A sign of strong world building is when it takes a while for certain elements to sink in, either due to a unique lexicon being used or elements working in an unconventional way that later makes sense. That’s certainly the case here. This side-scrolling action RPG, clearly inspired by the Paper Mario series, takes place …
There’s a lot to be said for simplicity in the world of gaming. New iterations of Tetris continue to engage veterans and newcomers alike, barely a year goes by without a new variant of Pac-Man, while Vampire Survivors – and its slew of clones – simply involve circling enemies with everything else handled automatically. Ideally, …
“You’re now ready,” duly informed Hell Well’s tutorial. Only, this wasn’t quite the case. I fumbled my way through to this point, not really understanding what kind of objectives Hell Well has in store. It also didn’t help that the UI is presented in an abstract way, favouriting ‘1-bit’ style pixel art. Fortunately, in less …
Chess pieces are the collectable of choice in this outdoorsy 3D platformer, replacing customary spinning gold stars and giant coins. This isn’t quite as random as it seems, with the mystical one-of-a-kind chess set being a symbol of balance. Black and white. Light and dark. Ying and Yang. After the pieces become scattered, our spritely …
Had this 2D platformer launched in the ‘90s, it would likely be mentioned in the same sentence as Natsume’s Pocky & Rocky and Konami’s Goemon (aka The Legend of Mystical Ninja,) due to it featuring similar sights. This too uses ancient Japanese folklore as its central theme, set in a world full of yōkai of …
The key to making a compelling construction sim is ensuring players always have something to focus on, such as town planning and micromanaging citizens, or perhaps introducing something that requires intervention often. The fear of progress going awry when your back is turned can make an experience all the more addictive. The Station, developers of …
When the humble Evercade launched in 2020 alongside some tired-looking Atari and Namco collections, offering not much we hadn’t seen before, I never expected that just three years later it would host a suite of Duke Nukem games – making the system the best way currently possible to legally sample the beefy brute’s past exploits. …
A labour of love by snowmobile enthusiasts looking to scratch the off-season itch, Sledders seeks to provide a realistic snowmobile experience where you zoom across the snowy tundras and ride powdery slopes so deep you could drown in them. Realism is the theme here. Steering isn’t controlled so much by the skis, but by the …
Back in August the almighty Red Dead Redemption launched on Switch, reportedly performing admirably from a technical standpoint. It’s likely Guns and Spurs 2 – another open-world wild west adventure – was planned for the Switch long before RDR’s arrival, intended to be an on-the-go alternative. With the real deal now available, Guns and Spurs …
Today’s youth are likely oblivious to how big a deal Jurassic Park was back in 1993. It wasn’t just a blockbuster at the cinema – it was an inescapable beast, taking the cover of magazines no matter the subject, and filling shops with all manner of licensed merchandise. The most recent comparable cinematic event is …
A little taster of something can be mightily effective. A leftover ‘fun size’ chocolate bar from Halloween may be able to curb a sweet tooth, or a slice of cheese able to satisfy a savoury craving. In the world of video games, we aren’t often treated to bite-sized, standalone, side stories to keep fans satisfied. …
Licensed games largely tend to capitalise on a franchise’s popularity, launching to coincide with a currently popular TV show, movie, comic book series, or toy line. UFO Robot Grendizer (also known as Grandizer and Goldorak) stands out as an exception, based on an obscure late ‘70s anime that has never received a standalone gaming adaptation until now. …
This puzzle platformer involves taking on the role of a nobleman haunted by sad memories. Utilizing a mirror image mechanic, we’re tasked with unraveling his intriguing past, dark secrets and all. While exploring a dilapidated mansion – in which all the reflective surfaces are smashed – a broken mirror shard proves to be invaluable, able …
Creating a game based on Detroit City’s crime fighting cyborg is no easy task. An awful lot could potentially go wrong, from the way RoboCop is presented – including his calculated movements and his hardcoded behavioural traits – to the satirical slant of the movie trilogy being somehow lost or misunderstood. Even the setting could fall …
Every so often a game comes along that’s tricky to talk about without fear of spoiling the experience. Bem Feito is a perfect example, and the fact that it only lasts 1-2 hours makes talking about it harder still. Following in the footsteps of Undertale and the more recent Everhood, it essentially presents two different …