LadiesGamers.com's Reviews
Hello Goodboy shows a remarkable sensitivity to a painful topic from the beginning by warning the players that while the story is light-hearted, it can still be painful to someone who has lost a precious person. In that matter, it heavily reminds me of Spiritfarer (2020). Hello Goodboy is a memorable cozy gaming experience that is definitely worth trying out.
Strayed Lights looks beautiful and has a deep combat system that is rewarding for those able to click with it. It just didn’t click for me. Much like the NPCs in this game, I felt lonely and desperately needed a hug. Though I honestly like what this game is going for. The presentation feels cinematic, with large open areas to explore and epic boss battles. So it’s another of those examples of a game I like but just could not connect with its parry system. I have enough real-life stresses currently, which is not helping. With that in mind, I still recommend it, but a demo would have been really helpful for players to test the waters before they commit to purchasing. If you have fast reflexes and don’t mind long battles, then go into the light and have fun. But if you’re looking for a calmer experience, then seek light elsewhere.
Grow on the Go is a good addition to the gardening games out there. It focuses on managing your shop, growing plants in several different regions of the world and finding new varieties like shiny plants and out-of-the-ordinary colours. Some small bugs need ironing out, but for the price, this is a lovely gardening game. Look at the world from your storefront window, and make your customers happy while surrounded by your green cute friends.
With its simple yet challenging gameplay, Cubic Figures is a fun addition to the casual puzzle genre. The game’s content is more than enough for a few hours of fun.
Bread and Fred was not the cuddly co-op adventure I was expecting. Frustrating in co-op and unplayable in single-player. This wasn’t for my wife, who I roped into playing this experience with me, or me. Costing me almost my marriage. I can see an audience who likes these overly hard games loving the challenge, particularly streamers and speedrunners. For all I know, this is another one of those experiences maybe I just don’t get as I’m getting older and not with the cool gamer kids. For most, I would advise approaching this with caution unless you want to test the length of your best gaming friendships
I will admit Evil Wizard did not deliver the best first impression for me. The constant interruption of gameplay to tell some joke got old pretty quickly. I admit I can see a sizable audience loving this humour. When things focused on the gameplay, I was enjoying the flow of the experience. Combat is a fair challenge made more enjoyable by the game’s epic boss battles. It also changes the pace of playing an adventure game without a 2D platformer. It’s a solid experience that will keep you entertained throughout. Some may even call this the Evil Zelda game. Evil Wizard shows it’s good to be bad sometimes.
Playing Loop8: Summer of Gods, I debated about which rating to give. Often I know even from the start which way my verdict will go, but not so this time. At first, the town felt so barren, and I often felt like I was just clicking away. Suggesting as much as I could towards everyone I met. Eventually, I began to see how I should play the game, paying more attention to relationships and whose friendship I wanted the most. Plus, I did my best to max my stats with activities. I liked the battles; I would have loved more of them, not just on the days that the gate to the underworld was open. But what made me keep on doubting my verdict was the feeling of being an outsider. Sure, I tried to get closer to my classmates by making the right suggestions, but I would have loved more real background stories and feeling. When I suggest “Get to know better”, I really want to know the person! I am going for I Like It, as I feel Loop8: Summer of Gods has more potential. To get the A Lot added to the I Like It, I would have needed more fleshed-out characters to relate to, making forming an emotional bond less a matter of clicking away and more of really wanting to know them more!
Batboy is absolutely great. A retro throwback with modern improvements that is suitable for any gamer looking for a fair challenge. The biggest praise goes to its instant satisfaction in gameplay and clever level design. Sure, there are small nitpicks, but these are easily overshadowed by how much fun I had playing this. Even during the game’s tough segments, there was rarely a moment I wasn’t enjoying my time with the game. I can see some comparing this to Mega Man and Shovel Knight. But Batboy makes its own mark standing next to these greats rather than mimicking them. Better still, if you’re still not sure there is a free demo to try before you buy. A home run, indeed.
Studies in recent years have shown that puzzles can help improve overall mental abilities and reduce the risk of dementia. So games like Neon Fantasy: Animals can be fun and good for us! Neon Fantasy: Animals is a game with a straightforward premise; however, with its relaxing music and beautiful images, it makes for an excellent casual puzzle game.
Overall, I would have to say that Homestead Arcana is aggressively okay. It tries really hard to be fresh and different, and I appreciate that. However, the amount of empty space makes it feel unfinished. There was a bug that seemed to ruin my playthrough, and there were no NPCs to talk to give me a better sense of place. While I had a cat to chat with for the couple of hours I played and a shopkeeper showed up every morning, it was so lonely and vast that I felt how the world was falling apart. This could have been used to the game’s advantage, but it just fell flat instead of using that space to remind you of what you left behind to become a farmer at the very edges of the safe zone. I like Homestead Arcana; I feel like it has a lot of positive things about it. Unfortunately, I don’t think it is in great shape currently.
Just like how the Nintendo Switch and Metroid Dread bundle like bread and butter, Hollow Knight can just as easily be the butter of a Steam Deck sandwich (or just get it on virtually any other mainstream platform!). The main story might feel a bit short when you subtract the hours spent on grinding and figuring out where to go. However, you’ll likely add more hours doing side-quests, each with its own rewards and optional content that pull back the plot curtains even further. Combine that with the beautiful visuals, deep story, and generally higher, but not punishing difficulty compared to the games they take inspiration from, and it’s an A+ in my book. I suggest you take your sweet time working your way through because Team Cherry is cooking up a sequel which may or may not see its release this year. Finally, I can join my excitement with the hundreds of thousands of Hollow Knight fans eagerly waiting for its completion!
The Shape of Things is so cute, it’s super fun, and the smooth gameplay and the puzzles are well-considered. Minus the couple of things I had issues with, The Shape of Things was nearly perfect. I love it so much. In addition, the game is cute, fun, relaxing, and worth picking up if you love these kinds of adorable little puzzle games.
Skye Tales is a beautifully crafted and carefully thought-out game. There is a wide-ranging selection of puzzles with varying degrees of difficulty. There is much to delight the casual gamer!
PictoPull is a new addition to the block-pulling genre. The game’s simple but challenging gameplay, colourful graphics, and level editor make it a must-play for fans of these kind of puzzles. With over 150 levels and the ability to create and share your own levels, PictoPull offers players endless hours of fun and creativity
Bust of Move Everybubble! (sorry, Puzzle Bobble) is a solid return to a much-loved arcade puzzler. If you have been away from the series for a while, this is a welcome return to see an old friend. If you’re new, this is a great jumping-on point if you’re looking for one of the best arcade puzzlers in the genre. A hearty challenge to enjoy alone or with friends. It falters a little for me by its lacklustre Versus mode, which doesn’t quite recapture the thrill of the arcade games. Still, the experience was enough to bubble up all the warm moments I have had playing previous entries in the series with my wife. And in time, I hope to share this with my boy. Now, for the love of all that is bubbly, can we have a new Rainbow Islands game Taito?
Abalon is an excellent package that brings the excitement of the tabletop experience without the need for a big table or friends, for that matter. Some may find the difficulty spikes a bit unfair in places with its battles and unfair dice rolls. But for me, this only added to the excitement of the experience. Anyone that has ever sat down for a night of tabletop gaming may recall you can have the worst run possible, but so long as you’re having fun, it doesn’t matter. And I had a lot of fun with Abalon. On appearance, it feels like another familiar fantasy dungeon crawler, yet its attention to its gameplay makes this a wondrous experience to play through. Abalon will whisk you away on an excursion for however much time you can spare.
Remote Planets offers a perfect blend of challenge and relaxation, which is hard to come by in puzzle games. With its challenging puzzles and colourful and charming world, the game is a must-play for fans of Sokoban puzzle games.
Overall, I’m lukewarm on HRO: Adventures of a Humanoid Resources Officer. I liked the Sci-Fi premise and world-building, but all these elements didn’t combine to make the most interesting story. Who knows, maybe I just made the wrong choices, or I’ve watched too many Sci-Fi TV shows recently, which grabbed my attention. Still, HRO has a lot going for it, with multiple solutions to problems leading to different outcomes; if the experience hooks you in, you will want to replay it multiple times. If you fancy a good read and are tired of action games, get your best brew ready and settle in for a more relaxed game night.
Pathfinders: Memories is an exceptional game that successfully gives the player a short yet challenging and relaxing experience. It may have some facts the player did not know about and bring some challenges as well with more complex difficulty. For its low price, it is a worthwhile game to pass some time.
In conclusion, Planet of Lana is one of the best games I’ve played recently. It is clear that for Thunderful Publishing, it was a labour of love, from the premise to animation, world lore, music, and sounds. Even more impressive, the whole game studio was created around this project, and this game is their first. Based on PoL, they have a bright future ahead of them.