All in all, Vera’s okay, as the main character. Mackey irks me. I just wish other stronger characters were present in the final overall package within a mystery that held my interest. The twists and turns of the tale made me keep going. Unfortunately, the mystery element fizzles towards the conclusion. …Oh, that’s seriously it? Certain narrative threads remained unresolved. However, they could be in one of the different endings? Maybe the Vera Blanc sequel, The Ghost in the Castle? I must confess that I only did one playthrough as of this review.
All in all, Umihara Kawase BaZooka! being built from Fresh!’s charming revolutionary base is a tale of two halves. Developer Success inverting the Umihara Kawase formula post-Fresh! for a second time wasn’t asked for. Yet the creative team aimed for popular untested franchise waters. Understanding BaZooka!’s real hook is the spiritual to the Umihara Kawase core series Challenge Mode for 1-4 players when buying the game. The less refined Battle Royale half, er, not so much. Look, I’m just ecstatic two Umihara Kawase games are on the mainstream console Nintendo Switch when I feared the series would sink into the depths of obscurity!
In a nutshell, Double Kick Heroes is a violent enjoyable ride of ingenuity worth putting the pedal to the metal for! Besides the rushed odd in an argh way yarn jammed with an overabundance of profanities, everything else is about the game is essentially a smash hit! No one-hit wonder doesn’t define the Double Kick Heroes.
All in all, I think the existence of Need a packet? demonstrates why I have a fondness for video games which are utilized as a kind of realistic teaching tool simulation with social commentary underneath. The ending for Easy Mode is reaching a manager position. *Feigns celebrating*. If playing as a cashier experiencing a breakdown in a bleak world accompanied by hard to see text alongside inconsistent controls interests you, take a gander at Need a packet?
Along the way, one can grab drinks from a Dream Soda vending machine (including the humorous Baking Soda), pull fire alarms, empty fire extinguishers, and find blueprints. Actually, acquiring every type of Dream Soda is an unlockable achievement. Finishing the entirety of Superliminal in a 30- or 60-minute time frame is too. But I haven’t personally accomplished either as of this writing, after two full playthroughs. I found myself chuckling out loud a lot while playing Superliminal. All in all, the forced-perspective gameplay is a quality experience for those who enjoy head-scratching puzzles. Conceptually, this title from Pillow Castle’s small development team rivals some mainstream titles in the puzzle genre. Yet, the grand puzzles with a dash of wit are marred by less-than-ideal execution of creative ideas. And story-wise, important questions went unanswered. For this reason, I struggled with how to rate this game.
Ultimately, I’m grateful I own Towaga: Among Shadows. Honestly, the game came into my life at precisely a sorely needed time. For real. Unfortunately, the gulf between the three other Modes and local Multiplayer is made painfully clear comparatively. Something to consider. Not recommended for more than one player. On the other hand, I’m fond of the compelling albeit repetitive game play, splendid visuals, and treasure trove of in-game unlockables Towaga: Beyond Shadows offers players. Admittedly, I do speculate that the total individualized mileage may probably vary. Hopefully this ported game that was once a Kickstarter project will resonate with others as well!
Watching online playthroughs made me realize that other players were equivalently struggling. Admittedly, this made me feel a little less bad about my own failings. Seeing those players reinforced the two cores issues I have with Radio Squid. Coins as currency and lives combined with unforgiving gameplay that harshly penalizes the player for failing and lacking swiftier reflexes don’t form an experience worth investing in. All in all, I don’t think Radio Squid is truly an adorable lost cephalopod. There’s evident potential for fun here. Albeit with some significant tweaks to how the game plays and is overall constructed. If Radio Squid altered the item drop rate, made Upgrades available more often, and didn’t punish the player ludicrously severely for dying, this game could be something special.