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Although the subject matter is dark, the tone is devastating, and the outlook initially bleak, I firmly believe that anyone over the age of 12 should play this game. Many will cite Animal Crossing: New Horizons as their game of the pandemic, and with 200 hours of playtime, I’d have likely done the same. However, having recently played through Umurangi Generation, it is this that will stick with me in the years that follow.
Simulation as a genre is a very broad label over games that typically simulate real-world scenarios. In the case of Lawn Mowing Simulator, a chore or real-world job. What makes games like Job Simulator, Power Wash Simulator, or Lawn Mowing Simulator, to me is the way I can take part in a simulation for something I otherwise would not get a chance to. I don’t have access to large lawn mowers or a desire to run my own mowing company. Having the opportunity to cut grass may not seem exciting to some, but in Lawn Mowing Simulator the main draw is the zen-like monotony which can be satisfying.
At first glance Guild of Darksteel can be mistaken as a typical side-scrolling action-adventure. Yet, it’s both and neither. What it is, is a pixel-based narrative adventure that’s been crossed with a rhythm-based game. If you think along the lines of Flashback and Guitar Hero then you’re not too far off track.
Guilty Gear Strive is the latest entry in the long-running Guilty Gear franchise, one that spans more than 20 years. Documented as the 7th mainline instalment, but the 25th Guilty Gear game overall, Strive represents the first foray into next-gen gaming and my goodness does it make its mark.
Timothy Vs The Aliens is a smart, sort of original looking game, released on PS4 a few years ago to a few good reviews and a few more poor ones. It’s set in a 1940s style noir city, where everything is black and white (apart from the aliens) and your every move is accompanied by a rather unexciting smooth jazz soundtrack. You are Timothy, a gangster about town who has to repel an alien attack. It’s simple in principle and doesn’t get much more complex in practice. It’s been widely praised for its look, and to be fair that certainly stands out.
The gorgeous pixel art is definitely the star of the show in Mayhem In Single Valley, packed with detailed animations and incredible lighting effects. Though the other gameplay elements are average, there’s still fun to be found admiring the game’s visuals whilst navigating this world of mayhem.
Annapurna Interactive has quickly become one of my favourite publishers with the wide variety of inventive titles on offer. So when Annapurna’s latest title promised a mystery narrative title set in present-day London, I was eager to uncover the secrets of Last Stop.
A Plague Tale: Innocence sees you playing as Amicia running through the plagued streets of France with your brother Hugo. Set in the 1300’s, you’re running from soldiers of the inquisition and the terrifying hordes of rats that are ravaging the streets. There are a few different themes that run throughout: at the forefront of the story you’re surrounded by death and decay which is something you will quickly get used to seeing.
Within the Blade is an action-adventure game with various stealth elements. I stalked my foes through the tall grass, dashed from rooftop to rooftop, and strangled my foes mercilessly. Prepare to watch yourself get mangled in this macabre journey. Is it fulfilling? Find out in this Rapid Review.
One year after its debut on PC in Febuary 2020, Backworlds joined the list of puzzle games available to Nintendo Switch users. In today’s Rapid Review, we dive into the adventure this game brings.
I had previously heard people talk about Monster Train First Class without really paying too much attention. Then I heard a review code was available for the Nintendo Switch version, so I gazed at it a bit closer. Deck-builder, rogue-like with a bit of tower defence sprinkled in, has someone been peeking at my Christmas list? Monster Train First Class sounds like everything I want from a portable Switch game, so, let’s get into it. All aboard!
Side-scrolling beat’em ups are going through a renaissance at the present time. Spearheaded by the nostalgia driven Streets Of Rage 4 there’s been no end of titles released to try and capture the same feelings. The latest of these is Mayhem Brawler. Developed by Hero Concept, Mayhem Brawler takes everything that makes the genre great and adds a supernatural twist.
Bamerang is an action-packed party game featuring boomerangs. Prepare to compete against your friends as you face off in this silly feud to please an almighty goddess. Is this game perfect for game night? Or will it leave you wanting more? Find out in this Rapid Review.
The simulator genre has certainly been busy over the past few years. Farming Simulator has made a name for itself through its emphasis on realism and “hard work”. Meanwhile, Goat Simulator is a deliberately nonsensical parody, turning the genre on its head.
Have you ever played a game that you didn’t hate, nor like, but just felt like nothing? Shakes on a Plane gives me that feeling after playing it from beginning to end, and it doesn’t do anything wrong but it just gives me this feeling of “okay, I beat this… now what?”
Fire: Ungh’s Quest is an excellent experience burdened by some substantial drawbacks. Even with an excellent gameplay loop, a game without tight controls is a game I find myself playing sparingly.
A Tale of Synapse: The Chaos Theories is an education game that mixes learning with the action-platformer genre. Play as Nero on her quest to collect the four sacred books, learning math along the way. Is this mashup twice the fun? Find out in this Rapid Review.
I’m on my first of many road trips in DigixArt’s “procedurally generated road trip” game Road 96. I’m trying to cross the border of the authoritarian country of Petria and I’ve found myself in the passenger seat of a young hacker’s car. His name is Alex and he’s making a new arcade game: “Furious Tanks”. We play a few rounds; I make some suggestions on how to improve the game and we go our separate ways. I run out of fuel and my escape attempt comes to an end.
With billionaires going on sub-orbital day trips and the climate crisis worsening by the day, it’s hard not to think about the state of our planet. More importantly how we can save it, or leave it. After all the billionaires are trying to, right? But how can we, the average individual, ever prepare for the inevitable collapse of our planet? By playing video games, of course; or should I say one video game.
The 2D Platformer genre is not a newcomer to the gaming scene, of course our Italian plumber friend is a prime example of that. Neither is the Top-Down Puzzler genre, though perhaps not as widespread as the former. So, what can be done to make these genres new and exciting? Merge them together of course!