Game Reviews
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Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled – Review
Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled is the closest thing to Mario Cart, and that’s saying something. It’s by far the most fun I have had playing a racing game with friends in recent memory, and at times the lack of Mario Cart bull-shittery really makes for a better experience. If you want a weekend with friends, just hanging out and having a good laugh, Crash Team Racing is your jam. With a variety of tracks, vehicles, characters and power-ups, there’s never a dull moment to be had. Add to that the fun campaign mode, and Crash Team Racing has something for both solo and team players. Pros: Looks great Immensely fun Good variety of content Cons: Can’t replace Mario Cart Score – 8/10 About: Crash is back in the driver’s seat! Get ready to go fur-throttle with Crash™ ...
Sinking City – Review
Set in a city plagued by visions and a flood, The Sinking City puts you in the shoes of a Marine turned Detective. Your characters also shares visions similar to those of the denizens of the Sinking City, and he’s here to investigate and discover the source. With a dreadful and immersive atmosphere, some truly horrifying elements, The Sinking City is a really well made game with a few minor flaws. The discovery and exploration is really rewarding, and you need to study the map manually and understand where you need to go next. The gameplay has some issues though – it’s janky and clumsy. And there are some performance issues. However, despite these problems, I have never played a game quite like this and would easily recommend it to anyone. Pros: Great atmosphere Interesting setting C...
Close To The Sun – Review
Close to the Sun is the best example of Bioshock meets SOMA – imagine a ship filled with science experts, where something has gone wrong, and as you investigate the incident, something otherworldly chases you down. It’s a walking simulator with interesting and clever puzzles, constantly feeding you story elements and consistently impressing you with its art-deco vibes. The world building and writing are truly stand-out. It’s not for everyone though, specially if you are looking for something heavy on action. However, I really enjoyed this narrative adventure, the atmosphere and exploring the space the game is set in. Pros: Interesting art style Fascinating setting Great atmosphere Simple, yet clever puzzles Cons: Lacks in terms of gameplay Score – 6.5/10 About: It’s...
Mordhau – Review
Mordhau is melee combat game, said to the be spiritual successor to Chivalry. You play as a variety of infantry classes in the medieval times, including swordsmen, archers, horsemen, and so on. The game can be tough during the early hours, but there is a fairly decent tutorial that teaches you the basics – well, there’s nothing really basic to Mordhau’s complex combat system, but the tutorial does what it can. You play in various games modes, across a variety of maps, and a lot of them are really fun. Mordhau might be tough to get into, but once you’re in, there’s almost certainly something here for you to love. Pros: Looks gorgeous, dismembered limbs and all Excellent combat system Depth of gameplay can lead to some hilarious and tense encounters, very memora...
Effie – Review
Effie is a really cutesy looking 3D platformer set in a fantasy universe. You play as Galand, setting out to regain his lost youth. The combat is tight and fast, the platforming is simple, yet the clever mix of puzzles and fast movement keeps the pace going. There are a good number of platforming puzzles to solve, and they feel really satisfying. The combat is also fast paced. It’s simple but shows some depth as you keep progressing. the game also has a good look to it similar to Portal Knights, and a lot of vibrant lighting, colors and depth of field effects. Plus, the shield turns into a rocket boosted skateboard that fun to fly around on. Pros: Fun platforming Well designed levels vibrant visuals Cons: Boss fights are not that fun Score – 8/10 About: Effie is a 3D action-adv...
Deathgarden Bloodharvest – Review
Deathgarden was a game that was released in Early Access, and despite its decent quality, it looked set to fail. Surprisingly enough, the dev team turned it around, re-branding it Deathgarden: Bloodharvest. It is now a game similar to Dead By Daylight, with guns and powerups, and is immensely fun. You enter a garden, the Deathgarden, and play in an asymmetrical co-op match, where there are 4 scavengers and one stalker. The 4 scavengers need to band together and help each other survive, while the stalker tries to hunt them down. There’s a really good flow to the gameplay and the shooting. The maps and game modes are fun, and it looks really great. Pros: Solid gameplay, shooting is fun Looks good Compelling leveling system Cons: Minor balancing issues Night mode is a bit too dark and f...
Barotrauma – Review
Barotrauma is an interesting little indie game, where you play in co-op to survive aboard a space vessel that deep underwater on an alien planet. You now need to fight off dangerous creatures and help each other in surviving. OR, betray each other and sabotage the whole ship. It is teeming with atmosphere, has some tense moments, and is really fun. You can play various roles, such as ship captain, medic, engineer and so on. There’s also a good bit of exploration to be done on the ocean surface, which feels both menacing and inviting. Pros: Fantastic atmosphere Fun co-op Interesting setting Cons: Not enough content Score – 7/10 About: Overcome crisis and the unrelenting pressure of a frozen ocean. In the not too distant future, where habitable places have become scarce, humanity...
Conan Unconquered – Review
Developed by ex-Command & Conquer guys, Conan Unconquered is an RTS where you setup base, build defenses and then fend off waves of enemies. The game is heavily inspired by They Are Billions, and it shows. It has a lot of the same ideas as They Are Billions, and sets them in the Conan universe. While building your base and army, you also set out to find resources and hunt down monsters in order to find upgrades for your base and army. The game can also be played in co-op which makes for a significantly more fun experience, since you can split tasks among co-op buddies. Pros: Nails the Conan aesthetic Has some neat ideas about RTS survival Fun Combat Cons: Needs better task allocation for AI No real story mode Bad pathing No way to separate out military units Score – 7/10 About: B...
Darkwood – Review
Darkwood is set in a fictional universe, in 1987. Strange trees have overgrown everywhere, and within it strange creatures have taken shelter. You need to make your way out of the woods, and along the way you will encounter some of the most horrifying and surreal visual imagery you have ever seen in a video game. Darkwood is played from a top down perspective, and is a survival game. It’s is jam packed with atmosphere and mysteries to discover. Almost everyone is some degree of crazy and there’s danger lurking everywhere. You’ll come across villages where dark rituals are being performed. You’ll encounter folks who will kidnap you for no real reason. You’ll need to somehow survive and escape the woods, and head to mythical Road, though it has been said –...
Ancestors Legacy – Review
Ancestors Legacy is a squad based real-time strategy game, set during the Medieval times. It is some what historically accurate and has campaigns based on real wars. Also, it’s kind of tough and has a lot of intricacies to it, which feels great. You send your men out in squads, which makes the individual combat encounters feel more personal and give you greater control over what each squad does. This makes for some good strategic depth, and requires that you pay more attention. There are four factions to play as – Viking, Anglo-Saxon, German, Slav – and each have their own pros and cons. Some have better archers, other have better foot soldiers, while another might have better horsemen, and so on. The AI is incredible efficient in switching up tactics and putting up a goo...
American Fugitive – Review
If you are a fan of the older top down Grand Theft Auto games, then American Fugitive is definitely up your alley. Even if you’re not, American Fugitive has some really interesting gameplay mechanics, and a fun story that is totally worth engaging in. It also has a lot of random world activities to partake in that makes for a fun over-the-top adventure. You play as Will Riley, who is framed for the murder of his father and sent to prison. You then break out and seek revenge. The plot itself is simple, but the characters you meet along the way and the overall journey makes for a fun romp. Pros: Inspired by classic GTA Fun gameplay Interesting story Destructible environments Cons: Not a lot of challenge No voice acting Score – 8/10 About: Inspired by classic GTA, American Fugitiv...
Pathologic 2 – Review
Pathologic 2 is a weird game and is not for everyone. In fact, it’s probably not for most people, and to be honest, it’s really not for me either. However, there’s something about it that had me curious – You play as one of three doctors, in a town being ravaged by a plague. You have 12 days to create a cure. To do that you need to explore the town, get help and information from the local townsfolk, and figure out what’s going on. There’s a lot of surreal imagery, the world feels alien and bonkers at times, and almost everyone is out for themselves, and can’t be trusted. You have to navigate this messy web of intrigue and self-interest, and make a cure while on the clock. Time is running out. Pros: Interesting story, great characters Some strange v...