John Little's Reviews
Republique is a passionately delivered title, albeit with some annoyances, but has a great story to back it up and some serviceable stealth gameplay.
Stories: The Path of Destinies is a really intriguing title, and, as far as I'm concerned (and despite it's flaws), is a worthy investment, but its choice making narrative needed to offer a bit more to really make an impact. As it stands, the game feels a bit shallow.
I’d say overall, Overfall struggles to make a great lasting impression, but I think it’s enjoyable and deep enough to stand out, and despite its flaws is certainly worth a bash if you’re interested in this broad genre.
The combat is satisfying and full of strategy, the world is interesting and visually pleasing – the whole steampunk, western, space aesthetic is great, and even extends to the music with the band Steam Powered Giraffe providing the saloon band style soundtrack – and the story is quirky and comes with a nice twist.
It’s a pretty good concept and theme, and the most stand out feature of Tom vs the Armies of Hell is its sense of humour surrounding this. The writing is top notch, and the narrated cut scenes I found to be a surprising hit. It’s a shame the actual gameplay sections only feature text dialogue,
Its main issues surround a lack of depth and some repetitive design, but while also a little irritating in places, the gameplay is solid and engaging. The aesthetic, sound design and premise are top notch, and I think if you’re interested in a simple dungeon crawler, then Brut@l can provide a great time for you.
A very creative, if simply presented, puzzle platformer that gets every aspect spot on and doesn't outstay its welcome.
Seasons After Fall offers colour and charm by the bucket load – as developer Swing Swing Submarine’s magical platforming fox adventure hits the right notes with a gorgeous hand drawn art style, and a concept to match its colourful aesthetic. But there are some core issues that hold it back.
There's not much replayability on offer and it won't last you very long, but Cross of the Dutchman is a cheap title with a handful of thrills. It's mediocre in many respects, but I'd say it at least does the trick for a short adventure.
I don’t think there are any noteworthy improvements or flaws with this version, and if you’re a fan who’s already played another port then I can’t really see this being of interest to you. For everyone else, however, I would thoroughly recommend if you’re into visual novels or even just the anime or manga. It’s such a great story and theme, with lovable characters and solid writing.
A nice throwback to old school point and clicks, with an interesting visual design and some truly hard hitting plot points. Stumbles a bit with its dialogue and bizarre ending/episodic decision, however Dead Synchronicity remains a great adventure.
An interesting visual novel that incorporates some interactive elements to keep you engaged. Great story and some really nice visual design. Unfortunately the game frustrates in some areas and doesn't leave as much of a lasting impressions as it could have, however this is a solid, enjoyable experience nonetheless.
Iron Fish looked promising all the way up until its release. A mixture of underwater exploration and spooky thriller mystery. There was plenty of potential here. However, sloppy gameplay design and tedious, frustrating mechanics ultimately let it down.
An endearing experience, though unfortunately not without its flaws. Far too short and badly paced, but if you can get past that, the world and art is gorgeous and there are some enjoyable puzzles on offer.
A basic action RPG that's not without it's charm. Boss fights are an interesting mix of action and bullet hell, however the rest of the game is simplistic and becomes tedious. Players who aren't already familiar with other Touhou games may find this difficult to get in to.
There's more to Maize than it's concept initially suggests. A funny game that manages to balance silly humour with a genuine sense of mystery and some worthwhile gameplay. Unfortunately let down by some technical issues, but ultimately a well crafted parody.
Space Hulk: Deathwing promised a lot - close quarters tactics, bulky combat, and the ever awesome delights of the dark 40K universe. However, while fulfilling in some of those respects, lacklustre AI and some buggy multiplayer ultimately diminished this experience.
An emotional game with an intriguing world and interesting 'meta' features. OneShot is a great little adventure game, though perhaps a bit short and initially frustrating.
Leaving Lyndow initially sets a worrying proposal. An exploration game (read: walking simulator), and a run time of less than an hour. But there’s more to Leaving Lyndow than you may initially think, and ultimately it does what it does pretty well.
An interesting title that combines light resource collecting and exploration, with a mysterious story. More linear than it initially seems, but this works in the game's favour. Clunky design and some glitches hamper the experience, however.