Reviews
Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey Review
Sep 26, 2019
It’s bleak, and it’s dark. Strange noises terrify you, and you have no idea where you are. All you wanted? Berries from a nearby bush. Now your shuddering under some rocks. Afraid of the monsters outside who are looking for a much-needed meal. On the menu is Homosapien, this Homo sapiens in particular. As your mother attempted to fight off the hungry beast, you ran. Feeling guilty for leaving her but afraid she won’t make it. You call, she doesn’t reply. Ever growing concern buries you and clouds your mind. Do you die here, is this the last you’ll ever see of your friends back at the nest? Does your lineage stop here?
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid (PC) Review
Sep 24, 2019
Power Rangers has been going for 25 years now, and that’s just the American series. I could talk about the Super Sentai series that originated it, and what the American series builds off of, but that’s best for another time. Then there’s the comic book series in its current run that the game even draws from. nWay first released Power Rangers: Legacy Wars for mobile based on all of this back in 2017. Now, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is decidedly different than the mobile game, but shares a lot of what that game does, but with a more dedicated focus that only benefits it a standalone game.
The Surge 2 Review
Sep 23, 2019
When The Surge released a few years ago, it caught my attention. Not because it’s a “souls like” experience, as the genre is now referred to. My interest was on the body modification element and theme of robot parts mixed with humans. In almost horror like fashion, The Surge 1 felt like a dark future full of rampant tech and was a surprise hit for me. How does The Surge 2 stack up? It’s with great pleasure to say, The Surge 2 is everything someone would want from a sequel and the virus has definitely spread to the city.
Daymare: 1998 Review
Sep 23, 2019
Daymare: 1998 originally started out as a Resident Evil 2 remake known as Resident Evil 2 Reborn, and it shows. There’s a lot of leftover DNA from that remake, that this game never gets far enough away from that to be anything more. This is art imitating art, and as flattering as it may be, pales in comparison to the Capcom remake released just this year. Developer Invader Studios made a game that revels in its own nostalgia of the era where survival horror reigned supreme. While Daymare: 1998 sounds cool and sometimes looks cool, it suffers from a lack of polish and poor gameplay that detracts from what would otherwise be a decent entry for the genre.
SUPERHOT (Switch) Review
Sep 20, 2019
It somehow feels like SUPERHOT has always existed. It somehow feels as though it only came out as recently as last year. Perhaps that’s a testament to how thoroughly it has permeated our collective gaming memories. Now, three years on from its release, it is the iconic title we all knew that it would be. The stylish visuals, clever mechanics (“Time moves when you move!”), and ever-increasing challenges of its levels have made a lasting impression and a combination that is hard to put down. The follow-up, SUPERHOT VR became what many consider to be the gold standard for VR games. To say that it has been successful would be an understatement. Given its legacy on PC, the release of SUPERHOT on Switch may at first seem superfluous (“SUPERFLUOUS”?), but in reality it is an earnest port that makes a whole lot of sense for the platform, and more importantly feels right at home.
Crying Suns Review
Sep 19, 2019
From Alt Shift and Humble Bundle comes Crying Suns, a tactical roguelike with a focus on story you’ll be dying to see more of. You can pay compliments to how good the game looks, but the gameplay is the real star of the show. There’s a lot of systems in play here that aren’t apparent initially. This is a game that offers a lot of depth and replayability amidst the story it slowly reveals to the player. Crying Suns is successful in accomplishing all it sets out to do as a roguelike with an entrenched story.
Gears 5 Review
Sep 17, 2019
Dropping the of War from the game’s title is indicative that the series starts to take on a new direction with Gears 5. The biggest change upends what you think these games can be, and that’s by making the environments larger and basically open-world hubs. They still lead to corridor-laden missions, but the overall feel is impressive and provides scale to the world, all the way down to the combat encounters. There’s a big budget movie feel here, and a lot of the cutscenes and moment-to-moment action make you wish you had popcorn at your side. Gears 5 is bigger, better, and more badass than ever.
Friday the 13th: The Game Ultimate Slasher Edition (Switch) Review
Sep 13, 2019
I hear asymmetrical multiplayer is very “in” at the moment. Or at least, the number of games released in this category over the past year would indicate as much. Lots of studios are trying their hand at figuring out how to make the formula for “One vs Many” work in a way that feels good, is fun and engaging to play, and keeps people engaged over time. It’s tough to compete with faster paced multiplayer titles, but when done well, the levels of tension and arguably higher level of strategy required to win can make for some really fun and dynamic matches. Unfortunately, most games fail to get the balance right; the “One” is either way too powerful without enough weaknesses, or the “Many” have too many tools at their disposal for them to have a proper challenge. When it was first released, Friday the 13th was notable because it had managed to strike this balance far better than its contemporaries. The source material already lends itself extremely well to the format, and adapting it into something that’s fun to play was largely successful. The question is, can this edition of Friday the 13th overcome the challenges of arriving two years after its peak popularity, and scaling down to run on mobile hardware?
Men of War: Assault Squad 2 – Cold War Review
Sep 12, 2019
Reagan. Gorbachev. These two were the face of the Cold War when it ended, encapsulating a war of tension and inaction. Men of War: Assault Squad 2 – Cold War takes those tensions, bubbles them to the surface to fictionalize what war could have been in a handful of “what if” scenarios. This standalone expansion in the Men of War: Assault Squad 2 series does a poor job at living up to its predecessor in meaningful ways. Men of War: Assault Squad 2 – Cold War doesn’t establish a why or a when for its existence, making this RTS an unimportant and forgettable entry.
Remnant: From the Ashes Review
Sep 11, 2019
Every so often a game sneaks up on you with practically no warning. No fanfare, no bombastic media campaign; one day it’s just there, lurking in the periphery. You hear whispers and rumors, but the things people say are almost too hard to believe. But, if the rumors were true… they would be impossible to ignore. So finally, one night you venture out to discover for yourself what’s going on. You have to know, is the hype actually this real? Sometimes, the answer is simply “no, it’s not.” Often, games fail to actually deliver on the promise of their early impressions. And then, there’s Remnant: From the Ashes. No matter what you’ve heard about what Remnant has in store for you, I promise you are not ready for the journey that it takes you on. Remnant is a game that not only delivers on its promises, but takes you far beyond and keeps surprising you over and over again.
WRC 8 Review
Sep 10, 2019
WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship comes after two years after the perfunctory WRC 7, and one year after the disappointing V-Rally 4, giving the WRC series a two-year hiatus. And I’d say the time away has done some real good here. In a single entry, KT Games have completely course-corrected the series with WRC 8. The game looks and feels the best it’s ever been, and even though the proper multiplayer is missing after launch, this is a game with tons of solitary and other competitive modes that will keep you plenty distracted. WRC 8 is what you’ve been waiting for.
Automachef Review
Sep 09, 2019
In Automachef, the goal is to create an automated kitchen, free of any human hands. Well, other than your skillful planning, of course. You have to tactfully prepare foods via robotic devices and cook food on automated cookware. It’s all about efficiency and making sure you can cook the most while using as little power and wasted ingredients as possible. Automachef is the perfect game for those of us who love dwelling into the intricacies & logistics of a well-oiled machine.
Hunt: Showdown Review
Sep 09, 2019
Hunt: Showdown treads both familiar and unfamiliar ground in Crytek’s multiplayer horror shooter. It’s a game that evokes elements of DayZ, PUBG, and even Resident Evil. The game is full of macabre, gross creatures, and creepy environments that’ll sketch anyone out. The fear, tension, and excitement is punctuated by slow-firing and reloading late 19th century and early 20th century era weapons. It’s especially scary to play solo. Though, Hunt: Showdown is best when played with other people, and even better with friends. This is a game that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat for every match.
Torchlight II (Switch) Review
Sep 03, 2019
Torchlight 2 was a game that eluded me ever since launch on PC. I always wanted to play it, but due to various reasons, I just never got around to it. Now with a release on home consoles, I’m finally getting a chance to dive in and on the Switch version. I’m not sure Torchlight 2 was ever envisioned to have a portable version but I’m sure glad one exists.
Trail Boss BMX Review
Aug 30, 2019
I like a good bike stunts game. Something about them appeals to my nostalgia for games of the 8-bit era, when most games were hard and required mastery over simple but precise controls. Gameplay was straightforward and immediately rewarding, once you got things “right.” There are no shortage of these games on consoles and PC, but the formula has never really translated particularly well to mobile devices. I’m a huge touch screen apologist, but touch controls just don’t cut it for the precision most of these games require, so even the “best” attempts have not really translated well. Along comes Trail Boss to save the day and deliver us from the dark ages, finally delivering on the promise of what a good mobile bike stunts game can be.
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