I don’t quite know what it is about gamers and the word exclusive. We’ll go to great lengths sometimes to get a game we want to play even if it means buying a console first. I completely understand the warm fuzzy feeling you get when you know nobody out of your console owning sphere can play what you’re playing: it’s nice to be part of the club. What I’m not sure I understand is whether it’s worth paying hundreds of pounds (or dollars) to get that feeling and essentially shell out £300 for a £40 game in the process. What I do love is when an exclusive comes along for the console I’m already on which makes owning said game a lot less expensive all around and is still totally rewarding. Stop babbling and get on with it? Yes, probably a good idea. The game is Jade’s Ascension and it’s exclusive to the PS4 Store.
Set in the Kingdom of Mojolonia, Jade’s Ascension will see players taking part in a tournament for the crown. This will not be an easy task, however, as the chosen will need to navigate a series of rooms filled with dangerous hazards if they are to become the new ruler.
Based on Chinese mythology, Jade’s Ascension is a co-op affair for up to four gaming friends. Using unique characters, you’ll have to work together to figure out how to best use their individual abilities to overcome the enemies and obstacles present in each room. Your characters will also grow as you play. If you can defeat the bosses controlling the game’s towers, they’ll earn special abilities as a reward.
The towers you and your team will enter each have their own enemy hazards and bosses to conquer. You’ll need to change your tactics accordingly so don’t expect Jade’s Ascension to be a walk in the park once you’ve got the basics down. The variety being offered should also give this title a good amount of life and replayability.
So, what’s not to love? You’re getting an exciting and colorful new arcade adventure only you and your PS4 loving friends will be able to take part in. That should help you scratch the itch if having an exclusive or two in your library is a must. Jade’s Ascension is a digital-only release and you’ll find it in the PlayStation Store for $9.99.
Perhaps you were in grade school when you first learned about George Orwell’s novella Animal Farm, a story about a group of animals that fight for equality as they revolt against the farmer Mr. Jones. This allegory is as relevant in 2020 as it was in 1945, especially with the November 3rd election in the United States, one of the most monumental elections in history. The new teaser trailer for Orwell’s Animal Farm is more like a political campaign than a videogame announcement, with the narrator quoting directly from Orwell’s satirical tale, “No one believes more firmly than comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal.”
Orwell’s Animal Farm is a choose your own adventure game developed by The Dairymen and Nerial that sets the player in Manor Farm, home to a variety of animals whose fate depends on the choices you make. There are 8 possible endings, 6 destinies, and 40+ achievements in this adventure that takes place over the span of seven years in this Animalism uprising. Will you bring sustainability and cultivation to the farm to grow its resources? Will you protect your fellow animals and fight against the human enemy? Or will you make sacrifices for the greater good?
There are familiar characters in this game such as Napoleon the boar, leader of the farm, and Boxer the horse known for his loyalty and firm belief that Napoleon is always right. It is up to the player to decide the fate of each of these characters, navigating through the political strategies that can either destroy or nurture the happiness and population of Manor Farm.
The hand-drawn artwork, with its muted color palette and folk-style design, helps set the tone for the game, set to be released for PC and mobile platforms on December 10th. You might even recognize the narrator of Orwell’s Animal Farm, Abubakar Salim, known for his role as the voice of Bayek in Assassin’s Creed: Origins. If you’re like me and like to get alerts for upcoming releases, don’t forget to add this game to your Steam wishlist. After all, some games are more equal than others.
We love a good RPG. There are so many ways to tackle this genre but when done well they all lead to hours of story-driven fun. What we seem to see less of, though, are RPG platformers. It tends to be one or the other but relatively rarely both in one package. If you like a bit of side-scrolling hack and slash fun, The Skylia Prophecy is due for Steam on November 20th and it might just tick all your boxes.
The Skylia Prophecy is harking back to some of the great games of the 90s. This is a side-scrolling, pixel-drawn affair and that certainly isn’t a bad thing.
You’ll be diving into a medieval world where you’ll take the role of Mirenia. On your quest, you’ll need to help her vanquish an evil she unleashed when she was a teenager. In an attempt to right her wrong, you’ll have one hell of a journey ahead of you. Be prepared to explore dozens of lands and towns, navigate ancient dungeons and, of course, battle the hordes of monsters that stand in your way.
Let’s remember this isn’t just your average hack-and-slash affair. The RPG elements of The Skylia Prophecy will shine through in the people you meet and the quests you’ll have to complete to help them. You’ll not only be able to make some gold through the NPCs by selling powerful weapons and items but also learn a few secrets in the process to make your life and your journey that little bit easier.
Interestingly, we can also expect some puzzle elements to your journey. Aside from the many foes you’ll have to battle and the locals you’ll need to aid, in The Skylia Prophecy you’ll also be confronted with exploration-based riddles to ensure your brain is working in tandem with your thumbs.
For RPG addicts of a certain age, all this should bring back some pretty fond memories. Younger gamers should get a kick out of a style of gaming we don’t see anywhere near as often as we should anymore. Either way, The Skylia Prophecy is going to be worth a look for Steam owners in just a few weeks’ time.
King Crow Studios have launched their brand new VR title, Hive Slayer, as a free download with a modest request for a charitable donation. All of the proceeds from the donations go directly to the Southwest Louisiana Hurricane Relief & Recovery Fund, which provides direct support for the state after it has been hit with back to back hurricanes. Louisiana natives themselves, King Crow Studios, saw a chance to support their community and posted their latest game to get the awareness of the relief fund out there.
2020 has been rife with setbacks and trying times, but on top of roughly 8 months of quarantine to be hit with consecutive hurricanes; I couldn’t even imagine. Tens of thousands of people have had their livelihood destroyed by natural disaster after natural disaster. I can’t praise King Crow Studios enough for this incredibly thoughtful act and releasing a full VR game for free and cede all potential profits in the name of charity.
Hive Slayer is a VR experience available to download now on Steam and Itch.io with a simple mission: blast all the bugs. An arcade-style shooting gallery with a heavy sci-fi flair, Hive Slayer puts the player in the boots of mankind’s last hope against an alien menace. Shoot your way through multiple offline and online game modes to reach the highest scores and top the leaderboards.
Hive Slayer is a free game, but King Crow Studios are requesting donations to be made on the itch.io page or directly to the state relief fund. Support an indie developer; support a state’s worth of people rebuilding their lives.
Developer Klabater and Juggler Games, the studio behind My Memory of Us, come together to deliver a unique gaming experience in The Amazing American Circus.
Blending elements of a card game, tycoon, and an adventure game, The Amazing American Circus looks to set itself apart from other titles in each of these genres.
In The Amazing American Circus, players will take on the role of a poverty-stricken circus owner and attempt to build themselves up in order to create the best circus experience in the 19th Century United States. Players will build a circus and travel across the country collecting cards and gathering unique artists and performers along the way, each with their own personal stories to tell.
The action will play out via an original and challenging card game. Battle against enemies, as well as the constant threat of audience boredom. The game will feature over 100 historical figures from the age of the industrial revolution including the likes of Susan B. Anthony and Nikola Tesla. The soundtrack is also inspired by classic circus music.
The Amazing American Circus will be heading to Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC in 2021.
Metroidvania…now there’s a term we don’t hear as often as we used to. Before the roguelike came along to make gamers’ lives far more difficult than necessary, the Metroidvania genre was doing a very good job of it all on its own. In fact, the notion of starting you with virtually nothing and making you work for every last bit of any chance at success may well have been something the roguelike borrowed. So…guns, back-tracking (lots of it), exploration, and hard as nails things wanting to stop you doing the aforementioned. It’s called Outpost Delta and it’s reminding us why Metroidvania was a really clever thing to be part of.
Setting you into the role of Delta, an emergency defense drone located on the outpost of a research station, Outpost Delta will task you with defending the station’s secrets from a bunch of invading aliens called The Klaath. Said lifeforms have invaded the station in a bid to steal its secrets. If you do your job properly, they won’t be stealing anything or leaving, for that matter.
Outpost Delta is a twin-stick shooter with teeth. On top of the run and gun, you’ll encounter some interesting physics-based mechanics. Delta has the ability to control gravity, meaning shooting helpless, floating enemies out of thin air, or bludgeoning them to death with the ground are both very viable options.
It wouldn’t be a Metroidvania without bags of things to find, upgrade, and unlock. Outpost Delta has no shortage of unlockable, upgradable weapons, and armor that can be customized to the player’s liking. Just remember the gun is only half the battle. You’ll need skill and good aim if you’re going to complete your mission and stop the invaders from succeeding.
Outpost Delta released this week for Steam and all major consoles, so you shouldn’t have any issues getting involved if you’re feeling the need to obliterate a few aliens. If you’re new to the Metroidvania style of play, this could definitely be an interesting place to start.
Enlisted, an online squad-based World War II first-person shooter, has been confirmed by developers Gaijin Entertainment to launch alongside the Xbox Series X/S this November. Players will be able to purchase the ‘Founder’s Pack’ to get access to the game as a Game Preview title when the new consoles launch on 10th November.
Enlisted features realistic squad-based combat set across large maps that are accurate representations of real-world WW2 battles, such as the ‘Battle of Moscow’ or the well-known ‘Normandy Invasion’. Players can take control of either infantry soldiers, tank commanders or an aircraft pilot as they battle it out with opposing players on the ground or in the air. All vehicles and weaponry are created with realism in mind as each remains true to their real-world counterparts.
Enlisted boasts a proprietary Ray Tracing system that will make the most of the new ray tracing hardware featured in the new consoles by offering more realistic lighting detail among other graphical enhancements. Further technical details have also been revealed with the Xbox Series X version of the game said to be capable of running at a 4K resolution, while the Xbox Series S will be able to run at a maximum of 1440p. Gaijin Entertainment have also revealed that the game will be targeting a stable 60 frames per second at these resolutions, which will surely make those forays behind enemy lines buttery smooth. No details were given on how long the game will remain exclusive to the Xbox Series X/S or how the game is expected to run on other consoles.
Enlisted will be part of the Xbox Series X/S launch line-up as a Game Preview title this November for players that purchase the ‘Founders Pack’. Further information on the game and its development can be found here.
As a child, I was fascinated by mythology. I loved immersing myself in the tales of gods and humans, learning about the history and life lessons from different cultures. Clearly, I’m not the only one who was heavily influenced by these fairytales. Hades places you in the underworld of the god of the dead while God of War merges Greek and Norse mythology to create an epic action-packed adventure. Videogames based on Greek and Norse mythology have been popular in recent years, but there’s a new game that pays homage to the culture of India. It’s been three years in the making, but Nodding Heads Games finally released Raji: An Ancient Epic.
The stunning trailer brings the magic of Indian lore to players as they become Raji, a young woman in Ancient India who is appointed by the gods to defeat the demon Mahabalasura. Raji’s younger brother is kidnapped, the human world is endangered, and Raji must risk her own life to protect those she loves. With blessings and mysterious powers from the gods, players will guide Raji on an incredible journey, learning combat and tactical skills along the way while choosing from an assortment of weapons to defeat enemies.
This indie action-adventure game provides its audience with a heartfelt story about siblings and a battle against evil set to an original soundtrack with quality design and aesthetics. Featuring artwork resembling the Pahari art style, Raji: An Ancient Epic incorporates beautiful hand-painted textures and lands based on real locations. Already, this game has been awarded for its visuals and game design and earned a spot on “Best of Steam’s Game Festival.” It’s a provocative masterpiece breathing life into the ancient legends of India.
Raji: An Ancient Epic is now available on PlayStation 4,Xbox One, and PC! Originally released on Nintendo Switch, this game continues to gain positive reviews among players. If you have a Steam account, check out the special promotional offer to get the game for 10% off. This offer ends on 10/22/2020. Additionally, if you’re a music lover, don’t forget to check out the soundtrack, which can be purchased as DLC on Steam.
Dorothy, Toto, the Wicked Witch of the West, Munchkinland. These are all familiar words to those of us who grew up watching the iconic fantasy film The Wizard of Oz. This movie was released 81 years ago but it still continues to influence our culture, even within the world of videogames. Imagine a game that mirrors some of the memorable elements from the film, but instead of a checkered blue dress, there’s a red hood and a little fox sidekick instead of a pointy-eared terrier.
Korean-based game developer Devespresso Games premiered the teaser trailer for Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood on October 8, 2020, promising fans a fun, adventure-filled, story-driven game that follows the title character on a fantastical journey. Scarlet not only faces the Black Witch, a big bad wolf, and other monsters, she must also relive the same day after being trapped in a time-loop hex. On top of that, she needs to guide her Munchkin troupe through the Wicked Wood without being attacked by enemies.
I remember fiddling around with text-based choose your own adventure games as a kid, excited to see all the different outcomes of the narrative. One path might lead to a bag of coins. Another path might lead to a spider-infested cave. Even with the lack of images, these stories came to life because the creator knew how to fabricate a world that engrossed players. Scarlet Hood takes this concept to the next level by including beautiful visuals similar to those in graphic novels while immersing players in a world that alludes to fairytale stories from childhood.
Scarlet might seem like an innocent girl from Kentucky but she’s got some witchcraft skills she can use while trapped in the Wicked Wood. Throughout your adventure, you’ll help Scarlet solve puzzles and determine her path as you guide her to the end of her journey. Which ending will you choose?
Early Access for Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood debuts in December for PC, Mac, and Linux. Don’t forget to set a reminder for yourself on Steam if you want to be one of the first to get your hands on Devespresso’s upcoming game! This puzzle adventure is sure to remind you that there’s no place like home…in front of your computer.
There are certain tropes that flourished in an arcade setting but never caught on as much with us console owners. This is strange really considering all the other games we dumped so much money into in the arcade and would have given an arm and a leg to own ourselves. One of these tropes is the rail shooter. This particular type of game tended to fall into one of two categories, both of which involved a light-gun of some description. The first saw you moving from scene to scene and getting attacked by characters that literally looked like moving cutouts. The other type made your opponents far more lifelike (often using FMV), but still having you move from one fixed location to another.
Some titles did really well on console. If we remember how much fun we had with games such as Virtua Cop and House of the Dead, for instance, there’s no doubting that there were occasions the rail shooter did very well in our own homes. On the whole, though, it’s very much a sub-genre that’s been lost to the passage of time. Now, after that rather lengthy, somewhat nostalgic little set up we come to the game we’re talking about today. It’s called Bartlow’s Dread Machine and it’s giving the rail shooter a much-needed shout out.
Bartlow’s Dread Machine is taking a lot of inspiration from early 20th-century game cabinets. Note I said early? Yes, unbelievably, there was a time we didn’t have videogames. We’re talking about cabinets that had you moving about on real rails, not the imaginary ones I’ve just mentioned. All these great ideas had to come from somewhere you know … so … history.
Set entirely within the confines of the Dread Machine, a relic from the dawn of the technological age, Bartlow’s Dread Machine, casts one or two players as government agents in a series of escapades across New York, San Fransisco, and all across the American continent. Your task will be to rescue president Roosevelt from the forces of evil. You’ll need to be wary, though, there are more sinister elements at work than a few gun-toting goons.
Bound to the clockwork gizmos running the machine, agents are little more than mere metal figures running about on rails. They aren’t just puppets to be pushed around, though, and this is what makes things interesting. The agents still have free will in this bizarre environment and can choose which of the forking paths they wish to take to achieve victory.
Expect sets made of wood and tin to unfold around you as you navigate the strange world of the machine. Here, in this strange puppet-show, you will be introduced to a cast of improbable monsters and historical figures.
Bartlow’s Dread Machine is giving you bags of content to play with. You get a whole six worlds to explore and plenty of fire-power to wield within them. There’s an armory of 52 guns to take into combat. There should be something in that lot for even the most jaded gun-slinger. If aesthetics is your thing you’ll also have a tonne of different outfits to enable you to get your kill on with style.
Something I think we can all agree that we like is the ability to unlock stuff. This is a million times better than stinky loot boxes and skins you have to pay for. We’re harking back to the days when you got rewarded for being good at the game and not having a bit wallet. In the case of Bartlow’s Dread Machine, you’ll be able to unlock interesting new spins on some really well-known characters. Fancy seeing zombie General Custer? Why not, right? Nikolai Tesla? Annie Oakley? The devs in all three cases totally have your back.
“We wanted to create something we haven’t seen beforeand realized there was a little overlap between early 20th Century arcade cabinets and video games, as the latter replaced the former, so we wanted to essentially combine the two. ” Said Matthew Hoseterey, Co-Founder and Director of Design at Tribetoy. “Bartlow’s Dread Machine maintains the aesthetic and tone of the former, while instilling it with the buttery-smooth gameplay and advanced design of the latter – the result being something utterly original. We can’t wait for players to discover it for themselves on Steam and Xbox!”
If Bartlow’s Dread Machine sounds like something that will float your proverbial boat you can indeed discover it right this very second, (as soon as you finish reading this,) for your Steam playing, Xbox owning-selves. I’ll finish rambling and let you go and do just that but let me do you the kindness of leaving you the Steam link right here, and, of course, one for your Xbox and telling you this title will cost you the rather reasonable amount of $14.99, (£11.59 for us British players.) Right … think I’m done now; go have a look and enjoy.
There are many theories about what happens to us after we die in terms of where we end up. This destination is believed to be based on how you lived your life and treated others in the process. But what is not nearly discussed enough is the journey you take between death and arriving at your final destination. Mooneye Games Studio has created an experience that explores just this topic in their new game, Lost Ember. Take a journey to the afterlife, your afterlife, as a wolf with the ability to transform into the other animals of the forest as you explore a beautiful deserted world and discover the final fate of mankind.
You can’t embark on an epic quest without a trusty guide.
In Lost Ember, the wolf form is the main vessel you’ll inhabit in order to travel to the afterlife in the City of Light. As you play, you will discover that you used to be a person that was beloved by many, however, the memory of your death for some reason escapes you. Do not fret, however, as you are soon accompanied by another soul that is also trying to make his way to the City of Light. This guide of sorts looks out for you, helps you to navigate the various landscapes such as grasslands and mountains, and also narrates the story as you go along. You can play the game without the narration if you choose, that way you must depend solely on the visual cues in order to progress, but I would suggest playing with narration the first time you play so that you are getting the full story as it is surprisingly well written and very interesting.
Much of the story is told through the use of memories, or echos of the past, that you will come across as you make your way to the City of Light. These echos will show a scene from a pivotal event in your life and will help in piecing together where all the people have gone. The story is written as a bit of a mystery as to your fate and the fate of everyone else. I found myself wanting to get to the next point in the story just so I could find out what happened next. There were a few plot points that could have been left out or combined to create a more cohesive experience but over all I was able to follow what was going on.
Something incredibly terrible will play out on your journey in memories like these.
Gameplay is very simple and doesn’t take a whole lot of brain power to get used to. As the wolf, you can walk or run your way through the environment. Invariably, you will come across other animals of which you may need their unique abilities in order to progress through the level. For instance, you may come to an area where the wolf is no longer able to proceed further because you’ve come to the side of a sheer cliff. The wolf is ill-equipped to clime up a cliff but there is a bird that you can walk up to, assume its form, and then fly up and over that cliff and continue on your journey. Environmental puzzles like this are built into the game in a way that feels natural and takes advantage of many different types of animals making for multiple ways to traverse the varying terrains.
The visuals in Lost Ember are stunning on both the console itself and also when connected to the television. I have a 65″ Visio 4K TV and it looked amazing. I really couldn’t find one complaint. The environments are bright and vivid and make use of light and shadow masterfully. The views are sweeping and you can see far out into the distance, which was quite unexpected to me for an indy game of this sort. The animal designs do leave a little to be desired and it is very obvious where development focused its time when building this game. Overall, however, I think that it looks amazing and the real star of the show here is definitely the reclaimed-by-nature game-world.
The world is stunning with so many diverse landscapes that the Switch can barely keep up.
The sound design of the game is also a crowning achievement for this small studio out of Berlin and Hamburg. Ambient sounds make the world feel very alive, like it has been totally reclaimed by nature with the wind blowing through the trees, birds singing in the tree tops and the piercing howl of your wolf as it carries through the brisk air. The music is oftentimes haunting and at times uplifting and inspirational. The narration is also very spot on and the voice of the narrator is soothing and strangely comforting. These elements all combine to create an experience unlike anything that I have played in a long time and it was a welcomed distraction from the chaos of this year.
While there are some things that this game does well, it does have its blemishes that will reveal themselves in due time. My particular issue happened as I was exploring a particularly deep canyon in an early part of the game. To my surprise, the game contains a decent amount of different animals that have different abilities, however, if you make the wrong choice of animal and wander into an area of the game that isn’t compatible with that animal, you are stuck.
You can even jump into the bodies of these cute little wombats in order to get to certain parts of the game.
There are several types of birds in the game and the duck is one that can only fly so high above the ground. I flew down into a deep canyon and could not fly back up to the main area of the game. I then tried to transform back into the wolf but the canyon walls were too sheer for him to be able to climb out. My only option at that point was to restart back to a previous checkpoint and try again. Luckily, the game does a great job of having plenty of save spots so I didn’t have to start over too far back.
If you are looking for a game that is high octane and balls-to-the-wall excitement, this ain’t it, playa. This is a laid-back experience when you are looking for something to just relax and not have to think too much about what you are doing. Lone Ember is heavy on story and exploration and light on bullet spray. In fact, there are no bullets at all. You’re running around in lush environments while enjoying the views and being pulled along into an engaging and philosophical story about the choices you must make in life and what comes next.
This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.
Welcome to Elk takes you to an adventure where everyone you meet has a story to tell. All the stories too, by the way, are based on true narratives that the developers have interviewed. To converge all the stories into one, the developers set the game off the North Pole in an area called “Elk Island,” and you take control of a new inhabitant who just landed for work.
In Welcome to Elk you are Frigg, an alternative-looking woman, who has come to Elk Island to help off a local carpenter for experience and work. However, as soon as Frigg lands, she is taken to a party in the local bar, where she meets most of the locals and gets herself embroiled in the town’s drama. Even though Frigg is only there to help them out, the townspeople end up getting close to her and she ends up learning all their deep secrets.
In between her adventure, Frigg comes upon some mini-games that are very lighthearted and fun. One of them is imagining how one of the local’s parents would look and picking a set of eyes, nose, and mouth to put on a balloon. Yeah, some of the mini-games are weird, but sometimes you wonder why it was even necessary. Most of the mini-games do not really serve anything for the narrative, and sometimes are there just to prolong the current scene. However, some may find it fun and would want to replay them again and again.
At the end of each day, the stories Frigg chances upon in Welcome to Elk are transcribed in some weird bottles at her home. Frigg also starts meeting people with their own stories that other locals claim they do not know about. This leaves her trying to figure out where all of these weird phenomena are coming from, and that sets her on her own story that you get to figure out at the end of the game.
All in all, Welcome to Elk is a good heartfelt collection of narratives packaged into a game. You can complete the game in less than four hours, and the mini-games can keep your attention for a while. The main thing though, is that the experiences you will hear about will touch you for a long time.
This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.
First-person shooters are fun but not necessarily the most original things out there. We’ve all played them, we all pretty much know what to expect. Shooter fans looking for a bit of a change might well want to grab Firing Vibes, a new addition to the FPS catalog. What makes the title any different to the mountain of others out there? Well, put simply, it’s musical.
Have you ever picked up an assault rifle, started firing, and noticed that your shots have a rhythm? Probably not, you’re too busy trying not to get gunned down. If you have, however, Firing Vibes takes that notion and makes it into an entire game. In this title, if you aren’t firing along to a melody you probably aren’t going to last very long,
This newly announced indie game is the work of just one ingenious developer based in France. In Firing Vibes the melody starts when you pull the trigger. Damage is then calculated with each note successfully hit. This in turn creates a unique damage pattern depending on the melody. A fast melody may feel like you’re firing an assault rifle, a slow one, a sniper rifle, and so on. It’s not about the weapon you’re wielding, rather the tune you’re playing, which is actually pretty smart.
Firing Vibes is looking for quite a lot of depth and immersion. By combining musical weapons and building mechanics the developer is looking to create a competitive, multi-player online experience that will keep players coming back for more. A minimalist visual approach has also been taken to cut out all the minor details that can hinder the player’s view. This has been done to aid the competitive nature of the game and can only be a good thing.
If you think this might be worth a punt Firing Vibes will be coming to Steam Early Access in the not-to-distant future. If you’d like to be amongst the first batch of players getting involved you’ll find much of what you need to know here.
Personally, I’ve never been much of one for FPS games. Nothing wrong with the genre per-say, it just doesn’t float my boat. Firing Vibes looks interesting and different enough to be worth a download, you never know, it might just become the next big thing.
When I booted up Adam Robinson-Yu’s A Short Hike for the first time, I was hoping for a relaxing game that I could become pleasantly addicted to for a few hours. Wow did this game deliver. The story is simple. While visiting a relative on a small island, Claire is waiting for an important phone call and learns that the best place for cell phone reception is at the top of a mountain. Her journey to the top includes a number of memorable interactions with the other inhabitants of the island, leading to a number of pleasant distractions.
I was delighted to discover a refreshing twist while playing a mini game of “beachstickball.” After explaining the basic commands, the mini game simply starts. With 30 years of video game experience in me, I tried to figure out every way possible to spike the ball or outsmart my opponent in order to score a point. After eventually failing, it was revealed that this was actually a co-op game, with the goal of achieving a certain number of volleys. Not only that, but I then found out that we had already exceeded our goal. What a refreshing change of pace that characterized the overall spirit of A Short Hike.
Gameplay focuses on exploration and seemingly draws inspiration from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Claire can run, jump, fly and climb, all of which are regulated by a stamina system. Claire increases her stamina by collecting golden feathers. These can be obtained by buying them, finding them and performing side quests. The player can only reach the summit after having found a certain number of feathers.
At first, I thought I would be annoyed by the absence of both a map and sidequest checklists. Within about a half hour of play, I realized that the lack of these systems encourages the player to more intimately learn about the island and its inhabitants. In this regard, the game is the perfect size, as the lack of these systems generally suits this smaller experience.
A Short Hike displays a unique art style that suits it perfectly. All of the island inhabitants are pixelated animals, reminiscent of Animal Crossing. The overall visual effect is simple yet charming and meshes nicely with the music and vibe of the game.
The audio design is outstanding. The soundtrack, created by Mark Sparling, has been perfectly crafted for the experience. I particularly enjoyed the audio effects. The sound of picking up coins and feathers freezing were a couple of my favorites.
The dialogue stands out in a big way. The conversations between characters are contemporary, witty and often hilarious. I actually laughed out loud several times and looked forward to each interaction. Speaking to the same character several times offers additional rewards, as they each have about 3-4 different pieces of dialogue before they begin to repeat.
Though not game breaking by any stretch, I did wrestle with the camera from time to time. The view is isomeric and I feel that I would have learned the ins and outs of the island quicker had I had full control of the camera. The isometric camera creates a more lateral feel for the island, while full control of the camera would have allowed for an improved understanding of where things are on one side of the island in relation to the other side.
Also, the argument can be made that this game can be beaten rather quickly if the player were to rush through it, though I doubt anyone that enjoys this type of game would race to the top of the mountain anyway. Do I wish this game was a little longer? Sure. Though part of the charm is replaying the game, reliving the dialogue with the other inhabitants and learning the island inside and out.
A Short Hike is a wonderful experience that was clearly crafted with love and intention. It is one of the few games that I beat and immediately started replaying. Robinson-Yu has created sheer magic with this title and the experience is something I plan on reliving at least once a summer. A Short Hike begs to be played on a lazy Sunday with a nice glass of lemonade by your side!
This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the developer.
Rhythm games are a niche genre that seems to be clawing for survival here in the West. After the meteoric rise, slow fall, and failed attempt at the resurrection of the band simulating Guitar Hero and Rock Band, rhythm games have not been able to come anywhere close to reclaiming that level of popularity. To do so, they have attempted to innovate on the genre in various ways. Whether it be dancing, racing, top-down RPGs, VR, and, now, rogue-like FPS through BPM: BULLETS PER MINUTE.
BPM features great enemy design and very impressive AI all revolving around the beat.
After choosing from a handful of different Valkyries that function as different starting loadouts, players fight through seven procedurally generated levels to reach a gauntlet of bosses and final boss at the end. Each level has multiple variations that can be randomly applied, as well as a boss at the end with a similar selection of variations that modify their behavior, move sets, damage, etc. Throughout a run players build an arsenal of guns, abilities, and equipment while leveling up stats via donations to statues scattered throughout the levels. It all is pretty standard for a rogue-like.
Where BPM is different is in its rhythm based mechanics. Each level has a metal track that accompanies and dictates the rhythm the player needs to obey. Through a HUD element that collapses towards the player’s reticle at all times marking the beats and off-beats of the music, players must time all of their actions with it. Most guns can only shoot on the beat or off-beat, while players can also only dash and use other abilities on the beats. Even reloading requires a number of well-timed button presses to complete the multiple stages of each reload.
BPM also has various challenge runs to unlock with a variety of different implications, like super pixelated visuals.
This injection of rhythm mechanics proves to be a breath of fresh air. The added layer of keeping track of the beat on top of the DOOM-like arenas and the required tight dance of inputs adds a thick layer of difficulty and newly required skill that is very rewarding to learn and become familiar with. To help with this there are a few settings to balance the learning curve. Not only is there an easy and hard setting for each run, but players are also able to adjust how lenient or harsh the restrictions on matching the rhythm are, even going so far as to let the game automatically time their inputs with the rhythm, although this disables the score multiplier you build for consecutive well-timed inputs.
And the score is the main feature encouraging multiple playthroughs. While playing through to try and discover everything available to the player is rewarding enough on its own, BPM seeks to be a high score chasers happy place. With the score constantly shedding points as player’s navigate the levels, a prominent emphasis on building the multiplier, a high skill ceiling, and a variety of ways to race through the levels with different builds, BPM is built to be practiced towards the goal of mastery. High scores, fast completion times, runs with stringent limitations are on the field, and there is plenty of potential here for a dedicated community to flourish, especially if future updates are in store.
BPM has some great atmosphere supported by the great soundtrack and solid aesthetic.
Where BPM is lacking is in the layers above the core gameplay experience. Admittedly able to be added in through updates post launch, BPM suffers most in the area of its absent story and lack of statistical information. Other than the brief description stating that the player is attempting to prevent monsters from escaping the underworld and invading Asgard there is nothing as far as any world or story. Even that basic description is absent in the game and only found in the marketing.
The lack of any meaningful stats tracking also leaves a noticeably large hole in BPM, especially when it seems so determined to appeal to those who want to play it repeatedly in pursuit of out performing their previous bests. A simple stat page in the main menu that displays various information about best runs, aggregate numbers of a player’s performance, and other tracked tidbits of information would go a long way to make the repeated runs through the game feel a bit more fruitful since there is nothing more to unlock after getting all of the Valkyries. It would be more than possible to add in a post launch update, but it is sorely missed here at launch.
A boss fight that you will become very familiar with, featuring one of my favorite weapons in the game.
BPM: BULLETS PER MINUTE accomplishes what it sets out to do remarkably well, especially with the limited resources that its small development team undoubtedly had. While it may not be for everybody, and there are some pieces missing that would go a long way to flesh out the experience, BPM will service a very specific audience exceptionally well. Offering a new way to play with a highly rewarding learning curve and a skill ceiling above the clouds, I only hope that it will find the audience that will appreciate it as much as it deserves.
This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.
You can always tell when it’s coming to that time of year again. We slowly start seeing news about horror games popping up all over the place. If you’re a horror fan, this is will obviously put you right in your element and you’ll no doubt be calling for more. Being the kind soul that I am, I shall endeavor to quench a little of that thirst for the scary and macabre. The game is called Dark Fracture and it’s due to enter Early Access next February. It’s nice to have a bit of advanced info, though, so let’s give you something to look forward to.
What instantly makes Dark Fracture appealing is it’s a psychological horror game. Psychological horror is usually the stuff that’s devoid of jump scares but makes you wet yourself, have night terrors for months, and end up in therapy. I am not even a bit of a horror junky but if I really want to torture myself I’m going to pick up something like this over say … Five Nights at Freddy’s any day. Cause why give myself a nasty scare when I can do some really long-term damage?
Set in an isolated forest in rural USA at some point in the 90s, Dark Fracture is a first-person experience that will have you treading the fine line between reality and utter madness.
You will be placed in the shoes of Edward; a body farm employee with a pained past. The only thing that helps you get through the day is the medicine you have to take. Living in isolation is not doing anything for your mental state or your ability to deal with your personal issues, either. The only other thing truly anchoring you to reality is your job, but things are simmering and you may well be nearing the breaking point.
One night while working the midnight shift Edward encounters a series of events that threaten to tip him over the edge. As he feels reality beginning to warp and twist, the cruel hand of fate might just be pulling him towards disaster.
In Dark Fracture, your choices will be all-important as you try and escape a horrific past that might not be as far behind you as you thought. Trapped between a world of horrors inspired by the works of ones such as H.R. Giger and the unkind reality of the body farm, madness might not be too far away.
As it’s so early on, we’re not being given a massive amount of info on what to expect of Dark Fracture as of yet. As I mentioned earlier, this little trip down terror lane will be a first-person affair. We also know decision making will be vital, so this is going to tax the old gray matter. Lastly and very importantly, you can expect procedurally generated events. Not knowing what to expect on any given playthrough is always brilliant for a horror game, so plenty to look forward to there.
This could be a really good way to punish your underwear and screw with your nerves. If you think you want a new reason to meet your therapist, Dark Fracture might be an excellent way to do it.
Samurai Jack is a cartoon unlike any other. With four seasons rated TV-Y7 from the early 2000s and a fifth rated TV-14 from 2017, the show takes a visually beautiful approach to telling the story of a samurai sent to the distant future when the known galaxy has been conquered by the god of evil Aku. Told through visually beautiful and creative episodes, subtle writing that explores themes of morality, justice, kinship, destiny, and many others while sprinkling in plenty of moments of levity, every episode of Samurai Jack is something special. So, how does the new game, awkwardly released three years after the show’s sudden resurrection, fare?
Battle Through Time attempts to span the entire breadth of the series while adding in a few new locations as well
This is not Samurai Jack‘s first foray into the world of gaming. With the underwhelming The Amulet of Time for the Gameboy Advanced, the clumsy The Shadow of Aku on GameCube and Playstation 2, and the barebones Back to the Past board game, Samurai Jack‘s efforts have been unsuccessful to say the least. So, as an obvious fan of the show, I waited for the release of Battle Through Time with bated breath. And I am happy to say that it is, for the most part, a successful translation.
Developed by fledgling studio Soleil, developers of the Nintendo Switch Splatoon look-alike Ninjala and Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker, Battle Through Time aims to deliver a canon story told in a Devil May Cry-esque action game. Unfortunately, the story is Battle Through Time‘s weakest component. Awkwardly sandwiched in the middle of the final episode of the series, players follow Jack as he is forced into a place between time by Aku where he must combat iconic adversaries across nine levels set in familiar locations.
You will come across plenty of familiar characters, although they may not be the ones you would expect
For a show that explores as many concepts as it does, the game’s story is a terrible disappointment in how little of it there is. Each level has a small narrative within it that is comprised of Jack fighting through an area to find an amulet to break and move on to the next level, and that is really it. Most of the classic characters one would expect to come across are woefully absent, and the short interactions the player does have with familiar characters are short and unimpactful, seemingly only aiming to wink at players familiar with the show and say “Ah, remember this episode don’t you?”
This is worsened by the second worst aspect of the game: the cinematics. Battle Through Time‘s graphics are nothing revolutionary, but while in motion it serves its purpose well enough. The environments and many of the animations feel faithful to the source material and are visually interesting even on subsequent playthroughs. However, once the cinematics rear their heads, usually at the start of a level and before and after the obligatory boss fights at the end, the uglier aspects of the game’s composition become dogmatically apparent.
Battle Through Time manages to stay faithful to the source material as much as possible
The facial animations are shoddy at best. Scenes are often awkward due to a lack of music or backing track. Animations seem stiff and dated. It is almost enough to send the player reeling from the whiplash of quality difference between the gameplay they were just engaged with and the cutscene they are tapping their foot to try and hurry it up.
This is very disappointing as a huge fan of the series, but the gameplay makes up for what the story and cinematics lack. Like the large majority of action games, a level in Battle Through Time is constructed by a series of delicately planned encounters of a steadily rotating ensemble of enemies. To combat them, Jack is equipped with his iconic magic sword as well as a handful of different spears, clubs, hammers, and his fists. Any weapons other than the magic sword and Jack’s fists have durability meters, which are important to deplete in order to get a small dropping of bushido spirit – one of three currencies used to progress through Jack’s three skill trees.
Each class of weapons have certain enemy types or situations that they flourish it, but any of them are more than capable in any situation. This arsenal is supported by a surprising addition, ranged weapons. Through a selection of throwing weapons such as shuriken and throwing knives, bows with different types of arrows, and, perhaps most surprisingly, guns. However, ranged weapons will not become a staple in your arsenal until playing on the higher two difficulty levels samurai master and master of masters.
The difficulty levels, of which there are four with the fourth being unlocked after being the game on its hard difficulty equivalent, can be punishing towards the end of the game but facilitate multiple playthroughs excellently. With each difficulty changing the encounters at a compositional level while also adding more advanced moves to each enemy’s move set, allowing players to cherry pick levels to replay and continually work on their builds and inventory, and the satisfying combat, playing through the healthy ten hour story multiple times is consistently engaging and invigorating.
There is a variety of locations you will travel across, mixed up even further by the game sporadically changing between third-person and side-scrolling
As I mentioned earlier, Jack has three skill trees that players can progress through at their leisure. To do so players gather spirit, which is dropped by enemies, rewarded for completing challenges, and can be found by smashing everything in every room possible – a bona fide videogame staple. However, progress through the skill trees is hampered by most higher level skills requiring the previously reference bushido spirit and different gems as well as the base spirit to unlock them.
For the most part, the unlocks are meaningful with some being absolutely necessary, here’s looking at you ‘counter’ and ‘jump good’, while only a few are not very useful. The skill trees are very well designed. They steadily increase the player’s options when approaching combat scenarios while granting more than mere invisible stat upgrades that makes bigger numbers appear on the screen.
It is incredibly easy to recommend Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time. For both fans of the show and fans of action games, Battle Through Time offers a package that generously matches its $40 price point. The combat is satisfying, the experience is universally enjoyable, and the game offers a high skill ceiling that gives the player plenty of room for expression and offers a ton of game to experience. It may not be a perfect game, but it is more than a huge fan of the show like me could hope for.
