CucumbeRunner’s biggest strengths are its simplicity, super responsive controls, and speedy game flow. I can safely recommend this to younger folks looking for a casual, tricky platformer, but not too punishing. If you seek something more fleshed out, I would advise looking elsewhere. Overall, decent attempt with enough pull to make me finish the game!
Don’t be fooled by the simple graphics, shapes, and “mobile game-esque” presentation. Drop It: Block Paradise has some good ideas, clever design, many achievements to collect, and a fun level editor. All it needs is some polishing with the controls across various inputs because the game is really tailor-made for all ages. I also found the game to perform a bit sluggishly on low-spec computers, which is a bit surprising given the graphics. However, the sheer number of levels is enough for me to give Drop It: Block Paradise the green thumb of approval.
Just like how the Nintendo Switch and Metroid Dread bundle like bread and butter, Hollow Knight can just as easily be the butter of a Steam Deck sandwich (or just get it on virtually any other mainstream platform!). The main story might feel a bit short when you subtract the hours spent on grinding and figuring out where to go. However, you’ll likely add more hours doing side-quests, each with its own rewards and optional content that pull back the plot curtains even further. Combine that with the beautiful visuals, deep story, and generally higher, but not punishing difficulty compared to the games they take inspiration from, and it’s an A+ in my book. I suggest you take your sweet time working your way through because Team Cherry is cooking up a sequel which may or may not see its release this year. Finally, I can join my excitement with the hundreds of thousands of Hollow Knight fans eagerly waiting for its completion!
I think the folks at Team Scoop laid out a nice groundwork here. They clearly know how to make lively environments with good atmospheric sound, full voice acting, and matching music to add to the mysteriousness of the place. The lack of puzzle variety could also fit into the narrative as a free sample to a much larger world, showcasing other potential challenges to solve with the Dimensional Camera. I’d gladly pay for such content and treat Shutter in its current state as an Episode 1 kind of deal because looking at it from that perspective really makes the game worth experiencing. Portal and Portal 2 fans should be able to get a nice kick out of this title. I look forward to seeing Team Scoop expand on this promising universe.
Quirks aside, the beautiful levels and fair challenges kept me hooked. Fans of the previous titles should feel right at home because why fix what isn’t broken? I would love to see a sequel that expands on this concept because Roterra 4 – Magical Revolution, on its own, has all the basic ingredients in place. Add the sweet sprinkles, and I could see this becoming a full-on puzzle adventure rather than a simple casual pick-me-up.