 15. I only needed 1200 points for the last level on the first route and 3000 points midway through the second route? Yeah, that seems like a pretty unrealistic and extremely big jump in score, and for those wondering your score doesn’t carry over from the first route, so you have to start from zero each time. To make matters worse, if you fail a stop you have to start all the way from the beginning of the route. So as you can imagine, this game isn’t very forgiving.
There’s also another mode called daily migration which is just a new route every single day, it’s essentially an endless mode, but don’t be mistaken it’s still as hard as the main mode, albeit slightly more doable. That’s because there are only around 14-16 stops each day but the score requirements still increase dramatically which still makes it quite challenging. You only have two feathers to help you from stop two to seven, which at first seems fine but you need 400 points to pass the seventh stop and if the choices of feathers you got were bad then you may as well give up. As I said earlier, I’ll talk more about them and songs later, since they’re the key to helping you progress.
Despite the challenge, it was still fun and addictive.
Ignoring the mildly frustrating difficulty of Birdigo for one moment, I still thought it was an addictive and enjoyable game. Each time I failed a stop/route I would instantly want to go back to and beat it, it was one of those games that despite failing multiple times you couldn’t help but want to jump straight back in to get a new personal best or completely clear the level. It wasn’t just the addictive aspect that kept me playing though, I really liked the art style, and the whole concept of beating stops to help birds migrate across different countries. It was a really calm game.
The word calm isn’t often associated with many video games nowadays, and that’s purely because most of them are competitive, tense, and require lots of concentration, so playing a game which has no expectations is always enjoyable for me, which is why I really enjoy word and puzzle games, they’re very relaxing, immersive, fun, and addictive which is exactly what Birdigo was.
The power-ups were very luck dependent and determined whether or not you would complete a route.
I’ve mentioned feathers and notes a couple of times before since they’re extremely important, essentially they’re the power-ups you receive to help you gain more points and progress. Unfortunately though they are very luck based, some playthroughs you’ll get some of the best and most effective feathers and notes, but other times you’ll get the worst ones possible, which rarely benefit you. It does kind of suck that completing a route entirely depends on the feathers and notes you get to choose from, that paired with the extremely demanding score requirements each stop makes it very challenging and does ruin the gameplay.
Now to give you some more insight into feathers and notes, you can have a maximum of five feathers and two notes each route, both of which are and do different things. Feathers don’t have a one-time use, they last throughout the whole route and either increase your power or flaps which is how the points system works (flaps X power). Some are much better than others and have a bigger impact on your score, allowing you to build around specific lengths of words. During my playthrough I always went with the one which increased your power if you played three letter words, along with the one which also increased your power if the number of letters in your words were odd, those two paired together made for some really high scoring words, making it easier to progress.
Of course I also had other feathers on top of that which helped a lot and made meeting the score requirement much easier. There were a couple of ones which were high-risk high-reward, but being able to meet their conditions increased your score massively. I always chose the one when available, which added 30+ flaps if the word played ended in an “ING” simply because if I managed to get those specific letters I would be able to get a score of around 1000, which put me in a great position to progress. Of course I didn’t always get those specific letters because again, luck played a part in letters I would receive from discards.
Sticking on the topic of discards, you started with four each route and it allowed you to replace all of the letters in your hand with new ones. You could increase the amount of discards you had to five, but that depended on if you found that specific feather in the shop or after completing a specific stop which gives you the choice between three feathers as a reward. Of course it was a risk in itself, there were many times when I used a discard only to get 1 vowel and worse letters than I already had, which put me in a much worse position.
It’s also worth mentioning that you start with only being able to play four words each stop, that however just like discards can be increased to five if you manage to get said feather. Being able to get those two in a playthrough along with other strong feathers massively increases the chances of success, you do have to get lucky enough to be able to get them, though.
Notes have a one time use each route, you attain them as a reward for completing a stop or by buying them at a shop using seeds, which you can gain depending on the amount of words you had left available to play after completing a stop. Like feathers, there are some which are much better than others and luck of course plays a part in it, the one which allows you to reset words available to play is extremely beneficial and is probably the best one, having that note helps you with stops that have an extremely demanding score requirement. But you could also be unfortunate enough to get the note which turns some letters into speckled ones, which is one of the weaker ones.
For context there are four different types of letters, normal, speckled, gold, and platinum. Each one gives you different points when played and also meets requirements of specific feathers. You can buy upgraded letters from the shop and get them as a reward after specific stops. I felt like I’ve said this word so many times but yes luck does play a part in if you get gold and platinum letters in your starting hand or after discards.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is the sequel you didn’t know you wanted to play. It is deep, intense, and a bit dramatic. Moreover, it does a great job of building on the foundations of its predecessor. There is a hint of luck, strategy, and visual novel madness. Additionally, there are contracts to complete and a captivating story to enjoy.
This sci-fi RPG experience was developed by Jump Over the Age and published by Fellow Traveller. It is a single-player game that can be enjoyed on Game Pass. Moreover, if you love to stream your games, you can enjoy it on the move. Consequently, what’s not to love?
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, a classic Sci-Fi plot.
This story-rich experience is full of twists and turns. I will not ruin the plot for you, but I loved every moment from the off. Interesting characters, strange endeavours, and layers of luck and drama keep you coming back for more.
The protagonist is an emulation of a human mind in an empty vessel. The sleeper is on the run and many powerful forces. However, you will not let this control you. With great allies and a ship at your command, you will carve a future for yourself and the crew who support you.
Dice-driven action.
Like its predecessor, dice-driven action forms the backbone of this game. A standard die delivers a negative, neutral, and positive outcome to every task you undertake. Moreover, there are valuable resources to manage as you go about your daily tasks. Each roll of the dice delivers a risk vs reward experience that can adjust every playthrough. What’s more, the attributes of your sleeper alter every encounter.
Picking between 1 of 3 classes alters your bonuses and penalties. This has a massive impact on your approach and who to select for different contracts. Combining teammates offers tactical and strategic elements that pad out each playthrough. Additionally, weighing up bonuses and potential weaknesses can be a bit of a minefield. Consequently, you are kept on your toes throughout.
What’s new?
Though Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector incorporates many of the original mechanics, there are 2 new ideas to master. These additional elements will thrill veteran gamers and test newcomers to the franchise. You have full access to your ship. This is the key component for navigating the stars. The “Belt Map” lets you travel to new locations while exhausting your fuel supply. This is a tricky balancing act and something that can’t be taken for granted.
The second element is the aforementioned contracts. Here, you blend your team to overcome each situation. Pressure, mistakes, and luck are some of the ingredients you’ll encounter. This dramatic blend of moments alongside the RNG dice creates a suspenseful situation that can make or break your game.
If you remember the first instalment, you’ll appreciate the stunning graphics. Individual character portraits shift throughout each run. Moreover, every 3D location is wonderfully interesting. The world is a wash of vibrancy and sci-fi madness. There is a sense of darkness and despair as you navigate each tricky situation.
The audio is somewhat subdued. This could seem lacklustre, but I enjoyed the simple and effective approach. The game benefits from a compelling atmosphere as a consequence. Moments of silence are juxtaposed with energy. Subsequently, you flit from lulls and highs with delicate brilliance.
Well devised controls.
On paper, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector should have been tough to play. There are plenty of pitfalls and lots to learn. However, in reality, the control system is well devised and relatively simple to master. Furthermore, the developer has created a reasonably easy-to-follow learning curve. Consequently, if you’ve never played the original, you should master things in no time.
As RNG is the name of the game, and the roll of the die can ruin every plan, replay value and longevity are at the fore. Moreover, the fantastic story, blend of characters, and interesting side quests help to keep you hooked from the start.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector should be on your radar.
I’ve played some great indie games, and Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is up there with the best. It is interesting, thrilling, and well-balanced. Moreover, the plot is great, and the core mechanics are wonderful. Accordingly, it is fantastic and I recommend buying it here! Can you run and build a future? Choose your Sleeper, build a crew, and hope that luck is on your side.
Ready to build your own kingdom, one domino at a time? In the vast world of board games, where rules can be as complex as a long fantasy novel, there’s something special about a game that gets right to the point. Kingdomino, created by Bruno Cathala and brought to the digital world by Meeple Corp, is exactly that kind of game. It’s a game of building and strategy that is surprisingly simple to learn, yet challenging enough to keep you coming back for more. This review focuses on the digital version, which I’ve spent countless hours playing on my tablet. Before I played this version, I had never even heard of the board game, but the way the app brought the experience to life made me a huge fan and sparked a curiosity to try the real, physical version someday.
How to Build a Kingdom
In a nutshell, Kingdomino is about building a kingdom out of dominoes. The game is played by two to four players, each trying to create the most impressive kingdom possible. The goal is to build a 5×5 or 7×7 grid of connected land tiles, or dominoes, and score the most points. Each domino has two different kinds of terrain on it, like green fields, blue lakes, or yellow wheat fields. Some tiles have a little image of a crown or a few crowns on them, and those are super important for scoring.
Every round, players pick a new domino from the available tiles. This choice can set up a player’s entire game for success or failure, creating a key strategic challenge. So, do you choose the best tile right now, even if it has a higher number, and risk going last in the next turn? Or do you pick a lower-numbered tile to secure a better spot for your next choice, even if the tile isn’t as good? It’s a simple decision that adds a great deal of strategy.
Once you have your domino, you have to add it to your kingdom. The rule is that at least one of its two terrain types must touch a matching terrain type on a tile you’ve already placed. When you place a domino, you can rotate it however you like to make it fit just right. The game ends when everyone has placed all their dominoes, and then it’s time to score. Players get points by multiplying the number of connected tiles of the same terrain type by the number of crowns in that area. For example, if you have five connected yellow wheat field tiles and two of them have crowns, you get ten points (5 x 2). This makes you think about not just building big areas, but also about making sure those areas have crowns. It’s a simple system that’s easy to understand but offers a lot of different ways to play and win.
From Novice to Fan: My Experience
I can honestly say that Kingdomino has become one of my favorite digital board games. My favorite part is how quickly a game can be played. Occasionally, finding time for a long board game or someone to play with can be tough. Thankfully, with the Kingdomino digital edition, a game takes only a few minutes. I can play one on my lunch break, waiting at a doctors office, or when I’m bored and need something to keep my mind occupied, which makes this game perfect for my life.
The game gives me this amazing feeling of satisfaction. There’s nothing better than looking at my kingdom at the end of the game and seeing a big, perfectly connected area with lots of crowns. It’s a great feeling of accomplishment. The game also makes me feel smart. When I have to decide between a great tile with a high number and a so-so tile with a low number, I feel like I’m making a brilliant strategic decision. Even when my plan falls apart, I’m not frustrated because the game is so short and so much fun that I can just start another one right away.
I also love the digital app’s design. The tiles look great, the animations are smooth, and the way the game keeps track of your score automatically is fantastic. It’s so helpful to see how each move affects my points without having to pull out a calculator. The sound effects are also very satisfying, especially the little clicks when you place a tile. For a simple game, it feels incredibly well-made and polished. It’s a game that’s easy to get addicted to, and I can happily lose an entire afternoon just playing “one more game.”
The Digital App: A Flawless Experience with a Catch
For someone like me, who had never played the physical board game, the digital version feels flawless. The app is incredibly convenient—you don’t have to set up or clean up anything, and the computer handles all the work, from shuffling the tiles to keeping score. This saves a ton of time, making it possible to play many games in a short period. The online multiplayer also means you can play against other people without needing to be in the same room, and the app even offers challenges and different game modes, so there’s always something new to try.
Additionally, the app includes a host of in-game achievements that reward you for both wins and losses. These achievements often unlock new rewards, such as custom meeples or unique in-game items, adding another layer of fun to the game. It’s also nice to see additional features like adjustable difficulty levels for the computer opponents, allowing you to tailor the experience to your preference. You also have the option to purchase additional cosmetic features, as they are locked till you buy them, but this is not required to enjoy the entire game.
However, for real board game lovers, the biggest thing the digital game lacks is the tactile feel of the physical pieces. You don’t get to hold the thick, sturdy dominoes or physically place them on your kingdom board. You miss the fun of picking a tile from the line with your own hands and feeling the weight of the crown pieces. In the digital version, the computer handles all the math, which is great, but it also takes away the feeling of figuring out the perfect score on your own. It’s not the same as looking across the table at your friends’ kingdoms and seeing what they are building. The lack of that in-person, social interaction is something the digital version simply can’t replicate. While I enjoy the digital game, it’s not the complete, social experience you get with a physical copy.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Kingdomino is an incredible game. The digital app is a fantastic way to experience it, offering a fast, polished, and addictive version of a truly brilliant board game. It’s a great game that shows you don’t need long and complicated rules to have a great time. While it may lack the special, hands-on feel of the physical version, the digital app is a perfect tool for a quick game on the go and a great way to discover the joy of a board game you may never have heard of. Whether you’re a board game expert or a total beginner, if you’re looking for a fun, hard to master, strategic game that’s easy to learn and hard to put down, Kingdomino is a kingdom you’ll definitely want to build.
Hell Clock begins with the message: “This is a work of fiction based on real events of the Canudos massacre (1896–1897)”. I won’t go into the details of the massacre, but from what I’ve read it was a tragic event that occurred in Brazil. The game’s overall tone fits perfectly with the dark, gloominess of the actual history and makes plenty of references. If you are interested, please take a few minutes to do some research before coming back to this review. I just wanted to point this out and applaud the developers at Rogue Snail for shedding some light on the history this game is based on.
History aside, Hell Clock is a lot of fun. This is the type of game I can lose myself in and spend hours playing. The game is a combination of roguelike and ARPG—like a mixture of Hades with Diablo elements. Developed by Rogue Snail and published by Mad Mushroom, Hell Clock released on July 22nd, 2025. The game offers different skills and potential builds to try out through 3 Acts with 21 floors in each. The developers recently released an end-game that offers deeper builds and a more challenging experience. So, lets run out of time as we discuss Hell Clock!
The Story: Descending into Hell
We startle awake as our main protagonist, Pajeú. Pajeú is a warrior whose mentor, The Counselor, had his soul stolen and dragged down to Hell. Your main mission is to save him. to do so, Pajeú must descend into Hell multiple times and fight off the evil spirits and oppressors that lurk down in the depths, all while racing the clock that will drag him back to the surface. During your journey, you will come across a cast of many characters, such as the mysterious old woman and João Abade, one of the guerrilla leaders during the War of Canudos. They will wait for you at Quixeramobim, which serves as the homebase between each run.
As mentioned before, the game is heavily inspired by the Canudos massacre. Many elements within the game pull from this real historical event. However, you can still appreciate the story without knowing the actual history. It’s a dark, gloomy, vengeful story that kept my attention and made me want to attempt more and more runs to see what happens next.
The Gameplay Part 1: Roguelike with a Timer
Because Hell Clock combines a roguelike and an ARPG, I felt the need to split the gameplay discussion into two parts. That said, I still want to cover a lot in both parts, so I’ll keep my thoughts concise.
Starting off, I found the controls to be very easy to learn and get comfortable using. Key binds can be edited of course, but the default controls are nothing overly complicated. You have the option to change how your movement is done, something I haven’t seen in other roguelike games. You are able to move with either WASD or with the left-mouse button, like how it is in Diablo. Of the two, WASD movement feels a lot smoother, at least with the default key binds. I’m sure if you map your key binds to be similar to a Diablo style, it might not feel as clunky. You are also able to use a controller instead for the non keyboard & mouse warriors out there.
Through the three acts of the game, you will traverse through 21 floors each. The floor layouts are not super long and are pretty straight forward with few branching paths. The layouts also do not seem to change much from run to run, but I’m a little forgiving of this because they are short. Floors are themed as well, such as a dungeon aesthetic to the fiery pits of Hell. New areas will introduce new enemies to gun down, from shambling corpses to giant burrowing worms. Every few floors, you will run into what I suppose is a “mini-boss” and every seventh floor will be a boss battle for that area. While fighting the monsters of Hell, you gather various items. Trinkets provide small bonuses to your Pajeú’s stats. Gold is used at shrines to buy blessings.
Blessings provide larger stat bonuses and can progressively get better as you buy them—buying the first tier of a stat will unlock the next tier being purchasable at the next shrine. As you kill enemies, you will also gain experience and upon leveling up, you select a blessing for your skills. Soul stones serve as the permanent currency used between runs to make yourself stronger. You might come across relics that have unique passives (and also stay between runs), chests that contain loot and various other things. This feels like a standard roguelike set up that I think works well and I have no complaints.
What Hell Clock does differently though is introduce a timer aspect. You have a limited time in order to get through all 21 floors, with the timer pausing during boss fights. If your time runs out, your run will end and you respawn back at Quixeramobim. You can purchase upgrades that will either add more time (you start off with seven minutes) or introduce red portals that will let you skip a floor or two. Eventually, I’m sure you can purchase enough upgrades to easily complete the run within the time limit. However, you can also turn on relaxed mode which pauses the timer completely at any point in the options.
Personally, and I know I might get some judgment from this, I turned the timer off. My easily-distracted brain wanted to go down all the small branching paths. I wanted to make sure all loot was collected and no enemies were left standing. Like I said, I’m sure the timer wouldn’t become an issue after a few upgrades, but I had a lot more fun not having to worry about it at all. However, despite pausing it, the clock stayed paused in the upper left corner on the HUD and I wish it removed it instead. I also noticed that I kept getting a pop up on every floor telling me to come back stronger. Neither of these disrupt my gameplay much, but the constant reminders slightly annoy me. Once is more than enough.
Beyond the time aspect, the game offers a decent bit of customization when it comes to difficulty. When starting a new save, you can select either regular (which should be easy) or veteran (which should be regular) as the difficulty. You can select softcore, the standard roguelike, or hardcore, where a death equals a deleted character. Once you have selected these two things, they are set for the whole save and can no be changed. The game features six save slots in total however, allowing you to try different things and see what works best for you.
The Gameplay Part 2: Builds as Deep as Hell
Pajeú can execute a total of five different skills during a run. You can change these between runs and unlock more skills as you progress through the different acts. Most skills cost mana to cast. They can be altered by the unique passives from relics. Skills can also be upgraded, but you will need to unlock the ability to do this first. Which skills you have equipped will obviously form the basis for your build.
Relics are probably the next most important aspect, especially the unique relics that grant unique passives to your skills. You carry a limited number of relics in your inventory during runs, but you can upgrade that space. You can upgrade relics by spending soul stones. Depending on the relic tier, they will come with a number of affixes, up to three. These affixes work like the stat bonuses you get from blessings, and they upgrade as you upgrade your relics. However, affixes are random and require a little bit of RNG in order to pull something good. Personally, I’d prefer more relics with set passives and no RNG from pulling affixes, but that’s just me.
Blessings you receive during runs are probably the next stones for your build. The game breaks blessings down into foundation and proficiency. The foundation blessings are those that you purchase from shrines with gold—the standard stat increases such as to overall damage or crit chance. You gain proficiency blessings by leveling up, and they affect your skill stats instead of Pajeú’s base stats. Each blessing will have a different tier (common, magic, rare, epic) and each skill can only have a certain number of blessings based on tier. For example, four common blessings, three magic, two rare and one epic. Blessings will improve the further into Hell you go. Players should hold off on selecting the better tiers until later in the run.
Finally, the Great Bell will be the last little bit you need to perfect your build. The Great Bell is the skill tree where you purchase general stats and upgrades. These can be increasing health or mana, increasing reliquary size to hold relics and those time upgrade options mentioned earlier. The end-game introduces other constellations that allow for deeper builds.
When it comes to builds, I tend to go for the DoT types, with a preference for poison or bleed. I love being able to stack up the DoT and do high single target damage or watch it spread in a miasma and cull the masses. Hell Clock does have bleed and plague, but neither felt all that effective. The bosses in the game are complete meat bags with a ton of health. My bleed build never felt like it was doing enough DoT to the bosses, resulting in minutes of dodging their abilities as they slowly bled out. I’ll also be completely honest, I dropped lots of bells on enemies to inflict plague, but I’m not entirely sure what it actually does. If you know, please tell me in the comments because it certainly doesn’t seem to be a DoT.
In the end, I found a high damage/crit build worked best with slight defensive abilities in gaining conviction (a shield to prevent damage to your health). Perhaps I didn’t go deep enough with my DoT builds and would be interested to see where they can go the longer I play the game.
There’s also a freshly new end-game called Ascension to try out when you beat the campaign. However, at the time of writing, I have not unlocked this yet so I don’t have much to say. From what I’ve read, it offers a stronger challenge and deeper builds, such as with the constellations. The developers at Rogue Snail state that it will “challenge your build and take your character to the limit.” Definitely seems worth checking out, but I tend to beat the campaign and move on when it comes to roguelikes.
The Aesthetics: Dark, Gloomy & Cartoony
The art style of Hell Clock is a huge chef’s kiss for me. With the historical backdrop of the Canudos massacre, the visuals match perfectly with what I would expect. You are, after all, descending into hell. Things are going to be a little grim and a little gross down there.
Gunning down a horde of corpses feels satisfying. It’s enough blood and violence to make you feel like a badass, but not too much to make you sick. The game isn’t necessarily gory but it can be grotesque. There are also small cutscenes that will play at times, giving context of the character. They are very short and don’t take you away from the game for long, but are really effective at showing us who these people are and why we might not want them around.
As for the sounds, there are some hits and misses. I think all the gameplay sounds are done well—the sound of shooting bullets or dashing or the monsters themselves. Portuguese is the default audio language and as a fan of languages, this is a very nice touch! You can change it to English but the voice acting is…probably not the best, please just stick with Portuguese. Also, the background music is just okay. After a while, it felt super repetitive, the same string of notes over and over again. Eventually I turned it off and put on my own music, but you can buy the soundtrack as a DLC so maybe I’m just being judgmental.
The Conclusions: Game Might be Dark, but the Future is Bright
The developers at Rogue Snail are hard at work and taking feedback from players to improve Hell Clock. With a content roadmap for the upcoming months, I see a bright future for Hell Clock and can imagine only good things to come.
As it stands now, the game is just my cup of tea. The visuals are great with a decent story to back them up. The different builds are fun to explore and try out. The game has the perfect amount of grind that keeps my attention but doesn’t make me rip my hair out. It is not without it’s flaws, but none of its shortcomings detract from my overall experience. To put it simply, I’m just having a ton of fun playing and I feel as if my review does not do the game the justice deserves. If you are a roguelike or ARPG fan, I happily encourage you to give Hell Clock a try!
After getting stomped on by the final boss in Act 1, I sighed and took a short break in Quixeramobim. I strategized my build, tried something new, upgraded my Great Bell skill tree, failed again and repeat. Despite my deaths, I never got frustrated nor annoyed. I only wanted to get back to descending into hell and start my next run.
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There’s a certain charm to a game that makes you use the best visual power you have, your imagination. That’s what Azmar Quest is all about. It’s a text-based RPG that feels like a classic, old-school game. For me, who’s used to modern RPGs with all the big cinematic moments and huge soundtracks, jumping into the world of Azmar was like a trip back in time. It gets rid of all the flashy stuff and focuses on what really matters: a great story, choices that count, and the power of words.
The Personal Touch: Character Creation and Immersion
One of the first things that struck me about Azmar Quest was its remarkably deep character creation process. It’s not just a quick name and gender selection; it’s an opportunity to truly define who you are in this world. The game presents you with a choice of four core classes, such as the warrior, cleric, warlock, or archer. Each with their own unique starting attributes and strategy. The customization goes even deeper, allowing you to meticulously distribute your stat points across a variety of characteristics and customize your build with 24 unique skills per class, plus 4 armor slots and 4 potion slots to create your own unique playstyle.
This level of personalization right from the start gives you a strong sense of ownership over your character. Every choice feels significant, as it directly impacts how you interact with the world and how you approach challenges. While the game’s core mechanics remain the same, your character’s unique build can lead to completely different strategies in combat and different outcomes in dialogue. It’s a feeling you don’t always get in modern games, where classes are often pre-set with little room for true customization. The game’s focus on this personal touch is a huge positive, as it makes you feel like you are not just playing a character, but that you are becoming them, which is perfect for an RPG.
A World Built on Words: The Story and Gameplay
The main concept of a text-based RPG is its narrative, and Azmar Quest is fantastic. The game’s story unfolds through simple and yet descriptive text, which paints a vivid picture of the world and its inhabitants. Each location is described enough to make it easy to visualize. The narrative choices are where the game truly shines. When you are faced with a decision, there are no flashing icons or on-screen prompts; you simply read the options and decide the path your character will take. All done with a few simple taps on the screen if played on a mobile device. These choices often have a direct and noticeable impact on the story, leading to different quests, different allies, and even multiple endings. You’ll face over 100 unique enemies throughout your journey.
Additionally, the narrative portion of the game is handled with an impressive conciseness that sets it apart from many other text-based titles. The story is straightforward, allowing players who prioritize action to move swiftly through the plot without being bogged down by lengthy paragraphs. This streamlined approach makes the game particularly enjoyable for those who, like me, are eager to jump into the combat. While this focus on speed is a positive, it occasionally comes at a cost, as some narrative branches feel too brief, leading to a quick resolution that doesn’t quite feel earned. The combat system itself, a classic turn-based affair, is functional and evokes a sense of nostalgia. You select an action, such as an attack, a spell, or an item, and the outcome is displayed on the screen with minimal graphical detail, showing a change in stats as a result of each turn.
The Visuals and Audio: A Case for the Minimalist Approach
As a text-based RPG, Azmar Quest doesn’t have complex graphics in the traditional sense. For some, that might be a deal breaker. You won’t find breathtaking landscapes to explore or dynamic character models to admire. The “visuals” are just simple illustrations with little variation, relying primarily on text descriptions. However, the soundtrack is where this game truly soars! The music is incredibly exciting and does a fantastic job of making up for the lack of visuals during each battle and as you travel through the kingdom and story.
To be honest, I did initially miss the epic scores and stunning visuals I’m used to with a RPG, turn-based game. However, the more I played, the more I came to appreciate this minimalist approach. The lack of visual and audio distractions forces you to engage with the world on a deeper level. Your imagination fills in the gaps, creating a version of Azmar that is uniquely your own. The simplicity allows the game to run flawlessly on any device with an internet connection. It’s a game you can play anywhere, on a tablet or an old laptop, without worrying about performance. It’s a testament to the idea that a great game doesn’t need to be a technical marvel to be a captivating experience. The game is what you make of it.
More Than Just a Story: Online Play and Other Features
While the single-player story is a 20-hour adventure that can be played offline, the game offers much more. You can fight in 1v1 and 2v2 PvP battles, or team up for Co-op Dungeons with other players online. The developer, who works on this as a one-person indie project, constantly adds new content, including daily quests, 2v2 Arena battles, and 3v3 party-based fights. It’s a game that keeps on giving, and it’s a huge positive that it’s completely free-to-play on mobile, with no content locked behind paywalls. It also features a commendable accessibility feature, as it’s designed to be playable for blind users through screen readers like Talkback and VoiceOver.
A Final Thought on this Adventuring Gem
Azmar Quest isn’t a game for everyone, and it doesn’t try to be. It’s a game for the patient, for the avid reader, and for anyone who cherishes classic text-based RPGs. While it has its flaws—such as the combat that can feel repetitive and a style that might not appeal to fans of modern games—its strengths easily outweigh its weaknesses. The deep character customization, the genuinely impactful story choices, and the unique, imaginative experience it provides make it a truly special game. It’s a proof to the power of pure storytelling in gaming.
Ultimately, this game is a refreshing reminder that the most immersive worlds don’t need to be built with complex visuals. Sometimes, all you need are a few well-chosen words and simple illustrations to create a world that lives on in your mind long after you’ve closed the game. If you’re looking for a journey driven purely by your own decisions and imagination, Azmar Quest is an adventure worth embarking on.
