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I found Battle for the Grid‘s gameplay to be a blast when playing locally with a friend. The easy inputs help new players get into the action quickly without having to overcome a huge learning curve. Power Rangers fans will love this game if they have someone they can consistently play with. The gameplay is smooth and the action is fine-tuned to allow for fast-paced combos. Sadly, everything else about this game makes it painfully clear that this was a budget title. Battle for the Grid is fun because of nWay’s devotion to creating an approachable fighting game with nods to its many predecessors. Other than that, I would not recommend Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, especially if you’re looking for a game with a good amount of content and decent netcode. CultureOfGaming.com is your source for great review, news, podcasts, op-eds and more! Also, be sure to check out my other reviews of my interview with Black Panther’s voice actor James Mathis III or Shades of Magic author V.E. Schwab.
In my time playing Zombotron I experienced some really high ups, but also very annoying downs. I really love the aesthetic this game is going for and I think the gameplay is really fun once you give it time and become acclimated to it. The first run through the spaceship is really fun. I enjoyed getting more comfortable with the weapons I had and progressing through the rooms filled with a combination of aliens and zombies was a blast. Once I hit that first boss though, I instantly stopped having fun with the game and it honestly went downhill from there. The experience with the bosses really soured any goodwill I had towards this game. Without them, it’s not bad. I just cannot overlook how aggravating the experience with them is.
Overall, Bow to Blood: Last Captain Standing is a fun game, albeit flawed. The combat has a lot of potential, but it’s hurt by poor pacing. The story is also the bare minimum at best. For only $19.99 though, it has enough content, and quality, to leave you satisfied.
Despite the potential that Fade to Silence has, there is no denying that this is a bad game. It suffers from poor game play, poor development, lack of polishing, a useless narrative, unbalanced difficulty, a lack of focus, outrageous levels of repetition, the problems with this game just go on and on. However, this doesn’t change one thing. I had a ton of fun with this game. The $49.99 price tag is really steep for the quality of the game you’re getting. But for a second, imagine that really god awful movie, that you love to death because of how fun that movie was to watch. That was Fade to Silence for me.
Doughlings: Arcade is a fun, albeit repetitive experience that’s saving grace is its level creator. Arcade fans and block breaker fans will definitely enjoy this game. It’s a simple, humorous adventure with enough to content to justify its low price. But beware the game’s flaws before deciding to pick it up.
If you came late to the series, never played V2 and are a fan, Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is a must-play and a great deal with all of the bundled items including the DLC. For those who have followed the series since the beginning, V2 Remastered does look much better and play much better but whether you wish to play through the same adventure again is a matter of personal taste. Just be aware that the gameplay is exactly how you remembered it, a far cry from the sequels.
Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut is an extremely in-depth RPG. It has so much wonderful world building that you can’t help but be enticed despite some issues with the combat system, a general lack of direction, and some messy UI components. The many issues that the game had originally as well have been patched up. So, this port manages to be a worthwhile experience, despite some issues players may have with the game.
Bedtime Digital Games filled Figment with so much charm and whimsy that it’s just a shame there isn’t more of it. Before I knew it, I had captured all three of the escaped fears, and my journey was over. I found myself wishing there were more to the ending. But there isn’t. But as I’ve stated numerous times in this review, Figment isn’t really here to make you think too hard. The subject matter makes it seem like there should be more weight to everything, but its chill pace contradicts this. While it can be too slow at times, with its leisurely pace and cool music, it’s up to the player to decide if they think the game is “chill” or whether it’s shallow of content. And as I wished for more challenge at times, both in content and message, I wavered between the two. And ultimately, that’s what’s on my mind.
Team Sonic Racing is an enjoyable Kart Racer that manages to stand out against even the best of its competition. While it has some deep flaws with connectivity and frame rate while online, and a useless ranked system, it delivers one of the greatest single-player experiences in the genre. An experience that can be the exact same with up to three other local players too. The game has a wonderful soundtrack, great designs, and manages to be one of the most unique games out there in terms on teamwork mechanics. It reminds me of Splatoon 2 in many ways, but as its racing counterpart.
I don’t believe Eko Software have made an ARPG before, let alone one based on such a storied franchise, so I applaud them for tackling such a project. Luckily for Eko Software and Bigben Interactive they’re onto a winner. The game looks and feels like an ARPG made by an experienced team, and it’s a more than worthy entrant into the top tier of Warhammer games. There are some issues with music and textures, and the “pay to revive” mechanic does make dying a lot less of a problem. One thing to note is the Season Pass. Plans include content that enhances characters, thus making the game easier. There is also additional story content scheduled for DLC four. The first two DLC packs will confer new passive skills and a new skill tree to players. Packs three and four will include new companions and story content. As the Season Pass technically allows players to have an advantage over non-paying players, it warrants mentioning. Nonetheless, Eko Software have done a fine job and should be very proud of themselves.
The feeling of tension and anxiety and fear of what might lurk around the corner are hallmarks of the horror genre. But eventually those feelings will fade when you realize the monster is usually behind you, and it’s the story that needs to do the heavy lifting. Dollhouse hits that point early and often because of its repetitive gameplay. The true enjoyment from Dollhouse is found not in its empty environments or repetitive tasks, but in slowly piecing together the history of the characters in the story. But it doesn’t change the fact that by the end, I just wanted it to be over. This is one movie that you shouldn’t rush to the theater to see.
Effie does well to pay homage to the platforming classics of the early console wars. The game has a lot to offer both visually and aurally, and the game’s enjoyment is found in adventuring and platforming your way through the open world, solving puzzles as you go. Effie deserves your time.
Despite a fair few niggling gripes with it, Deep Sky Derelicts is a damn fine game. As far as roguelikes go, it manages to be something new and different while still staying true to all the things that make the genre great. It’s stands out in an overcrowded genre on the ingenuity of its setting and a few unique mechanics. It can be brutal at times, but compelling enough to get you through it. I played a lot more than I need to. It’s a solid example of a tried and tested genre. For their second game, and their first PC title, this is an excellent showing from Snowhound Games. I look forward to their next offering. If you want to see more reviews like this, head on over to https://opencritic.com/and look for us there.
Mainlining offers little but a frustrating experience on the Nintendo Switch. It’s all too clear how the PC version would be superior in every single regard, while also costing five dollars less there. From broken mechanics, poor keyboard functionality, and no indication of what you’re supposed to be doing, Mainlining is a game that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. If the idea does at all intrigue you, look into the original PC version. It’s likely that even a basic laptop could run the game, and with the amount of typing needed and window jumping required, a keyboard and mouse are practically a must for a decent experience.
In conclusion, I found myself having a fun time playing Irony Curtain. Despite some of its flaws, I recommend those who are fans of point & click games to give it a shot. I definitely plan to continue through the game and see how the story ends. Perhaps my OCD will kick in and tell me to get the platinum trophy as well!
I’m not going to mince words. This game is fantastic. Even with minor annoyances, I still had a fantastic time. There might not be more than two options for controls. There is every racetrack from both Crash Team Racing and Crash Nitro Kart, beautifully recreated in 4K resolution for the current generation. The rubberbanding might be annoying, but the races are so fun that I didn’t care for long. If you don’t like kart racers, this game might not change your mind. If you do like them, you should definitely give Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled a try, especially if you were a fan of the original. It takes what’s great about Crash Bandicoot and puts it into the kart racing genre.
Slender: The Arrival is a front-loaded horror game that brings its best at first but quickly devolves in quality. While later levels help expand the narrative and give context to what you’re doing, it becomes painfully mediocre with fewer scares and repetitious gameplay. As a port, it is well done. Everything from the original games is intact, except for a few graphical downgrades during certain areas. I would still recommend this game at least to experience a pop culture phenomenon. But, know that you’re not getting a solid return on your investment. Slender: The Arrival is available now on the Nintendo Switch. Let us know what you think!
Throughout his lifetime, I have introduced my technological spoiled Generation Z son who has grown up on blockbuster movie quality games like the modern day sequels to Halo and Call of Duty to the more simpler Time Pilot, Pac Man, Defender, the arcade, Atari and ColecoVision games I grew up with. He often placates me with a polite…That’s cool, dad!..before turning on his game console with its 4K resolution and Dolby sound. What he doesn’t understand is that there is often beauty in simplicity. What really matters always is not the graphics or the sound but how fun a game is to play in the first place. The 16-bit art style, the gameplay, the cut-scenes, even the music makes Stranger Things 3: The Game a perfect sequel to those adventure games of the past. If you grew up with them as I did, you will appreciate Stranger Things 3: The Game on a far higher and different level than someone who might not have still, if you are a fan of the series and adventure gaming in general, just living out, playing out those famous scenes may be worth the $19.99 bargain price tag.
Unfortunately, this game is held back by the lack of original ideas. Nearly everything in this game has been done in previous Mech games, and typically a lot better too. Even down to the name of the game itself “War Tech Fighters”, yeah you use these pieces of tech to fight in a war. Regardless, it still manages to offer up a fun experience. Plus it has a far deeper leveling up system and customization options than I originally thought it would have. So, despite some muddy controls and an insignificant story, for only twenty bucks, this game will go a long way in holding people over for the major Mech games on the horizon.
In conclusion, Furwind is a bland, forgettable 2D platformer and it’s hard to point out some outstanding features. With all it’s flaws, there are some positive things such as the music. I can’t picture myself going back to this game more than once when I finish it, especially with other great indie games out there at the moment.