I admire Speed Mazing designing their game to be suited to all audiences. But unfortunately, it’s hard to recommend this game based on what little content it has to offer in its current state. The game really could do with more variety and depth in its gameplay. I can see the logic in playing this with a youngling but I can’t see this title lasting more than a few game nights at best in terms of attention span. I don’t like to bring up the price much in games but it is hard to ignore that many other games offer more at a much lower price. The developers’ hearts are clearly in the right place but this is a game you’ll speedily forget.
Clockwork Aquario is just a wonderful arcade experience that had me grinning throughout. As a retro gamer and Wonder boy series fanboy this seemed like probably the best early Xmas present I could ask for this year (that’s gaming related). Now putting my fandom to the side I will point out this is a very short arcade game with very minimal extras. Some may feel this doesn’t justify the price of entry. However, this art style is gorgeous, the game is co-op and the feel-good factors I had playing this more than justifies the praise that this product deserves. Clockwork Aquario may have been deemed unsuitable for the industry back in the day but it sure fits in now and I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to experience it.
Revisiting KOTOR was a wonderful experience on Nintendo Switch. I found it surreal that once upon a time I was playing this game on a monstrously large console and now today I can play it portably. KOTOR felt like a title from the golden era of Bioware and while it certainly has its rough edges and flaws in places. It doesn’t deter this from being a classic well worth your time whether you’re a Star Wars fan or not. Credit goes to Aspyr for recreating those nostalgic feels in portable form. May the force be with you.
Grab Toy doesn’t offer many thrills or bring anything particularly unique to the experience. But if you’re looking to scratch that puzzle itch and want something relaxing that is available to you at a nice cheap price, then consider giving this a look. For me, the game just about scrapes a positive review, since I feel the developer set out what they wanted to do. I feel this would probably be a nice game for a parent to sit down and enjoy with their child as a cute bonding exercise but maybe that’s my imagination running away with me. Probably the best game with a rhino in it I’ve played this year but not the best puzzler.
Ghosts and Apples at its core is a nice little puzzle game that is very pleasant to pick up and play in small gaming bites. If you love your puzzlers and are looking for something a little different I recommend giving this a shot. My only caution is the game does require some fast reflexes to get the most out of it. A design that doesn’t appeal to all puzzle fans particularly if you’re coming into it looking for a more chilled experience. The game also feels like it would be oodles better if you could enjoy the main game in co-op. At the end of the day Ghosts and Apples is a little charmer that can be enjoyed any time of the year not just Halloween.
Gynoug is a relic from the past that I had an absolute blast playing in the present. It took me back to a simpler time of gaming. One where you don’t need excessive plot and gaming gimmicks to impress. Just solid gameplay. Of course this style won’t appeal to everyone. Some folk might question why the game wasn’t just remade from the ground up. Gynoug, for me, has aged surprisingly well as a Mega Drive game and if you somehow missed this back in the day, now is a great time to try it at a fair price point.
Skeletal Avenger is a solid dungeon crawler with rogue-lite elements. The graphics are not the best and the game feels a little light on the perks when compared to other games in the genre. But what one can’t deny is the amount of fun I had playing this game. Randomly generated levels with satisfying gameplay and the ability to play locally made for a winning mixture. The game may feel a little bare-bones in places but it has the meat where it counts. Play alone or grab some friends and get avenging the skeleton way.
Centipede: Recharged is a fantastic love letter to the legacy of the games. By keeping the gameplay formula simple with the added power up tweaks this feels like an arcade game worthy of being in its own cabinet. It’s just kind of a shame arcades are dead now, in the UK at least. This is a simple but addictive high score chasing fun. Add to that a brilliant soundtrack and neon retro visuals and you have a winning formula. The cherry on top is you can also enjoy the game in co-op with a friend, loved one or that neighbour you never say hello to. This brings back all the great memories of the high score chasing arcade games and I certainly look forward to more classic games in the Atari range receiving this treatment.
My Singing Monsters: Playground is a decent party game that feels suited to a game night for players of all skill levels. It may also particularly appeal to its fan base from the mobile platform. But once the party is over the game doesn’t have a lot going for it and that has always been the main niggle of these party-style games. I will give the game this though, when the monsters did start to sing at the end of a tournament it did bring a smile to my face. That’s gotta count for something.
Cotton Panorama may be remembered as the experimental entry of the Cotton series. For its time it was a worthy attempt at something new but by switching into the new perspective the game lost a lot of the simple pick up and play charm the other games are known for. It would have served better as an additional game in a Cotton collection but as a standalone release, this entry is really only for the most dedicated Cotton fans. I’m still grateful I got to experience this entry in a wonderful series of games. But if this game was chocolate in one of the variety tubs it would be the one I would eat last… after gorging on all my favourites.
Lone McLonegan: A Western Adventure, is a classic point and click adventure game that keeps gameplay firmly in the past for better and for worse. Fans of the old days of this genre should absolutely check out this title but if you need some assistance with the game’s tougher puzzles you’ll have to seek that elsewhere online. But at a very attractive price point, you will get a quirky puzzle adventure that packs as many laughs as it does challenges.
Demon Turf is an entertaining demon filled adventure that I recommend to fans of 3D platformers. The game has a few niggles here and there. Combat felt loose and clunky, the platforming, while fun to control, had its moments of frustrations, particularly later in the game. Lastly, the side quests were just not very interesting. The developers clearly put a lot of love and effort into this release and it shows in volumes in the games design and brave attempt at trying something different from the usual platform formula. Not everything clicked with me but this is a trip into the demon realm I’m happy I took. For those that give it a chance, it’s hard not to find something to like in this demonic adventure. Demon Turf is an entertaining demon filled adventure that I recommend to fans of 3D platformers. The game has a few niggles here and there. Combat felt loose and clunky, the platforming, while fun to control, had its moments of frustrations, particularly later in the game. Lastly, the side quests were just not very interesting. The developers clearly put a lot of love and effort into this release and it shows in volumes in the games design and brave attempt at trying something different from the usual platform formula. Not everything clicked with me but this is a trip into the demon realm I’m happy I took. For those that give it a chance, it’s hard not to find something to like in this demonic adventure.
Black Widow: Recharged is another winner from the Atari Recharged series. It doesn’t matter if you got to enjoy the original or are coming into this for the very first time. This is a highly entertaining pick up and play arcade game with gameplay that still holds up years later. Brilliant, to the point gameplay that’s ideal to enjoy when you only have a few minutes here and there. Or when you just need a breather from more heavy titles. Let’s also appreciate that for a moment you get to play as the spider in the lead role of a game. But whether you see this spider as a hero or villain I guess is up to you.
It’s great to see Cotton 100% come over to the West in such a big way. In 2021 we were lucky to receive 5 games in the Cotton series on Nintendo Switch. As someone who never got to appreciate the series before it has kinda made me feel like a kid again. I was getting to experience these games for the very first time as if I was playing them on their old retro systems of origin. The trouble is, it really feels like these games should have been released as a collection as opposed to a separate release. The price point also just feels a bit high making these appeal more to the dedicated Cotton fans over an impulse purchase for gamers testing the water for the first time. There have been several retro re-releases from the likes of M2 and Hamster that have released individual retro games cheaper and on some occasions more options. If you do want to test out this series Cotton 100% is a good place to start or Cotton Reboot released earlier this year.
Monomals is a groovy blend of puzzle platformer mixed with music creator. For most gamers, this will be a chart-topping hit. A nice blend of action followed by a good sit down to compose an awesome musical piece. The touch screen controls appear to be hit and miss and didn’t work for me, making the music-making element a bit more fiddly than it maybe should have been. That being said, it helps that the game has an incredibly positive vibe to its design so if you just need a little cheer, be sure to give this a look. The developers tried something new and original with this concept and it ends up being a musical and action mash-up that works as much as make you smile.
I came into Astria Ascending expecting a pretty by the numbers classic RPG experience but came out pleasantly surprised. My only main niggle was I didn’t find the story particularly compelling. However, the battle system and the depth to character customization make this game stand out from the competition. Adding that to a very beautiful art style, this is an RPG that any fan of the genre should most certainly take the time to experience.
Bonito Days offers a fun experience that feels best enjoyed with friends and family though there is some fun to be had alone. For the most part, the game sets out what it aims to do. A simple relaxing party game that is designed more to chill out with rather than a challenge. Nothing wrong with this concept but had the game added a bit more depth to the gameplay this could have been something truly memorable. Maybe that game will come later but until then, this certainly falls comfortably into the category of a stress-free gaming experience.
Trios makes math’s fun. A simple chilled out game with a very pleasant soundtrack. Trios sets out what it wants to do and certainly achieves it. But it’s simple design probably won’t appeal to everyone. This is not really a game to switch your brain off either after one of those hard days at work. That being said, if doing math is how you like to relax, then you can count on Trios to entertain you.
Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is an entertaining puzzle game with a spooky theme that feels suitable for most gaming audiences. Emma and Fenton make a great gaming duo. Mixing top-down and 2D puzzle platformer makes for quite an engaging experience. If you’re looking for a suitable spooky action puzzler this Halloween (or any time of the year for that matter) then I highly recommend trying this game. You’re more likely to be highly entertained than have nightmares.
Evertried is a simple concept, yet highly addictive rogue-lite experience. It’s a great rogue-lite to enjoy in long or very short bursts. A little hard to start with but once it gets its afterlife claws into you it’s very hard to put down. It still amazes me how developers continue to come up with original ideas for the genre, but here we are with another talented indie developer proving me wrong. Evertried is a trip to the afterlife easily worth your time.