Checkpoint Gaming
HomepageCheckpoint Gaming's Reviews
I didn't have a bad time with No Way Home, although as an experience, it doesn't feel quite substantial enough on PC. While the increased amount of loot and enemies is a welcome enough improvement, being limited to only one weapon at a time results in a fairly repetitive gameplay loop, and that's before getting into the procedurally-generated environments which caused most areas to feel basically the same, albeit with a different (quite lovely to look at) backdrop. The story is fun while it lasts, with Cho's interactions with the quirky alien galactic denizens remaining funny and enjoyable. If you're looking for a short looter-shooter with more of a focus on the story than the gunplay and are satisfied with that trade-off, then No Way Home might well be worth checking out.
Robots at Midnight is a solid enough romp for the action RPG space. The robot infested world of Yob is a curious and colourful place infused with retro nostalgic futurism, dusty droids and bright purple stormy skies. A lot of flowers should be given to Finish Line Games for making a palatable Soulslike that can be played by all, even offering some engaging play in the supercharged MITT abilities that have you soaring around environments or sucker punching bots. Thanks to other elements, such as a lot of stock standard combat pacing and flawed exploration, Robots at Midnight doesn't necessarily do a lot to significantly distinguish itself in the hugely populated genre crowd, but it is a different flavoured experience for the space if you're looking for yet another to eat up. It's not quite a home run, but it's a damn solid swing and crowd pleaser nevertheless.
TRON: Catalyst proves that there are still plenty of stories to be told on the Grid, even if it never fully realises this potential itself. Its narrative is well-written and engaging, it faithfully captures the aesthetic of the films and has perfectly function combat and exploration, but its repetitiveness and inability to fully take advantage of the possibilities of TRON's 'discfu' leaves it feeling like version 0.8 rather than 1.0 when it comes to taking advantage of the possibilities of this series.
Date Everything! is an exemplary example of what happens when game developers remember they have free will and can do literally anything they want. A classic dating sim style game but with a twist, Sassy Chap Games decided it would be really cool to basically hire the entirety of the professional voice acting industry and assign them all to sexy human versions of furniture, and somehow it worked spectacularly. Date Everything! is an experience dripping with charm, inclusivity and pride, and is the exact right amount of self-aware. Being able to make a hundred characters equally as unique and captivating as they are is such an impressive feat. This is a dating sim that breaks free from the mould, and even those who aren't fond of the genre will find something to love within this world.
The Alters has taken the idea of choices and their ramifications and used it to create a world where you can only count on yourself to survive. It mixes these with literal elements of survival, such as mining for materials, keeping important items stocked, and keeping your base in working shape. All these elements made me think about my own choices in life, and what could have been if I had taken different paths. Therefore, not only was The Alters a captivating story and world to play in, but it also really made me think philosophically about life and what it really means to survive.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is a smart sequel. It leans on the original's strongest elements in the aesthetic and stylistic choices, whilst moving the gameplay into a new and entertaining direction. It doesn't do anything groundbreaking, though it does succeed at producing a high-quality product that feels good to play. Thanks to an interesting upgrade system and in-built chance mechanics, The Eternal Die stands out on its own and proves to be a game absolutely worthy of your time.
Mario Kart World is incredibly easy to fall in love with, largely due to its solid injection of nostalgia and visual upgrades that help to justify the hardware upgrade. This is the best-looking and smoothest Mario Kart has ever felt, and Knockout Tour is sure to set the world on fire as the go-to game mode for this generation. I wish there was more to strive for in its Free Roam mode, but all of the other foundational parts that have made Mario Kart a success for so long are here, and better than ever. When playing with friends, it's still the undisputed king, making this a must-have title on your shiny new Switch 2 that will be enjoyed for years to come.
Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4 are worth the wait due to the content and story presented. Susie's character arc is very vulnerable and will bring you to tears, Kris's mystery thickens, and the world expands meaningfully and emotionally. The humour and heart that made Undertale and early Deltarune chapters special are still here, with more polish, questions, and challenges. And with six chapters still to come, we're only just getting started.
There's a lot to love in Nice Day for Fishing, but it's marred by repetition. By the time you've cast your line a few dozen times or run about the map from end to end to fetch whatever the wizard Baradun needs, the magic fades. What works well in the short NPC Man skits doesn't entirely hold up across the course of a full-length game. Still, even though it might not be the legendary catch you're looking for, Nice Day for Fishing is far from a throwaway, especially so if you're a Viva La Dirt League fan. In short bursts, it's a very enjoyable time. It is indeed a nice day for fishing… but not a nice week.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is exactly what it claims to be: an interactive manual with a few bells and whistles. It's the Wii Sports of the Switch 2 era, helping users understand the console, its features, and how it all fits together. While charging $15 for something that feels like it should've been bundled might be a turnoff, the level of detail and interactivity makes the price somewhat justifiable. It's not a must-have, but if you want a fun way to explore your new console, it's a decent way to spend a few hours. Just don't rush through it; enjoy it for its charm.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is amazing and well worth the wait, and Level-5 bringing it to multiple platforms to experience it in all its whimsy and wonder was an incredibly smart and measured decision. I'd struggle to find anyone who wouldn't gel with how effortlessly endearing it is, with its vibrant world and charm, dopamine-providing levelling system, a bounty of activities and things to see and do. The side-games that feel like their own games, whether that's exploring a Breath of the Wild-like open world or creating a cute and cozy village of locals à la Animal Crossing, are substantial and meaty, adding to the fun and delight that awaits around every corner. Even the most monotonous task of chopping down a tree is suddenly super exciting. The Fantasy Life series, and The Girl Who Steals Time, are just that magical and effective in doing so. This is a level up for Level-5. Job complete.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma perfectly blends the farming and combat experience with Japanese influences. The result is an immersive cultural experience that you don't want to put down. You actually feel like you are rebuilding villages and restoring prosperity to the land instead of just being a landowner. While it isn't perfect despite several improvements to the formula, it nevertheless delivers a fun experience that you won't soon forget.
While the core gameplay loop of Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo feels dated, there's a lot to enjoy in the retro-inspired experience that Pocket Trap have crafted. The level design and puzzles, badge and upgrade system, and art design make it worth a look if you're craving an old-school adventure. There's a great game in here, but it's sometimes held back from shining through.
A joyful, unapologetically silly celebration of being different, To a T offers up a chaotic series of adventures that the right player will find absolutely delightful. On top of this, it explores themes of disability inclusion, bullying, and loss in a positive and uniquely accessible way. Despite some moments of tedium and a little too much repetition, To a T is a jolly great time and a perfect treat for younger or cosy gamers.
Elden Ring Nightreign is a faster, roguelike remix of the Souls formula that swaps deep exploration for co-op urgency. Combat is more agile, pacing is relentless, and boss fights thrive on teamwork. Still, not every change lands. FromSoftware's familiar connection issues can spoil a good run, the storytelling lacks expected depth, and the Limveld map may be mastered very quickly. Overall, Nightreign delivers exciting high-speed battles and rewarding experimentation. It's a bold spinoff that breaks the rules and mostly gets away with it.
In its 10-15 hour runtime, Deliver At All Costs delivers (haha) a short and sweet package of iconic video game driving nonsense. The driving mechanics handle well enough to feel satisfying to play, while also being unwieldy enough to turn you into the worst road menace of the 1950s. Focused on feeding you laughs every chapter through its gameplay and juxtaposed seriously dramatic storyline, reckless endangerment has never been so much fun.
Blades of Fire offers some compelling and exciting ideas, particularly with its reverence for weaponcrafting and rewarding forge mechanics. But its love of steel and violence can only take it so far; its combat is enjoyable at first, but wears out its welcome across a lengthy campaign that is filled with too-chatty characters and a world that's very frustrating to get lost in. Even with those caveats, its eye-catching fantasy world and weapons that pack a punch still have enough charm to see it through. Not every one of its big swings lands, but as they say, "you miss all the shots you don't take", and Blades of Fire at least gives the action RPG genre a solid crack with a unique point of view.
JDM: Japanese Drift Master shines in places like the graphics and the cars themselves. Gaming Factory has put a lot of love into this, and it shows. Especially using Polish musicians to fill up their radio stations. There are some issues, though; the story itself doesn't leave an impact, the difficulty of the AI is inconsistent, and there are some bugs. But it's all about the drifting, and that's where it makes up for it. The driving is fluid, and the NPCs can be quite challenging. However, the cars sound amazing, it really sounds like you're driving a Miata! Fans of Tokyo Drift, Initial D and general drift racing sim fans will have a ball with JDM.
PEPPERED: An Existential Platformer has created a world and characters that are so silly and weird that it's a delight to explore. However, some players may find the replayability tedious and therefore won't be encouraged to continue to explore once they have died. Clocking in at just a few hours, though, if you love your surreal humour and wacky worlds, I'd give PEPPERED a shot.
Strange Scaffold have done it again and has made another wonderful romp that is well worth your time, this time adapting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles name and world. Dispel any doubt: the indie studio's writing chops and style transfer well to the universe of the team of amphibian martial artists, bringing over so much charm and pizazz from the IP in its first-ever turn-based affair. With plenty of visual and audio flourishes and delights, you're transported to the franchise's heyday and better yet, while you're at it, you're engaging in some good old-fashioned tactics fun, using the turtle brother's skillsets to take down wave after wave of thugs. It might not be the most mechanically deep or hardest of the genre, but it's all worth it to see those lovable crime-fighting teens back in action.