DarkZero's Reviews
The writing and narration combined with the beautiful hand drawn graphics unite to create a gaming experience that feels both literary and cartoonish. The player feels like her or she is fighting his or her way through a graphic novel which lends a feeling of whimsy that makes up for the sometimes frustrating gameplay. There is a lot of grinding involved in this game, but the grind is generally pretty fun. It is surprisingly addictive and great to play in the wee hours of the night.
Doom is a big name in gaming history, and this new entry offers a great and faithful encapsulation of its predecessors fast-passed shooting, trademark gore and infamous demons.
There's a creative mind-bending aspect to some of the puzzles – at the right zoom level panels can be visually combined in clever ways. It really is a very carefully crafted game and I found the difficulty level just right – both pleasantly challenging and satisfying. While over quickly, I really enjoyed Gorogoa.
To call Odin Sphere Leifthrasir the definitive version of the original game would be selling it short: the sheer amount of improvements and new content have transformed the game into a whole new experience that both original fans and curious newcomers must not miss. As 3D visuals continue to dominate most of the gaming industry today, 2D homages like Odin Sphere truly are becoming a lost art that must be admired for as long as they remain.
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is a wonderfully poignant, moving sci-fi journey. A fully realized world, excellent writing, superb voice acting, beautiful music, and a compelling, intriguing mystery are more than worth a few technical difficulties and some subpar mechanics. If you have any interest in narrative driven adventure games, you're sure to find a new favorite here.
Airscape: The Fall of gravity is an action platformer that delivers on all that it promises. The gravity defying physics, inventive level design, and variety of charming characters all come together to make an extremely enjoyable gaming experience. Even though some may find the game's difficulty to be daunting, it never feels like the game is being sadistically hard. Anyone who's a fan of challenging, action platformers will definitely find plenty to keep them entertained.
The script is fun and fresh and appropriate. The depth and the humor especially separate Undertale from the pack and give it a touch of class. I like games that don't take themselves too seriously and there is a whimsicality to this game that I love. The experience of playing it is nothing short of enchanting.
Assault Android Cactus is a slick game that feels so good to play, feels so right in your hands with its satisfying controls, intelligent game mechanics, charming presentation, terrific levels and exciting weapon styles. It manages to bring refreshment to such an ancient way of playing video games, which is no easy feat to perform.
Dariusburst Chronicle Saviours is jam-packed with brilliant shoot-em-up action. It's a game that can last you a long time, and hardly ever loses its touch over that period. Pricey compared to similar games, but what you get for that is absolutely stellar.
I have nothing but praise for Codemasters' return to the muddy motorsport of rally. This might be barebones when it comes to its presentation, but with the loudness stripped away, what is here, and what matters, is the amazing execution of its gameplay. Dirt Rally is a visceral monster of a rally game, bringing an additive and unforgiving driving model that makes it all so more rewarding when a stage goes right.
I would recommend Nuclear Throne to anyone that likes video games.
Retro-styled Indie games are all too common these days, almost as much as fan-made Sonic games.
But let's take stock. Here is a sprawling, compelling game made with impressive confidence – masterfully paced and expanding on its predecessor without for a moment losing track of its appeal. It's a game that has kept its integrity intact while navigating the weird waters of mass market appeal, and one that retains a real undertanding of fundamentally enjoyable mechanics. Rise of The Tomb Raider is exceptionally easy to recommend.
This is a burgeoning sub-genre but Layers of Fear has to be a high-point, and it deserves to be seen as a standard bearer.
Tearaway is a showcase in what the Vita can do, as it’s a game that can only work on that system, merging the hardware with gameplay into a wonderful package that makes for a truly unique experience that is also a fantastic one.
Valkyria Chronicles received a lot of acclaim during its PS3 debut, and its praises must be sung again in this remastered port. Whatever Sega decides to do with the franchise from here on remains unclear, but at least fans new and old can enjoy one of their finest efforts in the last generation, not to mention one of the single best RPGs period.
Given the problems with the previous episodes, I would class the whole game as a solid 8, though this episode in particular was an excellent, climactic and, above all, affecting foray into the mind of Michonne.
To sum it up, SpeedRunners is an excellent game for arcade racing game fans everywhere. Its controls are simple, its gameplay is addictive, and its Saturday morning cartoon vibe all combine together to make this game an instant classic that will have you racing again and again and again, just for the satisfaction of moving up in the rankings and finally putting that smug guy in the cosmonaut suit in his place.
I’d recommend Don’t Starve Together to anyone who enjoys a unique and challenging gaming experience, particularly if they have a few friends who are interested in the same thing.
Finally, there’s the simple fact that this is an economic strategy game. As such, it’s automatically going to have a rather niche appeal – but I really do hope people give it a chance. This isn’t a dry and cerebral experience: there’s action, passion and nail-biting tension. Surprisingly accessible and deep as you like, Offworld Trading Company is a standout addition to what’s already been a fantastic year for strategy games.