It’s hard not to go into a title published by Ratalaika Games without a bit of scepticism. Don’t get me wrong, they’re rarely outright bad games. And hey, achievement or trophy hunters certainly get a buzz from the easy selection each title offers. Their games just rarely do much to engross the player and instead feature gameplay mechanics that have typically been done much better elsewhere.
“You cannot change the past, but you can always change your perspective”. It’s a quote that feels fitting for Maquette, both with its gameplay and its narrative. The puzzler from developer Graceful Decay doesn’t just give players a myriad of challenging enigmas to solve that requires them to use different perspectives to alter the objects around them, but it also tells a love story that’s somewhat bittersweet. That’s not a spoiler, by the way, but something that’s addressed in the intro.
2018’s revival of the Leisure Suit Larry series was a little bit surprising. Whilst the original titles certainly weren’t bad (I’ll admit that I’m actually a fan), it was hardly a point-and-click series that was remembered as fondly as the likes of Monkey Island, King’s Quest, and so on. Plus, it features a perverted and misogynistic protagonist – it’s the sort of thing that doesn’t sit so well with modern audiences.
Inter-dimensional puzzling isn’t new to video games, but there’s something about World Splitter’s take on it that just feels so satisfying. Having a screen split into two different worlds with the player able to constantly change up the split-ratio to traverse each challenge they offer? It just works.
Kill it with Fire is as absurd as it is fun, with the over-the-top methods of taking out the spiders making for a really enjoyable time. Sure, it can get a little repetitive in places, but it’s hard to complain too much when the game allows you to use the likes of flame throwers, RPGs, or even a lawn strimmer to annihilate the eight-legged creepy-crawlies (and maybe even destroy the room they inhabit in the process).
Immortals: Fenyx Rising – A New God offers an enjoyable way to continue Fenyx’s adventure thanks to its clever puzzle design and charming new world. It’ll really test both your puzzling and platforming skills too, with the challenges here easily surpassing those found in the main game as far as difficulty is concerned. Thankfully, none are ever frustrating in design, with the innovative ideas each one brings offering a satisfying sense of triumph upon completion. It’s worth noting that puzzle-solving and platforming is very much at the forefront here though, so those hoping for some challenging combat or deep exploration might be disappointed. There were a few niggles here and there with the physics during some puzzles too, whilst the fact that unlockables don’t carry over to the main game felt like a bit of a missed opportunity. Still, there’s a heck of a lot of content to enjoy in Immortals: Fenyx Rising – A New God and its puzzling-focused romp will certainly be an entertaining one for player to dive into. It might not always hit the satisfying highs of the main game, but it’s still a worthy addition to the world of Immortals: Fenyx Rising.
Wildfire’s clever use of elemental powers and intuitive level design come together nicely to make for a satisfying stealth-escapade that emphasises player creativity. I loved tinkering around with my abilities and seeing how they could be best utilised to evade my foes, whilst the fact that you genuinely have to think your actions through carefully and strategize adds a satisfying sense of tension to each scenario you face. It’s just a whole lot of fun. It is guilty of seeing the frame rate stutter in busier sections which could be annoying, whilst fans of the genre might argue that the stealth mechanics could be a little bit simple in places too. If you can look past those flaws though, you’ll quickly find that Wildfire offers a genuinely enthralling adventure that certainly adds a unique (and often destructive) sense of flair to sneaking around.
Destruction AllStars’ chaotic vehicular-based combat makes for an exhilarating (and surprisingly strategic) experience that I’ve had a blast playing – I just hope that it gets enough post-launch content and support to keep players coming back for more. As it stands though, it’s certainly a heck of a lot of fun to play. Sure, there’s some inconsistencies in its scoring here and there and the arenas themselves lack imaginative flair, but between its colourful cast, it’s satisfyingly destructive driving, and its slick visuals, there really is a whole lot to like about Destruction AllStars frantic showdowns.
With its zany narrative, bizarrely intriguing world, and clever puzzle design, Edna & Harvey: The Breakout offers a thoroughly entertaining point-and-click escapade for Switch gamers to embark on. It does have a few flaws here and there, with the controls sometimes feeling a little finicky and the environmental markers often feeling intrusive, but they don’t really hamper what is otherwise a really fun experience.
House Flipper is as therapeutically enjoyable to play on the Nintendo Switch as it was on PC, with the console port proving a solid one. Sure, the controls can feel a little awkward in places and there has been an obvious drop in graphical quality, but it still manages to nail the most important aspect of the game: the joy of flipping-houses. There’s no denying that it won’t be for everyone, but those who like the idea of buying houses, doing them up, selling them for a profit and then repeating the process will have HOURS of fun with House Flipper.
With its blend of satisfyingly designed enigmas and its slick Bond-like presentation, Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise will tick plenty of boxes for puzzle-solving sleuths. It does have a few flaws thanks to its emphasis on repeatedly traveling across the environment, whilst the controls can be a little sketchy when playing outside of the Switch’s handheld mode too. However, neither of these issues prevent Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise from being a tantalising little puzzler that will totally grip players in during its five-hour runtime.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order offers a thoroughly enjoyable romp featuring all of your favourite Marvel heroes, with the fun narrative and the action-packed showdowns with iconic villains providing plenty of thrills throughout. It’s just a shame that some repetitive gameplay mechanics and a poor camera let it down in places, especially since everything else is of a high standard. Still, Marvel fans will undoubtedly appreciate what Team Ninja have done with the wealth of characters at their disposal, especially when you’re marching them into battle together with a friend playing alongside you. It might be far from perfect, but there’s enough quality shown in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order for it to be an essential purchase for comic book fans.
Not A Hero offers an enjoyable encounter with Lucas Baker and gives an action-packed reminder of just how good Resident Evil 7 is. Don’t get me wrong, outside of the boss battle it doesn’t really do anything that improves upon the main game, but it didn’t need to – it was fun enough from start to end without having to change the formula too much. Whilst I’ll admit that playing as Chris Redfield didn’t offer too much extra to the overall narrative, seeing what went on behind the scenes of the main plotline was interesting. Still, I was a little disappointed that Chris just came in to tie up loose ends and didn’t have some shocking revelation that linked him in ready for future releases. It’s a great little freebie though and it’s certainly worth getting Resident Evil 7 back in your console to see it through. It might not offer a startling conclusion to the game’s narrative, but the return to horror is still a very enjoyable one.
Archangel offers everything you’d expect from piloting a giant Mech thanks to its incredibly satisfying combat mechanics and well designed levels, whilst the competent narrative that comes along with it ensures that you’re kept motivated to vanquish the evil HUMANX scum. There’s this sense of scale on offer that’s simply not possible outside of virtual reality and it makes for some terrific showdowns with your enemies in-game. The short length of the campaign and occasional graphical oddities do hold it back a little, but overall it’s easy to recommend Archangel to anyone who enjoys an action-packed virtual reality shooter.
I’ve played plenty of the different survival games that are available at the moment, yet it’s The Long Dark that has hooked me in the most. The desolate wintery setting just appealed to me from the get go, whilst the tense ‘risk vs reward’ gameplay kept me entertained from start to end. Plus, I can always appreciate a story mode in a game like this – even if it’s not quite finished it… It’s not without its flaws, but overall I’d easily recommend The Long Dark to survival fans. It’s tough as nails and you’re going to die a lot, but it’s so intensely enjoyable that you won’t be able to help but to keep coming back for more.
Whilst Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada doesn’t really do enough to completely reinvigorate the series, the focus on providing a more story-driven experience along with the introduction of the hub town and smaller side-missions is certainly a step in the right direction. Musou titles are known for being pretty repetitive, but the implementation of these RPG style ideas ensured I had more of a personal investment in the game and kept me hooked in for longer. I didn’t see Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada as something I’d play for a bit of mindless fun, but instead as game that I actually wanted to see through to completion. Whilst I’m sure some of the changes won’t be for everyone, it made Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada a much more unique experience. Not only has it proven that Koei Tecmo have got plenty of neat ideas as far as innovating the musou genre goes, but it’s got me excited to see what they do with the ‘Warriors’ series next.
Snake Pass offers a charming and intuitive adventure that feels unlike any platformer I’ve ever played before. When slithering through the world as Noodle it really feels like you’re controlling this cute little snake – it has such an unorthodox approach in comparison to your typical platformer, but it ensures that gameplay feels uniquely enjoyable. It’s also incredibly beautiful too, with a luscious vibrant world that’s a pleasure to explore. There are a few frustrating moments along the way though, such as with the awkward camera controls and the fact that the gameplay never diversifies itself too much; I hope you like climbing because you’ll be doing a lot of it in Snake Pass! These flaws don’t stop Snake Pass being a really fun game though and one I can see myself coming back to time and time again in the future. Gotta’ get all those collectibles, right?!
Smashbox Arena offers incredibly fun multiplayer action, with its dodgeball antics proving to be a blast to play in virtual reality. Wiping out your opponents with a mixture of balls and brutal weapons was really satisfying, whilst the interactive moments in between matches where you could goad opposing players was a bit of a guilty pleasure. You’re just guaranteed to have a good time – even if it does have a fair few bugs that need ironing out. The only concern I have is whether or not the game will have a thriving community or not. If people keep playing the game, I could see myself hooked to Smashbox Arena for a long, long time. If not though, I’m not sure how long I’ll stick with it. For now though, it’s a hell of a lot of fun and most certainly the most enjoyable multiplayer experience I’ve had in Playstation VR.
I was left surprised by A King’s Tale: Final Fantasy XV. Whilst I didn’t think the game would be bad by any means, I wasn’t expecting it to have as much depth nor be as enjoyable as it was. I really had a lot of fun with it. With its deep combat mechanics, fantastic pixel art, and the bulk of extra content it gives you upon completion, King’s Tale: Final Fantasy XV really has a lot going for it. Whilst it could get a little repetitive over time and the omission of multiplayer is a strange one, the fact that this is a free title more than makes up for it – if it was a paid release though this might’ve been more of a sour point. It probably won’t be for everyone, but those who want an extra dose of ‘Final Fantasy XV’ action ahead of the game’s upcoming DLC release should look no further than A King’s Tale: Final Fantasy XV. It’s a delightful beat ’em up and one that actually has potential to hold its own as a full release with a bit more fleshing out – maybe Square Enix could use this as a starting point for potential ideas with the series in the future… (please release a ‘Final Fantasy VII’ version… please…)
FATED: The Silent Oath’s blending of a deep narrative with enjoyable yet simple moments of interaction helps the game deliver a thought provoking tale that the player manages to feel a part of throughout. It’s beautiful to look at too, with the game world full of colour and plenty of enticing sights to see. It’s far from perfect with the short length slightly disappointing, whilst the story wraps up in an unsatisfying manner too. There is hope of a follow up though, so hopefully we might see a more thorough conclusion to the Viking family’s tale in the future… These flaws don’t stop FATED: The Silent Oath providing an enjoyable virtual reality experience though, and one I’d recommend to all Playstation VR owners. If you’re looking for an enjoyable title to play through that’ll tug at your heart strings, it’s definitely worth giving FATED: The Silent Oath a look.