It’s short, has little to no replayability and still doesn’t fulfil the potential that the premise has. That said, Bouncy Bullets 2 is a move in the right direction for the series, offering bite sized, first person platform challenges. It’s nicer to look at, has a much better soundtrack and there are a handful of levels that show glimpses of what this series really could be. It’s just not frequent enough to elevate the game out of mediocre trophy fodder.
To summarise, Let’s Build A Zoo is a very satisfying, darkly funny and moreish tycoon game. A few tiny glitches are the only issues with a game I imagine I’ll be revisiting many, many times over the next few months. There’s just so much to do and it does it all with a unique, macabre charm. It’s unlikely I’ll ever see all 300,000 animal hybrids you can Cronenberg together but I’ll sure have a good time making my (bacon factory) zoo along the way.
You’ll feel the pain of betrayal and probably laugh a few times along the way in Bloodshore, an FMV game about a dystopian, televised battle royale tournament. The acting throughout is of a high quality, offsetting some very cheesy lines of dialogue and a few narrative beats which needed far more context. While it’s not quite as good as Good Gate Media’s previous output, there’s still a few evenings of entertainment here for fans of the FMV genre.
A slick, well designed game, Demon Turf is packed with personality, in part due to its 2D/3D hybrid visuals. Like a tour of the best the genre has to offer, this is a 3D platformer for those that grew up on them and fancy a hearty yet deeply rewarding challenge. It’s only let down by a handful of bugs which will hopefully get fixed via a patch.
As of version 1.0.7 of the game, there’s a number of mildly frustrating bugs and issues which take the shine off of To The Rescue! Hopefully, Little Rock Games has the opportunity to patch these as beneath its hiccups, it feels like there’s a good game here. The concept is cute and original, the art style is clean and the game play loop can be quite moreish, so long as you can push though its core annoyances.
t’s beautiful to look at and has an engaging turn based combat system but Echo Generation has a few core issues that undermine its best qualities. An unfocused narrative leads to confused and unclear quest lines which, combined with some curious design choices, means the game doesn’t manage to fulfil its obvious potential.
As a package, Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a game I’d recommend to puzzle game fans – with some caveats. The game world itself is brimming with character and intriguing little details. The puzzles that are housed within it are quite inventive, making smart use of top down exploration and a complimentary chiaroscuro inspired side scrolling platformer. It’s the story – which doesn’t fulfil its potential – and some rough edges that prevent this game from really challenging the genre’s best though.
A chilled and deeply satisfying golf game, A Little Golf Journey combines small scale courses with a pleasant soundtrack, a varied art style and a real sense of adventure in a really pleasing way. Even if you don’t like golf as a sport, the environmental puzzles and quirky narrative in this game make for a gratifying experience, even with an occasionally unwieldy camera.
It won’t be winning any Game of the Year awards but Chasing Static is a compact narrative thriller worth an evening of your time. Its story isn’t as engrossing as those of its peers and it can be a touch confusing at times, but a mix of crunchy, nostalgia fuelled visuals, high quality audio and a great script make for an interesting combination.
It might not match up to the genre’s modern day visionaries but Ender Lilies: Quietus Of The Knights is still a beautiful and engrossing Metroidvania title. A convoluted plot and some sections of uninspired combat are offset by fantastic boss battles and a beautiful soundtrack. A worthy stopgap while we wait for Hollow Knight: Silksong.
A few niggles aside, Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan is a well structured and engrossing family friendly adventure. Revolving around the themes of diversity, inclusivity and, most importantly, empathy, it’s a wholesome game that carries a powerful message that it deftly delivers via almost every facet of its game play and narrative. If you like your games to be relatively threat free while including the best aspects of combative games, Rainbow Billy will likely be right up your alley.
Hopefully fixes are on the way for its technical issues because otherwise, I Am Fish is a fun and charming physics puzzle title. This game feels like the next evolution of the comedy sim genre that’s replacing the wonky, janky nodding goats and intentionally poor control schemes for a more deliberate style of comedy that’s much more accessible, interesting and polished.
An exhilarating 2D soulslike set in a remarkably charming world, Tails of Iron is a surprise GOTY candidate. You’ll croak and die often due to the formidable combat but the narrative and systems will keep you coming back for more, like a rat does to cheese.
A few issues with the visuals take the shine off of WRC 10 which is otherwise yet another authentic, enjoyable rally game from KT Racing. Not a vast amount has changed since WRC 9 but what new content that has been added, including the Anniversary Mode which celebrates 30 years of the sport, does just enough to make this a worthwhile annual iteration for the series.
Player choice has a profound effect on the narrative in Hindsight 20/20 – Wrath of the Raakshasa. Even the choice of weapon can have unexpected consequences later down the line. The game occasionally struggles to wrangle all of this in a coherent way and there are some rough edges but for those that like a game that gets better the more you replay it, this is certainly worth your time.
An homage to the original GTA games, Rustler is a fun medieval twist on what made those 90’s smash hit games so enjoyable. Unfortunately, many aspects of GTA 1 & 2 that have aged poorly also rear their ugly head here which makes Rustler feel dated and clunky in comparison to its modern day peers.
A few niggles aside, Lawn Mowing Simulator is another game in the blossoming sim genre that takes workaday tasks and manages to create a zen, ASMR-esque experience that transcends boredom. This game certainly has a niche and won’t be for everyone but if might surprise you with how equally innocuous and engaging it is at the same time. Even for someone who hates mowing their lawn, I found this title to be enjoyable. If you’re looking for a new simulator in the same vein as Farming Simulator, House Flipper or Euro Truck, this certainly could be it.
A good first lap for a racing series debut, RiMS Racing is a game designed for bikers. It adds an element of maintenance and customisation to the racing formula which makes for a compelling career experience. With great action on track and a unique system off it, RiMS is certainly worth your time but has room for improvement in a sequel.
A challenging yet deeply satisfying puzzle game that’s about creating time bending paradoxes, Induction has finally made its way to consoles. If you’re up for a challenge, this title will test your grey matter more than anything else on the Nintendo Switch.
A much better shoot-’em-up than the first game in this series, Super Destronaut DX-2 looks like Space Invaders and plays like Twin Bee. It only has a few hours of content but there’s enough variety here so that those hours feel like they’re well spent. Score chasers might find some longevity but there are much better titles in this genre to spend your time with.