Blasphemous 2 scratched an itch I didn’t even realize I had, I am not a fan of soulsbourne games, but I think I AM a fan of roguelikes, especially this one that took the best parts from the metroidvania genre and expertly weaved with the ‘Souls’ type combat. Boasting a strange and evocative narrative that is presented with beautifully painted and animated cutscenes that look like works of art hanging in the Louvre, Blasphemous 2 is itself a work of art.
Wild Card Football has pleasantly surprised me I must say, I was already intrigued with its blend of strategic card games and the game of football. But to finally play it and see that the card game doesn’t detract from the football game but instead enhances it and makes it something totally new and fun to play. The on-field action is quite solid as well, not as accurate as Madden and not the rules free slam fest that is NFL Blitz. But the play calling is tight, and easy to understand with a handful of runs, passes, trick and defense plays to choose from. Anyone who is burnt out with the simulation style football games should check out Wild Card as it’s a blast to play.
I loved my time in Sandrock, it genuinely feels innovative within the farming/cozy games that have come out lately. As I said it My Time at Sandrock offers a ton of content for players to tackle, even though it can be overwhelming at times. The PC version also allows players to play the game co-op, at the time of this writing its not planned to come to the other platforms but that may change. The colorful art style, desert setting and memorable characters make for a fantastic adventure that players of the genre shouldn’t skip.
Robocop: Rogue City is an absolute gem of a game. While not as polished as a AAA title, it still manages to look great in motion and function just as well. The bugs I found were minimum and usually happened when I killed an enemy near a guardrail, for some reason they are all programmed to fall over no matter how far away from the rail they may be. But I never ran into any real issues here, Rogue City is as solid as Robocop himself. I would be remiss if I didn’t shoutout the excellent audio in Rogue City, from the excellent Peter Weller reprising his role as Alex Murphy/Robocop to the inclusion of an EXCELLENT piano version of the classic movie theme if you are a fan of Robocop, Rogue City has been made for you. Playing Rogue City, I couldn’t help but think that Teyon has done for Robocop what Rocksteady did for Batman. They managed to highlight another side of the character in the interactive space by allowing players to really embody the ‘cop’ part of Robocop.
El Paso, Elsewhere is a fun throwback to a simpler time in video games. All we needed was dual pistols, a slow-motion dive and some gruff narration and this game checks all those boxes. While I was not blown away by the PS1-esque graphics; I am sure that there will be those that will enjoy them. But it’s the story that folks should come for, the tale between these two lovers is something worthy of a sad opera. Despite its shortcomings El Paso, Elsewhere surprised me quite a bit and could end up being quite the sleeper of 2023.
I am extremely happy I was given this game to review. I love this world; the actual battlefields are beautiful upon spawning in. From the lighting to the landscapes the artists on this team have truly given us some spectacular looking playgrounds. Some of the best I’ve seen in an RTS game, sadly by the time the battle is over they will resemble a scarred warzone but still no less beautiful. The characters in the Usonia campaign were very well done, which was helped by excellent cutscenes and voice over artists. I am now playing through the main story in order to fill in some of these holes I have by starting with the DLC campaign, but I am loving every moment of it so far. I am so happy to return to my love of RTS games and found that in my absence the genre has grown and changed in a fantastic and wonderful way. I really hope the developers have more in store for this one, as they definitely have a new fan in me!
All in all, I came away impressed with this game, will it make me a convert to ‘bullet hell’ types? No, but it will be a nice change of pace between some of my other games. If you are just looking for some frantic, twin stick action that will test your reflexes as well as your resolve then look no further than the beautiful landscapes and twisty levels of Curved Space.
I really enjoyed my time with Tails of Iron, it had a very mature story to tell wrapped up in a charming yet dark world. The clever use of communication between the creatures while using ‘Geralt’ for narration duties is definitely one of my highlights from this game. While I am not a fan of the ridiculously named ‘Souls-Borne’ genre, there was so much to love about Tails of Iron that it was easy to overlook. Sure, the combat was very difficult but who doesn’t like a challenge; I just hope we get to see more from Redgi and his brothers in the future.
Aftermath is an interesting title for this expansion to World War Z. The very definition of the word is the “aftereffects of some sort of significant unpleasant event, but honestly this expansion is anything but unpleasant. Sure, there are some frame drops, and the FPS mode is gimmickier than anything else but this is an extremely solid update. The addition of the extra class in the Vanguards, the extra story missions as well as the Horde XL update adding more hordes of the undead to take down and what you get is a very pleasant update to an already stellar co-op zombie shooter.
Severed Steel is a fantastic ride while it last, there is a map editor for the brave but replay value is only going to be found for those that have the need to top a leaderboard or want to record some dope slo-mo montages. Anyone looking for a supremely easy to get into action game that blends the bullet-time from Max Payne with a bombastic soundtrack pumping techno music and all the slides and dives from 80-90’s action movies…look absolutely no further than Severed Steel. For a first game Greylock has nailed it and I can’t wait to see this gem on consoles.
There are secret areas to explore, walls that can be broken by attacks, bosses hidden off the beaten path and so much more. And its these moments that make Death’s Gambit: Afterlife shine brightest for me, but if you are a fan of rouge-lites then you will find much to love here as well. It doesn’t really add much new to the genre but it checks all the boxes that rogue-lites require and there is nothing wrong with that.
Turtle Rock Studios have made a triumphant return to the genre that kickstarted a whole zombie craze so many years ago. That return isn’t perfect though, issues with the controls, missing game modes and bugs have marred what is otherwise an enjoyable zombie killfest. At the time of this writing a few patches have gone out that have corrected most of the larger bugs, but there are still issues with spawning too many special infected at a time and other little issues. While these things can be frustrating, they don’t destroy the fun of Back 4 Blood when playing the game as it’s meant to be. That is playing multiplayer with a group of friends smartly navigating a nightmare filled world.
Each of the missions ends with a ranking system and various unlocks. Some of these things will only be usable in Code Fairy, while some suits will be unlocked for players in it’s older brother Battle Operation 2. I enjoyed the single player and slower pace of Code Fairy. I was finally able to get a handle on the combat and movement system that Battle Operation uses. But really the true cherry here was the fantastic story of the Noisy Fairy Squadron, watching this team start off on shaky ground but ultimately coming together and meshing as all good teams do was just the feel-good story that I needed to see. Its one that really resonates with people, and the fact that its so well done and is an all-female team is a nice chef’s kiss.
Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is a pretty good game overall, while its story is simple and its gameplay not terribly difficult most experienced gamers can knock it out in 7 hours or so. The game boasts some great graphics due to the awesome sprite work, and it has an extremely catchy soundtrack; which is always a nice bonus. I think Team Ladybug managed to put out a game that has something for quite a varied audience. Those that are fans of the novels or anime series will surely find something to love, but those of us who enjoy ‘metoridvania’ type games will find a lot to appreciate as well; and who knows maybe even turn the next generation of fans onto Record of Lodoss War as a whole.
And while the story wasn’t the best, it was entertaining and that’s all I require from my media. Also, it should be noted that the controls have been updated from their old school versions which is a plus, all and all if you are looking for a creepy action adventure game with a cool main character (who is a brotha!!) and some interesting otherworldly mechanics then you should give Shadow Man Remastered a whirl.. or do it so we get a proper current gen sequel.
Conan Chop Chop pleasantly surprised me, while I was drawn to it solely based on the Conan brand it really turned out to be a quite enjoyable, co-op romp through the lands of Hyboria. I mean for $20 this is a game that is complete, offers lots of replay ability and has tons of unlockables to chase by way of completing the collection of weapons, armor and runes. The family friendly approach is another great move in my opinion as it will surely help to attract a new audience, in fact after playing it my daughter has asked questions about Conan. I smiled at her and told her we can talk about when she’s older, but for now we can play some more Conan Chop Chop.
I gotta say that Tentacular is vastly different from what I thought it was going to be based on the trailers I’d seen. And this is very much a wonderful thing, because like I said I’ve played lots of games focused on destruction; which I initially thought this was. But much to my delight and surprise, Tentacular turned out to be a wonderful, heartfelt game that touches on things like being adopted, and being different and how those differences can really be a boon to those around us. Developer Firepunchd Games did a wonderful job with creating Tentacular. I very much enjoyed the gameplay but most of all the story was so touching and the sense of discovery as you peel back the mystery of the kaiju’s origins is very well done. If you need a break from constant destruction, Tentacular might be the fresh sea breeze for you.
Gearbox did a great job of crafting the classes and making them feel unique enough to fit in this fantasy world. While I would have liked to see more synergy between them ala real Dungeons and Dragons tabletop games there is just enough here to make players feel like they are contributing to the group dynamic. With some tweaks here and there, I’d love to be given the opportunity to play in Tiny Tina’s world again. She can BM for me anytime.
Blast Brigade vs The Evil Legion of Dr. Cread is the mash-up I never knew I wanted. With its rewarding exploration, thoughtful map design and some genuinely funny writing; Blast Brigade manages to shine bright in a field already crowded with stars.
SD Gundam: Battle Alliance is definitely a game that is created for the fans. From the roster of over 60 mobile suits (with more to be added via DLC) across the entirety of the series almost 50-year run its clear to see the passion and work that the team at Artddink poured into this game. The easier combat is complemented by the cutesy art style that the SD universe allows and even though I would prefer a more traditional Gundam experience; I must admit I had a really good time with this game. Even with the lack of an English dub and the easier combat SD Gundam: Battle Alliance may not win over any new fans to the series but for those fans who have been yearning for a new Gundam game this is one that is made for you.