Use a Potion
HomepageUse a Potion's Reviews
Earthlock: Festival of Magic plays like an old-school RPG but with a modern (and pretty) lick of paint, though that’s for better and worse: fans of RPGs from the PlayStation One era are going to love it, but those who’re used to a bit more depth might expect more from the genre. Personally, I was a fan of the game and whilst it did have a few shortcomings here and there, my experience was a positive one. Earthlock: Festival of Magic might not necessarily be the best RPG you’re going to play, but it doesn’t mean it’s not a thoroughly enjoyable one that fans of the genre will definitely want to check out.
City of Brass offers plenty of thrills with its Arabian Nights roguelike adventuring, but after beating it once it doesn’t offer much to keep you coming back for more. The genre typically lends itself well to repeated playthroughs and extended challenges, but after completing the game in a relatively short time there wasn’t much there to encourage me to keep playing – a lack of variety as far as gameplay is concerned doesn’t help the situation, either. It doesn’t make City of Brass a bad game nor does it make it one that’s not worth checking out, but players hoping to be whipping their way through malicious genies for hours on end might be left a little bit disappointed by the lack of depth on show.
I went into Solo with very little in the form of expectations, but it ended up being a charming little adventure that I’m genuinely glad I got to play through. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t do anything overly thrilling on the gameplay side of things whilst the concept of answering questions about love could be guilty of feeling a little pretentious, but if you get yourself in the mind-set that the game demands you’ll find that you can have a surprisingly meaningful experience. It doesn’t outstay its welcome too, which is a necessity for a title that doesn’t have the most complicated of gameplay mechanics. There’s no doubting that Solo won’t be for everyone, but those who’d enjoy an evocative little journey that does something different will certainly want to check it out.
Ys Origin embraces the old-school style of RPGs and mixes it up with quick-paced action-packed battling, and it makes for a surprisingly intuitive and very enjoyable experience. I had a lot of fun fighting my way through Devil’s Tower as all three characters and each adventure managed to feel unique in its own little way. The only real problem with the game is that it takes the ‘old-school’ approach too literally at times, with some features of the game a little too simplified and the saving system a little unforgiving. The game shows its age at times visually too, especially with some of the bland environments you explore. Still, none of these flaws stop Ys Origin from being a great action-RPG experience and one that fans of the genre will want to check out – regardless of whether or not it’s their first time with the Ys series.
It might seem repetitive to some, but The Sword of Ditto’s cycle of battling against the evil witch Malmo offers hours upon hours of entertainment. The world of Ditto is both stunning and intriguing, and whilst there’s fun to be had conquering its villain, it’s just as exciting to simply explore it and take in all it has to offer. That being said, some of the game’s mechanics could falter the more you play, with the most noticeable one being the passing down of experience points between heroes. There were some technical issues that could be a pain too, though fortunately those are a bit more few and far between. There’s certainly more pros than cons though, with The Swords of Ditto offering more adventuring smiles than sighs. Whether playing alone or with a friend, this is a world you’ll want to save time and time again.
Wild Guns Reloaded is a lot of fun and without a doubt the most definitive way to enjoy Natsume’s classic gallery shooter, though it does have a few shortcomings that stop it from becoming a must-own release. Add to that a fairly steep price point, and it’s easy to see why it’s a game that’s worth grabbing on sale rather than at full price. Still, if you’re already a fan of the original or want an arcade shooting fix, Wild Guns Reloaded will undoubtedly provide hours of entertainment. It’s far from perfect, but it’s still a game that deserves some attention.
Super Daryl Deluxe’s action-RPG style side-scrolling brawling and bizarre questing makes for a unique and enjoyable experience, with the action-packed adventure proving satisfying throughout. Add to that the stunningly creative art style, and it’s easy to get yourself absorbed in the fairly meaty adventure. It is guilty of feeling a little repetitive at times and there could be a bit too much of an emphasis on grinding out battles with enemies, but in all Super Daryl Deluxe was a hell of a lot of fun. It’s certainly a game that action-RPG fans with an affinity for Napoleon Dynamite won’t want to miss out on…
Super Amazeballs takes an incredibly simple concept and turns it into a thoroughly enjoyable little experience. In fact, the only real disappointment came when I ran out mazes to complete – here’s hoping we’ll see more in the future. It’s hardly the most in depth of games you’ll play on PlayStation VR and the controls can be a little bit finicky at times, but at such a low price point it’s certainly worth checking Super Amazeballs out.
Clusterpuck 99 offers a simple and charming experience, but it’ll blow your socks off when played in multiplayer with a group of friends. It’s a whole lot of fun and will have you laughing (and sometimes arguing) as you take part in chaotic showdowns across a huge range of levels. Add to that a level builder that allows you to make whatever childish creation you want, and you just know you’re going to have a good time. If you’re looking for a single player game though, I’d stay well away - it’s just not the same experience and you’ll find yourself growing bored of it after ten minutes or so of play. Clusterpuck 99 is a multiplayer-focused title, and no half-hearted challenge mode or dumb AI bot is ever going to change that. If you’ve got a good group of friends together though (and enough controllers), I can’t recommend Clusterpuck 99 enough. It’s not the most in-depth multiplayer experience you can have on the Nintendo Switch, but it’s certainly one of the most enjoyable.
Operation Warcade gives PlayStation VR owners a solid fix of nostalgic shooting action that will appeal to gamers of any age. Sure, it’ll tug at older gamers’ heartstrings more thanks to its old-school presentation, but it offers more than enough modern features that even youngsters that haven’t heard of the likes of Operation Wolf will be able to have fun with it too. It does have a few flaws here and there though, with the presentation in particular being a little sketchy throughout. Those who enjoy some fun shooting action in virtual reality really ought to give Operation Warcade a go, though.
Batman - The Telltale Series: The Enemy Within improves upon its predecessor in all ways, with it offering a more intense narrative, meatier episodes, a more cinematic presentation, and a less bug-filled adventure for wannabe caped-vigilantes to head out on. Add to that a finale episode that REALLY takes your choices on board with its arcing structure, and it might even be considered Telltale Games’ best release yet… maybe. I might be riding high on Batman - The Telltale Series: The Enemy Within since I’m a big fan of Batman anyway, but it really is a great game. I had fun with it from start to end and now I’m left eagerly anticipating what Telltale Games will do with the inevitable third season.
Masters of Anima brings something unique and charming to the Nintendo Switch with its mixture of RTS-like action and fantasy exploration, and it really makes for a good time. I had a lot of fun with the game and whilst it may not always be the most thrilling adventure you’ll head out on, there’s no denying that it’s always an enjoyable one. Sure, the narrative could be a little forgettable and cheesy whilst the combat itself could be a little bit too tricky at times too, but overall Masters of Anima offers an entertaining fantasy adventure that’s certainly worth being a part of.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice delivers a genuinely gripping and haunting adventure that’ll keep you hooked in thanks to its engaging narrative, stunning visuals, and clever puzzle-solving. It manages to offer an experience that’s both thoughtful and action-packed, which ensures that it stands out as a remarkable and unforgettable release. The only downside came with the combat, which could feel a little underwhelming and repetitive as you progress through the game. Still, it was never outright bad and some of the boss encounters could be impressive, so it’s never a struggle to play through each battle as you work towards the game’s finale. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is just a fantastic game and one that proves that Ninja Theory truly are masters of their craft. It’s great to see that it’s finally available on the Xbox One too, so now there’s no excuse for gamers to miss out on what is truly noteworthy game.
Being a fan of Bomberman, I knew I was going to enjoy Bombslinger – I didn’t anticipate loving it as much as I did, though. It’s charmingly addictive, a whole lot of fun, and it adds a clever little twist on an already great concept. My only issue came with just how unforgiving it could be, with the permadeath aspect proving quite treacherous when learning the ins and outs of everything. You get over it though, and whilst dying doesn’t stop being frustrating, you always know it’s down to your own mistakes. I’d easily recommend Bombslinger to Switch owners, regardless of whether they’re a fan of Bomberman or not. It’s a novel little experience and one that’s easy to spend a ton of hours having fun with.
Time Carnage delivers a decent shooting experience, but it brings nothing new or exciting to the wave-based shooting genre. It follows the same old formulaic approach of waiting for enemies in one spot, shooting them down, and repeating the process over multiple levels – it’s hardly exciting stuff and with more fleshed out shooters available on the PlayStation VR headset right now, there are simply better games to spend to your time with. The team at Wales Interactive are due some credit for trying to add an interesting premise to the action, but it doesn’t translate to a great game. Sure, there’s fun to be had and gamers who enjoy a wave-based shooter will love Time Carnage, but those who want a more varied shooting experience that does something a bit more unique will be better off looking elsewhere.
Extinction is an underwhelming experience that, despite having a great concept, simply feels far too repetitive in design. Add to that a range of minor frustrations, and you’ll find that your time with the game won’t always be an enjoyable one. There’s no doubting that it does have its moments where it shines, with some of the initial encounters against the Ravenii proving to be exciting and action-packed affairs. One you’ve seen it once though, doing the same thing over and over again across the same old environments hardly makes for a thrilling gameplay experience.
The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 isn’t the most exciting of action-RPGs you’re going to play, but it at least offers competency in all aspects of its gameplay. You won’t do anything out of the ordinary or that you wouldn’t have done before, but you also won’t be bored when you’re ploughing through the many dungeons. Fans of the first game or RPG fanatics will probably have some fun with it, but unfortunately there are too many better action-RPGs available right now to consider The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 a must own title.
Island Time VR has some neat ideas on show and can be a lot of fun to play, but unfortunately you’ll see everything that it has to offer in around an hour. After that, you’re simply repeating the same tasks over and over again as you look to survive that little bit longer… there’s really not much to it. This wouldn’t typically be a problem but when you consider that it’s £16.99, you’re not really getting a lot of bang for your buck – especially when there are meatier PlayStation VR titles available right now for a much lower price. It has a lot of charm though and if you saw it on sale for a more reasonable price I’d definitely recommend picking it up, if only to see the many ways you can die or just to experience how fun and creative island life can be. Right now though, there’s simply not enough on offer to make Island Time VR an essential PlayStation VR purchase.
Far Cry 5 never re-invents the wheel throughout its lengthy open-world adventure, but it doesn’t need to. Fans know what to expect from the game, and that’s a thoroughly entertaining action-packed escapade that sends you through stunning environments as you partake in countless chaotic missions. It’s full to the brim with character and never stops being satisfying to play, whilst the freedom offered allows you to approach the game in your own way. I had an absolute blast with Far Cry 5 and, even after finishing the campaign, still have plenty more to see thanks to the infinite possibilities offered by the Far Cry Arcade. Its only real flaw is that it could be a bit easy at times, though at least it didn’t come at the expense of the fun you’ll have overall. Ubisoft have delivered a truly great game in Far Cry 5 and have left me genuinely excited to see where the series goes next.
Whilst The Adventure Pals does little to revolutionise the platforming genre, there’s no denying that its solid game design and charming world come together nicely to make for a delightful little experience. It hooked me in from start to end and, despite not being designed to necessarily cater for co-operative play, smashing through the game with a friend was a lot of fun. If you’re a fan of your quirky little platformers that aren’t afraid to embrace a silly sense of humour, you’ll have a lot of fun with The Adventure Pals.