Sascha Ritter's Reviews
It is not a puzzle game that will go down in the annals of the genre. But it is definitely one that I would recommend to someone looking for a few hours of relaxed and enjoyable entertainment.
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The light we followed as Will ultimately turned out to be a will-o'-the-wisp. Will: Follow the Light has some good ideas, and the gameplay variety in particular is not lacking. I could happily have spent an entire game sailing in the way it is implemented here. But aside from its strong opening and a few recurring motifs that run throughout the game, the narrative leaves much to be desired on almost every level. Above all, the emotional core simply fails to land because the storytelling and presentation lack the necessary craftsmanship. Everything is in part there, but much like the town at the beginning, the remains of a solid story can only be glimpsed beneath a landslide.
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There are therefore only two ways to look at Zero Parades: For Dead Spies. Either I view it as a kind of successor to Disco Elysium, in which case Hershel's adventure is a far weaker and more superficial version of the “original.” A version that lacks the essence, the “it,” the “special something” — which serves as an indication of what ZA/UM really lost when fame and success arrived and eventually descended into chaos. Or I look at Zero Parades for what it ultimately is. The second project of a highly ambitious studio that may not have been able to repeat its success. But one that, despite its narrative weaknesses, can establish itself as a serious player within its niche with a solid second title.
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In my opinion, this is probably Infinity Sweeper’s biggest flaw. The game is built on a puzzle format that only partially accommodates the random chaos of a roguelite. As a result, Infinity Sweeper strays too far from the classic minesweeper feel, yet at the same time fails to make its new gameplay experience exciting enough. In the end, there were simply too many of those recurring “impossible” moments. And in many places, the added mechanics don’t seem well-thought-out enough to allow for proper builds. Especially when I consider how many roguelites I’ve played this year alone, there are numerous other titles that have handled these tasks better. Infinity Sweeper has only superficially met my expectations for a Minesweeper roguelite.
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INDUSTRIA II feels very much like the kind of horror movie sequel that gets rushed to market after the moderate success of its predecessor. The story is continued competently enough, but the gameplay feels abandoned halfway through development. Ideas that the original INDUSTRIA introduced — whether narratively or mechanically — are only superficially touched upon here, leaving them unable to make any meaningful impact in Industria II. And then there is the technical state of the game, which ultimately becomes the final nail in the coffin and pushes an otherwise merely dull experience firmly into frustrating territory. As things currently stand, I simply cannot recommend Industria II. Perhaps Bleakmill will manage to bring the game closer to a solid state through extensive updates, at which point it might become an easy recommendation for fans of the first title. I certainly hope so.
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Smash it Wild quickly ends up feeling like every run follows the same pattern. A match begins, you swiftly dismantle or control the opposing team however you like, and then it devolves into a drawn-out endurance phase. This creates a sluggish, repetitive loop that personally didn’t provide much enjoyment. I’ve noticed this issue increasingly this year with various roguelite titles, where the core gameplay tends to wear itself out quickly. In those cases, it was often the language barrier, the resulting need to constantly reorient oneself, and the time investment that contributed to the fatigue. In Smash it Wild, however, the problem lies more in the lack of variety and the overly simplistic approach to strategic decision-making. Forming a final judgment is difficult. I do like the concept of Smash it Wild as well as its “expanded” form of run progression. Yet after only a few runs, the game gradually worked its way out of my interest—not through a sudden, decisive strike to my taste, but rather slowly and insidiously. Ultimately, Smash it Wild fails to keep its gameplay loop engaging and varied over the long term.
Review in German | Read full review
Now things get particularly fascinating (at least for me—maybe not so much for you, who knows): I started this text under the assumption that Gambonanza is a pretty solid game with lots of creative ideas and a stable roguelite foundation, but one that didn’t fully win me over because chess and I apparently don’t quite get along. And now here I am, and while writing this I’ve already launched the game twice. My thoughts about it have actually made me want to give its somewhat more complex style of strategy another try. Gambonanza therefore seems to be doing something very right after all.
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Age of Mythology: Retold is, in my view, a fantastic time capsule of a genre that has become almost lost, especially among major publishers, even if the 22-year-old game still shows some minor flaws. Yet it never truly drew me in. While playing the missions, I often felt more like Sisyphus, endlessly rolling his boulder uphill again and again. Or like Tantalus, because all the mythology, monsters, and gods looked so enticing, yet never quite managed to fully satisfy me. This may sound harsh, but Age of Mythology: Retold and I—we were not great friends. I can recognize its qualities and its deeply layered systems, but I don’t truly feel them. On a personal level, this is probably the “worst” verdict I can give. Or, more simply, it is a genre game for fans of other genres.
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Adore is one of those rare games where I find myself genuinely conflicted about whether I can or should recommend it. It does very little outright wrong, yet so much of what is there merely hints at the game’s underlying potential rather than fully realizing it. Fans of monster-collecting games may still want to take a closer look, but for everyone else, Adore will likely disappear into the overwhelming flood of indie releases. That's too bad for Cadabra Games.
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Another Fisherman’s Tale is a sequel to the much-praised 2019 title A Fisherman's Tale, and narratively it does have its heart in the right place. The game offers a number of pleasant ideas, although they only rarely develop into anything truly complex. Several moments and sections are also visually quite impressive, thanks to the imagination and surreal storytelling of Bob. However, there are also repeated moments that were physically very taxing for me. The frequent texture shifts in my field of view, as well as the often unreliable hand tracking, left me feeling quite exhausted. Another Fisherman's Tale did not provide me with a comfortable VR experience in this regard. This ultimately dulls an otherwise rather positive impression, and leaves me still waiting for a truly standout PSVR2 experience this year—at least beyond titles that were already available on PSVR.
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All a bit of everything, but nothing really noteworthy. That could outline my conclusion on A Memoir Blue in one sentence, because unfortunately the game couldn't convince me. The gameplay and narrative do work, but they only scratch the surface of respectively possible potential.
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The survival game has some really interesting ideas and attempts to package its complex mechanics very simply. With a slightly better learning curve, the game would function somewhat better, although random factors as well as an illusory freedom of decision dilute the gameplay very strongly. Yet the numerous bugs and quirks that the game offered during my playthroughs turned the low fun into its complete opposite.
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In many places, the love for detail is perceptible, the visuals are good, and the silky-smooth, playful idea makes you want more. Yet I must also state that at the same time it is not a good game. The simple concept is rarely fully explored; instead, A Juggler's Tale hangs itself narratively and gameplay-wise on a silk thread, which only very rarely stands under tension.
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Principally, A Monster's Expedition is a very cleverly designed game which extracts an immense amount from its basic mechanic. Furthermore, for persons seeking a head-heavy challenge, some island puzzles are a true feast. The atmosphere, whether through humorous comments on humanity or meditative music, is also very pleasant and calm. Unfortunately, the game's pacing does not work. The museum is at home on too many islands, and soon a repetition of the always identical gameplay loop sets in. Since from this phase on the main path of the game the difficulty stagnates and the puzzle design offers no great variety, much idle time and monotony are the result.
Review in German | Read full review