Handsome Phantom
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The personality of this world and its characters are outright endearing. However, the lack of any real narrative is a large oversight in my book. However, those looking for fun and, at times, difficult puzzles are guaranteed to enjoy what is present. With the added benefit of accessibility features and hardcore challenge modes, those who tout gameplay as king will find themselves at home within Felix The Reaper.
Trine 4’s varied and accessible approach to puzzle solving help it to stand out as a somewhat memorable and amusing experience. A charming world with an endearing cast of characters ensure that this lighthearted adventure remains enjoyable and never too trying. While there are some tedious combat sequences and balancing issues with your three characters, these never get in the way of what Trine 4 has to offer. At a budget price, Trine 4 is as easy to recommend as it is to pick up and play.
As far as Bullet Hell games go... unless you are a fan of the source material there are much better ways to spend your precious time.
For fans of intricate and challenging puzzle games, The Sojourn is a no brainer.
Sin Slayers will appeal to fans of modern and classic JRPGs alike. With a simple battle system, yet complex sin mechanic, mixed with procedurally generated levels and seven distinct regions to explore, Sin Slayers never feels repetitive. Created by a small team of five in Russia, this game is a breath of fresh air in a crowded year for games. One negative is the translation of the narrator in that sometimes what he says doesn’t match what is written in the subtitles. But that’s a small complaint that never really takes away from the experience.
Despite some repetition, uneven visuals, and derivative mechanics, Children of Morta is an absolute joy to play from start to finish. A smooth progression system, randomly generated elements, and a ton of different abilities to play with were more than enough for us to look past some of the game’s shortcomings. We highly recommend this one whether you’re a seasoned vet of the dungeon crawler genre, or just looking for a new and charming rouge-like experience.
Telling Lies won’t be for everyone and you get out of the game what you are willing to put into it. Having said that, it may just be the most original game you’ll play this year and the performances alone are worth sticking around for.
Overall, Control has severe highs and lows. The mix of shooting and power based combat feels great, and features a robust system of mods and upgrades that allow you to customize to how you prefer to play. Additionally, The Oldest House is a unique environment, and is at the core of what makes the premise of the game so intriguing. Unfortunately, it gets in its own way by gating off so much of the details and lore through countless documents and audio logs that break the flow of the game. With an ending that leaves many questions unanswered and plot points unresolved, it leaves players unsatisfied and wondering "is that it?"
RAD may not reinvent the genre from the ground up, but fans of Double Fine and Rogue-Like games should definitely put some time into this one.
Overall, Red Matter is a fantastic addition to the Quest library for both casual and hardcore VR players. If puzzles are your thing, or maybe you just love to see something that’s technically stunning, you’ll want to check it out for sure. The work they’ve done porting the game to the Quest is incredible and has set a new standard for ports on the system.
Ion Fury is remarkably smooth, much like you would expect from a traditional Build game, or nearly any first-person shooter from the mid-90s.
The forgotten From Software game Metal Wolf Chaos is finally coming to the west thanks to Devolver Digital and General Arcade. Let’s take a look at the PC version of the port.
The Blackout Club is frustrating on so many levels. Unless you’re playing the game co-op, don’t even bother… you’ll never make it through the missions. There was so much potential and, with patches, the difficulty could become a little more balanced in time. As it stands now the difficulty and strange mission structures keep the game from really being all that fun.
Fantasy Strike is a fighting game that anyone can enjoy. Already making waves on the pro circuit, Fantasy Strike is all about strategy and not button mashing or pulling over split second combos. Good decision making will win the day here. This is a fighting game for all people. If you love fighting games this game is for you. If you’ve always wanted to get into the genre but felt intimated, this game is also for you. Anyone can play and enjoy it.
Boasting challenging run and gun gameplay, an impressive amount of replayability, and an unmatched level of nostalgia, Blazing Chrome is a must have.
F1 2019 is a must have for fans of racing and sports games alike. Easily the most complete package in the F1 catalogue to date, you’ll be uncovering new things to do all the time. This is the kind of game that you can get lost in and forget about all the other great games being released.
Even if you've never touched a game in the Yakuza series, you'll find yourself having an absolute blast with this game.
My Friend Pedro will take you on a journey to the most extreme depths of beautiful violence… and you'll love every second of it.
Gato Roboto is an absolutely great game. That doesn’t mean it’s without flaws, but the few that are present are easily overshadowed by the brilliant pixel art, often refreshing humor, and fun gameplay. Even stages that are often the downfall of a Metroidvania such as a water level or chase sequence are done incredibly well.
Draugen tells a beautiful story that fans of the genre won’t want to miss. A runtime of only two or three hours, depending on how much extra exploring you do, should allow for the game to be completed in just a couple of sessions.