Ken McKown's Reviews
Smurfs Kart is a decent racer that is a nice alternative for consoles without Mario Kart. It simply doesn’t have a lot of staying power though. I was done with the game before I finished the main tournament mode and I didn’t find myself coming back to collect stickers. Some type of unlock system or some more unique and inspiring tracks would have gone a long way. Still if you love the Smurfs and enjoy Mario Kart, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Enclave is a quirky game that has some moments and I enjoyed revisiting it. I love this era where any game can come back and it is great for nostalgia. If you don’t have any fond memories of this game you might want to steer clear. This is not going to impress anyone in today’s world, but for those looking for a trip down memory lane of this obscure title, this version achieves what it set out to do.
Immortals of Aveum is a decent game that takes some risks with its technology. Some of those pay off, while others hold it back. The game itself is fun if not a bit too long and it just comes across as a decent game that feels undercooked at times. I enjoyed my time with it, but I am likely to forget it come the end of the year. In an overcrowded year this big budget gamble might not pay off, but I would certainly be in for this team’s next outing. The pieces for a great game are here, just need to fit them into place.
Risen is packed with content and if you can get past its blemishes there is a solid RPG here to last you at least 60 hours, but I feel a lot of today’s gamers won’t even get off the beach tutorial at the beginning of the game.
Gungrave G.O.R.E. is a game that feels stuck in the past. The design is excellent, the characters are fun, but the game just gets so repetitive and boring far too quickly. It isn’t a long game either and it feels like it is. That is not a good sign. I wanted to love it more than I did as I love the universe and have fond memories of those older PS2 games. This just feels like a continuation of those without the modern design and control scheme, and that drags down the fun factor over time.
Asterigos is a weird game in that it feels like it was so close to being excellent. The weird mix of mechanics do not gel well and parts of the game simply feel unfinished. Still it is a fun romp that could get much better with some patches and tweaks. I think the team behind it did a great job for their first game and hope they continue to get chances to make more. There are good ideas and characters here, it just feels like it needed more time or a bigger budget to reach their vision.
Pac-Man World Re-Pac is a solid game that just doesn’t wow on any level. The concept feels from a different time and anyone who has nostalgia will likely enjoy the game for what it is. Still not entirely sure why this game was chosen for a remake as opposed to perhaps something like Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures from the 360 era. Those were much more competent platform games. Still it is a decent package with some frustrating older design.
While I have a lot of issues with the core game I am happy to see the series return. I really want to see the original trilogy get an update it deserves. Would love to play those games again as they are genuinely some of the creepiest games I have ever played, and not for the wrong reasons. Maiden of Black Water just feels like something thrown together to gauge interest in the series return. I wanted to love it, I forced myself to finish it, but I just want the series to return to its roots.
Windbound is a fantastic adventure wrapped in a questionable package.
Daymare 1998 is clearly an homage to survival horror games from the original PlayStation era. It hits some notes while missing plenty more.
Code Shifter is a neat idea that simply does not do itself any favors. The game play is fine, just uninspired. I wish it was more fleshed out with more variety in combat and design.
A Knight’s Quest has moments of brilliance. I wanted to love it a lot more than I did. I feel like this template could truly be something special to fill a void these other consoles have without a proper Zelda clone. Still, it finds ways to annoy me at every turn.
Kill la Kill The Game: IF is a unique title for sure. It lacks depth and breadth but makes up for it in wackiness and style. Fans of the anime will likely enjoy it, but fighting game fans in general will most likely pass this one by. There just isn’t enough here to make it stand out among the crowd. One thing I can say about it though is that nothing is ever likely to be as bonkers as far as fighting games go…oh who am I kidding?
SolSeraph is a love letter to fans of Actraiser and feels like it should somehow contain the name in its title. Sadly, it falls short on several areas that keep it from resurrecting the genre like many hoped it would.
I felt like Xenon was love at first sight. My first 4-5 races were absolutely a blast. Then the warts start showing up and really ruined the experience.
Raging Justice is a game that is defined by its screenshots. One look and I knew exactly what I was getting. I wish there was more, I wish it was more fun, but at the end of the day it just felt too limited by its inspirations to stand out and be memorable.
Way of the Passive Fist is a clever play on words and a unique take on the genre. Sadly, the problem it attempts to solve with its unique combat starts to suffer from the same problems the games it draws inspiration from are plagued with. Still, it is a neat diversion from the norm and worth checking out on a decent discount.
The Station is a decent outing that falls short in some key areas. I wanted more back story, more intrigue, and more interesting puzzles. Still, I had fun with the short romp and the ending, while predictable, is still fun. I would love to see this team craft a bigger sequel with a proper budget.
Future War: Reborn is a mindless game that suffers from its roots. There is fun to be had, but the clunky menus and brief missions make it feel lacking. Those wanting something mindless will be in for a treat, all others might want to steer clear of this purchase.
There are a lot of fighting games currently in gamers' minds, and Dissidia does little to steal any of that mindshare.