Is a fairly solid beat ’em up paying homage to the greatest of Kevin Smith’s greatest gags worth a full fifteen dollars? While the enjoyment of it seems a bit situational, if you’re a fan of Smith’s comedy hijinks and want a playable museum of his best, I’d say that fifteen’s worth it. While the challenge is there and the combat satisfies, it doesn’t strive to make any new ground in the genre, other than a couple of tricky levels inspired by games of the era it aims to imitate. This is perfectly fine because it does all that it needs to with what it is, a simple NES throwback with some 90’s movie flair that thrives for nostalgia in more ways than one. Even if you don’t know much about the movies, if you catch this on sale, give it a try. Who knows, you might find yourself with some movies to watch for the weekend.
Sumire’s themes are deep and challenging. While the gameplay itself is casual, the story and content are anything but. If you need a game that will tug at your heartstrings and that doesn’t shy away from making you consider difficult subjects, give this surprising little gem a chance.
If you enjoyed Crypt of the Necrodancer to any capacity, then you’ll definitely find a tune to dance to here. For those less inclined to bustin’ a move while you’re bustin’ heads, approach with caution. Boy Beats World won’t hesitate to put you in your place and expects you to get a grip on the groove right from the get-go. The dancefloor isn’t for everyone, but if you still got a taste for that sweet oscillating bitpop, waltz your way over to a walkthrough, ’cause this one could sell on its music alone. The beat drops on May 28th, 2021, so tune in for the mix on Steam!
It can leave your heart racing, and it can leave you stunned at the scenery, and, sometimes, it’ll leave you bewildered at how brutal the game can be, but ultimately, I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a diamond in the rough here. It’s gonna feel unpolished and early-access-ish with paltry menus, no saving, and only one map and two heroes to play as. Still, there’s a lot of potential here. But until a few content issues, save system complaints, and AI fine-tuning gets addressed, I can’t quite give Until We Die too much of a recommendation unless you find it on sale.
The ultimate thing to keep in mind if you want to enjoy this game is that it is absolutely vital you play this like an old light gun game. Don’t go in expecting depth or length because there isn’t much here. It’s meant to play like an arcade game: short, sweet, and to the point. That’s the whole idea, and once you get that ingrained in how you play, it becomes the best damn arcade shooter you’ll play in a long while. No complicated systems, no powerups, not even much in the way of plot. Just you, zombies, a bit of witty banter, and the fastest gunplay this side of the urban jungle. I’d say for a mere $20, Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever has more than enough heart to satisfy that arcade itch while leaving more than enough room to grow into something even better down the road.
From Blair Witch: VR Edition’s unsatisfying attempts at terror to forgettable characters and absolutely poor graphics, you have plenty of reason to skip this hike through the woods. Throw in some game-breaking bugs and glitches to an already lacking experience, and your $29.99 is better spent elsewhere. Let this be a testament that horror games don’t always need a VR port to continue to be scary.
All in all, Seed of Life has all the tools it needs to sprout a lovely little flower, but it’ll need to take special care to groom and care for itself to get there. There’s a good number of thorns in this garden, so you should approach with caution, knowing this. But you can see where Seed of Life tried its best to shine, so if you’re itching to take a hike through alien lands, Seed of Life is a charming enough indie gem to keep you well-watered for a few hours.
Arietta of Spirits is one seriously charming journey. It exudes the kind of warmth and casual sense of adventure that you can only seem to find in these indie gems. From its stellar spritework to the way the music and ambient sounds wind their way gently through the deep forests, everything comes together to deliver a game that’s easy on the eyes and memorable. And while this spirit’s tale is quite a bit shorter than most, the scene set around it radiates a vibrance that truly lets this fairytale soar. If you have a few hours to spare and got the funds, you’d be remiss not to give this ghost story a fair venture.
If you’re in the mood for a few good laughs and some great gore, Alien Scumbags has everything you’re looking for. While simplistic and occasionally exhausting, the combat still provides a fine challenge and plenty of rewards for exploring during your alien slaughter. Add to that the staggering amount of references found throughout the campaign, and it’s clear this was a project born of passion and dedication. As long as you don’t go in expecting a revolutionary gameplay experience, you’ll find little not to love about Alien Scumbags.
At its core, Faraday Protocol does what it needs to as a puzzler and has all the necessary elements to deliver a compelling experience, but it needs refinement in a few other aspects before it can really shine. I would’ve loved to see a more cohesive tutorial system for guidance, and maybe some more sprinkles of story stuff scattered around. As it stands, if you’ve got the time to sort out the hows and whys to the game’s many mechanics, I can’t think of any reason why you shouldn’t give Faraday Protocol a good old college try.
The simple, pick-up-and-play racing action keeps things tame so anyone can pick one of the several rides and zoom down the masterfully crafted tracks without any fuss and little learning curve. With only a few misgivings to work on as of this review, Hot Wheels Unleashed has first place already in the bag, and I’m eager to see it continue succeeding down the line.
So what’s the verdict for this trip down the synthwave highway? As an avid EDM junkie, this is the sweetest treat for my eclectic earholes, and this review should prove that Klang 2 dares to grab that fated fruit of masterful rhythm combat. The aesthetic is eye-catching, a raver’s paradise with a perfect pitch of neon, Tron-lines, and vibrant special effects. While the story does more to present itself than the last game does, it misses a few notes in the depth department and needs a lesson or two in conciseness. Most importantly, though, the difficulty spikes can absolutely set back a casual player that can’t catch on to the combat. Fans of EDM should absolutely tune in for the soundtrack bLiNd put together for this, while rhythm game fans should approach with caution if they’re not much for electronic music or the bold color choices. For just $15, you’re getting a serious bang for your buck here.
All in all, there’s a lot of heart to this little gem. It’s got some rough edges, particularly in its refusal to hold players’ hands. Players might find they need the extra help, and for that, we’ll have a plethora of guides to help smooth over that issue. But the fact does remain that there’s a lack of guidance where it counts here. It’s worth keeping in mind that this game doesn’t want, nor need, to take itself seriously, so someone hoping for a long-lasting, deep plot should approach with caution. Lastly, if there’s one thing someone could take from this game, it’s that voxel’s back baby, and Cococucumber proves it in spades. The shading, atmosphere, and vivid coloring make the whole world pop in ways that only Cococucumber could’ve pulled off. If you’re in the mood for an ’80s-inspired sci-fi adventure with solid combat and beautiful, voxel-based visuals, Echo Generation has exactly what you’re looking for.
All in all, would I recommend this robot-fueled time travel adventure? Absolutely! Even though the story serves as yet another example of why one shouldn’t trifle with time travel, the fun involved makes turning the clock back to 1995 seem pretty enticing. From solid physics to flawlessly detailed environments, Time Loader takes the player on a wild ride through the past, and launches the neglected 2D puzzle-platformer genre into the future like a speeding DeLorean leaving flame trails in its wake.
All in all, would I recommend this slip into the dream world? If you really enjoy this developer’s games, I say go for it for the price it’s sitting at, but even fans of walking simulators might feel cheated out of a decent experience here. Maybe I wasn’t on enough drugs to catch the real meaning behind this. Maybe I just wasn’t the target audience. With a lack of interesting gameplay, visuals, or any sense of thematic cohesion, it’s not worth the time spent. As it stands, I’d say save the $4.00 for something a little more meaningful and a little less slipshod.
Neptunia hits a real middle-of-the-road balance with this one. On one side, the combat falls short of frantic ninja battles and the graphics desperately need a touch-up. On the other side though, the character designs are some of the best I’ve seen for a spin-off, it’s a treat to see the Senran Kagura gang interact with our favorite CPUs, and the story brings along the same meta humor and gaming references that Neptunia rarely fails to deliver. While the uninitiated might not find it fleshed out enough, for those who are fans of both series in this crossover, Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is a beautiful bacchanalia of busty, battling babes!
Would I recommend tuning into Captain Toonhead vs. The Punks From Outer Space? Absolutely! But there are a few things to keep in mind. The game’s eye-searing color palette, the crude, childish humor, and lack of length and depth are going to be a hard swallow for some. But, if none of those deter you, I can confidently say that the gameplay’s fun and well thought out, the story is short, sweet, and to the point, and, most importantly, it is oozing with charm and heart. It’s easy to see Captain Toonhead vs. The Punks From Outer Space was made as a product of passion, and I can think of no better way to spend a Saturday morning than letting your inner child run wild in this cartoonish VR playground.
All in all, would I recommend squaring up with The Alien Cube? The best way I can describe this game is a very thin slice from an authentic Lovecraftian pie. It doesn’t entirely look the part, but you’ll take a bite and know exactly what you’re sinking your teeth into and probably end up reminded why you love this flavor of horror. From the surreal environments to the indescribable horrors after your blood, it’s the stuff known and loved by the Lovecraft community. Be warned though, that while the flavor tastes the part, The Alien Cube‘s optimization issues and occasionally lacking gameplay can make it tough to swallow. That said, if you can forgive a few missteps and have a hankering for hellish horrors, it’s worth digging into – especially when you consider its asking price.
All in all, would I recommend this dip into the ocean blue? Absolutely, but only if you consider what you’re getting into. There’s no denying this game is eye-candy of the sweetest caliber, with rarely any part of the vine-strangled world lacking vividly colored details. That said, you have to go in knowing that this is a perfect example of peaceful gaming, with no death or combat in sight. Exploration is the name of the game here, and it’s best to go into Submerged: Hidden Depths with low tension, an open mind, and a good pair of headphones. Admittedly, it’s on the short side, but if you’re eager to uncover the secret of these decaying cities, you’ll find the perfect game to scratch that urban exploration itch.
Unless you have the patience of a saint, I would steer clear of In Nightmare. It really is a shame, as there’s an interesting story being told from Bill’s eyes and a really vibrant and vivid world with a unique style to explore, but any semblance of gameplay is horribly hampered by a nightmare of poor gameplay designs. I’ll keep dreaming of how much I’d enjoy this game once it sees some quality of life improvements show up to fix the plethora of lackluster stealth gameplay and frustrating “puzzles”.