Rebecca Smith
Rebecca Smith's Reviews
I Saw Black Clouds has very little to redeem it. The characters are unrealistic and the plot twists and turns in an incoherent manner that introduces continuity issues. Player choices occasionally make a difference but are often ignored and sometimes even dubbed incorrect. Endings are mixed up and player relationships are pointless, plus the game can be buggy too. The irony is that Shropshire has its fair share of ghost stories and it even claims to be the most haunted county in the UK. Maybe the game would have been better telling one of those stories instead.
Balan Wonderworld feels like it's shrouded in mystery because there's a woeful lack of explanation for the majority of its mechanics. Nobody should be left looking for external guides to gather even the most basic information for a game aimed at children. When added to the frustrating management of the game's costumes (including those that can't jump in a platformer), its underdeveloped story, the overly simplistic platforming, and the tortuous Balan Bouts, this is a game that had promise but is ruined by a multitude of bizarre design decisions.
All of these problems turn the game from something promising into a mediocre experience that's less psychological horror than it is torture. There are better horror experiences out there.
Skully has other issues too. A strange bug meant that I twice lost control of the golems, watching helplessly as they plunged into the nearest hazard. Sometimes when climbing vines, Skully would fall off for no reason. There were invisible walls, times when Skully deflected off platforms at an unnatural angle, and times when the lava would just disappear. A lot of players will likely give up before they reach the end of the game. It's a shame but completely understandable when the game has a heart that's let down by myriad problems.
Now That's What I Call Sing is the first karaoke title to hit the Xbox One, but a lot of people may choose to give this one a miss. A narrow selection of songs that is restricted to just a couple of music types makes this game a choice for like-minded friends rather than a large gathering of different people. There are plenty of game modes to try and a presentation that is friendly for karaoke novices, especially when there is no fail option to discourage people before they've even begun. The main problem, though, is that the game cannot recognise high notes regardless of your microphone. The only way that you'll be able to get a high score and unlock all of the achievements is if you can sing comfortably in mid-range, and not many can do this.
These are just some of the many signs that suggest the game was rushed past the finish line (including a reference to game crunch), but its problems run deeper than something that can be fixed with a couple of patches. The story isn’t explained well, the dialog is over the top, the tutorials don’t do their job, and the open world is just a boring place to be. While the combat and the linear facilities go some way to redeeming Atomic Heart, it’s not a game that I can faithfully recommend right now.
Aragami 2 had potential to be a great follow up to an indie classic released five years ago. Unfortunately it lacks any real challenge and feels bloated with repetitive mission types and locations. The game starts to overstay its welcome after a while, but there's definitely fun to be had before reaching that stage if you can put up with the plenty of bugs that still need to be fixed.
Murder Mystery Machine could be a great distraction from the usual adventure games. Its emphasis on deductions rather than evidence gathering turns it more into a puzzle game than an adventure game, and it genuinely makes you feel like you're working things out for yourself. The problem is it's held back by several design issues that didn't translate well from mobile platforms to console and these can dilute the fun.
Buildings Have Feelings Too can initially feel frustrating and difficult, as well as completely unforgiving. Mistakes often end up being incredibly costly and the save system can feel unfair. Despite this, it's a fun puzzle game once players can fully grasp all of its different aspects and it's satisfying when everything falls into place.
Aside from the pacing, the episode is let down by a variety of technical issues which add a layer of frustration and detract from the experience. Fortunately we can see that the pace of Episode 3 is likely to pick up, and hopefully that finally reaches the potential this story is promising.
Noir Chronicles: City of Crime returns to Artifex Mundi's usual formula of casual hidden object scenes and puzzle solving with an independent story looking to stand on its own feet.
After a great run of titles, Lost Grimoires: Stolen Kingdom doesn't quite match up to the standard of those that have gone before it.
An experience that is satisfactory for a single playthrough but becomes repetitive and boring across multiple playthroughs, which is something that the achievements encourage.
Momentum takes the premise of Marble Madness and adds its own touch. With the ball at the mercy of gravity, players must rotate the track to get the ball to the finishing line. While this may sound simple, the game's difficulty ramps up sharply after the tutorial levels are over and failure is inevitable. When you add the complications and unnecessary frustration presented by a free moving camera, casual puzzle players would probably be best giving this one a miss. Only the most patient players will succeed here and a completion will not be easy, but those that persist will be awarded with many hours of gameplay.
Kinect title will have even the fittest of players reaching for water and a towel as the game gives players a thorough workout. This surprising remaster will be great to keep children amused, although adults may become bored a little quicker due to the short throwaway story and lack of replayability.
Yesterday Origins is a game that brings a retro feel back to the Adventure genre. It's a game that places emphasis on a decent storyline, a great cast of characters, thorough exploration and puzzles that actually make you think. While these factors will make the game appeal to Adventure fans, newcomers to the genre will likely be put off by the unforgiving nature of some of the puzzles.
Frogwares has taken the best bits from Crimes and Punishments and has added to them for The Devil's Daughter. The problem is that these additions aren't always good. Accompanying the improved point and click gameplay are action sequences that add variety to each case, but they are also clumsy and prone to outstaying their welcome. Unfortunately the game's engine is also showing its age and loading times can often feel interminable. This title offers a typical Sherlock Holmes storyline and an easy completion, but its issues turn this into a mediocre affair rather than the elementary experience that you would expect from Holmes himself.
At just 6-7 hours for a single playthrough and with little replayability outside of the achievements, I'm not entirely sure that it does justify that high a price, especially when there are other similar titles that offer more for a lower price point.
You'll remember the story long after the game has finished, but you'll likely forget how you got there.
If ever a game felt like it was rushed to release, it is this one.