The Gamerheads Podcast 's Reviews
Nighthawks is a fantastic mash-up of visual novel and role-playing. The choices that you make matter, including the creation of your vampire. I love the art style and the voice acting; both add to the immersive world that Nighthawks creates. I wish there was a dice-rolling mechanic when using my abilities. It would add to the tabletop aspect of the role-playing part of the game. But even without it, Nighthawks is a great game to play, especially during October.
I did think that I was only going to put a few hours into this game, but I can see myself coming back whenever I just want a cozy creative moment in my gameplay loop. The story flows so naturally with how things might unfold in that political manner and it really does allow for that creative freedom to satisfy the orders. I also love how the game encouraged me to keep moving through the story so I could unlock more patterns, fabric, and embellishments. Overall, there is so much love towards this game, both from me and the community, that I highly recommend it if you enjoy a good story and love being creative.
The idea of running a boardwalk sounds fun, but there isn’t much to do in the way of designing anything. Part of the fun with these types of games is designing and implementing your vision for your park, and Boardwalk Builders doesn’t do that. I’m placing shops and running those individual businesses. Too much busy work and not enough to keep me engaged.
Garfield - Escape from Monday doesn’t break any new ground or do anything extraordinary, but in all honesty it doesn’t have to. It’s a fun, familiar 3D platformer with collect-a-thon elements and basic combat. You don’t have to put in a ton of effort to beat the game either; the platforming and combat elements are surprisingly easy. As for the dollar-to-value ratio, it took me about 12 hours to get through all three worlds, but that was because I took my time when playing. If you supplement that with the unlockable time trials, collecting all the lasagnas, and unlocking all the furniture in Jon’s house, you’re looking at least 20 hours to 100% the game. And for the budget price of $29.99 digital and $39.99 physical, it’s certainly worth every dollar. Garfield - Escape from Monday does a great job at capturing the soul of the Garfield character, and is a wonderful entry-level 3D platformer for kids. Not only that, but it’s also a fantastic love-letter game for lifetime fans of the fat cat.
Well Dweller is probably one of the best Metroidvanias I’ve ever played. The story is fantastic, and the art leans heavily into the Grimm-like fairytale. The game encourages players to explore the entire map, hiding collectible objects, trinkets, and trinket points to level up Glimmer, the protagonist in the game. Glimmer sets out to save their family, a reluctant hero who is forced into their fate. Everything feels so good in the game: the combat, the boss battles pushing players to react rather than memorize patterns. It’s everything I love about this genre.
I’m so glad that Culdcept the First finally made its way to the West. This port truly preserves the original game. Fans of the series will be able to jump right in and play this game. But for new Cepters, I’d suggest playing Culdcept Begins first. It has the advantage of lessons learned over nearly thirty years of Culdcept, more modern mechanics, and the pace is much better for learning the game. Then, after playing the prequel (and discovering your new favorite series), jump into Culdcept the First.
Sovereign Tower is such a special game. There are so many choices and branching paths, and those choices actually matter. That’s one thing I look for in a visual novel, and Sovereign Tower does it perfectly.
Box Knight brings a fresh perspective to the roguelite genre. The art is fantastic, and the leveling system feels meaningful, which is important in this genre. Add in the fact that it’s a couch co-op beat-em-up, and it makes for a perfect game to play with friends.
If you’re a fan of ARPGs and Souls-likes and enjoy some competition in your gaming, then Mistfall Hunter is a game for you. It’s much more fun with friends, so if you can convince two others to pick up the game, you’ll have a much better experience.
The Mermaid Mask is a fantastic point-and-click whodunit adventure. I love that the game doesn’t overtly hold my hand, allowing me to work through the case on my own, yet it’s so well designed that it still points me in the right direction. The art and music are so well done, and the voice acting is top-notch. It also features some of the best writing and humor I’ve experienced in a game. If you’re a fan of quirky murder mysteries like Knives Out, you need to check out The Mermaid Mask.
If you are looking for your next strategic puzzle platforming game, look no further than Dodo Duckie. I believe this game is suitable for any skill or age level as the storytelling guides you through each of the areas. Plus, there’s so many adorable animals to talk to and hats to collect!
Truxton Extreme captures the feeling of an arcade game through and through. The graphics and music are both excellent. I want to play this game in an arcade cabinet. It's that good. The game is challenging, but its accessibility features let me change the starting number of lives and bombs, with one tradeoff: my score won't be added to the leaderboard. That's one of the things I love about Truxton Extreme. It lets players chase a high score or provides a way for those who just want to experience the story.
Go North is a fun, relaxing game that itches the “I gotta collect 'em all” mentality without becoming overly grindy or monotonous throughout. With a variety of tools to let players play their own way at their own pace, and a variety of themes to keep the game always feeling fresh.
Moss redefines the concept of interactive play. The smooth transition from cutscenes to gameplay, along with its stunning art design, fully immersed me in the world, allowing me to explore it as if I were right beside Quill. The gameplay flows effortlessly with a controller, and the combat elements introduce a sense of urgency without being overwhelming. I highly recommend Moss to anyone who loves platformers with plot twists, light combat, and an adorable mouse companion!
Lifted is designed for all players, not just seasoned vets. It's welcoming to even the youngest of gamers, but the settings can be tinkered to make it more of a challenge. The game is created by Jeff Ashbrook, a former Disney Imagineer. With that experience, his goal to make a game that appeals to everyone and tells a riveting interactive story is fully realized. It's a solid choice for any gamer who loves a good adventure, is ideal for families, fans of story-driven platformers, or anyone craving a lighthearted adventure. It's not perfect – it's a little on the short side, has its share of camera glitches, and may be too easy for some, but it's still a fun experience. The game has heart, a lot of feel-good moments, and will keep you smiling from beginning to end.
Moldwasher is a short cleaning sim that left me wanting more but helped me find that kid-like wonder I used to have with the world. From the music to the cute little sushi, this game set out to make a calm relaxing experience for me and I will be returning to it when the world gets dark, because what better way to wash the darkness away then with some sushi.
I've been waiting a long time for a new entry in the Culdcept series, and Culdcept Begins doesn't disappoint. The local and online multiplayer features, along with GameShare, were exactly what I hoped would be included, and I'm thrilled they made it into the game. While I wasn't expecting a story, it grew on me over time. That said, I wish multiplayer and other features weren't locked behind the first few story chapters. Overall, though, Culdcept Begins is the best game in the series. If you're a fan of Monopoly and Magic: The Gathering, Culdcept Begins is an easy recommendation.
Exo Rally Championship takes the foundation of modern racing games and then launches it into space. With it comes beautifully terrifying alien worlds that brings my dream of simply being on a different planet to life but in this I get to do it in really fast vehicles grounded in todays science.
SWAPMEAT is a fast-paced roguelite that is best played with friends. At first, the game seems like a silly cartoony shooter (and it is funny) but after playing a bunch of runs, I started to see the strategy behind the different body parts and combining them to create some really powerful builds. The boss battles are intense and far more manageable playing with friends. One More Game is constantly adding community challenges and updating the game, which adds to the replayability. If you are a fan of Hell Divers and like 90s and 2000s humor, this is a game that should be added to your collection.
4PGP plays really well. Even in handheld mode on Switch 2, the performance is impressive. It's a challenging arcade racer and incorporates the multiplayer aspect well, and I appreciate the devs implemented game share. I wish the same amount of effort was put into the level designs and customization. The environments were lifeless which made the game feel flat. The lack of any car customizations, even just providing cosmetic options, took away any agency I had over the game.