Aran Suddi's Reviews
Dear Me, I Was offers reflection on a life accompanied by eye-catching art and gentle piano music. There's very limited interactivity though, and while the story is relatable at some points, it's not particularly unique. It is worth picking up if you're looking for something that will make you sit back and reflect, but it feels as though Dear Me, I Was will only appeal to a very specific audience.
Atomic Owl is a satisfying roguelike with a simple progression that allows you to make headway quickly through the levels. This does come at the expense of the combat, which is a bit too on the easy side, with the platforming much more challenging than any boss fight. Overall though, if you want a short, simple, and good looking roguelike then Atomic Owl is worth a go.
Shadow Labyrinth has a really great premise, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The progression is too slow to keep things fresh and interesting, the story is lacklustre, and the gameplay just doesn't meet the expectations you would have for what is supposed to be a big new turning point for Pac-Man.
I Am Your Beast is an excellent fast-paced first person shooter that has a lot of content to get through, and replayability where you will want to keep pushing for the top marks. There's a well told and well acted story too. It looks and sounds great, but is slightly let down by the lighting in the night missions.
Rematch can be fun in bursts and over time it should grow to have a decent community. The emphasis on player skill over unlocking perks and skill points is refreshing, but can be hindered by the control scheme and camera. Some issues also need to be sorted too. Rematch is a nice distraction as an arcadey football game, and it has its place, but it is a small club that needs to build over time to challenge the bigger ones.
Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon has a lot of promise but maybe it just wasn't ready to be released just yet. It needed a bit more time to iron out some major issues like the regular crashes that can be triggered by all sorts.
Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine Master Crafted looks very good with its 4k resolution, improved textures, and upgraded character models. It gives people the opportunity to play through the original story of Captain Titus, maintaining the feel of the original release. There were issues with the Master Crafted edition I do not remember experiencing when playing the Anniversary Edition including enemies getting stuck and control issues, though these will hopefully be patched out soon.
Blades of Fire is a very good game, blending tough action RPG combat with a fun and unique weapon forging. The story is a little by the numbers and exploration does have a lot of back and forth, but the different regions and enemies look great and the narrative is elevated by Aran and Adso's relationship.
Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy is a very good remake of an already well regarded puzzle game. While the story is a little predictable, it looks very good, the puzzles are well designed, and the environmental story telling is well constructed.
Promise Mascot Agency is an excellent game that has a great cast of characters, a chill world to explore, and fun moments sprinkled throughout. You can complete it and get all the achievements or trophies in around 20 hours, but even after the credits roll you may just want to drive around Kaso Machi and take in the vibe of a small town with a big heart.
Blue Prince is an excellent, intricate, and intriguing puzzle game that will have you thinking about solutions even when not playing it. While there's some minor foibles, coming across a puzzle and scrolling through your notes for an answer from previous runs is very satisfying. Blue Prince is one of the best puzzle game available.
Croc: Legend of the Gobbos remaster is a good look at how 3D platformers were put together in the 90s, but the gameplay falls seriously short of modern standards. There is just so much that could be better when it comes to the gamplay that would have made the experience more tolerable and enjoyable, but what we have is a bang average 3D platformer.
Even in its remastered form, Glover is really frustrating to play, and not an enjoyable experience at all. With the amount of games out there and the limited amount of time most of us have, you would be better off getting something else, unless you really want a nostalgic trip to experience a rather bland re-release of a 3D platformer.
Like Aa Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a fun spin off that has allowed RGG Studio to indulge in silliness. Majima as a pirate captain is a perfect fit, and the new characters are a good addition. But the actual piracy can quickly become a bit too repetitive and unsatisfying.
Afterlove EP is a heartfelt project that looks to explore the theme of loss, grief, and moving forward after the death of a loved one. However, it is marred by some bugs that cause loss of key conversations, and you can get softlocked out from seeing the ending.
Stories From Sol: The Gun-Dog is a decent visual novel, and a good opening salvo for what is supposed to be the first entry to a wider universe. While most of the story is self-contained, there are major plot points left open to be resolved in later releases. The different visual styles all look good, the story is fine if familiar, and you can get through it in an afternoon.
I really enjoyed Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, especially travelling between different locations. The new dice system is a bit too much, though, and little would have been lost if only one of the broken or glitched dice concepts was used. The story and writing are still great, though being spread across a wider setting means it does lose some of the magic of the original.
Threefold Recital is part-game, part-philosophy lesson and it's been made with a lot of heart. The three main characters all stand out well, and the story is generally good, even if it becomes a little too twisty in the middle. That aside, Threefold Recital marks a strong start for the 2025 indie scene.
The Edge of Allegoria is a decent RPG that stands out for its retro Game Boy visual style. The combat is decent enough, and while the crudeness can get a bit much, it works well in the setting. Some frustrating dungeon designs and waypointing issues, plus a story that isn't too memorable do hold it back, though.
3D Don't Die Mr Robot brings the classic arcade-style high score chase to a new dimension. It's simple to understand and accessible to all ages, but the challenges will be tough for even the most seasoned of arcade game fans.