Game Reviews
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Furwind – Review
Furwind is a 2D platformer with a really great art style. There are some Metroidvania elements here, but it’s not really a Metroidvania – you go through fairly linear levels without a lot of exploration or backtracking. Regardless, it still is really fun. The game is a bit short, but for the price is still good value. The story and soundtrack are also pretty good, and Furwind offers a challenge significant enough to keep you on your toes. There can be a few confusing moments, but nothing that can’t be passed through after a few head scratches. Pros: Fun gameplay Looks great Good soundtrack Cons: A bit short Score – 8/10 About: The old war between ancestors ended with the imprisonment of one of them. Darhûn, who was caged for eras, has been released from his captivity and is re...
Stranger Things 3 – Review
Stranger Things 3 closely follows the events of the third season of Netflix’s popular show by the same name. It’s a pixel art isometric game where you can play with a friend and explore Hawkins. For a game based on popular media, it’s surprisingly well done, and and if fact adds tidbits to the story that are not present in the show itself. Exploration and interaction is generally fun, while there are some fetch quests and repetition that detract from the overall experience. Since the game is based mostly on the events of the third season of the show, I would recommend playing it once you have seen all the episodes, and for it, it was actually better this way. Pros: Fun story Looks good Enjoyable Co-op Cons: Dull side quests Not for you if you’re not into the show Score – 8/10 About:...
Red Faction Guerrilla – Review
Red Faction Guerrilla is an immensely fun shooter that allows for massive levels of destruction and some really goofy and violent combat. Set on Mars, you go about wreaking havoc and playing with the physics sandbox. The Switch handles the game rather well and it looks and plays just fine. If you enjoy massive levels and insane destruction, the Red Faction delivers fully. The story is decent, but doesn’t do much. May consider this game almost a classic, and having it on the go is a blast. Pros: Fun gameplay Enjoyable physics sandbox Cons: Story could be better Score – 8/10 About: Set 50 years after the climactic events of the original Red Faction, Red Faction: Guerrilla allows players to take the role of an insurgent fighter with the newly re-established Red Faction movement as they ...
Summer Catchers – Review
Summer Catchers is a game about going on an epic trip in order to see summer. You play as Chu, a young girl living in the harsh cold desiring to experience summer. One day she decides to get in her wooden car, rev the engines and head out. And experience an adventure along the way. There’s a bit of racing involved, some puzzles and meeting strangers, and it’s actually a really pleasant game overall. The story is heartfelt, and the pixel art looks really good. Pros: Good story Pleasant tone and setting Fun gameplay Cons: RNG can screw you over Score – 8/10 About: It is time to embark on an epic road trip adventure of a lifetime in Summer Catchers, a unique arcade game that mixes racing, story, rhythm and puzzle elements all into one. Take control of Chu, a young girl who lives in the ...
They Are Billions – Review
They Are Billions is a survival based strategy game set in a steampunk world. You have to gather resources, build defences and wait for attacks that scale up exponentially. The name is They Are Billions, and there truly are billions. The Survival Mode has shorter rounds where you face the climatic conditions, build and survive against hordes. The levels are randomly generated. Building and maintaining the colony comes with a fair bit of strategizing, managing and upkeep. You’ll also be investing into various types of defensive and offensive units, each with their own benefits. The world itself is rather pretty in its own grim way and seeing thousands of units on screen is a delight, if a bit scary. Pros: Addictive gameplay loop Looks good Great depth and variety Cons: Dull campaign Score &...
She Sees Red – Review
She Sees Red is an interactive movie, in the vein of LAte Shift. You play as a detective, investigating a murder in a club. The events are shady in every way imaginable, and the club owner seems to be hiding something. The premise and the story is pretty interesting, and the choices you make along the way are meaningful. The acting is also pretty well done, though a bit on the nose at times. It’s pretty short, but warrants a couple of playthroughs in order to see the full story. Overall, a fun game for an afternoon. Pros: Good story Looks great (sorry) Meaningful choices Cons: A bit short Score – 7/10 About: She Sees Red is an interactive live-action thriller full of drama, violence, and your responsibility. Each walkthrough takes 30-35 minutes, but total video running time is about ...
Rebel Galaxy Outlaw – Review
Playing Rebel Galaxy Outlaw has been some of my happiest moments in gaming this year. It may not be the best games of 2019, but it’s definitely up there. You play as Juno Markev, hunting down a killer. You fly around space, meeting folks at various space stations, clearing off enemies across various sectors, gathering information, upgrading your spacecraft, and being a space trucker/cowboy in general. The music is fantastic, with a massive collection of fantastic songs. Trust me, this game was made to chill with. The controls are snappy, and the shooting and maneuvering feels great. And the explosions are bombastic. The story is not the strongest, but the characters you meet along the way are personable, and keep the plot going. But you’re primarily here to shoot and explore, and Rebel Gal...
Man of Medan – Review
Man of Medan is the latest interactive horror game by Supermassive Games, known for their PS4 exclusive Until Dawn. If you’re familiar with or like Until Dawn, then Man of Medan will be right up your wheelhouse. It emphasizes on choice and consequence, and tells a compelling narrative told from the perspective of various characters. A group of friends on holiday end up tangled in a series of sinister events at sea, and it’s up to you and a friend (yes, it has co-op) to see the story through. The game is a bit short, but also priced accordingly, and is part of a larger anthology, The Dark Pictures. The choices do have significant consequences, making multiple playthroughs viable. The gameplay is pretty simplistic though, similar to Until Dawn, with some exploration and quick tim...
Control – Review
Control sees Remedy Entertainment coming back in full force with a strange, intriguing and action packed narrative adventure that puts you in the shoes of Jesse Faden. It’s easily among Remedy’s finest work in terms of world building, visual and sound design. You enter the Federal Bureau of Control seeking answers regarding supernatural events at your home town, and to find your brother. Soon you are deeply embroiled in something that feels far beyond your control. I expected the game’s location the FBC building to feel small and repetitive really soon, but the way the layout has been designed is outright fascinating, and offers a lot of variety. The building is hiding deep secrets, and exploration and discovery is immensely satisfying. The combat is also really well done...
Trine 3 – Review
Trine 3 marks the series’ first foray into full 3D, anw with it come some really exciting gameplay, but also some frustrations. Firstly, the game looks stunning, with beautiful lighting and particle effects. The puzzles are fun, and the option to play both in co-op, both locally or in co-op is definitely a plus. However, the game is a bit short, and doesn’t have the various difficulty settings present in the previous games. It’s still a fun physics based playground, it’s hard to put down. If you’re looking to hang out with a few friends and solve some puzzles and fight some battles, Trine 3 could be for you. Pros: Looks great Fun gameplay Cons: Dull story Very short Not challenging enough Score – 8.5/10 About: Experience a fairytale world of breathtaking sceneries and face a myriad o...
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom – Review
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is the game by the creators of Wonder Boy, and it is absolutely delightful. You play as Jin, and go about a 2D world, platforming your way across gorgeously hand drawn levels. The hand drawn art is really pretty, and there’s a good variety to the world and the monsters. You have a bunch of abilities, and you’ll have to mix them up with items to solve various puzzles and make your way across obstacles. The gameplay is also really satisfying, and offers a great challenge, keeping you on your toes. Exploration is also rewarding with tons of secrets hidden away, waiting to be discovered. The story falls a bit flat, but it’s barely noticeable when you are going across this gorgeous world. Pros: Looks beautiful Solid gameplay Tons of variety Lots of abili...
Outpost Zero – Review
Outpost Zero is a survival simulation game, set on a hostile planet. You build a base, set up defences, and fend off enemies both AI and other players. The premise is interesting, and does a lot of things right. The exploration and build is really fun, and there’s a lot of depth to the gameplay. You can construct robots to maintain your base, and you’ll need to upgrade these robots and keep them happy with better crew quarters, for them to perform at peak efficiency. There are also a lot of environmental hazards like earthquakes, meteor showers, thunderstorms, and you’ll need to be able to withstand all of these to survive. From being a mere survivor to absolutely dominating the planet, there’s a massive journey to be taken, and it can easily get overwhelming. Outpost Zero is the kind of...