Overall though, there’s a lot of charm to Fixforce. It can be frustrating, and the RNG can feel like it’s working against us at times, but get a few friends in for an evening and the co-op building/collecting can be a blast once we get into the swing of things.
So overall, if you’re looking for a pool simulation that nails the basics - physics, game types, controls - then Pure Pool Pro fits the bill. The on table action is great, I’ve had fun going up against the AI in competitive matches and I look forward to jumping online once there are others to play against. But a dull presentation - full of AI generated guff - lets the side down.
Overall, D-topia has been a refreshing and enjoyable experience. The puzzle difficulty is pitched well for the most part, erring on the easier side to keep things flowing, and interacting with the people of D-topia is rewarding as we get to know and help them. Being able to use items we purchased in any way would have been nice, but it’s a small blemish on what was otherwise a well paced take on AI, and the future of humanity alongside it.
Roguelites can feel punishing for the sake of it at times, but Abyssus seems content to give us a good pasting while also offering a hand out to pick us back up and shove back into the fray for another go immediately. Simple, good fun and very moreish in every regard.
It’s a well put together collection of what I love about the old school games, and Hollowbody holds it all together with a compelling, dark tale, and decent puzzles and progression. That the controls don’t quite work as well as we’d like is a small downer – it’s far from unplayable, just a little more awkward than we’d hope – but it’s not enough to make this any less than a solid recommendation to retro survival horror fans all the same.
There is still a spark of what made Industria intriguing in some of the settings and lore we can find, but the package as a whole just misses the mark for me. It is technically average at best, with slow, plodding, and uninteresting gunplay and a story that feels like a step backwards from the original in almost every regard.
All in all, it’s great to have The Dark Pictures back with us after an extended break. The Turning Point feature is fantastic (we’d like to see the older games retrofitted with it), the story is full of interesting twists and turns, and the extensions of more traditional gameplay are welcome. Some choices still leave us screaming at the screen to meet in the middle, but on the whole Directive 8020 maintains the series high bar.
Celebrating the 90’s, excellent music and how it impacts and marks our lives, and the joy of growing up with a few close friends, Mixtape is a stellar experience from start to finish.
Replaced has been a long time coming, and for the most part we’re happy with how it has turned out. The combat and presentation are the highlights here, with incredible animation making every encounter look and feel awesome. A slow opening and generally heavy platforming and exploration can drag things down at times though. As it is, Replaced winds up being worth a play for sure, even if it isn’t quite the next best thing we were hoping for.
Presenting a serious message in what is a fairly light-hearted game, Tides of Tomorrow is absolutely an entertaining time. The Story Link feature is a very cool concept, and the way it affects not just our world but those that come after gives us pause for thought every time we’re asked to make a choice.
Simple, solid fun from Double Fine’s multiplayer brawler, with a charming and easy to use creation suite to boot. Matchmaking can take some time, and playing with random players is far less enjoyable than with a group of buddies, but this is still an easy recommendation for those looking to add a new game to the game night rotation.
Of course, this won’t be an issue for everyone, and if you’ve the time to commit to the mystery we think there is something compelling about Cthulhu: Cosmic Abyss. A game that isn’t afraid to let players muddle through it on their own is an idea to be lauded, and here there is a core mystery that will provide a compelling enough reason to continue if you can get into the rhythm of the puzzling.
Fantastic level design and brutally hard challenges remind us of what made the base Art of Vengeance title so good. Add in plenty of love for iconic Sega series and we have an absolute winner on our hands.
An interesting premise and story that is worth playing makes Hacked: The Streamer a title that FMV players should definitely consider. However, not being easily able to track our choices makes it more of a chore to play through repeatedly, especially when hoping to see different outcomes.
Surprising no one, Hades II is a stellar example of the roguelike genre, with excellent combat, rewarding loops and progression, and for those that are willing to spend the time a dense and expansive story and lore to dig into.. Packed with more game than meets the eye, Hades II is something we’ll be playing for a long time to come.
While the addition of the extra dimension brings a few niggles to the precision platforming that simply weren’t there in the original, overall Super Meat Boy 3D retains a lot of what made the original game great – with snappy restarts, generally tight controls, tricky challenges and a lot of reason to go back and beat personal records or find hidden secrets.
A massive improvement over Double Exposure, and an excellent send off for the two characters that the Life is Strange fanbase are obviously hugely fond of. The core mystery kept me guessing throughout, the performances are excellent, and the investigative nature of the story encourages us to dig deep rather than just follow a checklist. It’s just all-round brilliant stuff.
Despite this, I’ve enjoyed my time with Project Songbird all the same. While it didn’t grip me fully, I did enjoy aspects of the tale, and I really dug the horror sections thanks to great use of audio and visuals to make a genuinely unsettling experience.
Screamer is quite simply an incredible arcade racer, with stellar presentation and gameplay. It’s a rare racer that can hold my attention for more than a few hours, but I’ll be playing this for a long time to come.
A strong setting and atmosphere provide genuine creeps and a tale that is engaging, though for me the combat is a weak spot in an otherwise enjoyable experience.