David Temple
Demolish & Build Classic takes you on a tour of the "exciting" world of construction contracting. The big problem is that the world of construction and contracting is more of a mundane job with a lot of hard work and very little excitement. Performance issues and a disheartening beginning lead to lots of work and little fun. But if you can get past that, you do get to drive bulldozers, cranes, and the like.
Hill Climbing Mania feels like it was a rushed-to-market, "let's do one of those" copies of a game already out there. With some mid range revisions, this could be a fun game, especially for the 7 to 12 year old crowd. It would not need a complete overhaul, but it does need more than simple cosmetic touch ups.
While I very much appreciate the efforts game developers put in to entertain (and maybe educate) us, Ultimate Games' Castle Renovator falls flat in early every way. If one of the selling points is that you can "Choose the shapes and designs of flags and pennants," you know you're in trouble.
If you are really into the Blade Runner franchise and can put up with the shortcomings, I suppose you can get some enjoyment from Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition. Everyone else should take a pass on this remastered adventure game. Maybe if the studio comes out with a "More Enhanced" edition, with plenty more fixes in place, it may be worth another look.
I can't really give Aztech Forgotten Gods a recommendation. What looked like a grand action adventure with interesting storytelling, exotic imagery, and cool gadgets, turned into a blancmange-several ingredients, but flavorless and unsatisfying. It could be worth the price-tag if it gets cleaned up and organized, but I wouldn't buy it at this point.
Ramp Car Jumping is a physics-based puzzler that lacks creativity and longevity. It provides a couple hours of silly fun for one or two players on the Nintendo Switch, but it never feels like more than a free-to-play mobile title.
If you really want to try your hand at captaining a Ship of the Line, go ahead and give Her Majesty's Ship a try. But because of the game's focus on frustrating micromanagement, you may want to keep a weather-eye on the horizon for something better.
When we remember that Gothic was one of the earliest truly open-world 3D concept games, we can at least give a nod of appreciation for the pioneering effort. With the time that has passed, Gothic Classic is mostly a reminder of how far we have come with game design and system capabilities.
On arrival, I had a sense of hope and promise for the twin-stick shooter, Aniquilation, but was left with an "oh well" experience. With a little refinement, it has the potential to be a really fun game with some interesting aspects. As it is, the game leaves too much to be desired.
Unfortunately, the good parts of Foodtruck Arena are mostly outweighed by the plain and unoriginal nature of the game itself and the sloppy controls. I was hoping for a spicy sportster, but ended up with a bland-mobile.
There would be a good story to be had if Tharsis was developed to involve more than just trying to survive a few rounds. The theme of surviving on a spaceship and figuring out how to keep everything—and everyone—together should make for a good game. Unfortunately, Tharsis fails on too many points to be really worth playing.
When a game's basic movement mechanics become a source of frustration and annoyance, it usually just isn't worth the hassle. Even if you are used to digital gymnastics and you really like a retro looking 2D platformer, Cybertrash STATYX is an option you can take or leave.
Like many of the adventure puzzle games after which it's patterned, Lamplight City comes across as a bit lackluster in both story and presentation. Retro adventure gamers may enjoy working their way through it, but I wouldn't bank on it.
Kwaidan: Azuma Manor Story may be okay for those who really like the historical Japanese theme, are eager to battle some old school monsters, and can tolerate dated and bizarre movement mechanics. Everyone else will be happier finding another title.
When I started playing Demon's Rise – War for the Deep, I really wanted to like the game. Unfortunately, there are too many little bad things stacked up to really get into this one.
I generally like deck-building, turn-based strategy games, but I had a hard time really getting into Rising Lords. It isn't bad-with special nods to the visuals and overall playing time-but the clunky controls and overly busy mechanics prevent it from being all it could be.
If you really like the action RPG genre, Gothic II Complete Classic is a decent historical entry. I found elements which engage and disappoint in equal measure. Ultimately, the frustrations overpowered the attractions, and I was just as happy to put the game away.
Samurai Riot is a decent 2D action arcade game, it just needs some refinement. It looks good, it (mostly) plays well, and it satisfies the old arcade beat-'em-up desire. If the developers fix a couple annoying glitches, it'll be a solid options for genre fans.
As an action/rogue-lite hybrid, Tunnel of Doom offers plenty of playtime and random arrangements to provide some uncertainty and challenge (no simple pattern memorizing). It's hurt by little variety, almost no story to engage the player, and limited visuals, but it isn't a bad option if you want a game to while away some time in darkened mine tunnels.
Knights & Guns uses…well…knights and guns to change up the classic Space Invaders / Galaga 2D action gameplay, but is bogged down by its in-game economy for weapons and advancement. It's fun for some quick two-player gaming sessions, but is not rewarding enough for long-term engagement.