Fading Echo is a great debut. It’s a stylish game that’s easy to recommend. However, I think it stops just short of being able to be called a must-play. The transformation mechanics and elemental gameplay are genuinely fun for a time but can get repetitive. The art direction is wonderful, and the lead actor’s performance carries the game where the gameplay and choppy cutscenes can’t always support it on their own. Some minor technical hiccups and confusing navigation undercut an otherwise satisfying experience. All in all, none of the negatives are enough to sink the game. I think it’s a game you’ll enjoy for the ride, and it will definitely make a few waves.
Last Variable is a great expansion that improves on the original design. Terraforming and the new processing chain changes will give returning players new systems to play with and master. The cycles, Planetary Activity, and Field Lab research and aging mechanics add additional high-stakes considerations to an already-dynamic system. While some mechanics can feel a bit repetitive or even too complicated at first glance, they don’t feel undercooked. This is not a game or DLC to rush through, so I can understand if it doesn’t appeal to everyone.
Origament: A Paper Adventure is a visually accomplished and genuinely pleasant release from Space Sauce Studio. The presentation is fairly strong, the soundtrack is excellent, and there is real care evident in the world design. But at around three hours long and priced at $11.99 CAD, it asks for more than it gives back. The mechanics are repetitive mechanics, and the unintuitive control scheme takes time to adjust to. It’s a story that never quite lives up to its charming premise. These all chip away at the goodwill the game earns early on. The cat on the key art promises something warmer and more characterful than what’s actually inside. Origament is a charming love letter to the relaxed gaming space, I just wish it was on thicker paper.
Junkster is a well-made, genuinely enjoyable 3D platformer. Its comic book visual style is a great art direction choice, which I feel is a great way to attract players. The building mechanic, while slightly tedious, adds a smart additional layer to familiar platforming foundations. Junkster is not a particularly challenging game, and the build system may need a bit of fine-tuning (or at least some practice), but neither issue detracts from the overall experience. For fans of non-grindy, collectathon platformers, and shorter accessible titles, Junkster is well worth picking up. Just don’t forget to smash the blue crates!