Last Word on Gaming
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It is times like this that I love gaming so very much just for its simplicity, and developers such as Diplodocus really should be applauded for delivering a truly joyous, albeit brief experience to gamers. Imagine what they could do with a bigger budget!
The Lightbringer isn’t a perfect game but for all of its faults, it is a game that plucked at my nostalgia with its platforming capabilities. Exploring each level is a challenging and fun experience that kept me engaged from start to finish. The increase in difficulty as the levels wore on kept me on my toes too and made sure that the gameplay never lapsed or become uninteresting. For any fan of the platforming genre, this is a game I can highly recommend picking up even if the combat is limited at times.
No Longer Home is a short game. To be honest, I expected it to be a bit longer given the price, and I felt a bit frustrated that I barely scratched the surface in terms of finding out who Ao and Bo actually are. My favorite part is right at the start. In the prologue, you get to see Ao and Bo having their first proper (drunken) conversation. It is exactly like watching yourself in your twenties – going from ‘I barely know you’ to ‘let’s have an incredibly deep philosophical conversation about the meaning of life’ in about thirty seconds. You get to see them click together, a fledgling friendship right at the start. And it’s really nice to watch. Do their conversations become a bit pretentious and self-centered? Well, yeah, sometimes. But then again, I think I remember being like that in my early twenties, too. Overall, it was a surprisingly emotionally complex game, but a lot shorter than I’d liked. Still, I’d recommend giving it a go if you’re after a new indie game for the Switch.
The only issue I have is with the difficulty of Gleylancer but what I have been reminded of is just what a crime it was that this game never got the exposure it deserved back in 1992 and what Ratalaika have done is perfectly bring back an absolute hidden gem to allow everyone to experience what is one of the best shmups that have ever been made and quite simply I say to you all – go and buy this game, go and enjoy this game and to Ratalaika I just say thank you for saving a piece of gaming history from being forgotten.
I worried as I progressed through Jars that the game would start to become repetitive but what Mousetrap Games have done is add enough variety to keep things fresh and keep you constantly thinking about your next strategy. The increasing difficulty level is pitched perfectly and this is a fabulous example of how to do a puzzle and tower defense game to the very highest standard. Cutscenes are well-timed to provide a breather from the 2D puzzle action although the lack of touchscreen capability is a shame as this could have made the game even better. Overall this is a game that deserves its place in any gamers library.
So, would I recommend it? I think you have to be a real fan of the genre to want to stick with it all the way through (or really obsessed with Lovecraft). While the characters and setting are interesting, the middle sections of each case drag on a bit too long. And I would have liked it to be creepier for a horror game. Check it out if you’re a fan of visual novels and you want a new one to try out.
On its own, Nuclear Blaze is an entertaining, intense game that ended abruptly just as it got interesting, leaving players with a lingering sour taste of missed opportunities in their mouths.
The graphics are cute and everything is easy to see and follow without being outstanding. The game is easy to learn but the challenge should not be underestimated as the game progresses. The music is really repetitive and sounds like a tinny version of the James Bond theme stuck on a loop. The game can become repetitive after a while but it’s a perfect title for the Nintendo Switch and for a decent price on the Nintendo eShop it will appeal to those looking for a speed running challenge or something to fill a few hours. 10 Second Ninja X is definitely one of those games where you will lose track of time as you keep saying ‘just one more go.’
I have played and played this game and I so wanted to enjoy it but the flaws with enemies and the lack of depth are just too much and it is such a shame because in here there is a really good game that wants to burst free. If you are a fan of the series then you might well still go for this as it is a good port, but in 2021 it just doesn’t stand up and therefore outside of fans, I simply cannot recommend this one.
This game is almost beyond words. It is invigorating in just about every way and feels like an experience that manages to rip you away from reality with ease. If I had a minor critique of the game it’s that the story can feel a bit underdeveloped at times and admittedly the game does take a while to fully grip you. However, those minor critiques aren’t enough to stop me from considering this one of the most amazing gaming experiences I’ve had in a long, long time.
The best part of the game is the abandonment of “war roles”; with Salim, the reluctant Iraqi soldier, and Jason Kolchek (Paul Zinno) – an almost stereotypical, Iraqi hating U.S. soldier armed with a gun, a southern drawl and a “hooah” to complete the look – able to forge quite the admirable bromance, should you make the right choices and keep them alive. Together, they come to understand that there is more that unites them than divides them. Yes, one is a white American Christian and yes, the other is a devout Islamic Iraqi, but in the face of adversity – in the form of vampiric space aliens – they live the same and they die the same. This is a message for life: we are all human. In spite of being the third in an anthology of horror games, the underlying message is one of positive, unifying forces, despite all of the dangers present in this world we inhabit. This message, combined with the design, structure, acting and story of the game, makes it the best in the series so far. If you are looking for a fun way to spend a few hours with friends – complete with teamwork, panic and a tremendous amount of scares, then you should give House of Ashes a go. Though it will be a lesser experience, you can still enjoy this game on its own.
If you are fans of the Cotton series then I can say you will enjoy this port as it remains true to the original games and is certainly a collectors item. For anyone else it is just so hard to recommend it because it isn’t as good today as it was back in 1994. It is just a harsh reality that sometimes games stand the test of time and sometimes they don’t. Cotton 100% is somewhere in the middle and it’s okay, nothing more.
Overall, I’m very impressed with the amount of content in Sunshine Manor. It’s definitely a highlight for me in terms of indie games I’ve played this year. The story didn’t feel as cohesive perhaps as Camp Sunshine, and I did encounter a glitch, but the gameplay and gorgeous art style more than makes up for it. Oh, and you get to pet a dog. They get extra kudos for that, of course.
Glyph is a beautifully designed puzzle, platform adventure game filled with ingenuity and despite the odd flaw is well worth your time and I can recommend that this game is a worthy addition to any Nintendo Switch collection.
I alway find that the problem with some puzzle games is that they can become all too dull and lose their magic quickly. However that is never the case with Ghosts and Apples as the art style, the puzzling itself and the two player local co op all keep the game fresh and interesting for as long as possible. In my 35 + years of gaming I have only ever found Tetris to be the perfect puzzle game but right now there is a new contender. Quite simply this game is a magical piece of puzzling and deserves to get full marks.
At times the tiny enemies and their tiny bullets can get really frustrating but overall this is a great homage to run and gun games of the 1990’s and the learning curve is just about right. The game is without doubt a lot of fun and a real blast to play and all for less than a supermarket meal deal. For fans I would definitely recommend adding this one to your Nintendo Switch collection.
It’s difficult to give a score to The Suicide of Rachel Foster. I could have loved this game. And I did really enjoy it, right up until the last moment. It was everything I wanted in a walking sim. Creepy, atmospheric, with interesting characters and a rich, detailed environment. But it was ultimately let down by the end of the story, which mishandles a pretty sensitive topic, and left me feeling disappointed and frustrated.
Gynoug is not going to win any accolades for originality or for doing anything that is especially exciting but what it does, it does well. It has a good learning curve as well as being technically excellent and enjoyable to play. Let’s not forget that this is a 30-year-old game that has actually aged rather well. It still looks and sounds good and is perfect for fans of this type of game. Gynoug delivers another Shmup classic.
Faraday Protocol is advertised as a story-rich puzzle game, well, I agree. I wouldn’t go into specifics, but the buildup of the plot was amazing. Basically, it is about the evolution of a specific galactic civilization. Not only that, but the voice-acting was also exceptional. Both Raug and Iris’ voices suit their character. The game was short, but I got to hand it to the developers for giving me an immersive experience. I enjoyed playing Faraday Protocol. A veteran gamer can finish the game in 5 hours. But it took me more or less 8 hours—because I am bad at puzzle games. If you want unique gameplay and a story-driven experience, I would recommend getting this game.
Epic Chef is a strange game really. It sits somewhere between a cooking game and land management sim and has a wealth of activities for many hours of entertainment. At times it can feel a little too slow-paced but I feel it is an ambitious effort to do something a little different with a tested formula and in the most part it does work well. It is not a game for everyone but if you like this type of game and you can overlook its shortfalls, you will be able to have a lot of fun with Epic Chef.