Silent Hope is a fun dungeon crawler. Furthermore, I really enjoyed the fights in the Abyss and trying out the different heroes. I would have liked the crafting to be more hands-on for the player than just menu-based crafting. I don’t think Silent Hope is a game for all players; you will have to enjoy fighting baddies, as that is basically what it’s all about. The fighting in the Abyss is fast and engrossing, especially trying out the heroes’ abilities, which I enjoyed.
Wildmender is an engaging and thoughtful simulation about freeing the Gods and breathing new life into a barren desert environment. What begins as a game about the dry, barren land and as you delve into the mystery behind the fallen civilisation, it soon becomes a story about harmonious relationships. The story engages you and urges you to play on to discover its secrets. If survival simulation games are your go-to genre, then Wildmender is waiting for you to solve its mystery.
Land Above Sea Below is a great addition to the strategy/puzzle genre. The game has more than enough of a different gameplay style to make it stand out from similar games in the same genre. It is a very beautiful and relaxing game, yet it requires forward-thinking to optimize your score and outcome.
Farming, bug catching, fishing, crafting and animal care have all been implemented well in Fae Farm. There is certainly plenty to keep you busy. The game looks beautiful, and it’s pretty chill. However, I’d look elsewhere if you’re into the romance side of simulation games and looking for relationships with NPCs. The NPCs don’t offer much and feel wooden, which is a pity. The price point of Fae Farm is high, in the same league as you’d pay for the more well known IPs. A lot of you may be wondering if it’s worth it, and Yvonne and I discussed this specifically. Well, Fae Farm does promise two big updates from December 2023 to June 2024. And even at the start, it’s already a huge game. And I must say, it plays effortlessly, no bugs or anything marring the gameplay, and it’s a feast to look at. So I’d be inclined to say that for me, it’s worth the price. Fae Farm is definitely worth a look if you’re a cosy game and farm sim fan. Just make sure you have ample time, as the gameplay and especially the crafting can be very addictive
Sea of Stars constantly finds ways to keep the story and characters interesting and surprise you with creative and fun plot twists. With over thirty hours of enjoyable gameplay, Sea of Stars might be just what you are looking for if you are a fan of RPGs. It’s definitely a Two thumbs up score from me for this gem of a game!
Overall, Ralph and the Blue Ball is delightful, short and sweet. If you are looking for a challenge, I’d look elsewhere, as you won’t find it here. For under a few pounds/dollars in the eShop, Ralph and the Blue Ball will give you a few moments of enjoyment.
Pathea Games’ first steps into the simulation genre with Let’s School have turned out pretty well. It’s a deep and approachable school management game that’s enjoyable to play and includes plenty of content to keep you customising and playing while building up your school’s reputation.
As I’ve already mentioned, Noob – the Factionless took ages to grow on me. Even now, as I write this and think back to the gameplay, while I enjoyed some aspects of the gameplay, other aspects, such as the combat and conversation between the characters, felt like a slog through deep mud. Maybe that’s because I never liked MMOs as a way to play games. Overall the game does a decent job of paying homage to the JRPG classics of old. I would expect that you will like the game if you are a fan of the Noob web series, which I’ve never heard of. I like it, but there are better and more engrossing RPGs on the eShop that outshine this one.
City Limits has similarities to Islanders, only on a much smaller scale. It’s a game to chill out with. It is not particularly long or complex, so playing it in short bursts with a cup of coffee makes it an ideal time killer.
Crime O’Clock is a well-put-together game that held my attention right until the last clue was found and the case solved. I liked having Eve’s help, and I loved the humour. Additionally, being a detective is incredibly satisfying when you solve a case, and all clues and the ticks fall into place to reveal the culprit. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being a detective, and for players who like using their deduction skills, Crime O’Clock has crimes aplenty to solve.
Little Friends: Puppy Island is a delightfully cute game to play. It wouldn’t be a game I would rush out to buy it as it doesn’t offer any challenge, and I’m so much older than the demographic the game is aimed at. However, I can still see its appeal for players who like looking after virtual puppies, and the game is suitable for all ages.
Silicon City does offer a challenge in building a city, but the framerate issues can be off-putting. Once the framerate issues are ironed out and a more intuitive UI implemented, I would not hesitate to give Silicon City an “I like it a lot” score, but until then, it will have to be an I like it score.
Overall I like Nova Lands a lot, it has fun and engaging gameplay mechanics, and the gameplay loop is addictive. It’s the kind of game you want to return to after playing for a while. I enjoyed exploring and setting up the production line on the islands and building my home; also, watching the bots run around doing their work is surprisingly relaxing.
Trails of Trainspot is an enjoyable puzzle game for all ages. The storyline is fun and engaging, and the puzzles are challenging without frustrating the player while completing them. For fans of puzzle games, I’d recommend helping to place the tracks and giving Trails of Trainspot a go.
Avia Corporation is a minimalistic strategy game in more than one sense of the word. It’s minimalistic, from the graphics right down to the tutorial. Having played many similar games in the economic strategy genre, I wanted to like Avia Corporation. Unfortunately, that was hindered by a poor tutorial that doesn’t explain the game properly and a gameplay loop that feels uninteresting and dull.
Once again, Nintendo has proved why they, as a company, are still around and producing fantastic video games. The Legend of Zelda has always been a wonderful game series, and Tears of the Kingdom is no exception; Nintendo smashed this one out of the park. I love it, and everything that Nintendo has changed, updated, and improved on from BOTW is evident in their six years of Tears of the Kingdom development. If you only ever play one video game, it should be The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This game is magnificent, gorgeous and outstanding. It is absolute bliss to be back in Hyrule, Tears of the Kingdom is a sublime experience. Two thumbs Up is our highest score, but it doesn’t feel like it’s high enough for Tears of the Kingdom; if I could, it would be a four thumbs up from me.
Overall I’m sure if you have stayed reading this review until now, you will have surmised that I have mixed feelings about Minabo – a walk through life. While I applaud the developers for trying something different from every other game genre out there, I think choosing a nondescript vegetable like a turnip to convey the feelings it is meant to have to the player was the wrong choice. Moreover, the game may have lovely music and beautiful graphics, but it’s not enough to make the gameplay interesting and make you want to continue playing.
It’s hard not to compare Super Dungeon Maker to the Zelda series, and the game does not attempt to hide the similarities, but it is not Zelda. I also think the game could do with some more assets to give you more variety in what you can use when building your dungeon. Hopefully, an update at some stage will add more assets. Super Dungeon Maker will scratch that itch for players who want to create a dungeon with a hint of Zelda.
There is so much to Roots of Pacha, all packed into a gameplay time of around 40 hours. You can see the love the developers have put into the game as you play, and, amazingly, it was all developed by such a small team. If simulation, farming, crafting, and so much more are what you enjoy in a game, then Roots of Pacha is worth checking out.
Overall, I like Trinity Trigger. You can see the influence of the Secret of Mana from the development team in Trinity Trigger, but it is not a Secret of Mana clone. I also like the modern touches of gameplay mixed with the older styles. However, in the back of my mind, I can’t help but think that there are bigger and better RPGs already available, and it will be the prestige of the development team that attracts players to the game.