Calling FUSER a spiritual successor to DJ Hero isn’t off the mark. At the same time, neither is it entirely accurate. The spirit of DJ Hero is present (and not just because Salt N Pepa ‘Push It’ features on the tracklist, although that arguably helps) but it has way more to offer; it’s far beyond …
This 16-bit style psychological horror RPG bears similarities to both Mad Father and Corpse Party. I love this mix of gameplay styles, especially when survival elements are involved, so I was immediately drawn in. You play as Chloe, a mother fighting for her life to protect her children during a monster outbreak in her town, …
This zombie hack and slasher series is synonymous with D3’s own Earth Defence Force, both being budget offerings with ‘B movie’ flair that made PlayStation 2 debuts. They’re renown for using their weaknesses as strengths, reusing assets in clever ways, while providing a lengthy grind. Repetitive to the extreme, certainly, but it’s the repetition of …
Seers Isle doesn’t make life easy for itself – or the player. At the start of the story (we’re in interactive graphic novel territory here) the main character is mysterious at best, and it’s not even clear that you’re making decisions as that main character. It makes for a slightly awkward first playthrough, and only …
Glance at Space Avenger’s screenshots and you’ll soon get the gist. It’s a top-down arena shoot-em-up where asteroids hurtle about while you scramble to destroy ships gunning after you. It does, at least, show what a bit of love can do to a genre that’s as old as gaming itself. Things start off slowly. Your …
You’ve broken up with your boyfriend. You’ve moved to the massive country estate you’ve just inherited. So let’s chalk up relationships and small-town politics. That’s two elements. But the rule of three; three is always better than two. So what other ingredient do we find in this interactive visual novel? It’s obvious: witchcraft. It’s a …
When this generation began, roughly seven years ago, publishers had plenty of much-loved classics in their archives to dust off and re-release. Slimmer pickings have seemingly led to them being less choosey. JoWood’s Neighbours from Hell series only ever managed to accumulate a small fanbase, and even then, it was only a moderate success on …
Games are all about attention to detail; the small little things that break or make an experience. A little bit of love and craft makes all the difference. Why do I bring this up? Because on the Switch dashboard Her Majesty’s Ship has the wrong name. It’s just a typo – not exactly the worst …
This text-based multiple-choice adventure gets off to a bumpy start, committing the gaming crime of narration that noticeably differs from text on-screen. Hardly the most heinous of offences, granted, but it was enough to make us worry that the rest of the experience suffered from inconsistencies. Thankfully, once the intro is out of the way …
What do you get when you combine Streets of Rage’s refined fighting mechanics with Final Fight’s penchant for bare-chested machoness, while adding a squirt of Dynamite Cop’s utter absurdness? The answer is a rollicking good time. Super Punch Patrol, incidentally, is another answer we’d gladly settle for. This Switch exclusive scrolling brawler comes from the …
As time passes, I’ve fallen away from ‘big boom-boom AAA titles’ and fallen in line with gentle indies – games where you grow crops or build little towns and spend your days fishing. If you’re a fan of having your heart relocate into your mouth while you play a twisted game of cat and mouse …
Do you like tanks? Your answer is important here. If you don’t, I’m not sure you’re going to enjoy Tank Mechanic Simulator. It features lots of tanks. Loads. If you love tanks, well, rest assured you fall neatly within the target audience. This simulator casts you in the role of a World War II tank …
From the mid-’90s onwards countless franchises made the jump from 2D to 3D. Some, such as Super Mario, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid and Zelda flourished; others struggled to convert their trademark mechanics to the third dimension, with camera issues often to blame. Even in 2020, the proposition of making the transition to 3D is …
Twenty-six years have passed since the Battletoads last caused a ruckus. No, this isn’t a lazy ‘history of the series’ style intro – it’s an integral part of the plot. During that time the toads have become nobodies, fading from public memory. The antiquated amphibians hatch a plan to get back into the limelight, involving …
I wouldn’t need much convincing to believe Mask of Mists is a remaster of a PS2/GameCube/Xbox era RPG. Not only does it resemble a pre-Oblivion console-only roleplayer, with angular low-poly visuals and a small walled-off world, but it feels like one too due to the simple two-button combat and the overreliance of switch-flicking puzzles. Visually, …