Roots of Pacha on is a delightful farming simulation that stands out for its unique setting, charming art style, and engaging gameplay. It’s a game that invites you to slow down, connect with a vibrant community, and experience the joys of ancient agriculture. Whether you’re a seasoned fan of the genre or new to the farm, Roots of Pacha is a wonderful game that offers a rewarding and heartwarming journey into the past.
Age of Mythology: Retold is a triumphant revival of a beloved classic. It combines the best elements of the original with modern upgrades and refinements, delivering a fantastic strategic experience that feels both fresh and familiar. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the original or new to the world of mythology, this game offers an epic journey worth embarking on. I think that with this game Age of Mythology finally gets the respect it deserves in the pantheon of great RTS games.
Nobody Wants to Die feels like a triumph of noir-inspired gaming. Its meticulous attention to detail, from the visual aesthetics to the great narrative, makes it a standout title for fans of the genre. The game successfully merges the best elements of classic noir with modern gaming sensibilities, while the game has a bad habit of giving too much help to the player; Nobody Wants to Die is a game that should not be missed by fans of the genre.
I can’t wait to be able to talk about this one in detail, it surprised me how much I liked it. Even if it kind of feels like a roguelite, I don’t care; being able to mastermind this show by picking the cast and placing things around to evoke emotions was fun, every. single. time. If you like dynamic games where you, the player will kind of set up the dominos and watch them fall I feel like you will be hard pressed to find a better game than The Crush House. Not only was it fun setting up the various shots and seeing things unfold amongst the various castmates but the mystery here is the real draw. Go into this one as blind as you can, you will thank me for it.
If you can’t tell, I loved Cat Quest 3; as I said I was already a fan of the series and this entry is its best. The Gentlebros is a small team of 8 developers but playing Cat Quest 3 you wouldn’t know it, there is even a local co-op option available to players. (I wasn’t able to test this but I have played the past games in co-op with my kids and it was a great time). The greatest thing about Cat Quest 3 is its simplicity, any level of gamer is able to pick this game up and jump in as its combat systems and exploration are easy to grasp and once you get sailing it’s extremely hard to put this one back in drydock.
Creatures of Ava is a fantastic game and I really like the pacifist approach to game play. It was a refreshing change to be collecting creatures in order to save them instead of trying to be the very best there ever was. The narrative in Creatures of Ava is also a strong highpoint which comes as no surprise since the story was co-written by Rhianna Pratchett; who has written stories like Heavenly Sword and Rise of Tomb Raider. With a gorgeous world, fun and addictive gameplay and a great story, Creatures of Ava is a really fun experience and one that offers something very different from the other creature collectors on the market.
SteamWorld Heist 2 is a must-play for fans of tactical strategy games. Its engaging combat, diverse missions, and charming presentation make it a standout title on the Xbox (where I played it) but will be great on any platform. Whether you’re a veteran of the series or a newcomer, you’re in for a treat with this gem of a game.
It took me a while to really get the gameplay loop for Deadlink, I have played so many of these types of games and this one didn’t help things by having some confusing controls. But once I was able to wrap my head around everything, Deadlink is a pretty fun experience in small spurts. With a narrative that isn’t presented well in my opinion and a high difficulty level there really is no draw to spend hours in this world in one sitting; but in small spurts, I think fun can be found in Deadlink for some.
Boring missions aside I feel that #BLUD successfully captures the essence of classic animated cartoons from the early aughts with its simply stunning graphics and animations to its zany characters and situations. #BLUD stands out as a must-play indie game that delivers on both style and substance. #BLUD developer Exit 73 Games earns high marks for its captivating art style, nostalgic appeal, and well-crafted gameplay but the repetitive nature of various quests types keeps this one from true greatness.
In conclusion, Homeworld 3 shines brightly in its graphical prowess, offering a visually captivating journey through the depths of space. However, its shortcomings in storytelling, controls, and AI behavior prevent it from reaching the heights set by its predecessors. For fans of the series expecting a seamless blend of compelling narrative and refined gameplay, Homeworld 3 may leave much to be desired.
As a collection, both Monster Hunter Stories games have received an excellent glow-up. The visuals both look great with enhanced graphics, and I loved the newly recorded voice lines for the characters. Hardcore series fans may be put off by Monster Hunter Stories’ easier combat that can be mastered quickly but I had a good time with both games. Finding and then training the monsties made me feel like a kid again playing Pokémon for the first time. I think that younger fans will find more to enjoy here, with its simplified combat and less mature story, Monster Hunter Stories’ is a low barrier entry into the larger Monster Hunter Universe. Despite its shortcomings, this one is worthy of the hunt.
Capes has a really neat idea for sure, superheroes are still the hot thing and putting them in a tactical game is a cool idea. Unfortunately, the execution here was less than stellar; lackluster voice acting, dull combat, and heroes that frankly just don’t feel heroic. If you are looking for heroic, tactical action you’d be better off looking elsewhere; this isn’t the game you’re looking for.
I’m not kidding when I say that the possibilities are endless in Blockbuster Inc. Players have the freedom and tools to create a movie of their dreams. With a large variety of costumes, sets and more at their disposal there are thousands of films to be made here. It can be almost overwhelming if I’m honest, however the game has a great tutorial that will help to ease players into the swing of things. I loved my time with Blockbuster Inc, filled that hole that The Movies had left so long ago. Its awesome to see this underserved genre in gaming seeing a resurgence; Hollywood Animal, Movie Tycoon among others, has fans of movie-making games eating good this year. Don’t sleep on Blockbuster Inc, as the first one out the gate; its an utter blast to play and create movies in this world.
I came into Astor: Blade of the Monolith with all the hope and promise simply because it was NOT a souls game. I still love it for that, but as much as I enjoyed the bright and colorful vistas, the vivid and detailed graphics and the cute characters; I just can’t get past the clunky feeling of the combat. Late game weapons and abilities make things feel better but never perfect. Despite the combat and the forgettable story, I did have some fun in Astor: Blade of the Monolith at the end of the day; the cuteness of the characters won the day.
I know I have been critical of the developer in the past, and while I, myself didn’t really vibe with their marketing techniques; at the end of the day developer Digital Cybercherries’ freshman offering is a joy to play with others. It can be rather difficult alone due to having to defend multiple towers, but with others, online or split-screen I cannot deny this is a fun game. Its not going to set the world on fire, but for a group of buddies on a weekend; this one will definitely make you smile.
I came away impressed with Fabledom, it offers something unique and new to the city builder genre. Some of the humor was a little dry for my taste, but its impossible to deny this games cutesy charm. It’s a very likeable and chill city builder and aside from the AI still needing some work; despite being in EA for a year, Fabledom is a relaxing and wholly enjoyable game.
Even with my somewhat minor complaints, I walked away from Killer Klowns from Outer Space wholly impressed with the gameplay, the faithfulness to the movie and the graphics. For a budget title this is a great looking game, textures on the klowns faces are lifelike and creepy, cotton candy that is literally on everything as the match progress has a light and wispy look as one would expect. With everything that this game is doing, for me; Killer Klowns from Outer Space feels like the best version of these asymmetrical multiplayer games. I love, love that the team at Illfonic found a way to keep players engaged even after they died in game. With a great balance between puzzles, scares and fun; each match was a blast to play, even if I have yet to escape as a teen. Burnt out on DbD, tired of being turned into chili by Leatherface and his fam? Killer Klowns from Outer Space deserves your attention, I just hope it retains its player base.
Having never played the original, I can say that I enjoyed Freedom Planet 2 even if the combat annoyed me at times. The Sonic like speedy traversal of each level was a joy to complete, the real issues only crept up when combat was needed. While it was nice to have some advanced moves, given how fast FP2 plays; the combat kind of felt out of place. Floaty combat with the high speed makes the boss battles frustrating; If people can get around that, they will find that Freedom Planet 2 is a peek into Sega’s heyday, with a cheesy story and heroes that ‘gotta go fast’ if you are in the need for some Genesis vibes, take a trip to Freedom Planet 2.
By far and away the best thing about Tales of Kenzera: Zau is its narrative, Surgent Studios have proven themselves to be quite the masterful storytellers. A story tackling grief, acceptance and loss is rare in this day and age and the team have done extremely well of making it relatable. Not only that but the world and imagery in Kenzera is some of the best I’ve seen and I hope that this is just the beginning for these tales of Kenzera, as I am certainly ready for more.
I hadn’t heard anything about Heading Out before it landed in my lap for review, and I am so grateful it did. I absolutely loved the gritty, 70’s feel of the racing and multiple vehicles. And I already gushed over the awesome soundtrack and radio personalities, as a fan of the talk radio in the recent GTA games this felt right up there as far as production value, content, and laughs. Mix all those things together and you end up with one mesmerizing road trip, that fans of the genre will be glad they took.