GameSpew's Reviews
While Root Film doesn’t quite meet the standard of its excellent predecessor, Root Letter, it’s still a thoroughly entertaining visual novel, especially for those who are into murder mysteries. It isn’t afraid to dip its toes into some pretty serious topics, and does so in a respectful manner, but it also employs a bit of humour to lighten the mood when necessary. Forgive its localisation issues, and you have a fine way to step into the shoes of an investigator for just over a dozen of hours.
With a wonderfully silly presentation that won’t fail to make you laugh, Papa’s Quiz is a delightful take on the trivia genre. Winning comes secondary to having fun, and Papa’s Quiz is certainly all about having fun. It’s more entertaining the more players you have, and thanks to its intuitive mobile phone control system it’s easy to get your friends in on the act.
Despite the issues thrown my way while playing Mundaun, I kept going because it had me hooked. From the opening moments, it had my attention in a vice-like grip. Some aspects of its gameplay threatened to loosen that grip from time to time, but I soon get over them because I wanted to unravel the mystery at the heart of the game. With multiple endings, there’s reason to return, too. Whether you will or not is questionable, but there’s no denying that your first playthrough of this utterly unique experience will stick with you. Mundaun is far from perfect, but it’s destined to be a horror classic.
Can’t Drive This is that rare thing: a very simple concept, but one that’s so well-executed that it creates absolute carnage and hilarity. If games nights with friends are a thing you enjoy, make sure to include Can’t Drive This at your next one. You won’t regret it.
No matter your age, there’s plenty of fun to be had in Pile Up! Box by Box.
Ultimately, Murder on Eridanos serves as a magnificent send-off to The Outer Worlds. It’ll keep you hooked from beginning to end; it’s a shining example of how to do downloadable content and has me eagerly awaiting the Fallout: New Vegas sequel that only exists in my head.
If you enjoy narrative adventures that are accompanied with laid-back gameplay, then you might want to give Sea of Solitude: The Director’s Cut a go. However, those who like their experiences more complex, both in terms of gameplay and narrative, might want to think otherwise. Sea of Solitude: The Director’s Cut pulls on the heartstrings but does so like a blunt instrument, while the actions you perform getting from A to B rarely entertain like they should.
Ultimately, while Adios might not match your initial expectations, particularly if you’ve read the slightly sneaky Steam store deception, it’s still a captivating ride. Adios may be a brief goodbye but the echoes of this farewell will stick with you for days.
Beach Buggy Racing 2: Island Adventure can be a relentless beast – like any karting game, you can expect to be constantly inundated with attack after attack, and it can get tiring. But racing around its colourful, upbeat tracks remains fun, and the sheer amount of content here makes it excellent value for money. Whether you want to race solo or against friends, there’s plenty here to keep you entertained.
It’s okay that Red Ronin doesn’t feature a killer story, because the actual gameplay does exactly what it needs to, and it does it well.
Cute and unassuming, Space Otter Charlie doesn’t reinvent the wheel. But it does provide a lovely few hours of entertainment. Its levels are a joy to explore, and even though traversal can be a bit of a pest, the game’s puzzles and satisfying upgrades more than make up for it. There are far worse ways to spend an afternoon than in the company of Charlie, that’s for sure.
Thanks to its budget price, Postal Redux may well be worth checking out if you’re a fan of twin-stick shooters and have the stomach for it – its atmosphere makes it wholly unique. It is undoubtedly dated though, and doesn’t try to do anything interesting other than shock you. Will it succeed? Probably – it can be quite a harrowing game if you think about it too much. Kick back and accept it for what it is, however – a video game – and some enjoyment can be had.
Thanks to Collapsed‘s excellent moment-to-moment combat, starting again over and over never feels like a chore. And persistent upgrades alongside a permanent inventory means you constantly feel you’re making progress, even after several dozen premature deaths. It’s just a shame those upgrades aren’t more exciting and rarely make much difference to gameplay. Still, when blasting and slashing through enemies is this much fun, it hardly matters.
Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse isn’t a terrible game by any stretch of the imagination, but once the novelty of playing as a zombie has worn off, it’s rarely fun. It’s dated in just about every way imaginable, and while those who fondly remember it from many years ago might get a kick out of taking control of Stubbs once again, newcomers are probably just going to left wondering why his corpse has been reanimated once more. With some fresh ideas I’d like to encounter Stubbs again one day, but his original outing now just carries the stench of decay.
If you’re looking for a platforming experience that won’t push you to your limits but instead engage you in a thoughtful, sometimes meditative journey, then you won’t go far wrong with Journey of the Broken Circle. There are a few issues with its writing and translation, but there’s nothing to detract from its beautiful art and sumptuous soundtrack. Slow down, enjoy the scenery, and take heed of its message.
Basically, then, the next-gen version of Hunting Simulator 2 is only worth considering if you’re buying it for the first time – especially the Xbox Series X/S version. It’s perhaps not the best hunting game ever made, but those into the activity will find that the hours will fly by as they attempt to bag themselves some epic trophies. And thanks to the power of next-gen, everything looks better than ever. The picturesque scenery makes even just taking a stroll through the wilderness enjoyable – if you don’t like hunting, consider it a dog-walking simulator instead.
With all of the changes and improvements made, Monster Energy Supercross 4 should have been the best game in the series yet. And it still could be with a patch or two. But right now, the issues with the difficulty, AI and physics are notable setbacks. Series veterans who can give Realistic AI a run for their money will find plenty to be happy about, but those who aren’t so capable are likely to find themselves frustrated time and time again. It’s not so much that Monster Energy Supercross 4 is hard, it’s that sometimes it feels like it’s unfair – that the AI doesn’t play by the same rules as you. And that doesn’t lead to a fun racing experience.
If you’re a fan of 3D platformers, then Mail Mole is definitely worth your time. It’s no Super Mario Odyssey or Super Lucky’s Tale, but it hits plenty of the same notes, offering a fun and inoffensive adventure that’ll provide several hours of entertainment. Plus, considering its budget price ($15/£12.50), most of its missteps can be forgiven. And who doesn’t love a mole in a fancy hat?
Those frustrations, though, are part of the experience of Blind Drive; if making your way down a road without being able to see isn’t nerve-wracking in any way, then there’s likely something wrong. While Blind Drive‘s premise is incredibly simple, it’s immediately addicting and the excellent narrative will keep you glued to the screen from beginning to end. You might be going into this adventure blind, but you won’t be disappointed.
Don’t let Loop Hero‘s simple appearance fool you; a dense and addictive game, unlike anything else you’ve played, lurks under its retro veneer, waiting to get its claws into you. And once you’ve fallen into the loop, it’ll be hard to get back out again. Building up your character and creating the world around him is gloriously rewarding, and not even death is going to stand in your way.