LadiesGamers.com's Reviews
Prehistoric Dude is short, easy but has a charm to it that I couldn’t help but enjoy. Sometimes there are those games that make you smile and forget the stress that’s going on around you. While this won’t be for everyone, it won me over and I could see myself picking this up again for a replay when I want to enjoy some prehistoric entertainment.
Giraffe and Annika is packed full of charm, a little childlike innocence, and a few rhythmic battles that break up the questing. They make up the unique title that Giraffe and Annika is and though I enjoyed the game I didn’t find it much of a challenge. Which bring me to the conclusion that Giraffe and Annika would be a fantastic game for a family with younger children to play-through together to discover the Islands of Spica. Alternatively, an adult can enjoy the game as well but don’t expect much of a challenge in any part of the game, just a chilled out experience.
Developer FuturLabs has been quoted often about their choice to use the puzzle genre for the Peaky Blinders foray into the gaming world. Many soundbite worthy quotes about it being linked to Tommy Shelby’s mind and the way in which he can see the perfect plan unfold do make sense. However I can’t help but feel that with a bigger budget, this puzzle based element would have merely been one part of a much larger game world. Perhaps more in the vein of Mafia 3 with the added time manipulation on offer here in Mastermind. However, I should point out that FuturLab has done a good job with the limited resources on hand, it is just a shame we couldn’t have played around inside the Peaky Blinder world with a little more depth.
Even with added mechanics, the gameplay gets stale before long. The repetitive task of moving characters from point A to point B could only sustain my interest for so long. However, I feel that this game is just the right amount of complicated for a little kid. The puzzles change bit by bit as you move along, and the bright, cheery colors and animal companions could suit a younger audience. That said, I feel I could only recommend Cubicity if it was for a child, as the gameplay is repetitive and lacks the depth of a story.
For all of Millie‘s faults, it is seriously a cute game. The hand drawn pictures are adorable. The concept is super sweet as well, down to the collecting of shoes on the levels for Millie’s growing body. I also really like how you can use the stars that you have earned on the levels to purchase power-up bundles in the game’s store. There’s no need for real money to buy anything in the game! With how cute Millie is, I really wanted to like this game. The concept is super neat and it had the potential to be a great game. However, with the lack of any clear instructions and the extremely difficult levels, I did not receive anything joyful from this game. The game left me frustrated, confused, and discouraged.
Overall, Phoenotopia: Awakening is a game that is really worth checking out if you enjoy RPGs. There is a lot to this game that is guaranteed to keep you entertained and pushing forward in the story, especially at its price point. Right now, it is just being released in North America and only in the English language but they already have plans to have a delayed release in the other Nintendo territories a couple weeks after the North American release. If you are not in the United States, Canada, or Mexico, keep your eyes peeled for an official release date for your area because Phoenotopia: Awakening is not a game you want to miss!
I am in awe of the creator of this game. And while this game is terrifying and disturbing, it also gave me a strong feeling of sonder. You should get this game if you like spooky games, for sure. If you want a glimpse into the world of someone’s mind, and you’re ready to flex your empathy muscles, you should get this game. . From a purely capitalist point of view, there is plenty of value for the price of the game. The soundtrack alone is worth the price, but also the artwork, the multiple endings, and the disturbing feelings it will create in you.
I do think Skully has lived up to my expectations. I will leave my frustration behind as I find most platform games frustrating at times while playing them, it’s the nature of the genre. Skully is a very enjoyable game and the puzzles are a lot of fun. Set in beautiful environments, with great voice acting and humour. If you are a fan of the genre, Skully is definitely a game you should consider adding it to your Nintendo Switch library.
Merchant of the Skies is a neat trading simulation game, with relaxing game play. Though I don’t think the game allows for much of a replay after you have finished the campaign mode. There is a sandbox mode to play around with, but once I’d played and completed the campaign mode I’d basically completed everything the game has to offer. There isn’t anything particularly new in the game, however, the gameplay that Merchant of the Skies offers is engrossing and an enjoyable experience all the same.
RogueCube is a cheap, fun, coffee game. The games are quick and a lot of fun. I don’t quite know why but I really dug the cube like design. Simple yet effective. The glaring issue being that it is far too similar to other games in the genre that you may already have on your Switch. If your new to the genre though, RogueCube is a good way to test the water at a low price.
It was a fun game while it lasted, and the variation between the characters was lovely to experience. While I wasn’t a huge fan of Standard mode, I can appreciate a lot of people will enjoy that style of gameplay. The inclusion of visual novel mode is something that I wish I’d see more of in games like this, so that people can enjoy the story without needing to be good at the balancing act. I’d have liked the game to be longer because it didn’t take me that long to go through every story in visual novel mode – I understand and appreciate that it was an experimental add-on, but it should’ve been carefully tested and potentially expanded before being included in the final product. That said, if there happened to be a fully-fledged visual novel version I can see myself double-dipping without much hesitation! I had a lot of fun with Nicole, and would definitely recommend it for any visual novel fan.
You can control Brightstone Mysteries: Paranormal Hotel either by the touchscreen or the joy-cons. I played the game using both control systems and they both work well. My personal preference after trying both controls was to use the touchscreen controls and these I found to be intuitive and responsive. While the story is quite intriguing and some of the puzzles can be a little challenging to complete you won’t find anything new to the genre in Brightstone Mysteries Paranormal Hotel. That’s not to say that it should be overlooked as it does offer a decent puzzle game for fans of the genre to pass a few hours of time with.
The time stop mechanic is used in clever ways to solve environmental puzzles and it feels a shame this just isn’t utilized a bit more. The Ambassador Fractured Timelines is a game that kinda grew on me the more I played it. I liked the strategic gameplay where every hit counts. It’s just a shame there’s not more variety in the level design bar kill all the enemies. Still an entertaining experience from a small development team. I look forward to seeing what tinyDino Games works on next.
An adventure Indy Jones would be proud of. While Curious Expedition may not dress to impress, this game’s the real deal when it comes to a fun experience with replay value. Tough but entertaining, it will scratch the itch for folks who like decision-making dilemmas. Like with any roguelike, you’ll fail often and there’s lots to learn—but that’s exactly where the fun is. I would have been glad to pay more than $15 for it.
Sports games absolutely have a home on the Switch and there’s a sizeable audience hungry to get off their sofas and enjoy some active games. Graphical limitations can be easily overlooked but controls are essential and sadly Instant Sports Summer Games doesn’t quite hit the mark. What could have been a fun game to enjoy with the family feels more like a mixed assortment of okay and not so. Fun to be had? Sure. But it’s hard to ignore this concept has been done better on older systems.
All in all, I think the existence of Need a packet? demonstrates why I have a fondness for video games which are utilized as a kind of realistic teaching tool simulation with social commentary underneath. The ending for Easy Mode is reaching a manager position. *Feigns celebrating*. If playing as a cashier experiencing a breakdown in a bleak world accompanied by hard to see text alongside inconsistent controls interests you, take a gander at Need a packet?
Mittelborg: City of Mages has a pretty interesting premise, it’s a real pity that that is all it is. It plays like a straight port from pc or mobile. What art there is in the game looks well, I just wish there was more of it instead of a static image of the city. The translation of the text needs work to help the game story along and help to make it more interesting for the player. There are bigger and better simulation, strategy games to choose from on the eShop sadly this isn’t one of them.
Heroes of Hammerwatch is a game that grows on you. While definitely more fun with others I still had a lot of fun alone. It may have minor faults but I loved how I kept discovering something new about the game whether it was discovering a new mechanic or mastering the games traps. This is easily a title I’ll return to for years to come.
Terrorarium deserves praise for it’s originality but it still feels like a game that needs a little more polish in places. Frustrating level design and awkward mechanics keep this from being something I was able to really enjoy. Hopefully the game will continue to receive patches following its full release. But in its current form I would say to approach this garden with caution.
Steam Tactics nicely fits into the hidden gem category with some rough edges. Brilliant design with memorable characters and surprising depth to the gameplay. Frustrating difficulty spikes and repetitive grinding to level up broke the experience for me. However, if your a fan of the genre and looking for a pick up and play experience this is an easy one to recommend. Also if I get a dog I’m totally naming it Benedictus Maximus.