Use a Potion
HomepageUse a Potion's Reviews
The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark offers another weird but wonderful spooky set of mysteries for point-and-click fans to unravel. It’s a lot simpler in design when compared to similar releases in the genre, but certainly doesn’t lack ingenuity as far as its puzzle design is concerned. The writing is top-notch throughout too and I genuinely found myself laughing out loud at times… what more could you want? The simplicity of the gameplay might not always appeal to hardcore point-and-click enthusiasts and one or two puzzles could be a little bit TOO out there, but it doesn’t stop The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark from offering a thoroughly enjoyable adventure. They may be a pair of fools, but I can’t wait to spend more time with Detective McQueen and Officer Dooley.
You know what? I was pleasantly surprised by Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion. It’s by no means a ground-breaking release and doesn’t do anything special, but it delivered a lot more than I expected. The adventure itself is fun, the world is pretty to look at, and the writing is clever and funny. Who would have though tax evasion could make for a fun gaming experience? Not me.
There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension is a wacky genre-bending experience that is clever, creative, and a whole lot of fun. The less you know before going in the better, but know this: you certainly won’t regret experiencing its unique and utterly endearing adventure.
Paradise Lost offers a unique take on the after-effects of World War II, with its atmospheric journey proving intriguing throughout. I found it fascinating to explore the Nazi bunker and uncover its many secrets, whilst the moments of interactivity and choice-making made it easier to immerse myself in the walking simulator-style gameplay. It really looks the part too – who said derelict bunkers had to be ugly?! It does have a few misfires along the way thanks to the painfully slow walking speed, some frame rate drops, and the occasionally flat voice acting, but Paradise Lost’s gripping mystery ensure that it is certainly an adventure that’s worth embarking on.
Stitchy in Tooki Trouble offers a decent platforming adventure that will appeal to younger gamers, even if it is a little lacking in originality and creativity. There’s nothing on offer here that you wouldn’t have seen done before, whilst the easy difficulty and short length means that it won’t be a game that you’ll find yourself invested in for too long either. Still, it does enough to warrant interest in it if you’re a fan of the platforming genre, whilst it’s also a good game for kids to dive into if they’re just starting out playing video games. Stitchy in Tooki Trouble might be unremarkable in design, but that doesn’t mean there’s not some fun to be had in its zany corn-gathering adventure.
Rain on your Parade is an absolute delight, with its simple yet creative rain-pouring antics and brilliant level design making for a memorable (and undoubtedly unique) experience. I loved completing all of its levels and its many absurd objectives, whilst the little things such as customising Cloudy’s appearance just added to the fun. It’d be easy to dismiss Rain on your Parade as another gimmick-fuelled game, but it’s so much more than that; it’s a whimsical and wonderful romp that’ll delight both youngsters and adults alike.
Say NO! More is an undoubtedly unique game and its quirky sense of humour is certainly endearing, but its gameplay lacks any sort of depth to make it feel that engaging. You’re literally just pressing a button to say NO over and over again… and that’s it. That sort of simplicity CAN work in games, but in this case I couldn’t help but to wish that it offered a little something extra – if only to help immerse me further and make me feel like I’m really having an impact on its bizarre (yet relatable) world. It’s not a bad game by any means and the zany scenarios, charming narrative, and wacky ways of saying NO do make for a memorable experience. It just doesn’t really do enough to make it essential playing when compared to other comical games that try to do something a bit *different*.
Don’t Give Up: A Cynical Tale offers an engaging narrative that balances humour and emotional gut-punches, though the gameplay could be a little lacking. It’s not that anything is bad… there’s just not a whole lot to experience outside of the mini-game style battling. Does it offer enough to keep player entertained? I’d say so, especially with the intrigue of the narrative and the quality of the writing, which was top notch throughout. I’d just recommend you keep your expectations in check if you were hoping for a deep and involving RPG, with Don’t Give Up: A Cynical Tale feeling like an adventure where you’ll spend most of your time in the passenger seat.
Cozy Grove offers a whimsical and heart-warming island-life adventure that has completely hooked me in over the last couple of weeks. There’s just something incredibly rewarding about helping out the island folk, whilst the short nature of the charming array of daily tasks ensures that it never feels like a big commitment – it’s just something you can jump into here and there to spring a smile on your face. Of course, there’s no doubting that the style of play won’t be for everyone, whilst the simplicity of the experience might make Cozy Grove harder for some players to invest themselves in when compared to the likes of Animal Crossing. Those who do dive into its wonderful hand-drawn world are in for a delightful little experience though, and one that I can see myself coming back to for quite some time.
Outriders is an absolute blast to play, with it easily standing out as my favourite game of 2021 so far. I won’t deny that it has some issues (the early server problems being the most obvious), but they’re easy to look past when the combat mechanics are so varied and fun, building your character and unlocking new loot is satisfying, and sharing the experience with friends brings with it a rewarding sense of strategy. It’s brilliant. It doesn’t re-invent the looter-shooter genre in any way and there won’t be anything on offer that you wouldn’t have seen done before, but it doesn’t matter – especially since all of the things it offers are of a high quality. Everything Outriders does is done well and it makes for a super fun experience because of it. There might be a few teething issues right now, but I’m excited to spend more hours with my friends taking down the baddies that are roaming across our new home of Enoch…
DOOM 3: VR Edition holds up really well, and, outside of a few minor annoyances here and there, stands out as a fun (and undoubtedly horrifying) shooter for PlayStation VR gamers to sink their teeth into. It’s more immersive than ever thanks to the implementation of virtual reality, whilst the jump scares and nasty baddies felt creepier than ever before. It might be seventeen-years old now, but it’ll never stop being enjoyable blasting away at the vicious demons of hell. Of course, there’s no denying that it can also be dated in design in some places, whilst some awkward moments with the presentation and the DualShock controller could break the immersion a little. Enemies appearing from behind you is always a bit of a no-no in virtual reality too, so it shows that some aspects of the game didn’t make the transition quite as well as others. Whilst not perfect though, DOOM 3: VR Edition offers an enjoyable way to experience the iconic first-person shooter in all of its gory glory. Whether you’re a fan of the series or just virtual reality shooters in general, it’s certainly worth your attention.
Lost Words: Beyond the Page offers a touching narrative that’s complimented by some simple yet satisfying word-based adventuring. You shouldn’t expect much of a challenge from your journey, but rather an intriguing take on storytelling that brings with it some clever interactions from the player. I’ll admit that I do wish that it could’ve offered a bit more depth with its word-based puzzling mechanics, but there’s still a good (and certainly emotional) time to be had with Lost Words: Beyond the Page.
Genesis Noir is unlike anything that I’ve ever played before, with its enigmatic tale and stunning presentation really making for something a bit special. Don’t get me wrong, it’s guilty of being a little linear and the lack of dialogue can see the narrative feeling a little bit convoluted in places, yet there’s something so utterly engaging about the experience that it’s hard not to find yourself drawn in from start to end. I said it at the start of the review, and I’ll say it again: Genesis Noir is a really weird game. It’s one that I’m glad I got to experience though, and one that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
It Takes Two is a wonderful co-op adventure that features a touching narrative, inventive gameplay mechanics that constantly keep things varied, and a whimsical world that’s packed full of detail… what more could you want? I was genuinely blown away with just how clever the game was, with the focus on teamwork never growing tiresome but remaining intuitive in design from the start to end. It’s absolutely brilliant. I really do think it is one of the best co-op games that I have ever played, and honestly, some of the sequences in the game will remain with me for a long time (especially with that elephant). If you’re looking for a co-op adventure that’ll bedazzle you with charm and fun, look no further than It Takes Two – it’s simply an unmissable experience.
Balan Wonderworld will be divisive, but I actually had a pretty fun time exploring its whimsical levels and using the creative costumes to overcome its platforming challenges. The level design itself is on point too, whilst the wonderful soundtrack and addictive nature of grabbing all of the collectibles kept me coming back for more. Of course, there’s no doubting that it’s VERY simple in design, whilst a lot of elements of the gameplay and its visuals are pretty dated too. There was nothing on show across the game that you wouldn’t have seen done before by plenty of other 3D platformers over the years, with Balan Wonderworld falling very short of the evolution of the genre some gamers might be hoping for in 2021. Still, there’s no doubting that there’s still a good time to be had in the game, especially for younger gamers or those who appreciate the genre. It’s certainly no masterpiece, but Balan Wonderworld still offers a wacky yet wonderful escapade that might pleasantly surprise those who give it a try.
Rebellion have done a wonderful job in breathing life into Evil Genius 2: World Domination, with its satisfyingly villainous gameplay and charming presentation embracing the vibe of the original game perfectly. I always thought that the original was one of the genre’s most unique and fun titles, but the new ideas that have been implemented here don’t only add a modern twist to the established formula but better it too… it’s really good stuff. Ultimately, with plenty of hours of spy killing fun to be had, Evil Genius 2: World Domination will turn players into the delegating and ruthless egomaniac they never knew they wanted to be – and believe me, they’ll have a damn good time in the process.
Bladed Fury’s striking visual style and satisfyingly slick combat come together nicely to make for a really fun action-orientated romp. Sure, it was guilty of being a bit too easy and there were some technical issues here and there, but they didn’t stop me from having a thoroughly good time as I sliced-and-diced my way through countless foes in Ji’s journey for revenge.
We Were Here Together isn’t only the best release in the co-op series so far, but a cleverly crafted and enjoyable puzzler that fans of the genre won’t want to ignore. Sure, it still has the occasional puzzle that’ll make you want to swear a LOT and there are some technical issues, but the ingenious design of the majority of the conundrums and the fantastic presentation certainly makes it stand out as Total Mayhem Games’ best release yet. The emphasis on communication has never been so strong either, with team work very much making the dream work here.
Monster Truck Championship doesn’t take as much advantage of the next-gen consoles as I’d have liked, but it still offers a fun racing experience that fans of monster trucks are sure to enjoy. There’s a satisfying sense of progress to the career, the different race types are fun, whilst there’s online multiplayer on offer for those who want their muddy showdowns to take place against real-life players. It might not have the depth seen in similar titles in the genre, but there’s still plenty here to enjoy as you work to become the BEST monster truck driver around; just expect more style that substance when it comes to the game’s next-gen improvements.
We Were Here Too offers another enjoyable co-op puzzle-filled escapade, but it did have a few more technical issues when compared to the first game. Those communication bugs were particularly frustrating for example, whilst the disappearing items just seemed a little weird. Fortunately, they were issues that could be fixed by simply re-loading the game, so they don’t make We Were Here Too feel unplayable. It’s definitely a lot grander in scope and featured more variety and puzzles than its predecessor too, so it’s clear that the developer have taken the series in a positive direction. Still, it’s hard to ignore some of the issues we faced, even if We Were Here Too did trump the first game in lots of elements of its design. If you’re a fan of the original then you’ll definitely want to play it, but maybe it’d be a good idea to have a party chat set up outside of the game before starting…