I was really excited for Open Country and was hoping it would bridge that gap between arcade hunting and hunting sim. In spirit, this is what it set out to do and you can see that from the game. It’s just a shame that the execution just isn’t there. There is still something special here that I think hunting and survival game fans could love. However, it needs a lot of work from bugs, crashes, and overall balancing of its gameplay systems.
I don’t feel Biomutant is a failure since it still offered what I was expecting. A crazy RPG set in a weird setting filled with mutated creatures and fun combat. I definitely I got that. I also unfortunately got way more than expected, which ended up diluting the entire package.
Rising Hell is a surprisingly good game that took a simple level design idea and made it work with the roguelite genre. If you’re into demon slaying to heavy metal and enjoy the roguelite loop then this will be a title to pick up.
Overcooked! All You Can Eat is an extremely good value offering a ton of content under a decent price. The visual and FPS improvements are welcome and it’s great having the entire series under one game. However, if you’ve been a long time fan investing in the series, there may not be enough new content to warrant another purchase.
DARQ is an experience that I’m glad I finally got to play. It offers unique puzzles and mechanics within a macabre theme that I love. It really made an effort to create a seamless experience that had me playing all the way through and enjoying every moment. I will mention that it is quite short, but I don’t mind as it offered a tight experience that had me engaged the entire time.
There is actually a decent amount of effort put in here even if it all didn’t land well with me. I did really enjoy the sections with Lusst’ghaa and the erotic sex parts didn’t seem over the top. In fact, the gore sections are what I thought could be toned down on. A lot of those sections felt like forced shock value and that type of horror doesn’t gel with me as well.
There is so much to unlock and it’s all meaningful things that will change how each expedition plays out. That “carrot on a stick” roguelike gameplay is done perfectly here, paired with the D&D type tabletop gameplay. If I had one thing that would have made this better, it would be some player involved combat if chosen. You can’t even choose which enemy to attack first. This could have added to some fun factor and strategy in fights.
You can blow through this whole game in a couple hours and there is no reason to go back. In fact, you can platinum this game by level seven of world one.
PUSS! is a lot of flash, but little substance. The visuals are a treat for the eyes and it will leave you bewildered and talking about it. Unfortunately, once the the shock of the ridiculous visuals wears off, you’re left with a pretty basic game. A basic game that doesn’t even play all that well on the Nintendo Switch platform.
I absolutely loved Blue Fire and think it is an amazing indie title worth your time. From its clear inspirations from the greats and its way of incorporating those action, adventure, RPG, and platforming elements into one game is fantastic. However, it does suffer that unpolished feeling of an indie.
I was really hoping to be impressed with Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, but it unfortunately actively tried to ruin itself. It’s not poorly made, or glitchy, or unplayable, it’s just unbelievably mediocre. In fact, the best thing about the game is the real life documentary in it that interviews real vets.
Unto the End is a clear labor of love from 2 Ton Studios and they created something great here. The mix of different styles and systems paired with the unforgiving nature is refreshing.
There is an enjoyable aerial combat game here with a unique story and setting, but the grind and monotonous mission structures hamper it.
Budget Cuts does a good job keeping you intrigued throughout its very short run time. There is definitely a fun gameplay hook of sneaking through offices and solving puzzles. Unfortunately, the adversaries are easily fooled and puzzles are a bit too simple.
The fact this was accomplished form a single person is enough to be impressed by. As a tech demo, this is spectacular, however, this is being sold as a game for $8 on the MS store, and it is not worth the asking price. Playing this did get me more interested for the upcoming Bright Memory Infinite, but be aware that you’re paying for a 30 minute teaser.
The Walking Dead Onslaught is not the type of licensed game that ended up surprising me. Nor was it so bad that it ended up being an endearing cheesy experience I could laugh at and have fun with. Unfortunately, it’s an uninspired title that even lacks the depth of its fellow The Walking Dead VR games.
Gleamlight is a game that could be something great, but squanders it at every turn. It’s on the right track by taking inspiration from a couple of great games, unfortunately, it never comes close to matching them. There is no purpose to the game conveyed through tone, music, characters, or text that will urge you to continue. If I had not been reviewing this, thus feeling obligated to flesh out the game, I would have stopped after the first forty-five minute run-through.
Honestly, it hurts me to have to give this game such a bashing, because I do enjoy the series. There are some good things about Serious Sam 4, and some fun moments. Unfortunately, it mostly feels uninspired in its overall design. However, what really kills the experience is the severe lack of polish and quality control presented here. This needs more time in the oven and that is why even if you’re a fan, I suggest you wait on more patches.
BPM is a a combination of great ideas and for the most part it nails what it’s going for. The melding of the intense FPS combat set to the beat of metal makes for some really great moments. Unfortunately, the roguelike and RNG aspects that rule the game need a bit of work.
Windbound is an intriguing game full of mystery and wonder, and does a lot right. I’m not the biggest fan of survival and crafting games, but these systems are well implimented and balanced properly. They also add a lot to the feeling of being lost, but pushing forward in order to uncover this mystery.