I fell in love with Cal Kestis and BD-1 almost immediately upon playing Jedi: Fallen Order, and ate up the new Star Wars content to add to the canon and ever growing universe. I loved the story of a young Jedi in hiding and discovering characters and events within that time line. As a game, the combat was challenging but satisfying and the exploration fun. Now, 4 years later, we have been given a sequel in Jedi: Survivor. With such a good original game, does the sequel live up to it?
I’d like to say I’m green-fingered with plants in nearly every room and a conservatory full of them. A splash of green brings colour and nature to the home! Unfortunately, though I love plants, this doesn’t guarantee a natural ability in keeping them alive. There have been some casualties over the years, sadly (one or two have been cat related though I might add).
The trailer for The Block immediately caught my interest with its sandbox genre, showing the ability to bring civilization to a blank piece of land. It looked simple but cozy and right up my street! Paul Schnepf, developer of The Ramp too, actually describes The Block as more of a digital, tiny toy, hence the tiny price tag.
As the days grow darker and the nights grow colder, a relaxing game on the Switch is just the thing you need to cuddle up with on the sofa. APICO is a title which certainly ticks that box; leaving city life behind, you move to Port APICO to carry on your family’s beekeeping legacy. With a cutesy pixel art style too, is this a bee-autiful indie to chill with, or does it really sting? Find out in this Rapid Review!
Upon watching the trailer for The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow, I was intrigued by not only its mystery aspect but by its use of pixel art, unsettling at times. It was clear this wasn’t going to be a whimsical adventure, but something sinister lurked underneath. I also love a good point and click game! So, was this game a hidden treasure, or should you keep digging for more? Keep reading this Rapid Review to find out.
My Steam wishlist is full of cute and cozy titles, many involving animals. Time on Frog Island had been there for a while, so I was thrilled to see we got a code to review! I was drawn to the art style, particularly the anthropomorphic frogs, and how colourful it was.
The release of the Nintendo Wii bundled with Wii Sports is of cultural significance to not just gamers but households worldwide. I remember my first experience round a family friend’s for New Year’s Eve, where every one of us joined in, taking it in turns to play. My little mind was blown at the motion controls, which were so innovative at the time.
I first heard about Cat Cafe Manager when it appeared on my Twitter feed, instantly posting it in our ‘games to get codes for’ section of the RR Discord server. If you have read some of my previous reviews such as Calico, it’s no secret that I love cats! I also love a good sim game, so it seemed right up my street.
I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t adore our pink, lovable and friend-shaped Nintendo mascot, Kirby. If they don’t, maybe they aren’t to be trusted… Anyway, yes, Kirby is back with the first 3D action-platformer in the series, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, on the Nintendo Switch! The title was first announced in September 2021 in a Nintendo Direct; I was instantly enamoured with the abandoned city overtaken by nature vibes, which I’ve expressed my love for in my Cloud Gardens preview and review.
Like many others, gaming is the perfect form of escapism for me. Somewhere you can go to forget about real life and fully immerse yourself in a new world. But, it’s not all the time you want to be shooting bad guys, solving mind-bending puzzles or following an emotional narrative. Sometimes, you want something wholesome, and what could be more wholesome than a rabbit running its own greenhouse?
I’ve had Chicory: A Colorful Tale sitting in my Steam wishlist for quite a while, after seeing it come up on Twitter. What caught my eye was the illustrated animal characters and the focus on painting powers, seeing as I like to illustrate myself. Not wanting to spoil any more of the game, I added it to my wishlist in the hopes of returning to it when I had the money.
My love for Doctor Who blossomed with the arrival of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, the height of my obsession being when I was around ten years old. I collected the magazines, plastered my bedroom wall in posters and any family members talking through an episode of Doctor Who was sacrilege! Like countless others, this era is full of fond nostalgia.
With the original Pokémon Diamond and Pearl releasing in Japan in 2006, the 10th anniversary of the series, the journey to the Sinnoh region is back! Well over a decade later, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have been released as remakes on the trusty Nintendo Switch. This news was much to the excitement and nostalgia of longtime fans, the Sinnoh region a fond favourite of many.
Living in an idyllic seaside town situated along the Eastern Canadian coastline, where your job is to go out on your boat, catch fish and sell them with your trusty dog Waffles by your side… sounds like the perfect retirement plan! Now what if someone told you mysterious creatures lurked out at sea, frightening the island to the point where no one will dare ride its waves? What’s worse, you rely on the fish out there to avoid bankruptcy! Well, this is the adventure that awaits you in Moonglow Bay. But, is this title a catch or was I baited? Find out in this Rapid Review.
My fondest memory with my PlayStation 2 is buying games with my pocket money from Bromley Shopping Centre, whenever I went to visit my late grandparents in London. On one of those occasions, the game in question was Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life. I read the manual (I really wish games still had those!) front to back while I visited since I had to wait to get home until I could play.
I’ve been following the development of Cloud Gardens for quite some time. In fact, to my utter disbelief, it has been a whole year since I covered the Early Access Steam version! Having enjoyed it thoroughly, I naturally was alerted when an Xbox code dropped onto our list.
I didn’t immediately play the initial Life is Strange upon its release. In fact, I think my first time playing it was when I first bought Xbox Game Pass. Having thoroughly enjoyed the Telltale Walking Dead series, I was curious to explore this narrative, choice-driven title. I fell in love with the story, focusing on the real side of humans while also adding the supernatural element of controlling time. The choice-making, while hectic, makes you feel in control and immersed. I couldn’t not love Chloe and Max either. Having played through Before The Storm, Captain Spirit and Life is Strange 2, loving them all as much as the last, my body was more than ready for another addition to the series.
For those of you who have played a WarioWare title in the past, you will know just how bizarre and whacky, yet fun, they can be. Smooth Moves for the Wii was a well loved game in my household, which took full advantage of the shiny new motion controls. The weirdness of the high speed micro games though leave some a little freaked out however, but you can at least guarantee it’s a unique experience.
Video tapes, scrunchies, plaid shirts, grunge…did someone say a recipe for the ‘90s? Though I was born in 1997, which some would say doesn’t count, I still remember the ‘90s vibe going on strongly into the early 2000s. A time of Pokemon, classic Disney films and the PlayStation 1, where little me had no responsibilities!
I’m sure that all gamers out there have played at least one skateboarding game in their time. The infamous Tony Hawk Pro Skater titles alongside Skate will probably be your answer, and they remain at the top of the genre even today thanks to sequel announcements and remasters. For me, it was Disney Extreme Skateboarding… but anyway, the fact remains that playing these games made us crave to be able to perform these sick tricks in real life with a great soundtrack accompanying us.