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In the end, Saros stands out as a must-play for fans of the genre and a worthy successor to Returnal, pushing roguelike shooters forward with confidence and style.
Tides of Tomorrow introduces one of the most interesting gameplay mechanics in years, but it’s not without its flaws. The story lacks some depth, and the gameplay loop can become repetitive a bit too quickly. That being said, it still stands out as one of the more unique games out there and deserves credit for that. If you’re looking to try something different, this might be worth your time.
Ultimately, Shapez 2 is a game that knows exactly what it wants to be. It’s not here to tell a grand story or dazzle you with spectacle. Instead, it offers a space to think, to experiment, and to create systems that are uniquely your own. And in a landscape where bigger often tries to mean better, there’s power in not trying to do so. Because sometimes, all you really need is a few shapes, a handful of belts, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing that, for once, everything is running exactly as it should. Excel, hidden in a ga- oh, no wait, that was Europa Universalis.
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream delivers on its promises. It’s a fun way to design a world with characters you’ve envisioned. Whether you want to base your creations on existing people or make something original, the Mii creation screen is detailed enough to make your wildest dreams come true. The city builder is also intuitive and easy to use, making city management feel great in practice. While interaction between Miis is clearly the star of the show, the lack of goals or quests can sometimes make the game feel a bit repetitive. However, if you are intrinsically motivated and able to set your own goals in a sandbox world, I have no doubt that you will be able to lose yourself in Tomodachi Life for hours on end.
While not groundbreaking, Lord of Hatred is a strong step in the right direction for Diablo IV, offering a richer, darker, and more engaging experience that reinforces the game’s identity and replayability.
The Day I Became a Bird is a wonderful adaptation of a delightful children’s graphic novel. The gameplay isn’t challenging, but it perfectly supports the concept of putting the story front and centre. The additional story elements that extend the gameplay also deepen the player’s connection with the story; they don’t feel like filler. I didn’t expect that a book could be adapted into a game with so much care for the original text while still creating something new. This is even true when the art style is changed to something more befitting of a game.
Despite a minor hiccup with a save issue, the overall polish and responsiveness from the developers leave a strong impression. For players who enjoy narrative- driven investigations with psychological depth, this is a journey well worth taking.
Gecko Gods by Inresin might not be perfect because of some camera and control issues, but it is a great showcase of great world and level design, taking some well-thought-out lessons from other games in the genre. Choosing a Gecko as the main character might be ambitious because of the wall and ceiling climbing that comes with it, but when it clicks, Gecko Gods lets the neurons in your lizard brain fire at full speed. With some great puzzles sprinkled in to keep the inner ape awake
Replaced is a seamless experience that grabs your attention from the outset and doesn’t let go. The seamless platforming and combat make you feel like an action star in one of your favorite blockbusters, a sensation enhanced by the excellent 2.5D visual style, which sometimes uses camera angles inspired by movies to heighten the action. There’s no doubt that REPLACED will become a go-to reference for anyone wanting to show that pixel graphics can be just as beautiful as realistic 3D. This modern-day classic has already made its way to the top of my Game of the Year list, and it will be hard to dethrone.
Mouse: P.I. For Hire is one of those rare games that feels fully formed, not just in its individual parts, but in how those parts come together. It’s a shooter, yes, but it’s also a character study, a stylistic experiment, and a love letter to a form of animation that rarely gets this kind of attention in games. It feels tailored for me, as a person, and it’s well worth the wait. By combining a strong narrative structure with expressive gameplay and a truly unique visual identity, it stands out in an increasingly crowded genre.
Pragmata dares to be different and commits to it from start to finish. Its blend of action and hacking creates something that feels fresh and surprisingly natural once it clicks. Combine that with memorable characters and plenty of hidden secrets, and you’re in for a wild ride. It’s not flawless, but it’s one of the most original and engaging games I’ve played in a long time.
Greedfall: The Dying World is a great return to its rich universe by flipping the perspective of the main storyline and letting players view the story from another angle, the islanders’ point of view. This narrative shift is one of the game’s strongest selling points, adding emotional depth and moral ambiguity to the conflict between colonists and natives. The world- building, faction dynamics, and player- driven choices remain engaging and heighten the replayability, especially for diehard fans of story-driven RPGs. However, while the foundation is solid, the execution isn’t always consistent. The writing and voice acting fluctuate in quality, and not every quest carries the same narrative weight of consequence. The RPG systems – skills, attributes, and talents – offer satisfying freedom in shaping your character as you want, but the combat system, despite its added tactical options, can feel somewhat limited and occasionally unbalanced, with basic attacks often overshadowing abilities. In the end, the game succeeds in expanding the Greedfall universe with meaningful ideas and player agency, but it falls slightly short of its full potential due to a lack of polish and consistency in key areas.
Modulus: Factory Automation is one of those rare games that feels completely confident in what it wants to be. It doesn’t chase scale, nor does it rely on pressure. It’s not here to overwhelm you with unnecessary systems. Instead, it focuses on intentional design, creative freedom, spatial problem-solving, and, in doing so, executes on all three with remarkable precision. For players who love factory games, puzzle design, or just the satisfaction of building something that works, this is an easy recommendation. For players like me, whose spatial insight occasionally goes on holiday without notice, it might be a bit more of a challenge. But even then, it’s a challenge worth taking. Because underneath the occasional confusion and conveyor chaos lies something genuinely special. What’s that, you might ask? A smart, meditative reinvention of the factory automation genre that proves you don’t need scale to achieve depth, just a clear vision, and the tools to build it. So if you don’t mind, I’ll boot up my own digital zen-factory again.
Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection gives these games the second chance they deserved. The core gameplay still stands, and the added quality-of-life features make it easier to get into. It’s not perfect though, and some rough edges are still hard to ignore. A great collection for fans, but definitely not for everyone.
Darwin’s Paradox! doesn’t always get the basics right, but it makes up for it with creativity and character. It’s rough in places, yet hard to put down once it gets going. A flawed but enjoyable game.
GRIDBeat! is a well-designed hybrid that understands both halves of its identity, rhythm, and dungeon crawling, and manages to fuse them into something genuinely engaging. It refines the genre in a way that feels fresh. The gameplay is tight, the music is integral, and the overall experience hits that sweet spot between challenge and satisfaction. Most importantly, it finds that elusive rhythm game magic, that moment where everything clicks, and you stop thinking and play. And when a game gets you there? That’s when you know it’s doing something right.
Reclaim! Azhe-giiwewining is not your typical game, and that’s precisely why it matters. It’s a thoughtful, culturally grounded experience that prioritizes meaning over spectacle. It doesn’t try to be everything for everyone, and in doing so, it becomes something far more impactful. The combination of narrative depth, respectful representation, and deliberately paced gameplay creates an experience that stays with you long after you’ve finished it. This is a game that asks you to slow down, to listen, and to reflect. And if you’re willing to meet it halfway, it offers something genuinely special. It’s a quiet, powerful journey that proves games can be more than entertainment.
Screamer is a unique racing game that makes bold promises about its gameplay and storyline. The twin-stick approach to drifting and driving makes the cars feel like no other, and you can sometimes feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins during races. However, the story has a slow build-up, and while it is unique to have every character speak in their native language, it can also be tiring. A smaller selection of languages would have been a better choice. It’s also strange to include offensive driving and leave it out of most of the story mode. This wouldn’t matter much if it weren’t for the difficulty spikes in the opponent AI, which made me want to see them crash and burn in a fiery explosion. But when it’s just me and my car on the asphalt, the high-octane action even manages to bring a smile to my sometimes frustrated face.
Life is Strange: Reunion wraps up the story of Max and Chloe in roughly 9 hours. It’s best experienced in one or two sittings to maintain its emotional momentum. While it never quite reaches the high standard set by the original game, it remains an enjoyable and worthwhile conclusion. Just don’t expect particularly challenging choices or complex time-bending puzzles
So, to conclude! GRIME II is a fascinating, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately worthwhile experience. It builds on the original in meaningful ways, especially in its gameplay systems and world-building. The mold system, which absorbs enemies and turns them into tools, is a standout mechanic that adds both depth and identity. The world is rich, strange, and consistently intriguing. And the studio behind it clearly understands what makes this universe unique. But it’s not without its flaws. The lack of direct storytelling can make the experience feel distant at times, especially for players who prefer a more guided narrative. The difficulty curve, while not unexpected, can feel uneven. And the grind required for certain upgrades occasionally disrupts the flow. Still, there’s something here that sticks with you. Maybe it’s the atmosphere, maybe it’s the mechanics, or maybe it’s just the sheer commitment to doing something different. Whatever it is, GRIME II earns its place, not as a flawless sequel, but as a bold one.