Netto’s Game Room's Reviews
Overall I did enjoy Genopanic, and think it's a charming small indie game. It is a rather short experience that clocked in for me about 2-3 hours, and personally I like games being short and sweet experiences, rather than being bloated just for the sake of increasing its length; so I didn't find an issue with that. The developer has promised to add a bit more to the game, or at the very least the missing ending (and currently un-achievable achievements), so hopefully they do that soon to make it complete!
Macross Shooting Insight has a lot of missed opportunities, but it still manages to be a fun game with the content it does offer. There are better Macross games out there, but not in English, and there are better shoot em ups out there, that are in English. Even so, I found myself enjoying this game for what it is, and I will keep coming back to it for years to come. It has a lot I like, but it also has disappointments. I love the music, but I also wish they added at least a few more tracks. I like the characters, but I wish there were at least a few more. The stages are fun, but I wish we had more than just ten.
Robobeat does a great job making you feel like an action hero. Dying might be frustrating at times, but when you get a cool new weapon to go all out with, it is a complete blast!
Monster Meals surprised me, and hooked me with its unique twist on the whole restaurant simulation genre. Some of this was familiar to me, but actually going out to hunt food while managing the kitchen was a completely new concept to me! At first it was a bit overwhelming, as I've usually failed at memorizing in these types of games, but the game slowly eased me in and gave me the tools I needed to actually succeed.
Snowman Story is about the life of snowmen, the humans who build them, and an attempt to escape Spring. There are some surprisingly touching moments, and that ending completely caught me off guard. And I loved it!
The Exit 8 and The Exit 8 VR is a short experience. You can finish it in 10 to 15 minutes I'm sure, or you can be like me and spend over an hour in there. There isn't much to the game, but it is an interesting experience that tests your powers of observation. I can't compare it to other walking simulators as there isn't anything else quite like it, but those looking for a short puzzle will most likely enjoy it.
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is a unique game, and anyone interested in it should understand what it is first. Does the game have jump scares? Yes it does. But is it really that scary of a horror game? No, it isn't. The ghost stories are fun and creepy, but the game itself is a massive puzzle with hide and seek elements thrown in. It requires a lot of outside knowledge to solve some of the puzzles, and the game gives you little to no direction when playing on normal or harder. Ultimately it is a game you want to learn how to play before you play it normally, and that can take outside research as well as playing the game on Very Easy or Easy first.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a very fun action RPG. The game has a fun and addictive combat system, plenty of unique characters to mix it up, really fun special abilities, and can be as easier or as challenging as you want to make it. It is a great game for anyone who loves action games in general, and its story is interesting enough to keep you engaged from start to finish. The game is also packed full of content, and rewards you for exploring every single nook and cranny. If you are a Ys fan there really isn't a reason to skip this one, and newcomers will get a general idea of what the series is like from it.
AWAKEN: Astral Blade is a fun Metroidvania. Is it perfect? No. Does it reinvent the genre in any way? Not really. But did it need to? Of course not! It is a great game for both newcomers and long time fans of the genre alike, but there's no denying that there are better ones out there. Even so, I still recommend it.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Decline's Drops. It is fun, challenging and has a delightful soundtrack. Its asking price might be a bit high, but honestly for that price you get a well crafted hand drawn passionately made platformer, that will last you easily over 5-7 hours (depending on if you try to 100% it), and the mechanics are deep enough that I could see speed runners enjoy it a lot. Honestly isn't that everything you would want from a good platformer?
Resident Evil Village is a solid entry in the overall series. The story is a continuation of VII and finally provides answers to the mysteries left open by that title, and the new setting is a fun throwback to Resident Evil 4.
The Bridge Cruse 2: The Extrication is a short but fun horror experience. My initial impressions didn't leave me too enthusiastic about what was to come, but I'm happy to say that things changed pretty fast. While the first encounter felt like the game wanted us to be afraid of the security guard, which I wasn't, it's what came next that was truly scary. Once the game started diving into the history of the school, the events that lead to ghosts haunting the halls, and the overall mystery of it all; I was hooked!
Sugar Mess is a game I really enjoyed playing, and it is a game I can see being a mainstay on my Meta Quest. It is a game I can show to friends, and keep coming back to in order to beat my high scores. It really isn't an "adventure" though like I originally expected, and it isn't a massive game by any means... But that is okay! It isn't anything more than it needs to be, and I commend it for that.
Alyx is a solid entry within the Half-Life series, and a lot of fun! It has plenty of replayability, and the gameplay is solid. While the annoying puzzles holds it back a bit, it isn't anything that actually ruins the experience, which is a blast from start to finish. It is a game that anyone with a VR headset should really give a chance, but it's important to note that it does have horror elements as well. It isn't a game that everyone can get into because of that, nor is it a game that everyone can get into simply because the fact it is VR exclusive. If you can play it though, and can get past the horror (or have someone to help force you to get past the horror), then you will not regret your time with this one.
Personally I found the potion making process to be the most fun part of the game, and I do hope that the developers keep on expanding on that idea for a potential sequel or other game. That being said, the game just doesn't feel fully finished. Don't get me wrong now, there is a full game there with a start to end, and with content to justify its asking price. However, as much as I like the cell shaded look of the game, it just feels a bit "off." The more I played the more it felt like the game needed just a bit more time on the presentation side of everything (in particular the eerie animals in town). It would also not have hurt to have more music in the game, as it mainly has one song on a constant loop. After a few hours it becomes fairly grating to the ears.
The game is a solid foundation, and it is great to see that the developer will be actively working on it to improve it, but there is no denying that it also has a long way to go. For $15 on Steam, it isn't bad as a game to play with friends, but it isn't a game I can recommend if you are going at it solo. It also didn't have a large playerbase online during our play testing, so even finding random players could be difficult. It honestly feels like a game that would benefit from a "4 player co-op pack" version at a discounted price, as maybe asking $15 from you and your three friends could be a bit much.
Victory Heat Rally is a game that knows exactly who its fanbase is, and it does everything in it's power to deliver a fun and captivating experience. The game is setup in a way that is inviting to newcomers to the arcade racing genre, but also with challenges that will even give long time veterans a run for their money. It's a game all about honing your skills, but it also features modes for all skill levels. It is an inviting yet challenging experience, and that's a fine balance a lot of games fail to achieve... Yet Victory Heat Rally managed to pull it off!
Generic backgrounds, a single repeating song, the lack of a cancel button, and luck based gameplay aside... It's an interesting concept, and I did like the stages that didn't rely on luck. The game managed to pray on my stubbornness to get me to keep going, and ultimately it did have me feeling nostalgic for the flash games I used to play. It's a game that has potential, but it really needs a fresh coat of paint and some polish.
Peglin is a game you can easily get sucked into. It has a lot to offer, and a lot of ways you can play through the game. It has a lot of luck, sure, but it's also about learning how to control that luck and complete your run. It's a unique concept, and once it clicks with you it is hard to pull yourself away.
Core Keeper is a surprisingly deep and satisfying game to both new and older players of the genre, and it has something for everyone. You can also play up to 8 players in one world and divide up the tasks. Its not unheard of that you have one dedicated to base building, while others explore and gather materials etc. I have fully enjoyed my time with the game since the start of early access and will come back to it similar to how I always eventually do another playthrough of Terraria.