Jon Clarke's Reviews
An atmospheric setting, great audio and visual design, and some amusing and occasionally unnerving cosmic horror have resulted in a unique spin on the extraction genre. For those that vibe with it, it’ll probably provide many hours of fun, with lots to do as players solve mysteries, and seek out the mysterious ‘mound’ and what lies beyond – even if the gameplay loop starts to become a bit repetitive.
D-topia has some great ideas, asks some big questions and narratively pushes the player to make some interesting choices that – in spite of the deceptively cozy artstyle – get surprisingly dark. While there are solid ideas and elements, D-topia became like a chore I had to complete, and as with any structured routine we’re forced to endure, I couldn’t help but start daydreaming about doing anything else.
Pathogenic is a fantastic roguelite twin-stick shooter with gameplay chops to match its wonderfully slimy, fleshy aesthetic, and should provide hours of enjoyment for anyone with even a vague interest in the genre. Fingers crossed it comes to consoles soon, because this is one virus everyone should want to catch.
Kaz is a fantastic example of smart game design. It knows exactly what it wants to be, and the result is a wonderfully crafted, and extremely rewarding dopamine delivery of a game. Underneath that deceptively simple design lies an addictive and gorgeous indie gem that just feels great to play. With a ‘just one more go’ attitude, Kaz is easy to pick up, hard to master, and is an easy recommendation for anyone with a keyboard to hand.
I think Junkster is well worth a download. If you’re a fan of classic 3D Platformers, and want to play something relatively light with some surprisingly novel gameplay mechanics, I can think of worse ways to spend a weekend. Give it a shot, it might surprise you! It’s out tomorrow on Xbox and Game Pass, as well as PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC.
With a great cast of characters, tons of imagination, and just the right amount of player agency and replayability, there is a delightful playground full of gadgetry and spycraft that players will want to return to again and again. A confident return for the Double-O program, and - sorry Goldeneye - this is, without a doubt, the best James Bond game ever made.
I went into Call of the Elder Gods with a little trepidation, because I’ve played quite a few narratively focused puzzle games of late, and I feared I was a little burnt out. Thankfully, it’s a worthy sequel. Call of the Elder Gods is filled with some genuinely well-designed brain teasers, and a plot that eventually had me hooked, further fuelling my desire to solve the central mystery. If you’re looking for a new puzzle game to challenge you mind, this is a call you’ll want to take.
I've never felt so old - I love Mixtape for making me feel these things - but I hate it for that too. An emotional rollercoaster full of joy, heart and youthful daydreams, Mixtape is simply incredible.
While WILL: Follow the Light can very much look the part, it simply didn't hold up for me when it came to the actual gameplay and narrative. The story felt fragmented and poorly delivered, even though a late game twist and a heartfelt message about the time we have and the choices we make felt genuine.
This is DON’T NOD at the top of their game. Tried and true game mechanics are elevated massively by fantastic art direction, sound and creature design. Most importantly, Aphelion weaves a gripping narrative with two incredible performances from the main voice cast. As a video game, it’s not doing anything new when it comes to game mechanics, but what it does do, it does very well indeed. Aphelion is a thoroughly enjoyable sci-fi adventure of loss, desperation, survival, and importantly, hope. Despite a few very late-game wobbles, this is one mission for humanity you should undertake.
Tides of Tomorrow does a lot of really cool things, and the narrative is the star of the show. I have to admit, in the early hours I wasn’t massively engaged, but by the mid-way point I began to care for several of the main characters, and did want to see just what happens to this broken world, and whether it can be saved.
With weighty platforming and crunchy, satisfying combat, this is a world full of heart and incredible detail presented with an eye-catching art style. It’s backed up by a punchy soundtrack that elevates every pixel on display. REPLACED oozes style and imagination, and it’s almost everything I wanted it to be.
People of Note tries to do a lot – a video game-musical, with turn based combat, a world of musical references and plenty of dungeons and puzzles. Some of that is pretty great. Alas, the gameplay felt to me like a track stuck on repeat, and the story didn’t quite have enough going for it to be truly worth the journey. This is one album I won’t be playing again any time soon.
Full of charm and humour, Darwin’s Paradox plays out somewhat like an interactive Pixar film. It certainly looks the part, thanks to some gorgeous artwork and animation that adds a layer of polish and charm to the game that just about camouflages some of the its weaker design elements. Fans of the genre will want to get ‘kraken’ with this one.
The world of Novo is as captivating as ever. The puzzles on offer, enhanced with deeper mechanics are well thought out, and the expanded narrative provides some answers and takes some risks with its story telling. Planet of Lana 2 can’t quite escape feeling a little familiar, but who’s going to complain about more of such a good thing?
REANIMAL doesn’t give us all the answers by the time the credits roll. There’s no comforting closure here – it’s a game and a world that lingers. I have so many unanswered questions, so many theories. Tarsier Studios have taken their signature DNA and refined it – it’s not perfect, but it’s a sharp, confident experience.
Overall, Thank Goodness You’re Here is an absolute gem of a game full of humanity and fun. Coal Supper really have done an excellent job capturing the heart and soul of the community of Barnsworth, and the game took me nostalgically back to TV I watched when I was young, whilst also making me laugh out loud from the start to the end. If you want something extremely silly, absurd and exceptionally well made to spend a couple of hours with, then you should definitely check it out.
In a year full of genuinely incredible games, I’m more than pleased to have found another one that you should immediately look to pick up. I beg you, don’t let Sektori pass you by. This is an utterly mesmerising and innovative twin-stick arcade shooter, packed full of content and modes and with a level of challenge that ticks all the right boxes. Now to take on those harder modes – I’ll see you on the leaderboards!
It’s one of the best multiplayer games of the year, standing toe to toe with the giants in the genre. I’ll see you topside.
I haven’t finished my own journey with Egging On, but after plenty of hours with this egg-cellent game, I’m comfortable in saying that this is one Game Pass release Xbox gamers shouldn’t miss out on, and PC and PS5 gamers should consider taking a crack at. It’s unique, egg-ceedingly challenging, and yet, full of fun and good humour. Just like all my egg jokes, it’s cracking stuff.