Completexbox
HomepageCompletexbox's Reviews
One Last Breath” is a short 2.5D puzzle-based platformer. It combines haunting visuals with sharp, tension-filled gameplay. You play as Gaia, the earth goddess, navigating a post-apocalyptic world to restore life to an Earth devastated by pollution and greed. It’s a joy to play but over far too soon. “One Last Breath” is a beautiful blast of fresh air on a hot day. It’s a great little game to fill some time in your gaming schedule, just make sure you have plans for something else afterwards.
While I’m all for game preservation, it’s hard to justify this one. Ratalaika and other indie publishers make questionable decision when it comes to re-releasing older, lesser known games. Rider’s Spirits is a prime example of a game that has not aged well. At all. Barely any gameplay options, controls feel off and it’s boring. It’s baffling that this game released TWO years after Nintendo’s classic kart racer and it’s this bad. Unless you have a sentimental attachment to the 1994 original, this is an easy pass.
Dr Cat is both cute yet dark in its jigsaw designs and whilst I had fun solving them, the experience is short-lived and no more than a few hours long. This is reflected in the price point though and for the price of a Happy Meal at Mcdonalds’, it is worth giving it a go if you just want to switch off for a short period and top up your Gamerscore.
For veterans of this series of games, no doubt it will be much more of the same for you ultimately and whilst the online multiplayer is limited with only 6 of you competing, it is a great start at building in competitive play with real life players. There is a potential for tens if not hundreds of hours of gameplay here depending on how you enjoy the game and what you want to gain from it ultimately. On consoles though, you aren’t going to find a better competitive cycling game than one that is dedicated to the biggest event on the planet in this field. Tour De France 2024 is a solid entry and worth a look at.
Zombies, Aliens and Guns is a surprisingly fun and enjoyable little twin-stick shooter. Especially with a friend. Sure, it does have its shortcomings; your short range weapon against enemies’ long range one is annoying. Also having to wait for your ammo/health to refill when there’s about 20-30 enemies waiting to be wrecked does feel a bit like Frogger by dodging everything. If you need a fun little game that can be played in short bursts, you can do worse than Zombies, Aliens and Guns.
Oh my. What a waste of potential. Panzer Paladin could’ve been something special. While I’m a fan of the genre and visuals, the gameplay falls flat due to too many annoyances. The sluggish movement, clunky checkpoint system, useless upgrades, ineffective dodging mechanic, levels that feel way too long (especially if you can’t use the checkpoints); it’s just more frustration than anything else. If I can say good things about this game is bosses are challenging and fun and the overall presentation felt like playing a true old school game. The rest? It can get in the bin. Unless you want to torture yourself, this is a pass.
While not a fan of the genre, Adam Wolfe really caught me by surprise. As you get older, you have less and less time to play, and having a Hint option allows players to get through this in a reasonable amount of time. The story is interesting, mini-games and puzzles are actually, for the most part, enjoyable to play. That being said, the P&C genre is not ideal with a controller and the developer did miss an opportunity here to make the game more lively by even making the combat point & click. Adam Wolfe is the ideal game to jump in the genre while long time fans have something new to chew on.
House Flipper 2 certainly scratched the itch that I had left from the first game once I’d finished with it. Essentially with this experience it is much more of the same but vastly improved in visuals, fluidity and variety. There are some frustrating moments to be had with a controller in hand but thankfully most of those seemed to vanish once you get used to how the game functions. This is one of those games that will always be one I go back to when I want some downtime from high intensity multiplayer titles. Once you are consumed in a project, hours feels like minutes and it becomes incredibly moreish, addictive and almost therapeutic. If you’re a fan of the original title then I highly recommend investing in this follow on and for newcomers there is a lot to be discovered here for you too. Some may want to try the first instalment with the DLC packs before diving into the second. One thing I can say for sure is that you’ll have a flipping great time with either!
Still Wakes The Deep is just a must play experience and whilst it does sound short at around 6-8 hours for a playthrough, it is sheer quality gameplay throughout. Everything about the adventure from the setting on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean, to the personalities of the colleagues who work there and the sheer randomness throughout just consistently shines through. The development team have done wonderful work at setting the tone and atmosphere both in the design of the rig and the events that unfold. If you’re looking for a horror title that constantly has you on the edge of your seat filling you with that anxiety in the dark that something will jump out at you, then this is the game for you. Horror fans will adore this one and if you’re normal go to games are titles such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill and the likes, then there is more than enough for you here. Those on Xbox will be happy to know that it is part of the Xbox Game Pass catalogue, so you can dive right in now and get stuck in. But for those on other platforms, not only is it well worth your time, it is well worth a purchase. One of the best games I have played so far in 2024 which gripped me from start to finish!
“Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure” provides a simple, clean survival-crafting experience with a tropical twist. If you enjoy exploring mysterious islands and don’t mind measured, incremental progression, it’s worth a try!
The pros and cons of this turn-based combat experience balance themselves out giving us some highs and some lows. Although I only played solo, I can imagine a multiplayer experience to be quite fun. For those not typically drawn to the genre, I would pass on this one. For the rest of us, I’d wait for a sale if anything about the game piques your interest. For fans of the genre or those that found something interesting about the game, I would suggest waiting for a sale. The games bright spots warrant a playthrough, but the lows can be a bit of a bummer. (At the time of this writing it is currently on a 50% off sale, which I would absolutely recommend at this price).
Phantom Fury is a fun throwback to classic shooters from the 1990s. It’s action packed with a decent variety of weapons at the player’s disposal to create a bit of chaos. While the core gameplay is enjoyable, it’s the few things around it such as the piss-poor weapon wheel, lack of aiming and the true to the classic formula: where do I go type of gameplay. If you can get over these like quirks, you’ll find a fun, challenging and fast paced shooter.
Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game is the game I never knew I wanted and needed. It takes all the great characteristics of similar titles and runs with them in its own unique way. It is way more fun to experience this with a group of friends but I found myself also having a great time when I played alone. The teams have done an amazing job of ensuring that both the humans and clowns have a fair balance in the gameplay loop, neither side ever felt more overpowered than the other. Bring with this an addictive levelling system that can feel a bit of a grind but extends the longevity of the game. With the greatest visuals I’ve seen in a game in this genre and you have an excellent asymmetrical horror title of cat and mouse that is just a great time!
Cat Pipes is a simplistic puzzler that is perhaps far too easy and short. The price point of £4.19 reflects the small return on content here, but it may prove as a nice challenge for the younger generation. I let my 6-year-old play a few levels and he appeared to be invested in solving the puzzles, chanting “Yes” and air punching when he clocked each puzzle. The repetitive nature does kick in though after about ten levels and even though I am not bothered about achievements, I found myself playing through the 45 levels to clock it. I’d recommend this one for younger gamers who are just getting familiar with gaming and the achievement hunters.
Classified: France ’44 is one of the best in the genre and sits beside games like XCOM2 in terms of its quality and deep progressive gameplay loop. It handles brilliantly with a controller and plays buttery smooth on the Xbox Series X. The overall experience captures the era and timescale and sets the tone and mood with the atmosphere. There are areas of the game where it may not come across as pretty as perhaps it would do on Windows PC but I would highly recommend giving this one a shot especially if you’re a lover of turn-based strategy and have an avid interest in the historical element of War.
I’m all for game preservation and am happy to see games like this being revived especially after they were on a failed console that 95% of gamers never touched, let alone saw in person. But PO’ed Definitive Edition is one of those that should have remained in the past. While the premise is unique compared to typical war-themed first person shooters, this is barely playable. I can vouch for a Limited Run Games physical version for all the collectors out there, but buying this digitally to play it is just like setting money on fire. Unless your morbid curiosity gets the better of you, don’t even bother.
Not only has playing this game filled my brain with vivid and fond visuals of being a kid in the 90s, but it has also brought me core memories with my 6-year-old son. Being able to play split screen with him and laugh and spend quality time with him whilst having the best fun, is what Hypercharge Unboxed is all about. Digital Cybercherries has managed to tear my child away from the domination of Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft and he now craves time on this with his Dad and “just one more game” before bed. I can’t thank the team enough for bringing this to consoles and making it accessible to those without a PC. So, I have to grant Hypercharge Unboxed with the perfect score and I have several reasons for this. It sits on the pedestal of indie greatness that very few achieve alongside stunners like Cuphead and Vampire Survivors. In the three quality weeks I have had to review this, I have racked up over 50 hours of gameplay and I’m nowhere near done. It is a game that will be cemented to my hard drive for years to come because it will now be the couch co-op go-to game of choice and the closest feel to the best shooters on old-generation machines, a salute to classics like Timesplitters and the early Halo titles. If you don’t purchase this game at a very reasonable price point, you’re missing out on one of the best games to come to Xbox in 2024.
Horizon Chase 2 is definitely a must-play. It’s the best arcade racer since… well… its predecessor. It’s easy to pick up and play and can be hard to put down. Lots of content to unlock whether it be new rides or visuals styles. Whenever you need a change from racing sims or looking to give the racing genre a shot, Horizon Chase 2 is your best bet. Don’t miss out.
XDefiant is nowhere near perfect by any means, but it absolutely does have legs. There are some balancing issues with spawn points and hit registration seem to be a bit sporadic so there is clear work to be done as the game continues. Gameplay is fun, especially with a group of friends and if you can get past the grind element of unlocking attachments and characters then you’ll enjoy it. The question is how the game will be supported in future and it will need regular updates to keep players engaged. New maps, modes, characters and weapons will do the job I’d imagine as long as they keep monetisation cosmetic only. For now, though, XDefiant has some good solid foundations and with some early patches already deployed just a few days into the life cycle of the game, it shows the development team are committed. With the game not being too heavy on hard drive space at present and plenty to achieve and unlock without spending money, it is well worth a crack especially if you’re into your shooters. Let’s hope this is a Ubisoft success story like Rainbow Six Siege and it isn’t another live service game that gets shuttered within a year or two, only time will tell.
Sunny Café is nicely produced for a visual novel and gives a lot of interesting topics concerning both past and present relationships and a breakdown of important coffee antidotes. This game is a genre breaker and can be enjoyed by most gamers who enjoy a good story.