Damien Gula
Alphaman is worth the trip to a not-so-far-off into the 20XXs.
If you are looking for an uncensored, no punches pulled platformer with a healthy heap one-liners and fast flying bullets, Rad Rodgers: Radical Edition may just be your on-the-go ticket to the past. Be forewarned: it is a trippy ride with some bumps along the way. However, some experiences from the past are worth revisiting in all of their awkwardness and discomfort. They may just remind us how much we have grown… or how much we still love a good fart joke.
If you like challenging strategy and don't mind learning the game's systems and unit counters, The Legend of Evil is a light-hearted spoof on classic hero versus evil tropes.
If you are looking for a deep Metroidvania game that will challenge you with hours of gameplay, La-Mulana 2 is worth checking out. It is a faithful recreation of the classic genre while telling a fresh story. The characters within have a fun sense of humor that will keep you entertained in the midst of the action. Even though the controls are not perfect, after a few hours of play, I found them less frustrating over time.
Without spoiling any more of the story, Inked will take you on an adventure of grief, loss, and healing. It does, as stated in the beginning, what good art should do: provoke thought and feeling. It is gorgeous in its presentation, but flawed in some of the execution of its gameplay features and controls. Even with its flaws, Inked is a satisfyingly paced game with a descent length of around 4 - 5 hours that throws new challenges at you as you play.
Before you pick this game up, know what you are getting yourself into. It gets messy and you may only play it once. This is not a game you play for the fun, but for the feelings. So, be open to getting a little uncomfortable… and don’t blame the onions, it’s ok if you tear up a bit.
At its heart, this is a street-level view with a focus on people and their relationship more than the politics of the situation - which is saying something with the amount of historical content found within. It reveals a timeless truth that we would be careful to heed in our heightened cultural climate: the fires of revolution always burn hot, but they are uninhibited in who or what they consume.
Personally, I am loving my experiences in Appalachia. It has been a great point of connection with friends and family. And that, to me, is almost… not quite, but almost heaven.
After nearly two decades without a flight-centric Star Wars game, Star Wars: Squadrons bursts onto the scene to fulfill the other sci-fi fantasy: the one where you become an ace pilot!
Perhaps the greatest challenge of every Warhammer 40,000 game is to capture the scope of a massive universe with fidelity to its rich content which has influenced countless sci-fi titles while adapting to the high expectations of modern gamers. In this regard, Warhammer 40,000 Inquisitor - Martyr fights a bloody battle, emerging victorious, but not unscarred. It is flawed and imperfect, but I adore it for what it is: a solid Warhammer 40,000 game which draws game mechanics from its source material and brings the grim darkness of the 41st millennium into a different medium.
While the creation of Dig Dog is a true underdog tale, the game stands on its own four feet - wagging tail and all. It's highly accessible to players of all skill ranges, but offers a challenging sandbox to play in. Overall, if you are looking for a classic arcade-style digger with a fun ambiance, Dig Dog is a very, very good boy.
Road Redemption is a violent, but wacky successor to the Road Rash franchise born in the 90s. It's an “over-the-top” biker beat'em up that has some buggy moments, but they make for some of the more entertaining points. If you like the pacing of rogue-likes in a beat'em up wrapper, Road Redemption is worth swinging a pipe at.
At the end of the day, Baobabs Mausoleum is an odd trip down memory lane. It contains elements of classic titles presented in a way that makes sense within the genre
In a world of fast-paced games with extra gimmicks and money-grabbing tactics, Earthlock is a breath of fresh air. I have a lot of respect for what it is: it is a love letter to a genre that shaped me as a gamer. And for that, I am thankful.
If you are a fan of robot ninja action or you're just looking for the next Neo-classic Metroivania title with a hint of Bionic Commando thrown in for good measure, KUNAI delivers a very satisfying experience.
While a touch slower-paced than many of the Sonic the Hedgehog titles, Polyroll takes its time to let players warm up to it. With 36 levels and unique boss encounters, it is a fairly expansive experience. While it isn't a killer app, for $9.99 USD, this bug might just scratch an itch for some old school platforming.
At the front end of this review, I stated that there are games that we play for different reasons. The reason for Supesu 2 is to simply be present and to see how another point of view might change your perspective on the problems ahead of you. Its soundscape and aesthetic create a relaxing, zen-like environment to solve puzzles without creating a high-stress or high-stakes situation. Supesu 2 is truly a stellar game.
Jackbox games have always had a very specific brand of humor that is just plain weird. I don't mean that in a bad way; I mean that in the wacky, endearing definition of the word. While it is this off-the-way, non-sequitur humor that drives it, but the accessibility of Jackbox Party Pack 6 has something for everyone across a broad audience.
When Ski Lifts Go Wrong is a brightly colored exercise in balancing creativity and gleeful devastation. You get to choose how your patrons get from one end of a course to another by choosing the most elaborate or elaborately janky means to achieve your goal. For the adventurous parents who want to build with their kids, When Ski Lifts Go Wrong does have a gore filter to keep the bloody mayhem at a minimum.
If you are looking for a game that will constantly have you asking yourself what you just experienced, Pikuniku may just be what you are looking for. The main story can take you anywhere from 3 - 5 hours along with nine co-operative levels, trophies to discover, and achievements to unlock. Pikuniku is a truly delightful fever-dream on two spindly legs.