GameOctane's Reviews
Stardew Valley is an incredible example of how characterization and choices can create an engrossing gaming experience. Each choice you make has lasting consequences and repercussions. If anything, Stardew Valley gives you not only a farming experience, but a look at how life can change with hard work and caring about your fellow man.
Sadly this is another title from GameStop’s GameTrust publishing arm that has been subpar. I am saddened that another developer’s passion project turns into a bad gameplay experience for players.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is everything an HD remake should be. The game itself was given an amazing face lift and the animation looks incredible. The platforming gameplay is the same as the original game, to a fault. The basic platforming and enemies can be a little boring at times.
Mr. Shifty is a wonderful indie game with gameplay that makes you feel unstoppable. It's an exhilarating feeling when you take out enemies with teleportation. The levels are challenging and, most importantly, it is extremely fun to play. At $14.99, I can't recommend Mr. Shifty enough.
Overall the game was entertaining for a bit, though I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as a true fan. It does have some minor issues, but with a price tag of around $20 it isn't too bad to spend a few hours if you are an existing fan or mech fan.
Overall, Yooka Laylee sets out what it originally promised - it gave us a fun and entertaining ode to 3D platformers of old. The controls needs some polish. And the camera and lack of voice acting is annoying. I still recommend Yooka Laylee, especially if you are looking for a 3D platformer with many areas to explore and challenges to conquer.
All in all this game is fun to play. My little guilty pleasure of the year so far. Yes it does have some issues but if you can look past those any hockey fan will enjoy the break from fast paced over complicated NHL to a glory day slug fest arcade-like hockey game, especially PC users at a $11.99 price tag.
Rise & Shine is a very challenging action/platformer/shooter. The game is not impossible to play, yet there are several moments where you will yell out in frustration. The animations and graphics look great. If you are in need of a more challenging type of plateformer, then Rise & Shine is right up your alley. If you get frustrated easily by less than perfect aim mechanics, then you might want to look elsewhere.
The unique blend between classic text based adventures and today's gaming world that we know and love was perfectly executed with Stories Untold. It is fun, scary, and all around an extremely inventive way to get back into text based adventures again. No Code and Devolver Studio are doing this right and making Text Based Adventures cool again!
Snake Pass is reminiscent of a time wasting phone game. It's fun, but it won't hold your attention for very long.
Breath of the Wild might be the best addition to the Zelda franchise. With game changing additions to the gameplay, open world exploration, challenging puzzles and enemies, and stunning graphics and art, Breath of the Wild will capture your attention and give you the Zelda experience you have always dreamed of.
The challenging puzzles and variety of solutions are what makes Snipperclips a must own for the Switch. The art design is a plus, although the controllers can be hard to handle if you have big hands.
88 Heroes gives me exactly what I am looking for in a retro platformer. It's challenging with classic graphics and sound. An added bonus is the hysterical heroes and the challenge the comes with randomly generating the hero for each level. I highly recommend 88 Heroes if you are looking for a fun and challenging retro experience.
Just Dance 2017 offers that same great dancing mechanics and adds the accuracy of the Joy Cons. The Joy Cons are very lightweight, which is perfect if you plan on dancing for long stretches of time. While it doesn't make any ground breaking changes to the formula, it does offer a really fun experience for dancers of all ages and abilities.
Any Metroidvania or Retro fans would enjoy this treat, it truly feels like a modern NES game. Especially at the $9.99 price point.
1, 2 Switch is a ridiculously fun party game in short spurts. The price point really hurts, but the idea of a face to face party game is something that I would like to see in future party games.
I loved the graphical changes as I went through each zone. The gameplay may be a little simple for some and the puzzles may not be challenging for every gamer. It's a great indie game for any gamer who enjoys platforming, puzzles, and a walk through game development history.
Overall, Ride 2 is a great racing simulator for all fans with various skill levels as well as love for certain types of bikes. The controls offer a wide range of settings from beginners to experts. The graphics are visually stunning and it is a really fun game to get lost in and play for hours. Keep in mind that the repetitive gameplay may keep some away from purchasing this game, however I would recommend getting this game if you like racing sims and looking for anything similar to Gran Turismo but with Motorcycles.
Yakuza 0 is over the top, but damn it I wouldn't have it any other way.
Virginia takes the phase show, not tell to another level. This silent film of a video game, takes a chance on telling you an amazing story. It's your job to listen with your eyes.