Chalgyr's Game Room
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ECHO is a fantastic experience that came out of nowhere. It is smart in multiple ways, in both its game mechanics and the narrative which certainly made me think. In a lot of indie titles you expect compromised production values or clumsy stealth, but the amount of polish added to an original storyline makes this a more memorable experience than I expected.
Ogre is a classic tabletop strategy game by Steve Jackson Games, and while it is fantastic to see a game like this get the digital treatment, the end result is generally solid, if not great. Ogre hits many of the necessary notes needed to make it a success, though there are better strategy video games out there.
Diner Dash 666: Holy Potatoes! What the Hell?! is a new game from Daylight that was released on a Friday the 13th for no better reason than style. It's a kitchen simulator along the lines of a Diner Dash or flash sushi bar games that were so popular a couple of years ago, with a couple of big twists.
Admittedly, I don’t normally play the style of games that Bad Apple Wars falls under, mainly the “dating sim” style games. Even more so when it’s also female oriented, so this is a step in a new direction for me, so bear with me a bit. That being said, the game isn’t bad, even from a male perspective, but I wouldn’t say it’s all that great either. The music is good, but the storylines and characters could definitely use some work.
Deadbeat Heroes is not only the Brawler that I've been wanting but a Brawler that takes its genre a step further like Haemimont Games did with Victor Vran (PC / PS4). With your fashion sense clocked into ten, get ready to take out a bunch of would be criminals from the streets that you are now in charge of!
Bear With Me from Exordium Games has just seen the launch of its third and final chapter. Taking a look at the entire series, the one clear fact in this 1950’s Noir-esque adventure is that the presentation and the writing are superb making it hard to remember at times that it’s all about a ten year old girl and her teddy bear looking for her brother that went missing and filling the rest with imagination.
Our latest chapter opens with an intense scene, which bodes well for Batman: The Enemy Within - Episode 2: The Pact. Unfortunately, the rest of the episode just never manages to maintain that momentum and left me hoping that Episode 3 can right the ship as too many characters are crammed into this episode with too little payout for decisions that are made during the chapter.
When I sit on the embroidered cushion of my imaginary throne to contemplate a series of games that has made the most profound improvements from inception to sequels, the Neptunia franchise is the third or fifth to bop into my brain. While the first game in the main series, 2011’s Hyperdimension Neptunia, established the lighthearted magnetism of its allegorical satire with lovable, comedic characters and narrative, as well as the fitting and unapologetic fan service, it also contained gameplay that I’ve heard fervid Nep-Nep junkies describe as “nightmarish, but definitely worth the struggle.” To some, HN was a charming shit-show, with a brain-fatiguing battle system that could be partially suppressed from the consciousness thanks to the glistening allure of its characters and writing.
Axiom Verge has come to the Nintendo Switch, and while the game has been out on several platforms over the last few years, it holds up just as well now as it did when it released then. It's retro sensibilities have allowed it to age flawlessly, making it just as compelling to play now as it was upon initial release. If for some reason you have not had a chance to play this Metroid-style game yet, and you have a Switch, you really should pick it up if you are a fan of action / adventure games.
“Morphite is a deep and enriching single-player experience with both a handcrafted story-driven plot as well as open-ended, procedurally generated, player-driven exploration and discovery.” Reading this as a description is one thing, actually experiencing this and it proving true is another. Morphite blew away my expectations of it and time simply flew on by as I explored the galaxy at my own pace in the shoes of Myrah Kale.
Cuphead is a throwback in almost every sense of the word. Visually it hearkens back to an old art style that remains fascinating today. Beyond its incredible visuals however, Cuphead is a tough-as-nails action platformer that reminded me of my classic platforming days where memorizing boss patterns and learning the lay of the land were essential for victory.
Ruiner has been on my radar for months and how I came about it was a bit different for one being in the games industry. Rather than receiving a press release regarding Ruiner, I actually found it while doing some animated GIF searches for "cyberpunk" and I was instantly hooked. Set in the year 2091 in the fictional cyber-metropolis Rengkok, Ruiner game is a brutal isometric shooter that immediately reminded me of a gritty title pulling influences from sources like Super Smash TV, the Contra series, A Scanner Darkly, and a handful of different Anime. What Reikon Games gives us though, is far, far more than just a run-and-gun action title set in the corporately-run underbelly of a future megalopolis, but rather a wild ride through the mind of someone that has had enough of a corrupt system and aims to bring it all crumbling down.
There are several reasons to be excited about the release of Pinball FX3, from improved visuals to retooled online options and a bevy of new modes. Having long been a fan of the Zen Pinball / Pinball FX games, I am pretty excited to see that Pinball FX3 is a considerable leap forward for the series.
The Solus Project is a moody title that blends exploration and light survival with stunning graphics and voice acting that is out of this world. Though exploration is a key driving factor in The Solus Project, the real gem is in the audio design; muting the game and running throughout the wet environs of Gleise-6143-C is a completely different (and worse) experience. While the map and littered lore are core bits to The Solus Project, the audio is what makes this a title that many gamers will thoroughly enjoy. Unfortunately though the strange mix between light survival, exploration, and moody lore-driven walking simulator means that while each genre is individually a strong case for a solid game, but together they seem muddied as the game progresses.
Two anime/manga/light novel franchises come together in Accel World vs Sword Art Online in the form of an action RPG that has an interesting premise and gameplay, but is severely lackluster as a port. While AWvSAO may have a solid basis in gameplay and environment, at least on the PC it's bogged down by a lot of lag and the often-times infuriatingly stupid enemy AI.
Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is a historical fantasy visual novel set in the Bakumatsu period in Japan and puts you in the shows of Chizuru-san, a young woman determined to find her father in Kyoto. As part one in a two-part series that is the retelling of the original Hakuoki released in 2008, you will romance a number of handsome samurai (some are new to help justify the cost of Kyoto Winds) in search of details surrounding your father's whereabouts. Though it pushes over 80 hours of content with 30 unique endings, Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds feels more like a prolonged cash grab in a genre that is often taken advantage of.
Roguelikes and Hack & Slashes are nothing new together (Zombasite) but Pylon: Rogue puts a lot more emphases on the Roguelike elements as once you kick the bucket, that’s it. Start over. With only unlocked items remaining available to purchase in the shop, you’ll have access to a total of four characters and different weapon loadouts in order to try to beat bosses and beat the game before the monsters beat you into your xth grave.
Slightly Mad Studios, the genius team behind titles like Shift 2 Unleashed, Need for Speed, and Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends is back after the success of 2015's overwhelmingly excellent Project CARS racing simulator. In the follow-up, Project CARS 2, Slightly Mad Studios is back at it, bringing full-on racing simulation to the masses on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, but how does it fare when compared to its predecessor? While it is an enjoyable and a must-buy for newcomers to the ultra-realistic driving simulator genre but may feel a bit stale to racing sim veterans.
Darkwood is a brutally atmospheric take on the top-down horror genre. Coming out of Early Access, Acid Wizard Studio's hit title is something of an amazing amalgamation of genres; blending horror with exploration, challenging combat, roguelike-world generations and roleplaying game-like character development, Darkwood is simply put, and awesome title. What shocked me most was that it seemed to be very similar to some of the best board games I have played, not in play style, but in the way it feels. For example, Mansions of Madness, easily one of the best board games ever, leaves you with this dark and foreboding feeling when you are done playing. Darkwood is that, but in video game form, and with rich gameplay and stunning sound design, Darkwood is easily the breakout title of the season.
The Culdcept games have been around for about twenty years now, and they bring a unique mix of board game and collectible card game together in a lightweight but enjoyable RPG experience. The last time I played a game in the series was Culdcept Saga for the Xbox 360, and while I actually enjoyed the experience quite a bit, the game was pretty rough in a lot of areas. I am happy to say that Culdcept Revolt has smoothed most of those out and the end result is actually a lot of fun.