Aran Suddi's Reviews
The Occupation has a premise that is really intriguing in theory. Trying to spy on a powerful entity and taking them to task with your questioning is the kind of experience that can be great in the game, and taking inspiration from current affairs makes it feel much more authentic. It's a shame that various bugs, even when updated to the most recent build, can make the experience feel lacklustre, and at times a frustration to play.
Genesis Alpha One mixes the spirits of FTL and No Man's Sky into a solid space simulator cocktail. Your success is dependent on your approach, with playing it safe all but guaranteeing you reach a Genesis, but a little recklessness can lead to ship invasions and desperate measure. Its unpredictable nature means you're always on the lookout for danger and celebrate every little victory. Genesis Alpha One is recommended if you're looking for a new challenge among the stars.
For the relatively low asking price Onimusha Warlords is worth a look if you've ever been interested in the series or just want to slay demons in historical Japan. Just bewware you'll have to contend with some game design elements that belong in the early 2000s. It's not a terribly long game and you can get through it in a few hours, but it'll keep you entertained throughout.
The Videokid is one of those arcade titles that can easily eat away at your time if you let. The simplistic but addictive gameplay means you'll want to keep going back until you've beaten the course. Combine it with the colourful voxel art and the humour that permeates the game and you have a verified fun experience on your hands. The Videokid isn't just an homage to Paperboy, it's a successor.
Storm Boy is an inoffensive and simple experience that would be well suited for a young audience, especially with an adult alongside. It's much more like an interactive storybook than it is an out and out gaming experience, and keeps everything simple and short. If you want a calming break from the gaming behemoths that are currently out and about, then Storm Boy is a delightful option.
Gungrave VR comes across as a game where the devs were hyped for the possibility of VR but didn't know the best way to utilise it for an engaging experience. It's very short, there's no coherent story, the camera feels weird and not well implemented in the third person mode, and it all feels a bit bland. There are much better ways to spend your time and money unless you really have an hour to kill and Gungrave VR gets a very deep discount.
As an entire series, The Council is worth playing, but the conclusion could have had so much more to explore.
Transpose is one of most unique puzzle games that has crossed my path, and I'd definitely recommend it if you own one of the major VR systems. It's an experience that looks to show people that can do what seems impossible, and holds a message of positivity at its core. Transpose is a puzzle game that deserves the attention.
While Road Redemption does have its issues, it did more than enough to keep me playing. Following in the tracks of Road Rash, it nails that one more go feeling that you can lose so much time to. However, while the core gameplay is entertaining, the surrounding package could have been better with basic online and and a roguelite structure that some may find uninspired. Road Redemption is a mixed bag that is fun to play, but it could have been so much better.
While the premise of using sound to traverse a mansion is great on paper in practice it eventually wears thin. The puzzles themselves aren't too difficult, which could be a positive or negative depending on your view, and while the art style is great the story is far from interesting despite a set up that could have been used for a unique feeling thriller. If you are looking to play a puzzler for a few hours in VR then Blind could be worth a look at, but it's far from an essential purchase.
Metal Max Xeno is just so thoroughly average when it comes to JRPGs. The basic world, familiar storyline, and characters serve an okay experience which embraces the grind a bit too much for a world that is generally void of much interest. The game feels like a throwback to older JRPGs which is great if that is what you're into, but there has been so much advancement in the genre that overall Metal Max Xeno feels a bit out of place.
Whatever viewpoint you're coming from, NBA 2K19 is both slightly better and a bit more competent than its predecessor, but there are still issues that need to be addressed. It is still clearly designed so there is an underlying temptation to invest in some VC just to get to the good bits, instead of spending days, weeks, months slowly building up your player or your team. That said, whatever score it's given really won't matter since the NBA 2K series will remain dominant when the competition isn't as strong as it could be. While NBA 2K19 is competent it has also, for me at least, continued down the road of not feeling as fun or exciting as previous NBA 2K titles. This year, the feeling isn't so much of outcry as it is fatigue at having seen the gradual changes take place over the last several years.
Burning Bridges is a lot less action-packed with no major set pieces that stand out. Instead, this episode Louis interacts with only a few of the inhabitants of the island with most of the discussion taking place between himself and Mortimer. These chats do reveal a lot of information as well as secrets that have been the focus of Sarah's investigations, with a number of revelations being dropped without much fanfare.
The Gardens Between is a short and simple adventure that holds a lot of charm. It plays upon the nostalgia we all have for childhood and focusses on experiences we've left behind in adulthood. It's also distinctly bittersweet in how it deals with the nature of change within relationships. While it's not the longest game, it's perfectly put together, and though the puzzles aren't too difficult, the way they're crafted should be praised as should the whole package.
PES 2019 is a good football game. It isn't a major improvement over last year's title, but despite the lack of the Champions League it isn't worse either. The matches play well, the modes are well crafted for the most part, and there's plenty of fun to be had. There are some things that do need addressing which haven't been touched since over recent iterations, but hopefully they can be fixed in future patches and updates.
Death's Gambit is almost an above average 2D hardcore title, with challenging bosses and some solid environmental design. However the game lacks atmosphere and the story just doesn't quite take hold. The world is compact enough that repetition is unavoidable, and repeating the same steps can you wear down. Death's Gambit isn't a bad game but it simply doesn't have the spark that others in the genre do.
The Wardrobe is a point and click adventure that had a lot of potential, but it lacks what better games in the genre have done. The plot of the game is poorly held together by scenarios that barely make any sense, puzzle design leads to a lot of guesswork with very few clues to steer you in the right direction, and characters are mere plot devices. Yet the humour can be funny if a little crass at times, and while Skinny is a moody and annoyed character, his personality fits for someone who died suddenly in their teens. The Wardrobe had the scope to be better, but a lacklustre plot and strange puzzle design make its hard to recommend for point and click fans.
While it can be argued that is entertaining, it also means those moments feel glossed over. Yet Ripples does keep your attention and its actual end really does set up a showdown of words that has great potential.
The Crew 2 is a fun game in a lot of ways, but lacklustre in others. For every enjoyable event there may be another that is frustrating or simply a little boring. The open world can be great to explore, but thanks to being able to fast travel to every event you don't ever actually need to physically cross the USA. Ubisoft should be commended for really taking a risk with The Crew 2 by adding so much and taking proceedings less seriously, but while The Crew 2 is a good arcade racer it still doesn't quite rank among the best.
Much like its early 20th century setting, Vampyr feels like a bit of a throwback to a past age of action RPGs. In a time where the genre is evolving Vampyr holds on to past ideas for much of its tenure, and it doesn't have a story strong enough to overcome that fact. The world itself is ripe for lots of stories to be told within, with Dontnod having done a good job with world building, but while Vampyr isn't a bad game, nor is it as great as it could be.