The colour palette and animation style in the trailer for Little Bug are what attracted me to reviewing this title. Did they keep me captivated throughout my time with this game? What else did it have to offer? Find out in my Rapid Review below.
When it comes to choosing games to play, I do have a bit of a leaning towards more melancholy themed titles. I’m also a fan of story heavy games so it’s not hard to see why Ghost on the Shore piqued my interest. For me, narrative games which allow you to explore the environment can be a palate cleanser between mentally or emotionally demanding titles. Of course, without a doubt, these types of games do also have the power to hit you in the feels. Additionally, I find them great for those times when I don’t have the energy to invest in a combat heavy game but still want the plot and environment immersion.
Broken Pieces caught my eye as it seemed like it had the potential for a fulfilling single-player adventure. After spending quite a lot of time immersed in multiplayer games recently, this promised to be a welcome change of pace. Find out whether Broken Pieces hit the mark in my Rapid Review below.
Earlier this year, in the Xbox and Bethesda showcase, Scorn was announced as one of the games that would be available to play day one on Game Pass. I used the feature that allows you to download in advance so that I was ready to play on Friday. Survival horror is my all-time favourite genre, so when Game Pass delivers a title even remotely close to this, I’m there sniffing around to see if it’s my kind of gig. From the trailer, Scorn seemed like it would fit right in with the darker side of my gaming tastes. Read my Rapid Review to find out if it delivered on its promise.
Back in 2020, I reviewed Jisei: The First Case HD, when Ratalika Games S.L. ported the first instalment of the Jisei Series from PC onto consoles. The port of the second instalment, Kansei: The Second Turn HD, arrived a short time after the release of the next generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles. I reviewed the Xbox version, which is optimised for Series X|S. Did I find the next game in the series as engaging as the first? Find out here in my Rapid Review.
I had my eye on Trek to Yomi as soon as I saw it was coming to Xbox Game Pass. The trailer completely sold it to me, a black and white voyage fighting as a samurai in what appears to be feudal Japan. This was an adventure in which I felt compelled to partake. Read my Rapid Review below to find out if it lived up to expectations.
How To Take Off Your Mask Remastered is a visual novel set in the fantasy world of Eroolia, where humans live alongside a sort of hybrid cat-human species of beings called Luccretias. How To Take Off Your Mask was originally released in 2015 only on PC (Mac and Windows). The remastered version means that the game is now available to enjoy on consoles as well. However, is this port worth a try? Read my Rapid Review to find out.
Martha Is Dead launched on 24th February 2022 under the publicity of certain scenes being censored from the PlayStation version of the game. We already knew that this title would address potentially upsetting topics such as psychological trauma and scenes of self-harm and mutilation, now the door had been opened for speculation about whether there would be some particularly gruesome content in store for players. In this Rapid Review, I share my thoughts on the uncensored PC version of the game.
Dull Grey is an award-winning visual novel from Provodnik Games which was originally written in Russian by Roman Vlasov. Let’s get straight to it; was this game a ray of sunshine in my review pile, or was it a cloudy day as the title suggests? Find out below in my Rapid Review.
In the run-up to the release of Aliens: Fireteam Elite, fellow Rapid Reviewer Ciaran McGinn shared a few of his thoughts on the perfect Alien(s) game. My own love affair with the Alien(s) franchise began in my childhood. I wouldn’t like to hazard a guess at how old I was when I watched Aliens (the film that began it all for me) – too young most likely.
Every once in a while, a little gem drops onto your review list. Vesper is one such gem. It’s one of those games that stays with you long after you finish playing. What is it about this indie title from Cordens Interactive that I found so enchanting? You’ll have to read my Rapid Review below to find out.
I first heard about Röki in July 2021 when a fellow Rapid Reviewer recommended it to me. I had just finished (and adored) reviewing Omno, and was looking for something to fill the void it had left. Alas, my backlog was enormous. So, after wistfully eyeing up Röki in the Steam store, it fell to the back of my mind. Fast forward to October. When I realised that there was an opportunity to review the title for Rapid Reviews, I jumped in feet first without a backward glance. Was I right to throw caution to the wind, or was I about to pay for my reckless spontaneity? Keep reading my Rapid Review to find out.
The allure of a cyberpunk themed game proved too strong for me to say no. Bright neon lights, futuristic scenes and a range of seemingly devastating weaponry caught my eye. My interest well and truly piqued, I wondered what lay in store as I began my journey through The Ascent. Was I wowed by the lights, or tricked by the glare? Read my Rapid Review to see how I got on.
Nioh 2 arrived on PlayStation 4 in March 2020 and on Playstation 5 and PC, titled Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition, in February this year. The PC and PlayStation 5 versions include DLC packs released for the original PlayStation 4 version. Its events take place both before and after those in the original Nioh game, released on PlayStation 4 and PC in 2017. I let my passion for Japanese culture guide me in picking up this game to review. I have not played Nioh and therefore had no insight into backstory or game mechanics before beginning my playthrough. Was this a blessing in disguise? Or did this turn into a nightmare? Read my Rapid Review below to find out.
As a fan of emotive music and story-driven games like the Life Is Strange series and Tell Me Why, I was excited to see a title like Of Bird and Cage appear on the market. It seemed to promise a blend of deep narrative and powerful music. After watching the trailer, my interest had well and truly been piqued. Check out my rapid review below to find out if this musical endeavour delivered on its promises.
I watched the trailer for Omno with that thrill rising inside me that only a well-put-together taster can inspire. I knew that I had to see what this title was all about. Were those tempting images gameplay, or simply a montage of cutscenes put there to whet my appetite? Read my Rapid Review below to find out answers to this question, and more.
You play as Lilly Witchgan and her various personalities. Levels are either puzzles (where you control two of Lilly’s personalities at once) or story interludes where you may also learn a new skill to be used in future puzzles. The difficulty lies in having to control two characters at once as you try to avoid the obstacles to get to the end of the level. Characters may move in different directions. For example, pushing ‘up’ on the directional joystick may move one of the characters up and the other down. Obstacles also appear in different locations for each of the characters.
Heal: Console Edition is a point and click, puzzle adventure which made its original release on PC (Steam) in April 2020. It comes from Jesse Makkonen, the developer of the Distraint series. The port onto consoles is by Ratalaika Games. For fans of Makkonen, does this offering live up to the standard of his previous releases? There’s only one way to find out, read this Rapid Review!
Metamorphosis is a game based on the world created by Franz Kafka in his novella The Metamorphosis or Die Verwandlung in the original German. It sees you take on this quirky universe from an insect’s point of view. Are you curious to find out what it’s like to have a pint-sized view of the world? Then read on…
The events of World War II are widely documented from the point of view of the allied forces. You don’t have to search too far to come across stories of the French resistance who fought against the Nazis. But what about those Germans who opposed Hitler’s regime? Through the Darkest of Times takes you on a journey through the build-up and key events of WWII from a German resistance group’s perspective. Sound interesting? Read on to find out more.