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Seriously, can somebody check on me because one of two things has happened – Either I’ve gone insane and these are just the ramblings of a mad man or I’ve finally found a game that lets me release all of that stored up violent, face rolling, nerdy man-rage from all of the rage-inducing games I’ve been playing recently. Thankfully it’s the latter of the two and the irony of it all is that I’ve have found solace in a game called Okhlos, a rogue-like indie “angry mob” strategy game. Okhlos is set in mythological ancient Greece, a land ruled by the all-powerful, take no crap, Gods of Olympus! One vile act of carnage leads to another and the gods do not seem to care for the well-being of the citizens of Greece...
This game is so much more than just a rage simulator; it’s an extremely fast paced, action packed, hardcore indie sidescroller that has ninjas, robots and a dastardly Doctor Robotnik-esque villain called Captain Greatbeard. Told through the use of dark humor and some beautiful crafted cut scenes, the story unfolds and Greatbeard has kidnapped you and trapped your beloved forest friends (and as I am writing this, it’s just hit me…) inside his robot drones. How “whack-job” mental is that? It’s your job to prove to Greatbeard that your particular set of ninja skills make you deadlier than Liam Neeson and faster than a combination of The Flash and Usain Bolt by traversing through each of the levels killing his robot minions within 10 seconds.
I am absolutely staggered that Telltale have put their name to this game, as releasing this under the guise of it being a finished product is disgusting. I don’t follow too much in terms of the Steam Greenlight/Early Access scene, and genuinely didn’t know that this was an unfinished product. It’s being released at a ‘budget’ price of £30, with “DLC Packs” included. Here’s a tip, guys. If you want to hock DLC for a game, make sure it’s finished before you let it dribble out onto consoles. There was a point where every man and his dog was making a PC game trying to capture some of the DayZ market, and this feels like a rushed hangover of that time. In time, this could change. However, 7 Days to Die is being released and marketed as a completed game on consoles, and we are reviewing it as such. It is a buggy, glitch-ridden mess of a game, which looks like an A-Level project and has less atmosphere than the moon. The fact that it’s being released and pushed in this state is, quite simply, unforgivable.
I actually came into Rise of the Dark Spark with relatively high hopes. The "Cybertron" games have actually been quite good, and with the dawn of new console hardware, I was looking forward to seeing what was possible for my favourite robots in disguise. Sadly, what we got was a half-baked offering that was clearly put out to meet the movie's release date. As a long term fan, Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is about as fun as having unnecessary surgery. The only thing that poses any form of saving grace is Peter Cullen's voice work, but if you're after that, there's plenty more Transformers content that you could be watching.
Subject 13 is certainly not a highly-polished release and its lack of length and abrupt end gives the impression that either this was at one time intended to be a longer experience, or it feels like the first episode of a series. A point and click game certainly doesn’t need to break new ground or be visually stunning, but Subject 13 is disappointing in most respects – even the most basic puzzling mechanics. Kickstarter has brought us some fascinating re-imaginings of classic genre titles, or new, original graphic adventures to play, but Paul Cuisset has regrettably failed to deliver a new classic to add to his resume.
The Assembly seems like a waste, in terms of using the PlayStation VR headset. It could easily be played as an original PlayStation 4 game, and in all honestly, not a very good one either. A complete lack of story and gameplay depth, The Assembly is nothing more than a failed tech demo if I’m being completely honest. There are so many better games to play on the PlayStation VR system, and The Assembly is one I’d probably avoid like the viruses that they portray in this game!
Trillion: God of Destruction is a disappointing effort for a handheld game. Incredibly lengthy cut scenes interspersed with relatively short battles, clunky control systems and laughable hyper-sexualised characters ensure that a title with such promise never really gets past its initial confusion. The quality of the 2D artwork is fantastic, but the leap to 3D doesn’t quite work all of the time, and somehow feels lacking. A great idea that’s been sorely mistreated, with very little actual gameplay on display.
Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter feels like a let-down. Crimes & Punishments was far from perfect, but it felt like clear progress – this latest effort feels like treading water at best.
A game that had the potential to not only evoke memories of a classic franchise, but also stand alone on its own two feet, Shadow of the Beast stumbles and doesn't quite live up to the potential it clearly has. There are some lovely looking areas and when the combat sticks, it's enjoyable. The problem is that there are more moments of pure frustration than delight, including control issues and that unfathomable decision to force you to unlock native language subtitles. If you're after a blast of nostalgia and nothing else, however, the original 1989 title is included in the game as an unlockable, but this remake doesn't really add much to the legacy of the franchise.
A sadly barebones “up-res” re release that’s lacking the polish of Capcoms recent Resident Evil remasters and even their Mega Man collection. The games are no less fun, however the second is far and away the best. It’s just a shame that there’s not enough effort gone into this for fans and collectors, and the lack of the Case Zero and West download chapters as well as the fragmented release make the set feel incomplete.
Yesterday Origins is certainly not going to win over new fans who aren't already dedicated to graphic adventures. There is very little on offer that hasn't been seen already in every other point and clicker that has come out over the last decade, and the inconsistent style and tone would likely put off many players as they try to persevere through. The premise and variety of locales however do make exploration interesting for those who can forgive its faults, and this is far from a bad game - just one that could have benefited from a more focused design approach.
Whilst this may be a time killer whilst you wait for the next big RPG, this won't be an RPG you'll remember fondly.
Lumo takes all of your rose-tinted memories of the isometric adventure genre and manages to faithfully re-create them – whilst making the much-needed changes that make going back to those old games so painful. True, some gamers won’t appreciate the soft touch, but Noyce caters for them too if they want more of a challenge.
Lost Dimension certainly doesn’t make a great first impression. On the surface, the visuals aren’t up to scratch, the plot is fairly hackneyed and the turn-based RPG battles aren’t exactly revolutionary. However, there is one particularly unique gameplay mechanic that somehow manages to keep pushing you forward, eager to progress.
Lumo takes all of your rose-tinted memories of the isometric adventure genre and manages to faithfully re-create them – whilst making the much-needed changes that make going back to those old games so painful. True, some gamers won’t appreciate the soft touch, but Noyce caters for them too if they want more of a challenge.
The gaming landscape has certainly changed since Dishonored was released in 2012, but the advent of the current generation of home consoles has done nothing to diminish its strengths. Dishonored remains an enthralling mix of first-person stealth action, supernatural special powers and a timeless painterly aesthetic. Thrust into the centre of a diabolical plot, out for revenge, Dishonored gives players the freedom to play the game their way – whether that be good or bad, lethal or non-lethal – and to see the game world shaped by your actions.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst still feels like a lot of fun to play through, as the parkour system remains a really successful mechanic for navigating the game world. Dice have made a lot of changes that both hurt and harm the series, but at least you couldn't say that this is a lazy re-working of an eight-year old game.
The story and setting in Mafia III are compelling enough to get you to battle past many of these flaws – just to see what happens next – but the multitude of flaws do leave a sour taste in the mouth. There are multiple endings on offer, but these are based solely on one final decision at the end, meaning that there are no consequences if you play the entire affair as a ruthless killer, and no real reward for sparing lives – aside from a small cash boost, but you will never find yourself short on money. As such, the missions sadly turn into a grind just to reach the endgame – just to find out how Lincoln's tale ends. A repetitive and bug-laden affair, the gameplay and mechanics just don't do justice to what is a finely balanced representation of racial tension in 1960's America.
Hidden somewhere within DriveClub is a very good racing game. A game with online hooks that dig in to every element of the experience, whether you're taking on friends and rivals directly or through the challenges dotted around the game. Sadly, the most crucial part of the game simply doesn't work right now, and in spite of its extra 11 months, feels horribly unfinished in places. Things like dynamic weather should be in the game at launch, particularly as that's what was showcased so much at the likes of E3 and EGX. Whilst everyone should appreciate that things happen that will derail some plans a little bit, the fact that DriveClub is still as broken as it is this far down the line, in spite of the additional year that was given to it is inexcusable. Hopefully, in 6 months time, when everything is fixed and all of the content patches are out, it will be a game worth picking up. Until that day arrives, it's very, very difficult to recommend DriveClub as anything more than an astonishingly pretty, but ultimately nothing more than competent single-player racing game.
Despite some of my negativity, anyone who loves visual novels should certainly consider adding Root Letter to their collection, just maybe wait for a lower price. It's a love / hate relationship right down to the roots!