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Does the Bomberman game mechanic work in an open-world environment? I didn’t feel that it did quite frankly. The Castle mode was just pure chaos as well. I think I am getting old as I really only enjoyed the traditional battle modes. Perhaps it was the nostalgia or the fact that I prefer to play as myself and without a team.
While Alchemy Garden has some effort, the game fails at fleshing out any of its systems resulting in it feeling incredibly barebones. While there is some fun in creating a garden and shop that feels like your own, the progression is too slow and crafting is far too tedious.
While playing, it felt like the developers forgot a game is supposed to be fun. It is ridiculous to ask the player to pick up and sort two hundred ducks. There are no upgrades apart from expanding inventory, which is useless and the one Nozzle mod. The game could do with some quality-of-life improvements, such as a highlighting mechanic to show any mess the player may have missed. Letting the player hold more than one item would help since going back and forth collecting your tools or trash gets very tedious.
Overall, Cruise Ship Manager is a basic simulation game that’s not all that engaging. From its low-poly graphics and repetitive music to its boring and sometimes creepy-looking characters, the game feels lifeless. If you’re a fan of simulation games or just looking for a fun way to pass the time, Cruise Ship Manager is likely to feel devoid of a real game. So lay anchor up, set down the sails and disembark; this cruise isn’t worth going aboard. I award Cruise Ship Manager a Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
If you are looking for a game that is going to keep you entertained for hours and hours, then look elsewhere. However Catgotchi is perfect for kids, you can even give the youngsters a test before buying a real cat.
I feel like I’ve been quite harsh. Papertris certainly isn’t a bad game and it definitely achieves what it sets out to do, it’s just not very exciting.
In a nutshell Alterity Experience is a short game with a poor ending. There is no real conclusion and no questions are answered about the actual theme of the game. Just find things and move on. I can imagine the concept at the point of idea was better than the finished product, but I feel very much like I had ordered from Wish. Aside from the sense of fear created when the aliens are trying to break in, movement and comfortably large space in which to move around, Alterity Experience comes up short in all other departments. I am awarding Alterity Experience a Thumb Culture bronze award because I can see the potential, although I would have rather had an Alternative Experience. Time to go and watch Signs to remember how alien invasions are done properly.
Alice Gear Aegis CS: Concerto of Simulatrix looks and plays like it would be better suited to be a mobile game. There is nothing for players to unlock through progression. The gold earned is only for outfits in the game. The weapons aren’t upgradable in Aegis.
Dust & Neon has a few key mechanics that shine but I believe asking £24.99 is a bit steep. Most shops are pointless and I never bought anything as I found most of my weapons during missions.
Gameplay is smooth and it looks pretty, but it is just lacking depth. Though honestly how much depth did Super Mario Bros.
I think that the concept of Flat Eye is good, but it has been presented poorly. I think the political agenda has taken over and the overall execution is poor. It’s like they drew the plans for a great sculpture and then tried to make it with a sledgehammer.
Overall I didn’t enjoy my time in Session: Skate Sim, I understand that it is meant to be a realistic simulation title. However, even the easier difficulties are still hard to master. Personally, it felt like there was a massive gap in the tutorial for someone who doesn’t skate.
My final thought on Whiteday: A Labyrinth Named School is that while it’s a huge upgrade from the original version. It just doesn’t give you that feeling of playing a survival horror game that shakes you to the core
Great ideas, sadly stifled by mediocre execution. Oxide Room 104 came off as a little confusing at times, lacking in direction. There are some really good ideas here, but it feels and plays like a mid-life PS3 game. It’s not a terrible game by any means and is good for a few hours. I would have appreciated this more if it played a little less cumbersome and if it looked a lot gorier than it was. Oxide Room 104 gets the Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
SD Gundam Battle Alliance is primarily a game for those that are familiar with the IP. Focused around replayability, it makes the player build an admittedly interesting cast of characters. Sadly, it stumbles and falls with repetitive gameplay, strange design choices and overly long, intrusive dialogue. The goal of the game is admirable, but it almost sets itself up to fail. Bringing together things from such a storied franchise is no easy feat. It’s a fairly decent introduction, with lots of history and some context to dive into. At the very least it has piqued my interest regarding Gundam. I wouldn’t say I had fun playing though it, with there just being too many flaws overall. It is a love letter to the wider franchise but not one addressed to this reviewer. Unless you are a hardcore Gundan fan, or want a rough and ready introduction to it, I would probably give this a miss. Overall, I give SD Gundam Battle Alliance a Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
My final thought on Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is that while the gameplay is fast and fluid and easy for most of the game. I just can’t ignore the bland and boring story. It goes on way too long and it’s way too predictable. Along with bad performance graphics-wise and a non-excictent multiplayer. The soundtrack is one that truly stands out.
I am a cyclist and a cycling fan and yet again Tour de France 2022 has left me disappointed. This may be because I live in the cycling world so know about the nuances of racing and the differences between bikes, maybe a Zwift review should follow?!
I had a decent time with Barn Finders which does make a novel addition to the simulation genre. While the narrative is a little scattered, it feels like a port from VR and suffers as a result. Overall it was fun to play after a slow start and pleasant to look at but it just wasn’t the best experience. I did enjoy the soundtrack and score, very much in keeping with the setting. And while perhaps short and sweet the game will keep completionists happy.
My final thought is that with DEADCRAFT being made by Marvelous. A developer with amazing games like Story of Seasons and Rune Factory. I expected so much better. The game just feels like a chore and you get no satisfaction at all from playing it. While it may appeal to others of the game genre. It just failed in so many ways.
I just couldn’t bring myself to pick up the controller and play it again. One time was more than enough for me. If the graphics were made for a next-generation console and some combat was involved then maybe I would give it another go.