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I really hope that DigixArt can put their energy into creating a true sequel to Road 96 which returns to the incredibly rich narrative style which made the original game so much fun and satisfying. This prequel falls far short of the high bar they set previously.
If you’re a fan of Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing or Dreamlight Valley and looking for a similar title to play, this is a very easy recommendation. For everybody else, there is an incredibly solid game here; but the twee nature can be off-putting, depending on your tastes
This is a good game, and it’s fun and rewarding once you’ve unlocked those second, third and fourth magic sources. I firmly believe Forspoken will in time be given the Days Gone treatment, people who once sneered will be changing their tune. But like any proposed Day’s Gone sequel, I see Forspoken suffering the same fate…
Hi-Fi Rush opened 2023 with a very promising start and it’s hopefully a sign of things to come in the future. There are several difficulty options available; so don’t be afraid to drop it if you aren’t having fun. For fans of Viewtiful Joe, No More Heroes or the various River City titles, you will definitely find something to love here.
Picked as #5 in my Pure Dead Gaming GOTY, Chained Echoes is an absolute masterpiece. Everything you love about classic JRPGs is here with the addition of some newer and welcome mechanics. A gentle reminder, ONE man, Matthias Linda, made this game, mostly in his spare time. Incredible, really. Final Fantasy fans, Chrono Trigger fans and Dragon Quest fans – you know what to do.
The foundations of Dragon Quest Treasures are something that could be fine-tuned, polished and improved for a truly great title in the future.
Hubris VR is a game well worth picking up if your PC can handle it. Its story serves its purpose, but the beautiful graphics, and engaging gameplay make it a standout title in the VR space. As I said earlier there may be aspects I would have liked to see tightened up, but these are small gripes for a product that has really delivered on its vision. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or new to VR, you’ll find plenty to love.
As a lightweight few hours available as part of your subscription service I would say give it a go. I would be less willing to recommend the game as an outright purchase on other platforms. It’s not terrible by any means but its flaws do detract from what is potentially a fun experience. The franchise appears to be a popular one on YouTube so there will quite possibly be a Hello Neighbor 3. Maybe that will hone the experience to be a bit more engaging and enjoyable.
Ostensibly Pentiment is a murder mystery narrative driven point and click video game. But, it’s so much more. It’s a commentary on the nature of perception, how time is an utterly critical factor in our lives, about how relationships evolve over that time: growing and withering equally. It was a truly magical fifteen hours and I was genuinely emotional when I finished the game. It’s not often I use the word but it’s a masterpiece, a lovingly crafted piece of gaming art.
When the soccer (I’ll begrudgingly use the word for this analogy) is the worst part of a game called Soccer Story you’d be forgiven for thinking it would be a miss. Not so. A interesting cast of characters, plenty of fun tasks, a beautiful art style and more come together to make this a blast to play.
I really enjoyed my time with Ship of Fools. It plays well solo but really comes into its own in co-op. For maximum effectiveness, I definitely suggest teaming up with someone you have a good rapport with. Quick thinking and fluid teamwork will be key to your success at sea.
I can’t help but think, if I liked this genre, if I liked Dead Space, I might be a bit kinder, and resonate with Callisto more, but in truth, the failings aren’t a complete result of the genre, in actual fact a lot of what I do respect is because of it. But rinse and repeat drab and clunky combat isn’t enough, it’s too big a deal not to leave a lasting negative impression on me.
The Devil in Me is a success. If you’re a Supermassive fan you’re not going to be disappointed. It’s more of the same format but this time with a premise and story that’s double the fun and deliciously gory.
Gungrave G.O.R.E feels like a blast from the past. If you have nostalgia for the old PS2 games and want to experience a newer, flashier version then this will absolutely provide that. Just don’t go in expecting the series to have moved with the times.
Godlike Burger has a lot of ideas. At first many of these ideas are getting in each other’s way, forcing you to persevere through the first couple of hours to get a full handle on what the game expects. Once you do though you’ll be able to team up the skills you have learned with some quality-of-life upgrades that make things more manageable. If you have the patience, this is a venture worth investing in.
If you enjoy combat for its own sake and are not too bothered about anything else you will have a lot of fun with this game. Personally I want a bit more – a strong compelling story or some complementary gameplay to go with all the fighting. Evil West doesn’t really do this. Tam on the Pure Dead Gaming Discord described it as a perfect candidate for a PS+ Extra or Game Pass game and it’s difficult to argue with that assessment.
I enjoyed my time with Police Simulator: Patrol Officer. The potential issue with the game is that it sounds more exciting than it is. People may jump into this game expecting to play GTA: V Cop Edition. This isn’t that. It is much more in line with other simulator games where the procedure is more important than the action. If you like the slow-paced, more methodical gameplay of other simulator titles, this is worth a look.
I could go on and on about God of War Ragnarok, I really could. My closing thoughts continue to be about what an incredible journey this game is. It’s near flawless, in every way, and any criticisms are nit-picks, rather than genuine weak points. The Game Of The Year, right here, and to be honest, in my humble opinion, by a country mile.
Return to Monkey Island is a love letter to fans of the LucasArts classics of the 90’s. The characters and story was a joy from the first moment to the last and the puzzles were crafted in a way that make you feel clever for solving them. When you add this together with the beautiful art style and top quality voice work you end up with one of the best point-and-click games we have seen yet. Period.
The Chant is a decent horror action adventure. It’s got a good story and some interesting characters. While it isn’t scary as such I did fall victim to a couple of jump scares which caused me to launch the dog off my lap and lose ten minutes off my life. So Bravo, Brass Token, for that. As mentioned earlier, this is their first original IP and I think the team has a bright future. I would very much like to see more narrative-focused games from them. The game isn’t perfect but there’s a glimmer of something there that makes me want to see more from them in the future.