Entertainium's Reviews
SoulGame Studio’s inaugural game is a brilliant mix of genres that will delight you to no end.
Saviorless will definitely appeal to those who can look beyond the simpleness of gameplay in order to see what lies within its beating heart. That alone is reason to give this one a go, but the entire struggle that happened behind the scenes is an extra incentive to try it out as well. It’s an achievement and a marvel of perseverance that turned into an above average game against all odds. It’s short and to the point with a message to get across – it only depends on whether or not you’re there to listen to it. If this is a slice of what’s to come out of Cuba’s gaming scene, I can’t wait for the rest of the cake!
Children of the Sun is both less and more than it first appears to be. It is much simpler than the stealth and action games it superficially resembles, but it is also a more complex and sustained puzzle game than its early levels imply. The distorted soundtrack, stylishly glitchy visuals, and lack of substantive story may prove to be turn-offs for some players, but Children of the Sun is an engaging set of thoughtful ballistic challenges, and well worth a look even for those who would not normally seek out a puzzle game.
South Park Snow Day is passable at best. If you’ve enjoyed the show at any point and are looking to see its characters and setting depicted in game form, you’ll be much better served by what came before it in RPG form. Those are excellent examples of how to carry a property through different media while maintaining its identity and still be fun and worthy of your valuable time on this Earth.
Attractive, eminently playable, and available on the current major platforms, Brothers A Tale of Two Sons Remake is easy to recommend to newcomers. While it provides no stern challenge nor a lengthy campaign, it retains an affecting story which is carried without (comprehensible) dialogue. Those who own the original may think twice about picking up this remake, however. Brothers A Tale of Two Sons Remake adds little that is truly new, outside of a well-executed new coat of paint on top of a thoroughly solid core experience.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a game that will mostly appeal to those who got a kick out of the first one and wanted more, firstly, but also players who are keen on having an ‘out there’ taste of RPG and don’t mind the quirks that make it what it is.
Freedom Planet 2 takes what worked in the first game and leaps to greater heights, offering a visually pleasing, dexterity-challenging, and what’s most important, a rewarding time for those who dig exploring every nook and cranny in search of secrets. You are bound to find a few in this gorgeous game which I’m glad it’s coming back for a second most deserved outing.
The PC version of Horizon Forbidden West is positively beautiful!
Without the time crunch to get a review out for it, Rise of the Ronin would be the sort of game that I’d keep on the backburner to come back to every now and then. It’s something I’d rather not rush through as I want to hear what it has to say, not just in regards to its narrative, but as someone who’s keenly interested in its setting and the way in which it portrays a Japan that was in a deep identity crisis. With this and excellent new Shogun show, the true battle is finding the time to devote to them as they justly deserve.
For what is on offer, there’s enough game to be had if you know what to expect coming in. It’s a cute game with a fun mechanic that is put through its motions well enough, but it lacks the depth to keep you coming back for more for more than the length of its campaign.
Highwater has some good writing and atmosphere, but the light exploration and turn-based battles don’t feel particularly engaging.
It’s a little baffling to me why it took publisher GungHo this long to bring Grandia HD Collection to more consoles, nearly five years after its initial run. There’s likely a perfectly good reason for that, but still, it’s kind of silly when you think about it. Nonetheless, they are finally out on just about every single current console and on PC now, so this is your best bet at getting two of the finest RPGs – easy the highlights of the franchise too – in honestly their best form they’re likely to ever be.
Kingdom Come Deliverance is an incredibly ambitious game for sure. It is not for everyone and its quirks surely will get under some players’ skins, especially those who are looking for more fantastical adventuring such as The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim – which is also on Switch, I’ll be damned! Then again, if your expectations are in check, and they should be at this point nearly 7 years after the fact, you’ll find a nifty little gem with this one.
Classified: France ‘44 transplants familiar turn-based tactics to World War II, to merely adequate effect.
Star Wars had never been as down in the dirt as it was in the Battlefront games, and it’s now time to do it all over again. Will you heed the call of duty?!
The Legend of Steel Empire isn’t a shooter that will blow you away or anything, nor is it going to be a terribly long game to finish, but for what it is, it’s serviceable, not to mention its approach in terms of theme which sets it somewhat apart from the rest. I’d maybe draw a comparison to something like Jamestown in regards to that, yet another great little gem that happens to be on Switch too. Either way, you’ll be well served if you do decide to pick this one up, but keep your expectations in check as it lacks any form of extra materials or game modes. It is what it is.
Alone in the Dark is a slightly more campy form of horror compared to Resident Evil, with its focus on occult magic and otherworldly monsters over evil megacorporations unleashing deadly bioweapons. The performances and story of this remake kept me engaged, but weren’t groundbreaking. That said the atmosphere was strong throughout and included a number of moments which felt genuinely unnerving, although nothing as terrifying as Resident Evil Village for example. As a tribute to its original namesake, Alone in the Dark certainly lives up to being the best game in the franchise since The New Nightmare in 2001.
I’m positively surprised at just how well Contra Operation Galuga turned out. After their previous game in the series, I was worried that Konami would just phone it in and have this be just another cash-in for nostalgia’s sake: it is in fact a shockingly good entry. It won’t blow you away or anything, but what it does it does well and there’s a decent amount of different ways to play and keep you busy for a little while. Don’t pass this up. Fight aggressively!
Balatro is in equal measures a sensational and maddening roguelike deck-building experience that will keep you going for that all-so-close high score for hours upon hours.
The sequel to the excellent Lucah: Born of a Dream is a stylish action game that’s as heartfelt as it is intense.