Backbone was already a compelling game, but after gaining some insight into some of its main characters, it has been elevated to a new level because of the existence of Tails: The Backbone Preludes. Now if we could get a proper sequel to finally wrap up some of the loose ends in Backbone, fans will be elated. I am ready to have my heart ripped out yet again.
I went in with high expectations from Chained Echoes, but remarkably, it managed to exceed every one of them. The characters are enjoyable (although Robb can be a bit insufferable at times), and most of them are fleshed out pretty well by the end. The storyline isn’t overly convoluted either, and has just enough depth and twists to keep it interesting. The combat in particular surprised me with how engaging it was, all thanks to its inventive Overdrive system.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is an all around fantastic game. I was genuinely impressed by the sheer amount of variety in the level designs, gameplay mechanics, and minigames.
There’s no denying the love and passion that went into recreating Colossal Cave into a 3D experience. The fact that the Williams’ came out of retirement to undertake this project, just proves how special the game is. However, I can see it being divisive among gamers. Older players (like myself) and veterans of the early adventure game genre, will more than likely revel in its faithfulness to its source material. I was completely hooked by its mysteries, and have gone back several times to try to discover everything Colossal Cave has to offer. Younger players, on the other hand, might be put off by its lack of narrative, complex puzzles, and very minimal hand-holding. I hope I’m wrong, and that Roberta Williams gets the appreciation she deserves from a whole new generation.
I knew I was going to in for an interesting ride when I started Norco, but I had no idea just how insane it would get. I do honestly mean insane, but in the best of ways. I’ve never had a game make me ask “what the hell is going on?” quite as much as Norco.
Children of Silentown is a dark and beautiful tale, that went in directions I wasn’t expecting. It gets surprisingly deep, especially in its final moments. It left me with some unanswered questions, but since there are multiple endings, I’m sure the others will touch upon certain aspects more than the ending I got. I guess I’ll just have to pay it again to find out! For now, I can’t help but sing the praises of Children of Silentown enough to everyone.
Even though I know it won’t be to everyone’s liking, I still highly recommend High on Life. It’s a fairly accessible first-person shooter for those who aren’t die-hard fans of the genre, while still offering enough variety to make veterans feel satisfied. While on its surface it’s a raunchy, outrageous first-person shooter, at its core there’s a surprisingly emotional heart. There’s a ton of fun to be had in simply exploring the various planets, and even more joy when you discover something as unexpected as Tammy and the T-Rex playing in your living room.
Aka is a big disappointment for me, because I was actually really loving what I was able to play of the game until it essentially broke. It’s far more than just a casual slice of life sim, especially if you choose to help the other inhabitants you come across. I really wanted to see what the rest of Aka had in store, but at this point, I can’t. I can’t in good conscience recommend this game in its current state, even if it feels so promising. As of right now, I have to say to hold off until the game breaking bugs are all patched before picking it up.
I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed by The Devil in Me, mainly because the past two Supermassive games were both so outstanding. The controls and visuals took a big step backward, with the controls in particular being extremely annoying. It feels like they rushed to get The Devil in Me out before it was fully ready, which is odd considering they already had two very successful titles released over the course of a year.
The Chant is a promising start for new development team, Brass Token. Its premise on the most basic level might not be something unheard of, but the way that it’s implemented and explored is quite original. I was impressed by the diversity of the enemy designs and the efficient use of a relatively small map.
Dragons: Legends of The Nine Realms was hugely disappointing, mainly due to the fact that the last game from this franchise was an unexpected delight. The controls are awful, the settings are bland, and the puzzles are a joke. In fact, about the biggest challenge you’ll find in Dragons: Legends of The Nine Realms is trying to get your dragon to properly aim at a target.
I can appreciate a game with some jankiness if its world is rich, the characters are well fleshed out, and the story is compelling. I loved GreedFall for this exact reason, despite its flaws. Unfortunately, The Last Oricru feels like it’s still in early access, and none of its other attributes are strong enough to make up for its shortcomings. As it stands right now, I would have to recommend waiting for it to go on sale or until more patches are released to make it more playable.
Despite its shortcomings, The Darkest Tales is still a (mostly) fun time. I adore its concept of a fairy tale world being taken over by an evil entity that perverts it into something horrific. Most of the level designs were incredibly creative and well varied, with the only one I didn’t care for because there was hardly anything to see. The voice acting and musical score were all solid, and helped to create an unhinged world to explore. Unfortunately the platforming (particularly because of the unreliable double jump) holds The Darkest Tales back from being truly great.
Unusual Findings is an amusing adventure full of quirky characters, interesting locations, and unexpected moments. The story might tread familiar ground, but it’s so charming and zany that it doesn’t really matter. The puzzles are fun and the characters are endearing. Plus, there are multiple endings and ways to overcome obstacles, so there’s quite a bit of replayability.
I wanted to like The Outbound Ghost, I really did. There’s clearly a ton of love behind its development, especially in the art and sound departments. Unfortunately, its story is completely underdeveloped and ends without much of it being resolved or explained. The combat is fun at first, and encourages creative combinations of Figments and their Aspects, but it does start to feel repetitive after a while.
Even though it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, I still highly recommend Little Orpheus. If you go in knowing it’s a laid-back adventure that’s more focused on its story than on providing a challenge, then you won’t be disappointed. Especially if you’re looking for a fun, silly, casual experience to enjoy over a few hours. Much how Lost in Play feels like playing a Saturday morning cartoon, Little Orpheus feels like a playable old school adventure film, like The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.
The Monkey Island series are adored because of their humor and charm, and Return to Monkey Island is no different. It retains all the same wit, puns, and groan-worthy dad jokes as the rest of the games. In fact, Return to Monkey Island feels more in-line with the earlier titles, no doubt due to Gilbert’s involvement, as well as most of the original cast. The art style might be initially off-putting for some, but it really does grow on you after a while.
The premise seemed interesting, but it gets bogged down by exceedingly dull dialogue and horrendous pacing. The visuals are an eyesore and the sound design is atrocious. On top of that, the puzzles are of the worst variety, either being too easy, making no sense, or being somewhat broken. Add in the fact that this is basically the same game from 2008, just with the slightest of face lifts, and that makes its thirty dollar price tag almost criminal. I asked you to rock me, Amadeus, not bore me to tears.
Gerda: A Flame in Winter might be a bit of a slow burn, but hopefully it’ll light a fire in you to not repeat the same mistakes of the past.
This game just proves what I’ve been saying for years, that you don’t need a massive budget and nonstop jumpscares in order to make an effective horror game. The Mortuary Assistant succeeds where so many others have failed because of its use of subtly and cleverly subverting your expectations. Even though the shifts might be short, there are multiple endings, several of which require multiple playthroughs to unlock, so there is a ton of replayablility here. On top of that, the scares are randomized, so you’ll never get the same experience twice. Despite its flaws, I cannot recommend The Mortuary Assistant enough.