Entertainium's Reviews
It’s truly exciting to think that there are devs out there like Jankenteam who are so evidently in love with a game that they’re able to remake it as well as they did with Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX. Fans of the original are sure to get a kick out of this beautiful re-release, and those like me who might’ve missed it the first time around or are too young to have been around when it was new are sure to get a kick — or better put, a punch — out of it as well, thanks to its lovingly put together presentation and great, albeit simple gameplay.
The Battle for Steeltown goes for the same mix of seriousness and borderline ridiculousness as the main content, this time dealing with the toils of capitalism in the apocalypse and how it’s just as bad as it was when the world wasn’t a pile of rubble, maybe even worse, actually. So if you’ve enjoyed what Wasteland 3 was going for originally, you’ll certainly dig what this DLC serves up.
Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is probably the most approachable Capcom's hardcore platformer franchise will ever get at this point. Yeah, it’s still rough around the edges by sheer design, but if you can stomach its trial and error nature there’s a gem to be had and conquered, or better put, slayed with this one.
The Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection does what it came for in spades. That’s even more so whether you go for it on older gen consoles like the PlayStation 4 as I did for this review, or like my pal Leo did on Nintendo Switch (link to be included when this goes live), where they run as smoothly as expected for older titles such as these.
Essays on Empathy is a fairly niche product – the projects here are more intriguing than entertaining, and the relative lack of interactivity will be a red line for many people. On the other hand, for those with a strong interest in narrative design and on the joys and pitfalls of indie development, this collection is a rare and valuable insight into a team who are undoubtedly forging their own unique and admirable path.
Despite the brevity, Backbone has one of the most fascinating and rich settings for a video game I’ve visited in years, and it left me craving even more.
Although it covers fairly deep emotional subject matter, The Magnificent Trufflepigs is generally an extremely relaxing, easy-going game with no fail states; a “walk-‘em-up” where you wander across several fields, digging up old bits of rubbish while reminiscing with an old friend.
Without a doubt, if you’ve never touched Mass Effect before, the Legendary Edition is by far the best way to enjoy the series. Yeah, the original Mass Effect might not be to everyone’s taste even with the added improvements, but on the other hand, it’s probably as playable now as it’s ever going to be.
Operation Eagle doesn’t particularly change the Iron Harvest formula, but it does add another very enjoyable campaign, complete air units for all factions.
Biomutant sags under the weight of its various disparate elements, leading to a game which looks gorgeous, but is frustratingly mediocre.
Resident Evil Village is a bombastic action horror ride that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat and patience.
SOMA is still a stronger narrative experience through and through, and if I had to rank their games, it would sit solidly somewhere between SOMA and the original Amnesia. In terms of crafting moody psychological horror first-person games, Frictional is one of the best there is, and I hope there’s more to come from them soon.
Hitchhiker can take you on a journey, but even it doesn’t seem too sure where it’s actually going.
With a bigger emphasis on speeding up the action and progression, Monster Hunter Rise is an excellent gateway into the franchise for newer players.
All in all, Evil Genius 2: World Domination is an entertaining sim with an incredibly fun premise that while slow at times is still rewarding to stick with and see through to the end. It’s also great to see developer Rebellion go out of their comfort zone and try something besides a shooter every now and then. They’ve managed to build quite a catalog during their run, and if Evil Genius 2 is any indication, they are more than welcome to experiment with their other hits of old.
If you’re a newcomer to Blizzard or have only gotten to know them over the last couple decades, the Blizzard Arcade Collection is an excellent way to discover more of their history, going to show that there’s more to them than only their catalog of established franchises. Even the (arguably) biggest companies in the business had to start small, and as the collection proves, creativity and passion can go a long way, even if the Blizzard of today might seem like a far cry from what it was back then.
Hopefully there will be more to be seen in the universe built for the game, but under much better circumstances. What Bloober Team has achieved left me with mixed feelings by the time I reached its conclusion, almost 8 hours in. I adored the setting and fiction that’s been created for The Medium but I struggle to think of a single section of it that I truly enjoyed playing. It’s surely a weird place to be when it comes to a game I’m writing a review for, and one I’m not used to having to deal with. While I’m glad I got to see what it’s all about, I’m in no hurry to replaying it anytime soon; but then again, I want to see what could be in store in the story if there’s ever a (mercifully much better conceived) sequel.
Loop Hero is a satisfyingly rich experience, and you don’t have to be a Roguelike masochist to enjoy it.
Sometimes it’s good to get into a game that doesn’t overstay its welcome and can be beaten as quickly as Olija. It’s got very little fat and values the time you spend with it by dropping you into a very tightly designed journey, and honestly I can’t fault Skeleton Crew Studios for how short this game can be if it’s as beautiful and enjoyable as it is. I could think of worse ways to spend the short hours it took to get through Olija, and I’m glad that I did.
Death by absolute frustration.