There’s nothing better than a good bedtime story. When I was a young bairn I used to sit under the blankets at night and read with a torch. As the nights get longer and colder, snuggling up with a good bedtime story is essential. NAIRI is a great bedtime story. NAIRI tells the story of …
The popularity of Maxis’ 1989 classic SimCity allowed the American developer to take their flagship brand in new directions. Clearly trying to replicate the success of SimCity, between 1989 and 2000 fifteen different titles under the ‘Sim’ banner were released. One of the more successful endeavours was SimTower, praised for being “homelier and more personal†…
There’s something to be said for the gentler pursuits in life. Like having a nice sit – what could be better? But gentle can also be pointless, like Radio 4 sitcoms. Which is Mimpi Dreams? LET’S FIND OUT. (An attempt at building tension, there. Not desperately easy in a review of a Switch conversion of …
Some hangover sufferers struggle with a trip to the local shop, so we can only imagine how Fallout 76’s intrepid vault dweller feels. After waking in an empty vault following one heck of a party, they’re tasked with rebuilding and restoring West Virginia to its former glory, working alongside a group of other carefully selected …
All it took for Activision to finally cave-in and revive both Crash and Spyro was for one of their multi-million-dollar franchises to crash and burn. That franchise was, of course, the toys-to-life phenomenon Skylanders. So, before we go any further, let’s thank all the parents who refused to buy into Skylanders for a fifth year …
Let’s not beat around the bush – Boom Ball: Boost Edition is Arkanoid in 3D. How much can you do with 3D Arkanoid? It’s nicely presented. There are sixty levels, grouped into themed sets like a harbour, penguins and farms. The graphics recall PopCap’s classics – cute, colourful and tactile. The music reminds me of …
The announcement of a fishing mini-game in Red Dead Redemption 2 caused much jubilation. This excitement came as no surprise – fishing is the ultimate pastime for those seeking a means to relax and unwind. A gentle breeze, the calming sound of birdsong, the tranquil stillness of the water, the grating ear-piercing alarm from a …
The recent Dead Cells sparked a debate as to whether the term ‘Metroidvania’ is still relevant, all because it has been some time since we’ve had a new traditional Castlevania or Metroid. It was even argued that today’s gamers are likely oblivious to Castlevania’s existence entirely. On this bombshell, allow us to introduce Pizza Titan …
Once the first part of an episodic adventure is out of the way talking about the ensuing episodes becomes a tricky task. You can pretty much guarantee at least one dramatic twist, an unforeseen discovery or a character death – or perhaps even all three – which in turn makes going into detail about an …
This futuristic racer from Shortround Games – a Brighton-based studio formed of ex-Burnout and Split/Second developers – is the latest to follow in the footsteps of OnRush, casting aside convention in order to offer something fresh and new. 1v1 races are the order of the day, entailing weaving in and out of heavy traffic at …
Imagine if Super Mario World came to an end after conquering the Donut Plains – the legendary platformer’s first full-sized world. You’ve become acquainted with the controls, beaten more than a dozen levels, began to experiment with the power-ups and had your skills tested with a couple of boss battles. Then, after defeating Morton Koopa …
This unabashed arcade-like experience invites you to indulge in the simplest of pleasures – level design that requires a sharp memory and almost-rhythmic movement, accompanied by action that demands lightning quick reflexes. We would use the phrase ‘twitch gameplay’ but today’s youth would no doubt think we’re referring to the popular streaming service. The VideoKid …
The opening to this puzzle/platformer involves more than simply becoming acquainted with the lead character and learning the controls – there’s also a warped sense of puzzle solving logic to get your head around. Or to be more exact, the first hour or so is best spent trying to get inside the headspace of developer …
Creativity is an odd thing. Sometimes, restrictions impair creativity. You can almost sense how the weight of expectation and a desire to stick to a certain formula spoils some games. Sometimes, however, creativity feeds off restriction. Freedom Planet started life as a Sonic fan game. Designer Stephen DiDuro clearly loves Sonic. But, by scribbling in …
Shenmue’s reveal was accompanied by a not-so-typical assortment of early screenshots, artwork and various assets. Amongst artwork of the vengeful Ryo Hazuki and screenshots of ramshackle Japanese streets was an image that really stood out, simply featuring renders of numerous TV aerials. An odd sight, for certain. One caption editor duly noted that its purpose …