Aran Suddi's Reviews
This War Of Mine: The Little Ones is more than a game, and can be considered one of the most effective anti-war tools ever created. This is not a game you play for fun or to unwind, and the addition of children for the console release makes it even more poignant, as the realisation dawns that all over the world people are living through these hellish conditions. This War of Mine: The Little Ones doesn't just drive home how desperate people get in times of war, but also makes you take note of how lucky so many of us are to live in a more stable place.
If you're a fan of Assassin's Creed then it will suit you, though perhaps you'd be better off waiting for the collection. ACC: India can be completed within a day or two, so if you're looking for something to fill the time there are worse things.
The development team has a lot of work to do before Hardware: Rivals could be considered a great game that has any longevity. There are more maps and vehicles on the way, but what is really needed are more modes, a better party system, useful hit feedback, and the scrapping of the daily salvage limit. While Hardware Rivals is fun to play in chunks it gets repetitive quickly, and its great visual design isn't enough to cover the cracks.
Guns Up! is a fun game in short bursts. The setting up of soldiers and perks before an assault is easy to understand and do, with the action never being too long to get to. It looks and sounds decent too, but Guns Up! doesn't quite meet its full potential. There needs to be more options available for when selecting which base to attack, also boredom due to repetition sinks in over longer play sessions. Guns Up! is a free to play title and there is no harm in checking it out though. It is one of those games that you can have a quick session on, and with that in mind Guns Up! is worth a go.
Conflicks – Revolutionary Space Battles is an incredibly fun RTS game that deserves to find an audience to help popularise its multiplayer mode. The campaign is a decent length and draws you in with its fun story, though there are a few dips. There is a lot of depth with the various ships which allow you to experiment with different tactics. The art style is pleasing to look at and the music is well composed, blending seamlessly with what happens on screen. While the AI could do with some improvement to provide a bit more of a challenge Artifice Studios has done well here.
One Upon Light is a bit of a quandary in a way. Technically it is a well crafted game without any bugs in sight. The look SUTD Game Lab has gone for with it stands out well, and works in the context of the game's setting. The soundwork is also very well done. The majority of puzzles are decent too, but it is the ones that take ages to get past, even though you know the solution, because of timing that remove a lot of goodwill for One Upon Light. There were points where fun wasn't being had because of them. At the same time One Upon Light feels very mechanical. All the pieces work together well but at the same time it is missing a certain spark. One Upon Light isn't a bad game, and if you're a puzzle fan you may enjoy it.
Hearts of Stone is a piece of DLC that has been done right, genuinely adding to an already great game. The antagonist in this content is for me a better and more interesting character than the members of the actual Wild Hunt from the main plot, and you also learn more about Geralt's past too. If you own and enjoy The Witcher 3 then Hearts of Stone is easily recommended, but go in knowing as little as possible because there are some truly spectacular moments to be had.
Beyond Sol is a very good blend of RTS and action game rolled into a package that has a rather unique approach to games taking place in space. You can easily sink a lot of hours into Beyond Sol, but it would be improved by having more variety to the items and situations that crop up. If Praxia adds more content over time, then Beyond Sol could prove to be a truly fantastic RTS, as the game just needs a bit more before reaching its full potential.
Football Manager 2016 may not be a huge overhaul over previous titles but the game feels a lot more accessible for anyone to pick up and play. Sports Interactive continues to show why Football Manager is the most dominant of sports management sim. 2016 isn't a game you can just switch off and leave behind. At moments during the day you'll be thinking of tactics to use, potential signings to bolster your defence, and who to drop. Most of all you'll be looking most forward to match day as you wait to see if your preparation is good enough or not. Football Manager 2016 isn't just a game, it becomes a major part of your life.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 should be remembered not just as a bad game, but as an indicator of the industry's hubris, where games are continuously released in a broken state. It's a shame, because if there was more time then Robomodo's efforts may have eventually led to a fantastic skateboarding game. Instead a classic franchise has been tarnished and an audience scorned.
Overall though NBA 2K16 is a solid game that has great gameplay, and fantastic presentation.
Dropsy manages to subvert your expectations, and has managed to create a main character you can feel for, even though he doesn't speak. Dropsy just wants to make people happy in a world that is filled with problems, and by helping them he can achieve his goal. There are some design issues though that count against the game, and some may find the pixel art graphics unappealing, but as an overall experience Dropsy is something that point and click adventure fans should play.
The Deer God can be a very absorbing experience. I found myself just running along the landscape exploring the world, and testing my powers on the creatures around me. It's not a tough game to master and it isn't long either once you have the basics in hand. The Deer God is a great looking game for what it is, and if you're looking for something to fill a couple of hours then this may do for you.
It isn't a bad game and there is entertainment to be had, but the lack of variety in this world and some drawn out moments keep it from greatness.
Zombie Vikings is a fun beat 'em up that has some excellent moments of humour, with distinct feeling playable characters and a moderate level of difficulty. While the single-player alone is good, the multiplayer is where Zombie Vikings truly stands out. Zoink Games have shown once again why it is a studio worth keeping an eye on.
Dishonored: Definitive Edition is a game that will be great for those yet to experience the game, since it brings one of last generation's best to PS4 and Xbox One. If you've played Dishonored before then it might be worth picking up closer to the release of Dishonored 2, whenever that may be, as a refresher course, but there is nothing that really shouts "must have" for people who have already skulked in Dunwall's sewers, drank in the Hound Pits pub and blinked across the city's rooftops.
A good platformer puts together well constructed levels and a decent challenge, while a great platformer has levels that encourage you to take risks and move through as fast as possible while offering fun challenges to tackle. Sadly Red Goddess doesn't offer any of these. Instead it feels like you are fighting the game every step of the way, and this is frustrating because of how much promise there is underneath all the problems. Given more time I'm sure Yanim Studio could have nailed this on the first attempt, but instead Red Goddess: Inner World's bugs dominate against the gameplay.
Lost Dimension is a well thought out tactical RPG, but it’s the traitor system which is the star of the game. It constantly makes you second guess your choices as you progress, but it comes at the cost of a compelling story. If you’re looking for a tactical RPG on PS3 or Vita then Lost Dimension is worth a go, but don’t expect it to blow you away.
Curses N' Chaos is a good arena brawler that throws you right into the action. It may not be the most graphical intensive games out there, but Tribute Games has created something that you can get engrossed in really quickly. You will die a lot to make progress, and that may not be for everyone, but if you like your brawlers, then Curses 'N Chaos is certainly worth a look.
Funk Of Titans isn't a bad game but it doesn't do anything interesting either. It is an incredibly easy game to beat, and the gameplay itself is very, very repetitive. Given that the game's focal theme is about music there simply isn't enough variety in the tracks which is a shame. It looks good and plays fine for what it is, but at the same time it's likely that boredom will quickly set in.