Qualbert.com's Reviews
Nomada Studios follow up title has gone above and beyond it’s predecessor. With deeper gameplay, vibrant colours and a heart wrenching story to boot. Although this 5 hour journey may be shorter than some would like, it doesn’t detract from its fantastic gameplay. Neva is an engaging and emotional experience that is well worth investing your time in, even if it is only for a day or two.
At the beginning, I asked if Hatsune Miku Logic Paint S+ had enough to set itself apart from the many other nonogram games out there, and I think the answer is a resounding yes. The customisation between the room, music, and Vocaloids themselves adds things that may not be necessary for the game, but brings it to another level that other games don’t reach. In the Picross S series, the reward for doing well is a colour picture! I much prefer the added incentive that Logic Paint brings. I would love to see additional music added in the future, but otherwise, this is a must-play for any nonogram fans out there.
Bananza is a smashing start to a new era of Kong. Combining themes from across the Donkey Kong series with polished 3D platforming established in Super Mario Odyssey, this fresh take is a charming revival of Nintendo’s most beloved characters. The dynamic duo of DK and Pauline bring forth satisfyingly creative and calamitous destruction-focused gameplay, contrasted with a charming and heartfelt bond between the pair. Though what would have been a near-perfect platformer is let down by subpar technical performance and difficulty that’s entirely trivialised by the game’s overpowered transformations. Much like a bruised banana, Bananza is a partially flawed experience, but still well and truly a Heart of Gold.
Wheel World was a welcome surprise with a high level of polish and tons of fun to be had from start to finish. Slowly but surely working on the bike and feeling it become more powerful is a true delight and kept me glued to my playthrough in the few sittings it took. Annapurna’s high standard of quality will now include Wheel World in its prestigious ranks.
Ivy Road has created a fantastic amalgamation of genres in a cozy game that teaches you how to sit back and relax. With an intriguing tale of self-reflection mixed with calming music and colourful landscapes, this is nothing short of a gorgeous experience. Even if you don’t like cozy games or simulators, this ascends those constraints and has a variable gameplay which provides a certain type of freedom not found anywhere else. The narrative is so personal yet so broad, it’s open to all kinds of players, even if the ending is left a bit open for you to infer. If you are tapped out with big games, trophy hunting, online losses or simply want a chill game, then Wanderstop should be your very next stop.
From the trailers and snippets available in the lead up to the game’s release, it was clear that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was going to be a good game. What wasn’t clear was exactly how great this game would turn out to be. If there was still any doubt in your mind, let me be crystal clear – Kojima has absolutely smashed it out of the park once again.
If nothing else, The Drifter is a love letter to a classic genre of PC gaming that many will have fond memories of growing up. While there may be those who feel like this form of point ‘n click gameplay may be obsolete and may find the puzzle-solving to be frustrating but I believe what Powerhoof has crafted here is a gem that is worth a look. This engaging story with a gripping protagonist, stellar presentation, and solid voice acting showcases that there’s plenty you can do within the medium that will reward those who enjoy the thrill and challenge of a good adventure. If this kind of game is up your alley, I definitely recommend you’d give it a shot!
While the integration of the F1 Movie leaves much to be desired, and F1 World still places a significant emphasis on microtransactions, F1 25 stands out as another solid instalment in Codemasters’ flagship series. It features the best version of Braking Point to date and includes meaningful gameplay additions to My Team. The new LIDAR-scanned tracks offer an exciting glimpse of the fidelity that could be achieved in future entries, and the Career mode remains one of the most robust in the genre. If you’ve always wanted to play a Formula One game, F1 25 is a fantastic place to start.
Despelote tells a familiar story that is the reality for a lot of South American countries: economic unrest, unstable governments, political coups and violent grabs for power. But you still keep going. You still go to school, go to work, meet friends, walk your dog, scream for your favourite sports team. What Despelote highlights is that sports are about national pride, banding together with other people, and allowing yourself to experience joy, hope. They’re important muscles to flex in what is becoming a more complex, violent, and oppressive world. We need to practice feeling joy, remind ourselves a better world is always possible. This game won’t be for everyone, but you’ve got little to lose from a less than two-hour game. So why not give it a try? Shoot your shot. You might even score.
While the experience with this journey has been less than pleasant, I can’t help but be amazed and appreciate that this game finally came out after all of these years of it’s rocky, uncertain development and I respect both SNEG and General Arcade for their efforts. However, while the pulpy tone and charming visuals combined with the style of hack ‘n slash genre of action games that we don’t get too often these days does provide a warm sense of nostalgia, it sadly doesn’t hide the many glaring issues that this damaged ship has inside. The rushed paper-thin story, the lackluster combat, tedious set-pieces (including the ship battles), uninteresting boss battles, frustrating world design at points, terrible sound mixing in the cutscenes and the amount of bugs and glitches that I encountered during my playtime.
Blades of fire is a fun and challenging game that brings something different to the Soulslike table. If you are a fan of Soulslikes or want to try something a little different, I recommend giving it a go. It’s more forgiving than others in the genre and I know a lot of Souls purists will say it doesn’t belong, but I genuinely think this game is a bit of a sleeper hit, showing that not every game in the genre has to be so damn gloomy. Plus the ability to actually forge your weapons became a real highlight for me.
With all the potential to become a great game aside from a few niggling issues, the frustration of the boss battles causes it to slide a slippery slope into mediocrity. It is upsetting to find a game that does so much right, only for them to destroy all that work by including something that has no right being as difficult as it is. As the game is now, I can’t recommend it to other people. Perhaps, in the future, when the boss battles have been balanced or made optional, then it can become the game it was truly meant to be.
Fast Fusion doesn’t offer the same amount of content as its predecessor, and the absence of online multiplayer is disappointing. However, it remains a technological tour de force with exhilarating, anti-gravity racing that fills the void left by the absence of F-Zero and Wipeout on modern consoles. Combined with its super-low price point of only $22.50 AUD ($15 USD), Fast Fusion is one of the must-have Switch 2 games for anyone hungry for more racing goodness after clocking Mario Kart World.
Bravely Default HD is a lovingly enhanced version of a modern JRPG classic. It doesn’t rewrite the past, but it refreshes. For newcomers, it offers an ideal gateway into turn-based strategy. For veterans, it’s a polished return to one of Square Enix’s most inventive and popular post-Final Fantasy titles. A little bit more effort and care into the details would’ve been even better for a console launch title. A remaster with sharper visuals, orchestrated music, and improved mechanics. Its core original game flaws remain intact, but so do its greatest triumphs: a brave and default battle system, a charming cast, and a subversive story.
As the ideal title to launch a brand new Nintendo console, Mario Kart World gives the Nintendo Switch 2 a head start. Featuring some of the most polished, creative racing across the entire series, World is an audio-visual delight that pays tribute to one of gaming’s most beloved series. With new additions like Knockout Tour and an expansive open world, there’s plenty to enjoy. But it’s not without its issues. An emphasis on the open world leaves the game’s best aspects, its tracks, in the dust. For Mario Kart die-hards dedicated purely to the racing experience, World might still lose the race to its predecessor. But for those who enjoy Mario Kart primarily for multiplayer enjoyment, this new entry delivers a world of enjoyment.
Roguelites are a hard nut to crack, especially as they are popping up more frequently. However, Thunderful Games has produced a fantastic entry that leans on the “less is more” aspect. Whilst some players may find it on the shorter side compared to other titles of this genre, an 8-10 hour game is nothing to fold your hand for. Even though this isn’t perfect with the narrative wrapping up far too hastily and side content that is a little thin, it still retains an addictive loop that will keep you coming back for more. The art style is absolutely invigorating and I can only assume, like the previous game, that fans will cross their fingers in hope for another incredible sequel.
This game made me feel things. Memories long forgotten of those days of my youth playing GBA on the bus. Those times when I sneakily woke up in the middle of the night to get in an hour of Super Nintendo time. Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo made me laugh with often hilarious writing. It also made me yell in anger due to complex puzzles and occasionally its frustratingly difficult combat. I loved the way that the combat skills doubled as traversal options and puzzle solutions providing gameplay depth that I wasn’t expecting.
Hauling in a catch and drifting across the waves alongside a trusty pooch is a soothing and satisfying experience in games as much as it is in real life. Featuring laid-back gameplay combined with drop-dead gorgeous landscape pixel art, there are few indie games quite as lovingly crafted as Cast n Chill. This indie gem belongs in the Steam library of not only cozy gamers but anyone who understands the kind of relaxation only fishing can offer.
On the surface, Nightreign looks to be a shadow of its former installment. However, the deeper you delve into the typical hidden systems within a Soulsborne, you’ll find a few more things to do and get out of this seemingly shallow multiplayer game. This doesn’t mean its not repetitive and can be very frustrating at times with the wrong team mates but if you have two friends and all enjoy a challenge then you might find this game a lot more fulfilling. Whilst this offers less new experiences that other FromSoftware games, its not without its fun moments and that feeling of finally beating a hard boss is still here. Although the journey to each Nightlord is a lot more tedious than roguelikes or battle royales with little rewards to make it feel worthwhile. Elden Ring Nightreign might not completely tarnish the franchise name but it certainly doesn’t hold a site of grace to it.
Welcome Tour is a mixed bag of an introduction to an exciting new Nintendo device. While there are several hours worth of gameplay and many creative minigames to explore, the experience lacks the magical charm and vibrance that players often associate with Nintendo. This sleek, corporate theme park certainly feels like an interactive manual and would have been the ideal pack-in to introduce early adopters to the new functions of the console. Although the price feels worthwhile for the amount of gameplay on offer, the choice not to include this with the console is baffling.