SelectButton - Reviews The latest Reviews from SelectButton <![CDATA[Robo Instructus Review]]> A programming puzzle game, Robo Instructus tasks players with providing a set amount of code to help navigate a robot across the frozen planet of Bright. The adventure starts above ground with basic programming commands, but as you progress into the belly of the beast, it quickly ramps up in complexity. Based on existing real-life programming languages, you may feel right at home with your have previous programming knowledge or background. Even if you have never read or written code before, the game does provide a fantastic primer, ensuring that anyone can experience the unfolding narrative.

Each of the game's areas are divided into levels and various sections. The sections have different sets of tile configurations that a player needs to maneuver around. Clearing all the sections is the only way to exit the level and advance through the game.

In the start of the game, you are given basic commands; move forward, move left, etc. As you complete levels, you open up a new set of tools to use at your disposal. For example, you can scan tiles, use tiles, and you can even create your own functions. As you get deeper into the game, you won't be able to rely solely on simple (or barebones) instructions to your little robot. Instead, you'll need to think harder to ensure you are writing effective algorithms that combine many of the different elements that you have been taught. Players need to keep in mind, any commands that are given to the robot needs to be robust enough to work on all sections. Progression can feel a bit tedious at this point, requiring you to rewrite, debug, and test your code numerous times. Welcoming the challenge (just like in real programming), I felt thoroughly satisfied when all my effort paid off.

Completion rewards come in the form of background world lore, unraveling the narrative as you progress through the game. A text-based transmission is received informing you about the current situation and any new unlocked functionalities. Strangely enough, I didn't find myself enjoying the reward system. I found the character development to be on the weaker side of the spectrum, feeling more like a programming tutorial provided by an unrelatable engineer; although I do applaud the effort of adding an actual story element to a level-based puzzle game. As I mentioned earlier, however, the satisfaction of completing the puzzle itself was more than enough to satiate my appetite.

Simply Put

Robo Instructus welcomes existing programmers and newcomers alike, but I wouldn't consider it a casual experience. It takes a lot of patience and endurance to get through some of the more complex levels. The difficulty can spike quite early on, which may dissuade people from completing the game, especially if you are new to coding. With that said, the thrill of seeing all your work and code flow together to complete levels is exciting. There are multiple ways to get through each of the puzzles, so if you get stuck, you may want to try and think of a new approach.

July 16, 2019
<![CDATA[Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Review]]> Even after 22 years, Castlevania is still synonymous with the PlayStation classic Symphony of the Night, revisioning the franchise for all future releases thanks to Koji Igarashi. Although he was only the assistant director for the game, he went on to become the producer for just about every prestigious title in the franchise since then, including the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS titles that are arguably some of the best action role-playing games of all time (with frontrunner Symphony of the Night).

While the last Castlevania project he worked on during his time at Konami was canceled in favor for MercurySteam’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Igarashi-san decided to end his relationship with Konami and start his own company. It didn’t take long before fans were clamoring for a new title fitting the mold of the term dubbed after the man himself, an “Igavania.” Turning to Kickstarter, just like Inafune-san did with Mighty No. 9 (MegaMan), Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was born. Inspiration is an understatement, as Bloodstained feels quite similar to recent 2D Castlevania titles, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. As a spiritual successor, Bloodstained feels like a best-of title, refining previous aspects and building upon them to craft one of the best games of the year.

The game revolves around two main Shardbinders, those that have been subjected to experimentation through the use of shards (demon powers). In an almost eerie familiarity, you’ll explore a massive castle with various motif corridors to put an end to Dracula; I mean Gebel. As Miriam, you’ll gain access to a wide selection of different weapons to slay your way to victory, but the crux of it all, it is a necessity to impale yourself with this shards from defeated enemies to gain essential powers. Although the game can be completed at roughly the 12-hour mark (much longer if you are a completionist), Bloodstained features a large sprawling map, and you’ll frequently reach sections that are seemingly impossible to access. These areas, for those that are unfamiliar with the Metroidvania style of gameplay, requires you to circle back to previous locations once you gain new traversal abilities, such as being able to double jump, squeeze through tightly spiked corridors, and more.

As previously mentioned, Miriam equips various types of shards collected by killing monsters. From boots giving you powerful spinning high kicks, to different kinds of swords, clubs, rapiers, and whips, the weapons are varied enough that you’ll learn which weapons and attack types work best against certain foes. The shards aren’t a guaranteed drop, so it may take a few kills for a particular enemy to drop the shard you want. Even then, the powers gained from the shards can be upgraded by collecting multiples of the same shard type. If you have the patience, you can become quite literally invincible early on in the game using only these abilities. However, the use of the spells costs mana, essentially mimicking Castlevania’s use of sub-weapons (ax, dagger, holy water, etc.). There are two equipable slots, one that can be triggered instantly, while the other slot allows you to aim the magic in any direction using the right analog stick. You can cut down monsters and demons with a column of fire, or choose to aim a fireball to launch at flying foes. Over time, you’ll earn new skill sets that may question your decision making. While during my first few hours with the game, I went for an overwhelming offensive type build, I opted for a more defensive focused type of play style during more difficult sections, including the use of a healing ability. Thankfully, you unlock different presets as you level up, letting you swiftly change between them as needed, ideally per engagement to ensure you always have the proverbial edge.

One of the biggest complaints with the initial demo was how the game played, which meant it was being compared to SotN. Thankfully, the final release feels just as good, if not better than any side-scrolling action-RPG. In fact, even the same maneuvers, such as attacking just before you land gives you the chance to land two hits in quick succession. Call it muscle memory, but it is one of the first things I noticed early on, without even thinking. Of course, with the inclusion of the different shard types, you’ll no longer be limited to dodging and ducking. This is an excellent addition for me, as I never could quite perfect my dodging in these types of games. The first set of weapons at your disposal are quite basic, but as you level up, you’ll gain access to additional pieces of equipment and magical items that add another layer of depth to the experience. One of the first ones that I fell in love with was a neon colored laser sword, or lightsaber, with additional electric attacks, good at slowing down those pesky flying heads (and bats).

In typical fashion for the genre, you’ll have to backtrack through the map, unlocking teleportation rooms, save rooms and the central hub you’ll be frequenting. Here, you can upgrade your equipment, craft the best items in the game, if you spend hours grinding, and take side-quests that provide spectacular rewards late in the game. However, some of the requirements are grind-heavy, meaning your late game journey consists of grinding for low drop-rate shards endlessly. Although once you reach a specific point in the narrative, you can face-off against the end boss without exploring the rest of the game, you’ll want to hold off as long as possible. Some may not care, which is perfectly fine, especially with New Game +, but I found it exploring every inch of the massive map quite enticing.

The voice acting can be a bit stiff at times, especially during certain moments where there can be a lot of dialogue; however, the music is quite enjoyable and gothic, especially with guitar riffs reminiscent of Castlevania. There are moments where the action can hiccup, typically when you collect a new shard, and at times during sequences, but nothing that took away from the experience. I need to mention that the review is based on the 1.02 update, that was released after launch. I did have to restart the game due to the game-breaking bug in 1.01, so you need to ensure that you keep the game updated

Simply Put

After years of development and a handful of delays, Koji Igarashi’s highly anticipated return to gaming is perfection personified, or close to it. It is one of the finest side-scrolling action-RPGs that you’ll play, with beautifully stylistic and colorful visuals that work wonderfully with the 2.5D presentation. The endgame grind may be too much of an investment, but I love every moment of it, especially considering how much I enjoy the hack-and-slash gameplay and being able to swap between my customized presets at any moment. It may feel quite familiar to his previous work but sets the bar for the series moving forward.

June 28, 2019
<![CDATA[​Judgment Review]]> With longtime Yakuza series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu's narrative coming to a satisfying and emotional conclusion in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, it is only fitting for Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio to continue building upon the world of Kamurocho. The fictional red light district of Tokyo never sleeps, and although you don't find yourself caught in the middle of warring Yakuza clans, a serial murderer haunts the streets and alleyways of the city, gouging the eyes out of the people. As private investigator Takayuki Yagami, a former defense attorney only three years prior, you'll use your talents to uncover the secrets of the city, and of course, face-off against groups of thugs and Yakuza alike openly in the streets.

Yagami's interest in the gruesome murders of Yakuza members at first is directly tied to his previous law firm, who requested his natural talents as a detective in order to get their client cleared of murder accusations. The issue becomes complicated, as the defendant is none other but a Tojo Clan (Matsugane Family) captain, one in which Yagami has a history with. It's not long before you'll question the true motives of the murderer and find yourself risking your life and those around you to uncover the truth. As it was with Kiryu, when you are dealing with Yakuza, nothing is as simple as it seems.

Although a spin-off title, much of Judgment should be familiar to those that have played the original Yakuza releases or the fantastic recent releases that have certainly revitalized the franchise, especially in the West. You'll be exploring a version of Kamurocho, a dangerous sprawling urban landscape that feels familiar, yet different at the same time. Judgment is the third game to be released using Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's impressive Dragon Engine. Being able to walk in and out of shops, and other landmarks, and even engaging in street brawls without loading is a phenomenal sensation. Yes, environmental objects tend to fly around when you run into them, and you'll always be bumping into non-playable characters (NPCs) frequently, but the immersion from completing multiple interactions without a single load is quite liberating.

While roaming through the streets of Kamurocho, Yagami finds himself at war with various gangs, Yakuza families, and others that may impede his investigations. There are two key combat styles for Yagami to use; crane and tiger. At any point during a fight, you can switch between the two. Each of the combat styles has their strengths, with one being the better option when facing a group of enemies, and the other better suited towards one-on-one encounters, such as when battling a boss-type characters. Just like Kiryu's flashy heat maneuvers, you'll charge a unique gauge, in this case, it is labeled EX. Doing so allows you to trigger special moves that not only cause massive damage to your foes, but utilize a wide range of wrestling moves, weapons, and interactions with the environment. Even the locales join in once you start to raise your reputation around town. I never like to spoil the more unique moves in these games, but trust me, you want to ensure to pull of an EX move near a koi pond. Overall you'll feel a bit more mobile and agile in Judgment, performing flying attacks by running up and leaping off walls, and more.

As the game is considered a role-playing game (RPG), you'll find Yagami a tad on the weaker side when you first start playing, especially on the higher difficulties. Thankfully, the upgrade system has been streamlined to feature a single skill point currency that is used for all types of upgrades, such as learning new combos and techniques, increasing your health, and more. Certain upgrades remain locked until you reach specific points in the narrative. Fighting is the easiest and most common way to earn skill points, so you'll want to keep the number of times you run away to a bare minimum. Side missions are a good source of skill points, and if you enjoyed the wacky side stories in Yakuza, you'll feel right at home with Judgment. The side cases that you can take are not only enjoyable but come in many different flavors, with the ones that are genuinely outrageous standing out from the rest. While the main story keeps you grounded, this is where the game truly shines in terms of stylistic characters, and at times, some truly zany narrative set pieces. What is Yagami doing right now? Oh nothing, just chasing down a sentient wig, flying through the streets at night, or using a GPS tracker to stop a mad panty thief, or investigate a haunted apartment. The side cases aren't found by roaming through the streets like in previous games, and instead, you'll acquire them from your notice board, and friends that you'll make during your time with the game.

Judgment wouldn't be much of a crime drama if Yagami didn't spend his time properly investigating crime scenes. When entering these specialized areas, the game switches from the traditional third-person perspective to a more inviting first-person view, allowing you to search for clues and other pertinent details. Don't forget to locate the annoyingly vocal, meowing cat in these scenes before completing your investigations, if you want to be thorough. At times you'll have move around to find the proper locations to search, and others you'll be set in a specific spot, only able to shift your view point. Zooming in does help, as well as having the controller rumble when hovering over hidden areas during search mode (it's a purchased special skill).

Besides testing his eyesight in finding clues and his fighting merit, you'll be tasked with tailing and chasing potential perps. Chase sequences are a bit more exciting, requiring you to avoid obstacles and pedestrians, but weaving your way around and over anything in your path using quick-time event button prompts. If you lose sight of your target by failing to avoid the obstacles, you'll have to restart. Tailing scenarios have a similar fail state if you lose sight of your target for too long. It also features a visibility mechanic, forcing you to hide behind cars, signs, and buildings when your mark (the target) turns around. It can be a bit repetitive, and isn't overly complicated, as the target quickly forgets they even saw you and continues on their way. Things become a bit more exciting when you get to use a drone to snap photos and keep yourself hidden out of sight, not to mention participate in the drone racing league.

Some side missions aren't available until certain conditions are met, such as raising your reputation with the locales. As I already mentioned, these feature the same goofiness and absurdity that fans have loved over the years. Most cases aren't overly long, but not all of them feature fighting. Restaurants and cafes serve as a way to instantly replenish your health, besides purchasing items that you can use in and out of battle. The more you purchase, the higher your rating with that particular place and employee. Playing on the lower difficulties, you'll hardly take any damage, and you are unable to eat or drink anything if you are at full health. This essentially means you won't grow your relationships at any point in the game unless of course, you let enemies punch Yagami directly in his face on purpose.

Kamurocho feels familiar, especially since I've reviewed the four recent Yakuza releases within the past couple years. With that said, most of the other titles feature multiple locales to explore, even if brief, but Judgment takes place entirely in Kamurocho, except for a small section. I was disappointed that it is the only location, but it is such a fantastic place to explore. During the first couple chapters, the city felt less impressive and less alive, but it was due to the game slowly opening up different aspects of the game turning Kamurocho into a bustling district brimming with life. Afterward, you'll have so many different places to explore, such as Sega arcades full of classic titles, UFO catchers, and even a new shooter harking back to Sega's classic arcade series The House of the Dead. There is also a playable pinball machine tucked away in your office built with the Unity engine. Eventually, you'll be able to ask the women in Yagami's life out on dates, building upon their relationships, serving as a replacement for the host club interactions from the mainline Yakuza titles.

Simply Put

Judgment proves that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's gameplay approach works with a new set of realized and charismatic characters. While it was a shame to see Kiryu's journey came to an end last year, Yagami and his former Yakuza buddy Kaito may be my new favorite duo. The narrative is highly engaging, and whether you use the Japanese or the English voices, the performances are outstanding. There is so much to see and accomplish between main story missions, that it is hard to list even a small portion of what you can do.

June 21, 2019
<![CDATA[​Warhammer: Chaosbane Review]]> Set after Asavar Kul's defeated Chaos invasion, Warhammer: Chaosbane picks up in a world where the enemy is not truly defeated. While you're framed initially for cursing the king in his throne room, you're given a chance to head deep in the underbellies of the kingdom in an attempt to break the king's curse while also slaying hundreds of daemons, cultists, and worst.

Chaosbane, at its core, feels similar to other action-RPG and hack-and-slash titles, such as Diablo III, Grim Dawn and even Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. It's a perfect tried and true formula with plenty of foes to kill, tons of loot to steal, and a slew of abilities and skills to cause mayhem and destruction. Loot in these games always plays a significant role - you're only as strong as your weapon, you're only as defended as your shield (and armor). There are multiple slots for various types of weapons and armor pieces, all which vary between the different characters (classes). The Dwarven Slayer, for example, can equip two axes while the Empire Solider runs around with a sword/mace and shield combo.

That being said, the game offers four playable classes - High-Elf Mage, Empire Soldier, Dwarven Slayer, and a Wood Elf Scout. Considering each varies so wildly, it's only understandable there are plenty of differences in how each class plays. The soldier relies on his shield, acting as a tank-like class, stunning enemies and drawing their attention. The slayer is a pure damage dealer, throwing himself around and doling it out as fast as possible. The mage relies on massive damage output as well, filling the role as a glass-cannon, high damage output, but light in terms of armor protection. Lastly, the scout focuses on ranged attacks and setting traps, while moving around as swiftly as possible to kite enemies into the danger zone. Its quite the mix of traditional Warhammer class types, and when put together, the group can be quite punishing to your enemies.

The game revolves around your journey to break the king's curse and is littered with additional quests to uncover the mystery of the chaos-tainted world. The quests will take you from the sewers and forgotten streets of human cities to ancient Elven temples, and more. Completing these missions and slaying your way through hordes of cultists reward you with experience (XP), which in turn levels you up, giving you access to stronger skills and abilities. Playing on PlayStation 4, the skills are assigned to each of the four face buttons, as well as right trigger and shoulder button in whatever fashion you so choose. Leveling grants advanced versions of the skills as well as necessary skill points to keep you modifying your loadout over time. The better versions require more skill points to equip, but with only a limited amount, you'll need to juggle your abilities around. Essentially it means, you won't be entirely overpowered by level 15. Health potions are assigned to the left shoulder button with your Bloodlust ability on the left trigger. You won't have to worry about managing your health potions as it automatically recharges. Bloodlust, when used correctly, is the difference between life and death. Mistimed usage can leave you dead in a heap, so be sure to use it when the situation is dire.

Finally getting a chance to play online, post-release, I can easily both recommend it and throw out some caveats as to how it operates. From a pure gameplay standpoint, it seems to ramp up the difficulty when there are additional players, which is pretty awesome considering how beastly I felt in single-player. Additionally, loot is individualized, so no need to worry about someone stealing everything while you're busy taking on a daemon. The only things that didn't appear to be individualized were the red orbs that build your Berserker meter. I never once actually could collect enough (or anyone else that I saw) to activate it, so I'm guessing this might need a little tweaking if it's expected to be used.

But it's pretty wild otherwise to see multiples of the same character running around, especially when they're all damage dealing tanks. My only problem with online was the occasional connection problems. I run an Open NAT, and it took me four attempts and about 30 minutes of trying (including having to restart the game due to weird looping errors) to even connect once. And it was about 45 minutes into that session until we finally hit a full four-person party. Someone also had a terrible connection, somewhat freezing everyone in place while still progressing the game too? It was strange and made it impossible to play at that point, so I ended up closing shop, but otherwise, the online seems to be a solid, if you can avoid any type of connection issues.

Overall the game has everything operating as it should. My only chief complaints at this point would be some of the long load times, and the odd collision detection. There have also been a few smashed crates and barrels that have thrown my spoils into inaccessible areas or on platforms below me, requiring a bit of backtracking to gather everything up. Not a deal breaker, but certainly annoying. But the game captures the Warhammer Fantasy aesthetic to its absolute core with hulking, monstrous demons, jabbering cultists, and a holier-than-thou set of Elves that I instantly disliked.

Simply Put

An unabashedly fun title, Warhammer: Chaosbane slams itself into the nerve center of the hack-and-slash dungeon crawler genre dominated by titles like Diablo III, Path of Exile, and Victor Vran. I'm looking forward to seeing how the game operates online in a cooperative fashion, and with downloadable content plans already announced for the Season Pass, there will be plenty of new content from emotes, skills, companions, and even an entirely new story arc. Did someone say, Tomb Kings?

Update 6/13/19: Added additional information relating to the online functionality of the game.

May 31, 2019
<![CDATA[A Plague Tale: Innocence Review]]> Nearly two years ago, I received my first glimpse at the stealth-focused adventure title, A Plague Tale: Innocence. The Middle Ages were already a difficult time to live through in Europe, especially for the poor; however, war, the Inquisition and the Black Death (Great Plague) were a threat to everyone regardless of social class. Asobo Studio has perfectly created an emotional tale following two young siblings struggling to survive against overwhelming odds during one of the grimmest and darkest periods in history.

Being raised as the daughter in a noble aristocratic family in the 14th century, Amicia de Rune must protect her younger brother Hugo, who up until this point has been confined/quarantined to his room due to an unknown illness. Their mother has been working tirelessly to cure him, ignoring Amicia in the process, but it isn’t long before tragedy strikes when the Inquisition comes barging through the estate, leaving a trail of blood and bodies. Their goal, capture the youngest son of the de Rune family. Amicia becomes entrusted with her brother's protection, even though she has barely seen since his birth.

Considering Hugo has been restricted to the castle for his entire life, one of the many pleasures in the game is watching his curious nature interacting with wild animals you’ll come across as you journey through the French countryside. The narrative unfolds through each of the game’s seventeen chapters, starting with the simple task of visiting a doctor by the name Laurentius (who may be able to cure Hugo) in the nearby town. It’s not long before things begin to fall apart as the town itself is full of death and decay, leading to Amicia and Hugo fleeing for their lives. Although you’ll be spending the majority of the game hand-in-hand with Hugo, it never feels like a hindrance, like in many games that feature escort quests. Although, Hugo will panic and draw attention to himself if you venture too far from him. Along the way, you’ll interact with new characters, each with their own back story and reason for assisting you. Each of them provides much-needed support, whether it comes from a pair of sneaky thieves that can pick any lock or provide a much-needed distraction, an inspiring alchemist that seemingly always has something new for you to craft, and a blacksmith’s son, who uses his physical prowess to his advantage.

The game’s focus comes from the use of stealth, sticking to the shadows to avoid more than just the Inquisition. Although Amicia does use her slingshot throughout, both to dispose of enemy patrols and to solve the environmental puzzles (such as breaking chains or distracting patrols), the game does not shy away from the grisly and macabre theme of the period. If you allow a sword-wielding soldier to charge directly towards you unimpeded, you’ll witness a gruesome death for Amicia, as the sword horrifically pierces through her body. I wish I could tell you that is the worse you will face (I wish I could), however, setting a title within the same period as the Black Death means only one thing; rats...and lots of them.

The rats have been a main gameplay component to the game since the initial reveal and gameplay walkthrough a few years back. Your first interaction with these beady-eyed pests is not only highly cinematic but genuinely terrifying at the same time. If you aren’t careful, their glowing red eyes and constant, gnawing squeaking may be the last thing you see and hear before you become fully engulfed by the creatures without remorse. Whether you are in the middle of a spooky graveyard on the outskirts of a town, or the ruins of an ancient dilapidated castle, the rats can (and will) find their way through every crevice and every crack. Even the safety of a forest isn’t enough to save you, as hundreds and even thousands of these unholy creatures burst through the ground, saturating the landscape like a wave breaking over a beach. The only guarantee for survival? Light.

As much as the game is a tale about character growth and hardship between siblings, it also profoundly symbolizes the dynamic between light vs. dark, good vs. evil. Light becomes a death sentence to the rats, and light can come from many forms. The Inquisition learns this quite swiftly, as almost every soldier carry a torch or lantern. They have even devised a way to illuminate pathways using makeshift medieval spotlights (that can also swivel). A burning torch (or stick) can safely guide you through hordes of rats, but the game doesn’t shy away from allowing you to use this knowledge to your advantage against your foes. Although the game is quite linear with most branching paths leading to dead ends, but offer a chance to gather crafting materials or collectibles, most encounters give you a certain amount of freedom. Equipped with your slingshot, a well-placed rock to an exposed head can be deadly. Aim for a glowing orange/red lantern held by a soldier, however, and you doom them to the darkness. Where there is darkness, there are the ever-hungry rats. It is quite satisfying seeing the rats devour (and I mean devour) members of the Inquisition. Not so much when it happens to you, or one of the characters following you. It only happened a couple of times, but pathing can be a bit wonky for companions, who randomly decide to walk right through the darkness before being swallowed by the vermin. Additional items become available through story progression, aiding you on your journey — each one, adding a new dynamic to both encounters and puzzle solving. Being able to light smoldering torches, bonfires, etc. provides protection at night, while extinguishing them can dispose of soldiers, but also helps corral the vermin to desired locations. Eventually, you get a full suite of craftable concoctions, but I don't want to spoil all of the goodies at your disposal.

While there are a handful of thrilling escape sequences, most of the game features stealth-based gameplay and environmental puzzle-solving. You may be forced to lure soldiers away from specific areas, giving you the option of avoiding them, killing/incapacitating them, or letting the rats do your dirty work. Most of the puzzles involve pushing crates to access ledges, sending Hugo through small passageways to open locked doors and using the light to traverse the environments safely. The character growth in the game is undoubtedly phenomenal, especially when you realize that Amicia and Hugo have barely interacted with each other before the events in the game’s opening. There are a bunch of little moments that help breathe life into the characters, such as Hugo’s purity about the real world, his cheerful and curious nature about all living things, especially frogs and ducks. Then there are moments where Hugo places a freshly picked flower in Amicia's hair, even with everything going on around them. Life is a struggle, and the bond that grows between them is enough to bring a tear to anyone’s eye.

The game has an almost painterly like quality visually, bringing a world so full of death and decay to life. The moments of calm serenity never last, serving as a glimmer of hope. You may enjoy a relaxing moment in the countryside beside a flowing river full of life, Hugo certainly does, but knowing that soon after you may be walking across a bloodied battlefield overflowing with corpses or fleeing from the swarms of vermin that want nothing more than to eat you alive. The music elevates the incredible atmosphere in the game, especially with the sheer amount of tense moments.

Simply Put

A Plague Tale: Innocence is one of the most compelling adventures I’ve experienced not only this year but this entire generation. I felt enthralled throughout the 12-15 hours it takes to complete the game and didn't want to put the game down. There are explorable side areas that can trigger additional scenes and conversations about your companions and plenty of items to collect. At the end of my first playthrough, I realized I missed the majority of them, and I thought I was quite thorough in my exploration, but thankfully the game does have a chapter select that shows how many items are missing in each one. Load times can be bit on the long side for some of the chapters.

May 12, 2019
<![CDATA[​Rise of Industry Review]]> The popularity of tycoon games has undoubtedly waned over the years, but it wasn’t too long ago that we were managing theme parks, railroads, cities, zoos, hospitals, airports, and more. In Steam Early Access for over a year, developer Dapper Penguin Studios tasks you with building and managing a growing industrial empire set across a procedurally generated world.

As an industrial simulation, you must figure out what the public wants to purchase, by understanding supply and demand across multiple cities/towns. Not paying attention is essentially a swift death sentence for your business and chosen industry. Without the need of city building, the first step is figuring out what products are currently in demand, which leads you down the path of what crops to grow, items to craft, and how to properly maintain and supply all of the local establishments with the desired goods. On paper, the goal may seem quite simple, but in practice, things spiral out of control if you don’t have the proper mindset required to keep a thriving business booming amongst the thirsty AI competitors.

There are plenty of options available, allowing you to customize the procedurally generated maps to your liking. There are preset regions, such as the United States, Spain, Germany, and more, influencing the naming conventions of the randomized locales, but Rise of Industry also lets you adjust the minuscule details, affecting the map size, number of rivers, the amount of AI, required upkeep/loan settings, and more. You can even enforce the US to start driving on the left side of the road. There are three key modes in the game; career, scenario, and sandbox. The latter of the three is a more relaxed experience, giving you unlimited funding, and everything unlocked in the tech tree from the start. Scenarios provide the toughest challenges, featuring different objectives and constraints, while the core “career” experience feels almost the same as sandbox, but with tech tree and funding limitations in place.

As your new entrepreneurship journey begins, you must click on the heart of a city (town center), giving you a list of the various types of stores, and products in demand. You may want to begin closer to a town that has a high amount of nearby natural resources that can feed your production. By matching the need for the requested goods, you get the general idea for the type of industry to carve out your empire, at least at first. For me, the most requested items were quite simplistic to produce; wool for the hardware stores, and mutton for the farmers market. When viewing the menu for each store type, a single click displays the exact recipe for the selected items. For wool, you need water (1x), and wheat (1x) to sustain your sheep, which can be turned into sellable wool (2x) and mutton (1x). With this as a base, I built water siphons across the nearby river, with a farm next door to produce the necessary crop. Once you advance deeper through your tech tree, may want to move to more complex (and multistep) production, such as furniture, potato chips, or automobiles.

Rise of Industry features a lengthy, but mostly basic tutorial. It serves to set the groundwork, but I found it doesn’t cover enough, leaving you directionless. For example, warehouses are the backbone of your industry, but I can’t recall them ever being mentioned. It wasn’t until I spoke with other team members that were playtesting the game, that I understood the significance of sending all of your resources into these buildings for storage and distribution. As long as your harvesters and production buildings are within range, the entire process can be automated. If not, you need to manually transport resources to and from each of your premises, as well as to retail locations for profit. Thankfully, the game’s unique low-polygonal visual style works well with the colorful UI panels and icons.

Events appear randomly and may assist or hinder your progress, such as skyrocketing the export price of a particular product for a set period. You may be tempted to send most or all of your water production out of state for massive profit, but that means that the rest of your factories, won’t have the necessary surplus of resources to continue production. This is why warehouses are vital, as you can ensure that everything you collect is correctly divided between multiple locations at the same time. You’ll also need to keep an eye out on auctions, where you bid against the AI businesses for various things. If you aren’t careful, they will also creep up against your territory in the blink of an eye, taking precious natural resources for themselves.

There are a lot of moving parts in Rise of Industry, and thankfully, the game has ample options to keep your business afloat. The budget overview panel gives you a quick breakdown based on profit and production. You can take that a step further, and really dig into all the details you want based on specific products, to ensure that your ROI (return on investment) stays healthy. If not, maybe it is time to shift your core business to a product.

One thing that the game doesn’t do all that well (besides the lacking tutorial) is letting you know when things are running smoothly. While there are ample pop-ups, icons, and warnings if things are broken, such as factories or farms not getting the required resources or if roads are not properly connected, but it took some time to figure out if I was profitable. The game prioritizes monthly budgets, so if you are playing the game at the highest speed, you’ll notice your money continually fluctuating, as it resets each month. I was initially confused as to why the numbers would drop from six-figure profit to negatives in a moment’s notice (the cost to keep the lights on and your delivery trucks functioning) every month. Many of the advanced features the game offers isn't explained, so it will take a few games before you feel entirely comfortable. This seems to be a running theme with the game, and you can find links to user created videos and the game's Discord directly in-game to assist you.

Simply Put

Rise of Industry is such a delight and a much deeper experience than I was expecting. Almost every aspect of your budding empire can be maintained and tweaked to your personal preference, although you’ll have to give the customers what they want. Competition is fierce, and not only is the AI cutthroat, but you’ll have to properly build a transportation network to ensure traffic doesn’t slow down your profit margin. On top of that, pollution becomes a concern, and when you throw the random events and auctions into the mix, there is so much that you have to track to keep your business flourishing. While I may have built my empire on wool, nothing came between me and my desire to become the ultimate supplier of potato chips and berry pies. The game launched with Steam Workshop support, ensuring the game has a bright future due to the endless possibilities.

May 6, 2019
<![CDATA[​Fade to Silence Review]]> An unrelenting harsh post-apocalyptic winter hellscape serves as the landscape for the survival title Fade to Silence. An ancient eldritch evil has corrupted the world, as players take on the role of Ash, struggling to provide/protect your daughter across the massive frozen open world. Resources are limited, monsters are deadly, and worst of all, the dynamic weather system can lower temperatures, visibility, and bury you in snow in a flash.

Fade to Silence has already been available for almost a year and a half thanks to Steam Early Access, although the full release brings the game to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Coming face to face with a representation of death, literally, the opening sequence briefly walks you through some of the games basic mechanics, attempting to ready you for the harshness of the blistering cold winter. Survival comes in many faces in Fade to Silence. Not only do you have to deal with a world full of horrible monsters, but you’ll be managing food, and warmth meters for not only yourself but all of your followers. On top of the survival elements, you’ll be constructing a camp, a place to process all of the raw materials and resources you harvest, as well as provide protection from the swarming monsters of the Eclipse. Once rescued out in the wilderness, you can choose to have these local inhabitants live with you at the camp, and although there are benefits in doing so, there are also drawbacks. The more people that you save, the more mouths you have to feed and protect. While this was more an issue in the first few hours of the game, it becomes a moot point once you have ample supply lines for easy resource gathering and processing.

Progression in the game comes from exploration, finding new hunting grounds (deer hunting), new forest regions for precious wood, rock quarries for stones/minerals, and clearing out corrupted areas. The highly dangerous nested locales populated with spiky tentacles, sharp teeth and swarming foes must be cleaned if you are to uncover new areas and outposts. The process in doing so drains the maximum health of Ash, requiring you repeatedly mash buttons, but leaving you vulnerable to attacks. The survival book accessed through a menu serves as a knowledge base; complete with all of the information that the tutorial doesn’t cover. The game is quite vague with instructions, and unless you take the time to read about how the advanced mechanics' function, you aren’t going to get far. Important things, such as proper base building, and how to command and direct your followers is only found in this spot. One tip, the leftmost meter (resembling a crystal) warns you of impending attacks at the refuge, and if I didn’t read about it in the survival book and how to build proper fences and towers, my base would have been nothing but smoldering wood and ash ages ago.

Light and heavy attacks are the cornerstones of the combat system, prioritizing, timing and spacing with parrying and blocking, in a similar fashion to the Dark Souls franchise. However, it lacks the finesse and responsiveness that is needed in providing an overall satisfying experience, and instead, feels mostly cumbersome/clunky. From attacks to dodging, every action drains stamina, punishing those who overexert themselves. For example, rolling and light strikes use a small percentage of your overall endurance, while a heavy attack completely drains it. Even then, the combat can be exploited, as the heavy attack stuns/knockbacks the frequent basic creatures you’ll come across throughout the entire game. Simply backstep after every attack, and you become nearly invincible. Of course, this practice is wasted on tougher foes, but it works well enough as a starting strategy. However, ranged attacks from spitting foes are frustrating to dodge, as they seemingly follow you, changing their trajectory in mid-air.

Before starting a new game, you are given an option of two different difficulties, exploration and survival. In the easier of the two modes, you’ll not have to worry about a limited amount of lives and losing resources, ensuring you can play at your own pace; however, achievements/trophies are disabled and you are unable to gain improvements through the Circle of Torment (minor stat bonuses to health, stamina, hunger, and warmth can still be earned). Survival on the other hand, can reset your progress after you lose all of your lives. Starting over, even if some bonuses is not my idea of fun. Regardless of the mode selected, if you are finding the combat too difficult, followers can accompany you on expeditions once they join your refuge. In my experience, they serve as a good distraction allowing you to attack without the Lovecraftian horrors targeting you directly. An online friend can take control of the follower, adding a cooperative element to the game; however, both players are tethered, limiting how far players can travel from each other.

Although the base building is a significant component to the game, crafting at a campfire out in the environment is just as crucial. Inventory space feels quite limiting at first, but once you can craft additional pouches to hold more resources, on top of actual weapons and armor, the game starts to feel more fleshed out. Of course, I learned the hard way after spending a solid hour trying to survive with nothing but a torch to protect myself. I appreciate games that attempt to give players freedom without overly hand-holding them throughout, but a bit more of a structure to the opening sequence to the game would have gone a long way.

Exploring the massive open-world tundra can be tedious, and slow, but you do gain access to a teleportation system once you cleanse outposts by defeating bosses located across each of the central regions. This in itself does help to decrease travel time, not to mention also providing large amount of resources, but you’ll want to prioritize the dog sledding building once you rescue a couple of wolves. Although the controls are slightly clumsy, and I’ve seen the sled fly up into the air more often than I can count, it does provide additional storage and a faster traversal option. It also comes in handy when attempting to dodge falling cars and wreckage from the floating sphere of death in the sky.

Simply Put

Fade to Silence does leave its mark on the survival genre, namely the terrific use of a dynamic weather system. However, everything else in the game is slightly cumbersome, from combat to item management. With player inventory being limited, your only option is to transfer items to your stash at the camp. However, the only options are to place items one at a time, or everything you happen to be carrying. There isn’t any way to transfer individual stacks of items. The game needs a better introduction to many of the game’s mechanics, especially when playing on the harder difficulty that can leave you with starting over with nothing, outside of the permanent unlocks.

May 1, 2019
<![CDATA[Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Champions Review]]> There was a period growing up where I went deep into the world of Magic: The Gathering. I'm talking having almost entire sets, buying anything I could get my hands on, but stinking at playing because I could never quite get any cool strategies down to help me win. Since then I hadn't picked up a collectible card game (CCG), digital or otherwise, until Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Champions. Given the popularity of the collectible card games and the strong popularity of digital ones like Magic, Hearthstone, and Gwent, it's not surprising to see a Warhammer CCG get into the mix.

Age of Sigmar reminds me of a mixture of Gwent and Magic; using the Gwent system of lanes combined with the casting/rotating pieces of Magic's table management and card actions. Even the players' health systems and card damages directly of Magic, and I think these comparisons can help draw in fans of both games as a smooth transition in the card management of Age of Sigmar.

Games work out in this fashion: your Champions are assigned to lanes before the match starting. Each Champion has their unique attributes, such as bonuses or a focus on spellcasting, making their placement vital in prepping for the game. Once everything is ready, players are given two actions per turn - play two cards or end early and either draw one or two additional cards depending on how many you've played. Some played cards, like abilities, might activate immediately before discarding. Others, like some creature cards or spells, require you to cycle a few turns before they can be enabled. Keeping everything limited to two actions will keep your focus on planning and strategizing - leaving a champion's lane open might give the enemy a chance to earn a damage bonus or more.

To add a bit a thrill to the game, Champions have a set of objectives attached to them in every game (these tend not to differ). They can be as simple as "deal damage to the enemy" using a creature card or ability, or they can be something more difficult like "spawn a beast-class creature" which can be entirely impossible if you don't have any in your deck. Managing to complete these four objectives unlocks the Champions' blessing, a powerful ability that can quickly turn the tide of a match.

Honestly, the craziest thing about this game to me is the fact the physical cards themselves are scan-able into the game. Given it's a free-to-play title, there are many items available to purchase in-game on top of a 30-day Champions Pass for $4.99. There are gems available for purchase in the Nintendo eShop (and presumably the other stores this is available on) which are used directly for special gems-only purchases or general items, which can also be bought with gold earned from completing objectives/leveling. However, for those unwilling to purchase gems, using physical cards is still possible via scanning them onto your account, but unfortunately, that does require either a smartphone or computer in order to do so. But all versions of the game are connected, so adding one will grant access to the card across all versions of the game. That piece blows me away since it adds an entirely new layer to the game - you can play both digitally and physically with the same cards.

One significant aspect for this game is the interconnectivity being the Nintendo Switch, smartphones and Steam. The fledgling community isn't limited to just Switch, meaning gamers should be able to find a robust and active community to play online against. I know I only waited a minute or two at most when looking for opponents (then getting beaten), but it was an unexpected and pleasant experience to see there are ample challenges out there. However, the game does require a constant online connection for pretty much any mode, so keep that in mind when you're out and on the go with the Switch. This continuous connection is even required if you're planning on managing your decks and swapping out cards, so it can be a bit frustrating for some if you're not in an area with stable wifi coverage.

Simply Put

Given that it is a free-to-play title, I'm genuinely surprised and actually delighted by the polished feel of the title. There are several available modes (requiring a constant internet connection), an active community to play against, and ways to get by without having to pay for anything out of pocket. Considering there are some pay-to-play titles can really put the onus on gamers almost requiring buying something from the developer, overall it's a nice change of pace, making Age of Sigmar: Champions a solid title.

April 26, 2019
<![CDATA[Desert Child Review]]> Although you take on the role of a talented hoverbike racer, you’ll find the main character to be penniless (broke) and without any friends, besides the hoverbike mentioned above. You’ll compete and perform frivolous jobs (is a pizza delivery the best use of your time?) for the residents of Olympia with the hope of competing in the ultimate race in the entire universe; the Grand Prix across the Red Planet.

In order to progress through the game, you’ll always need to race against the AI. However, a two-player local race option does exist, but it's counter-productive in the long run as you don’t earn any cash for competing against a friend. It’s not something the game tells you either, but after battling for about 20 minutes with a friend, I realized I still only had $16 in my pocket — what a waste of time. The races themselves are quite short in length, and you’ll only have to contend with moving left to right across the track, or in this case towards or away from the camera. During the race, you have two options; boost and shoot.

Hazards populate the race track, whether you are in a pixel-based urban environment, or the empty wasteland of the Red Planet. Robots resembling TV monitors attempt to disrupt your concentration by shooting large pink bullets at you or by merely cluttering the racing area. The scarcity of ammunition ensures you aren’t trying to play the game like a shoot ‘em up, however, if you run out during a race (and you will multiple times), a refueling vehicle appears at the bottom of the screen, allowing you to boost into it, replenishing your stock. Helping you figure out if you are in the lead or trailing, the music during races will be audibly louder when you are winning, and softer when you are falling behind. Winnings, however, are quite paltry, making the entire game feel like a never-ending grind to the finish line. It’s a simple gameplay loop, and once you found a way that works for you, you’ll probably have no trouble winning every race. With that said, I’ve had a "warning" message appear randomly, removing my ability to boost, ensuring I would lose. I still have no idea why it occurs, if it is something that can be triggered or if its a bug.

After scrounging up enough cash on Earth, you head to Mars to keep competing in races to earn the required $10,000 entry fee into the Grand Prix. Winning a race may net you $100 (or less), where you have to manage your spending by repairing your hoverbike, keeping your hunger satisfied and leaving some in the bank to ensure you eventually reach your goal. Lose, and you’ll have to settle for the couple bucks that you picked up during the race. The city of Olympia is comprised of interconnected stylized corridors that you must walk through each time you want to race. After every run, you are dumped back into the town to spend your money, and must painstakingly walk back to the racing headquarters to compete in another fast race. Although stylistic and fitting with the game’s atmosphere and visuals, I found some of the looping songs in the game quite irritating, especially during prolonged play sessions.

I found it odd that parts for your hoverbike (although made on Earth) are hard to come by on the Red Planet, especially considering you spend most of your time there. After a race, you may find another hoverbike parked next to yours. If you are so inclined to do so, you can attempt to steal a part through a timing mini-game. There’s a good amount of installable upgrades for your bike. Power cells and components are placed on a grid, and afterward, you can junction power to them to boost their performance. Like much in Desert Child, I had to discover this for myself. These parts can improve your chances of winning, by increasing both the size of your bullets and the maximum amount you can carry, as well as increasing the amount of money that comes out of the TVs when they explode. There are different weapons in the game, but the choice is set in stone once you begin, so you have to start a new game if you want to try something else.

Simply Put

Desert Child has its moments, but most of the experience feels shallow. The repetitiveness of wandering through the town after each race was more of a distraction than anything. The retro-inspired pixel art is enjoyable, and most of the game’s music works within the racing setting, but I had to mute the game when walking through the town. I understand the overarching theme of the game, the hardship of survival and earning the right to live in a society where the rich have all the power, but I feel it missed the mark considering how little of a narrative exists.

April 5, 2019
<![CDATA[Tropico 6 Review]]> After a five year absence, the most consistent construction management simulation series in the last decade has returned for a sixth title in the franchise; the fourth from publisher Kalypso Media. Starring the most (in)famous dictator in the Caribbean, El Presidente, the leader of the tiny remote island nation. Once again, you are tasked with overseeing all of the valuable aspects of your country from housing to entertainment, all the while managing your citizen's needs and desires across four unique eras. ¡Viva El Presidente!

Tropico 6 doesn't reinvent the series, but naturally evolves the core gameplay that fans have come to expect over the years. However, some small changes leave a lasting impact on how you'll develop your tropical nation. Instead of focusing on one main island, Tropico 6 allows you to expand your society across smaller sets of islands. Thanks to the inclusion of bridges and tunnels that can be connected to your central city location, you can quickly gather resources from outlying areas. Steep mountains and rivers are no longer a roadblock, as you can tunnel and build bridges through and over them, granted you have researched the technology and reached the required era.

The campaign in Tropico 6 follows the rise of the dictator from his meager beginning as a lowly governor, serving The Crown. Objectives and other requests come from multiple sources, given you an option to increase your favor with the Empire or with the revolutionaries praying for the day where you will declare independence. As you are not yet your own nation during the colonial era, you must complete any political request from the Lord in charge of the island; otherwise, you'll have to restart or load a previous save. It wasn't initially clear at first, and I ended up in an unwinnable loop where I didn't have enough time to complete an export priority from the autosave location and wasn't able to declare independence as well.

At the same time, you'll want to bolster your forces to turn against the Empire and win the hearts of your people. Maybe you'll want to construct a pirate's cove to secretly smuggle gold away from the tyranny of The Crown and keep it for your young nation, or create a new way to generate necessary supplies. There is a fine line between keeping the population happy, with a steady amount of food, work, entertainment, and protection against crime. The overlays do a great job of showing you exactly what and where you need improvements. The color-coded overlays certainly play a significant role in how you develop your economy, based on the available natural resources. If one of the islands has a considerable surplus of sugar cane, rum flows like water improving the happiness of your citizens, as well as working as a major export to line your treasuries with gold.

Things aren't always that black and white; however, as you must be dutiful in figuring out the needs of the nation. Why aren't your storerooms full of corn? Why is it taking months to complete a simple construction? Do you lack housing near places of employment? Can workers support their families with current salaries? Did the latest edict have a negative effort that you weren't expecting? Is it worth avoiding a war with a world superpower at the cost of your own citizen's freedom? These are the questions that are constantly rotating through my mind. If you are like me, you'll be continually juggling a queue of buildings under construction. When cash begins flowing steadily, you may opt to complete construction by spending some benjamins (money) instantly. If you can't spare the extra money, the priority order informs the workers which need to be completed first and which can wait a little longer.

The series has already moved to the modern era years ago in an expansion for Tropico 4 and Tropico 5, but I still get giddy advancing your struggling colonial nation of plantations through the years with shopping malls, space programs, and amusement parks. Heck, why not add a few local fast food joints in for good measure. Eventually, you'll airlift entire world wonders, with the help of some fancy diplomacy, such as the Great Sphinx, the Statue of Livery, Taj Mahal, and even Hikone Castle.

I've always been of the mind that Tropico is at its best when you are people watching. Although the game offers a 4x speed option, I can count the number of times I've used it on a single hand. There is just something enjoyable and relaxing about watching your workers travel to and from a construction site and slowly seeing progress being made. In Tropico 6, your nation is brimming with life, as every one of your citizens can be viewed and followed through their daily routines. Considering the population limit can be increased to a maximum of 10,000 citizens, that is undoubtedly impressive. Each member has their own needs, desires, and ideas of how the government should run. I have never paid so much attention trying to appease my people on an individual level before in any game. It also gives you an insight into which members of society need to be thrown in jail, have an "accident" at work, or publicly assassinated for speaking out against the government. Foreign powers and rebel factions are inevitable, and each player will have a different way of handling these situations. A few guard towers with heavy machinery and questionable abuse of power never hurt anyone, right?

I've always seen the campaign portion of the series, and most simulation titles as an appetizer to the main dish; sandbox mode. Tropico 6 features robust options whether you are playing offline or online multiplayer with up to four players. Instead of some of the asine political requests, that must be completed; such as having multiple taverns or a crazy amount of exports, the requests generally look to improve your island nation. During the campaign missions, you are always given a partially prebuilt country, but in the sandbox mode, you genuinely start from scratch (something I still want to do). The map can be preselected from over 20 existing presets, or you can generate and share your archipelago using a wide arrange of options, such as setting the climate, amount of islands, total land mass, and size. There are a handful of different victory conditions, all of which are quite standard for a strategy game.

Simply Put

Tropico 6's evolution and depth take the series into new heights, or in this case, new islands, stretching your nation across multiple islands with the inclusion of advanced traverse options. Throughout lengthy sessions, the game's soundtrack may see a bit repetitive, but it is so easy to catch yourself humming along even after you've exited the game. I've already put dozens of hours into the sandbox mode thanks to the randomization options and can see myself putting many, many more in the future, especially with the planned upcoming downloadable content /expansions that will surely alleviate the experience evener further.

April 2, 2019
<![CDATA[Override: Mech City Brawl Review]]> The arena fighter subgenre is highly overlooked, but over the past few years, there have been numerous great titles that rival the traditional entries into the fighter genre. Focusing less on complex button inputs, these games put level design, simplified control mechanics and maneuverability/positioning in the limelight. A mech-based brawler, Override: Mech City, pits players against each other in uniquely designed giant robots. Battling it out across the globe, you’ll challenge others locally and online, but the game does feature a single-player campaign. With 12 mechs to master, and even more coming post-launch through downloadable content, each with dozens of skins and customization options to unlock, Override has a decent amount of content, although the fun may only last in short bursts.

The narrative set in the game’s story mode falls in line with b-movie monster tropes, as giant monsters have been wreaking havoc across the globe. The United Defense Force (UDF) has been struggling to counter against the xenotypes of unknown origin. To bolster their numbers, they turn to pilots from the Mech Battle League; a competitive sport where giant mechs battle against each other. After showcasing your talents by defending Japan, you are invited to the UDF, along with other competitors. Regardless of who you choose as your pilot, the narrative plays out quite similar, although, with one save file, you have to restart if you want to change your mech.

Each story mission has a set difficulty, and the further you progress, the more difficult the monsters you face become. Not only that, but you’ll be pitted against infected versions of other mechs. Set across notable countries, such as Japan, Russia, Morocco, and the United States, the arenas have been crafted to resemble real-life cities/landscapes, featuring recognizable landmarks. After each successful mission, you’ll spend research points on improving your mech; increasing your armor rating, thrusters, attack power, and more. This progression is limited to the arcade/story mode, and since you need to wipe your progress if you wish to try a new character, it becomes rather trivial once you reach the last couple of missions. I don’t think I even spent a single research point until the very last mission. Mods can also be equipped, which may be given as a reward for completing a mission, providing stat bonuses and other effects, such as being healed with every successful punch or kick. Unlocked weapons can be added to your loadout, and will drop into battle, however, outside of the novelty of equipping a shield and laser sword to resemble a Gundam (especially as watchbot), I found them not worth the hassle.

Mission structures are primarily identical, whether you are facing waves of foes, having to protect an objective or battle against a boss. Strangely enough, there is a timer that seems to appear randomly, signifying that you’ll fail the mission if you don’t hastily kill all the monsters. It seems rather pointless, as the time seems to increase with each kill, and I’ve never seen the counter drop below thirty seconds. There are also only a set number of spawn locations for enemies, and on the Japan map especially, the waves tend to appear from a single position. The monsters overwhelming numbers mean very little if you can stand still and kill them one-by-one without even moving as they emerge from the same spot. Stages vary in size but still happen to feel a bit cramped. Some stages, such as Brazil and Egypt add elements of vertically, with my favorite is being able to explore an Egyptian tomb under the pyramids, however, overall the environments are rather flat. Buildings are fully destructible, and it can be quite satisfying to smash through many objects or rows of city blocks, even if the chunks simply disappear. It would have been a neat touch if there was any form of interaction, such as being able to toss a building, a car or something, anything at your opponent. Heck, it seems like a missed opportunity that the game doesn’t feature any grappling or throws. The lack of interaction is quite apparent once everything is destroyed and you are left battling on a flat wide-open landscape.

Override: Mech City Brawl mechanically feels reminiscent to the arcade classic King of Monsters franchise (later ported to consoles). Controlling your massive, and colorful mech makes use of every button on your controller. The four trigger/shoulder buttons each control a limb, while the face buttons allow you to block (and counter), jump, dash, and trigger special attacks. Each attack can be charged, knocking down your foe if you connect. While powerful, the charged attacks are easily telegraphed, allowing you to get out of the way or counter. Shields can deflect basic attacks, but will not protect against special or charged attacks.

Your segmented special meter fills quite fast by damaging opponents but also fills (at a slower rate) as you take damage. These moves highly unique to each mech, and you’ll want to play around against the AI before hopping online to see if you like their moveset. Watchbot, which grew to become my favorite choice, can transform his arms into MegaMan style blasters that knockdown any foe in their path. Metageckon feels heavily designed after Mechagodzilla, while Vintage looks straight out of the history book with his old school robotic appearance. Of course, there are ultimate attacks, that are not only flashy, with a hint of anime flair, but can turn the tide of a match. However, it can only be triggered once your health gets low enough, serving more like a comeback mechanic than a finisher.

Although you can battle against the AI, Override was designed for local and online multiplayer as its focus. The game does feature proper one vs. one ranked and quick play options, but the game is at its best when you four mechs battle against each other. The additional mayhem that is produced from the additional mechs is quite compelling. However, the party co-op option is without a doubt a comical and local favorite at my household. Up to four players can cooperatively take control of a single character, with each player controlling a separate limb, similar to how each of the colored lions combines to form Voltron. These can get a bit wonky when only two players work together, as one is in charge of moving, but the other gets camera control.

Simply Put

Override: Mech City Brawl, while clunky and cumbersome, is an enjoyable, casual party fighting game. Battles are quite slow, and require proper timing and spacing, especially given how quick your robot will overheat, limiting the number of attacks that can be performed in a single combo. Each of the colorful cast of characters is highly unique, and I enjoyed unlocked new skins/accessories after each battle. Many of the skins are simple palette swaps, but some of the epic and legendary ones change the styling enough to make things interesting. The single-player content feels unfinished or lacking, but adding other players to one mech certainly ups the entertainment factor.

December 12, 2018
<![CDATA[Rival Megagun Review]]> Stylized like the classic vertical shoot 'em ups I used to play as a kid, I have to say that Rival Megagun is an incredibly fun, but short, experience. Set in what seems like the future (that I can't tell, but the aliens initially attacked in 2000), the world decides to turn our salvation into a reality show pitting contestants against not only each other but the alien menace. A double whammy version of The Running Man meets Independence Day, I guess? The basis of the game has you choosing a character from the roster, each with their own ship, attack style, and background story as you dive in and compete to win it all in classic shoot 'em up fashion.

Rival Megagun is split into three game modes: story, versus, and online battle. The story itself has you play out the hero's story of taking on the Harvester threat while also fighting against your opponents. Versus will let you play against another human, the CPU, or watch an all-out CPU vs. CPU fight if you desire, and lastly, the online battles operate in a similar fashion same as the versus mode. The story mode, albeit only a handful of levels, is still fun as you work your way through the entire roster before reaching an endgame mode that's essentially one classic shoot 'em up boss fight. The story mode has some fun twists and gameplay to keep you engaged. Both the local and online competitive options have their appeal, but there's only so much ass whuppin' you might be able to dish out (or take in some cases) before you're willing to drop it and move on entirely. For those intent on really getting into the online experience, it is possible to customize your character's loadout and give yourself different attacks.

Now, going back to the mashup aspect of the game - it is your standard affair shoot 'em up where enemies swarm the screen, and it's your job to take them down. But you also need to kill your opponent on their side of the match, but technically you can't shoot them directly. As you eliminate things, you'll chain your attacks and cause little swirly balls to appear on your enemies side. Once your chain ends, all of those swirly balls will turn into additional enemies that spawn against your opponent. While you're destroying enemies, you'll start to charge up power that can be used to trigger a special attack (depends on what you've got selected). Once fully powered, you can transform into a mega gunship that spawns on the opponent's side of the map. That's the only chance you'll get to attack them directly with your super-powered ship.

Do not, for any reason, play this game on a keyboard, especially if you plan to play local multiplayer. The keyboard is virtually split down the middle, with one player handling the left side using the traditional WASD keys, and the second player uses the arrows on the right side. I don't even want to imagine how hard this would be to play with two people on a keyboard, so I recommend sticking to controllers. I used my Xbox One controller and immediately went from "I can't play this well" to finishing several levels rather quickly. It's a night and day difference to have a controller layout over the keyboard.

The look and feel of the game itself reminded me of the over the top 90s shooters where I'd be piloting some crazy ship just blasting everything on-screen. It's got the same frenetic energy with a hundred things occurring at once; your ship maneuvering around, enemies and their projectiles whizzing by, and a crazy background you can just barely make sense of within the maelstrom. And that's only on a little less than half of the screen! The game, from the times I could stop and enjoy what I was watching, just looked great with the retro stylization and pixel animations. There's something to that animation style and the craziness on-screen that seem to make everything mesh perfectly along with the fast-paced, arcade era music.

Simply Put

Rival Megagun, as I said, is a fun experience. For those that played a lot of these types of titles back in the day, it'll draw some serious nostalgia. Even now listening to the music while writing this, it sounds very reminiscent of the 16-bit era. My only major concerns with the game are the keyboard controls (easily fixed by using a controller) and the shortness of it. Like I mentioned earlier, the story mode is excellent, but once you've run through the handful of levels with multiple characters, it loses some of its charm. Sure you can play on harder difficulties, but that's mostly in the form of challenge only so you can collect some more cards. Expect to win some and lose some while playing online, which I hope will continue to have some legs. I was able to find matches quickly, but it's hard to judge what the community will look like in 6 months to a year.

December 8, 2018
<![CDATA[​Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom Review]]> The classic Wonder Boy/Monster World franchise has seen quite the resurgence lately, thanks to a couple of remakes of the first and third title in the series and an all-new official sequel. In conjunction with Ryuichi Nishizawa, one of the original Wonder Boy developers and co-founder of Westone Bit, FDG Entertainment and Game Atelier have been working on a sequel for the franchise; however, it started its life as Flying Hamster II on Kickstarter. The game may not have "Wonder Boy" in the title, Sega owns the rights to it, Monster Boy not only lives up to its predecessors, but it may be the most remarkable and delightful entry into the franchise.

As a side-scrolling platformer, Monster Boy doesn’t shy away from the fact that it borrows elements from previous games while giving it a modern spin that will appease newcomers and long-time fans alike. The inhabitants of the Monster World Kingdom have been transformed into animals thanks to your barrel riding, overindulging uncle. Jin’s initial efforts to confront his uncle don’t go according to plan, and he gets transformed into a pig for his efforts. This is the first of five uniquely designed animal forms (six in total if you count Jin’s human form). This form should be familiar to fans of the series, as its based on the always smoking, one-eyed pirate looking shopkeeper that appeared in previous games. Regardless of the form, each one has a unique approach to combat, as well as traversal, requiring you to switch between the forms to make your way across the interconnected world. The environments are designed so that it gradually opens up as you progress through the narrative and unlock new forms, but it takes it a step further, as accessing new paths may also require you to purchase/find new pieces of equipment.

Jin’s pig form may be the first form, but it comes quite in handy across the entire 15-20 hour adventure. Using his keen sense of smell, you can locate hidden objects and doorways. While he is unable to wield any of your collected gear, he is the only animal form that can use magic spells (Jin's human form can also use them). Not to mention, his pig form is so, so kawaii, that’s cute for those that don’t speak Japanese. The magic spells are quite useful; however when initially acquired, they won’t have many charges. The boomerang is ultra powerful, but if you miss catching it when it returns, you are out of luck. Other actual spells, such as fireballs, lightning bolts, and mini-cyclones start with only a handful of uses. While you can recharge your spells at a shop (at the cost of some precious coins), you will occasionally find drops from defeated foes. Some equipable items can increase the drop rate, depending upon your immediate needs. However, as a pig, you can put your massive snout to good use to find hidden truffles throughout the kingdom. These truffles increase the number of charges for each of your spells, letting you unleash even more havoc on enemies and bosses. You'll need to maximize the number of charges for your spells to open late-game treasure chests.

This wouldn’t be the Monster World franchise without multiple transformations, and the rest of Jin’s forms doesn’t disappoint. As a snake, you’ll lose your ability to harness magical spells, but using your small stature, you can fit into tiny gaps no one else can access. Not only that, but you can slither and attach your way across slimy ledges, letting you move up and down walls and across ceilings with ease. You aren't entirely helpless, as you can swing your tail in a pinch for minimal damage, but your essential talent involves spitting acid at unexpecting foes. It also comes in handy to solve some of the game’s numerous environmental puzzles, activating crystals to illuminate darkened caverns and activating levers that would typically be out of reach. Once you collect the snake talisman (there's one for every form), you can strengthen your scaly head to break rocks blocking your path.

While your snake form can get you into tight spaces, and the pig form can butt-stomp to stun enemies and activate switches, the frog form helps you reach new heights, literally. He can wear and use equipment; however, you lose the ability to butt-stomp and use magic spells. The added equipment means you can utilize sets of armor, swords, and shields. The most significant addition in this form comes from your tongue, which can be used to slingshot yourself high into the air or used to swing from precariously placed rings. It’s a double-edged sword when used to attack foes. While eating mosquitoes can replenish your health, as long as they are not electrified, most other types can actually harm or leave you with adverse status effects, such as confusion (reversing movement controls), or slowness that will cause you to move slower than a snail through molasses. Some enemy weapons, such as bombs, and shields can be stolen using your tongue and spit back out.

The lion form is the backbone of your transformations, and one of my personal favorites to use. Like your frog form, you can fully equip any piece of equipment, but you gain a downwards thrust attack with your sword. His unique ability lets you smash through blocks, run across water, and damage weaker enemies at unimaginable speeds. Eventually, you’ll gain an upwards thrust that comes in handy to activate switches on ceilings, as well as giving you slightly more oomph to your jumps. With the inclusion of boots that give you the ability to double jump, this essentially gives you a third jump. Jin’s final transformation is a fiery dragon, with the ability to shoot fireballs, and fly. As the final form, it can neglect some of the previous level design mechanics, but I appreciate being able to traverse through previously explored areas with relative ease.

Regardless of the area you are in; there are shops littered throughout. The nurse station can replenish your health, and gives you the opportunity to purchase an elixir that will revive you if you happen to die, as well as a potion to negate adverse status effects, such as poison. As mentioned, the magic shop replenishes your magic spells, which are only used in the human and pig form. The map highlights any chest that you come across but did not open (marking it with a question mark), and warping portals let you return to past areas regularly. Eventually, you’ll earn a magical staff that enables you portal back from anywhere. There are even items you collect that can be given to the treasure master to mark any chest that you have yet to come across.

Weapon shops sell sets of gear; swords, armor, bracelets, and shields, all of which can be upgraded. Each piece and full sets come with bonuses, such as the ice body armor raising your fire damage resistance. On the other hand, the boots in the collection located in a secret treasure chest let you walk across lava without taking damage. It’s required to progress properly through the game; however, you are never directed towards their location. In this case, I became overly frustrated, thinking I was not understanding a puzzle mechanic until I tried a new route and just happened to come across them. The same can be said about the ice sword; however, it needs to be purchased from the shop, as well as upgraded in order to freeze projectiles. Without it, you won’t be able to access the required areas. Because of this, much of the game is gated off, not only due to progression but also from what equipment you have purchased or obtained. If you are like me and found yourself short on money, its best to find a spot to farm enemies over and over. Traditionally enemies respawn once you return to a previous screen. Even if you don’t leave the screen, enemies will eventually respawn, sometimes too fast.

During the last third of the game, the difficulty truly ramps up, requiring you to be precise with your timing and jumping, usually combining multiple forms in a single maneuver. You may have to use the frog’s tongue to launch yourself high into the air (or swing across a gap), then transform into the lion to perform an upward thrust to gain additional height, and then finally switching to the snake form to attach yourself upside down to the ceiling. Be swift with your movements, as you may have to outrun lava that is increasingly inching towards the top of the screen.

Projectiles are my biggest annoyance with the game’s combat system. If you need to block anything straight in front of you or directly above you with the shield, it's not a problem. Anything coming at you at an angle will most likely result in you taking damage, even if it appears like it would make contact with the shield. Most of the time, checkpoints are are well placed, although you may have to replay certain sections multiple times. It is almost punishing that you only respawn with only three hearts of health, especially when a single hit can practically wipe out your health.

When I initially saw Monster Boy for the first time, the game was oozing with charm; however, the amount of expression and personality with each form has reached incredible heights thanks to hand-drawn animations and beautiful environments. There is also an anime style opening cinematic and a stunning soundtrack to go along with the game, with each area having its own style and feel. The game emphasizes puzzle-platforming elements, as well as varying and uniquely designed mechanics to each of the boss encounters.

Simply Put

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is everything that you’ll want in an official sequel to the Monster World franchise. Regardless of the late game frustrations and spike in difficulty, it is one of the best modern day platformers I have ever played.

December 4, 2018
<![CDATA[Darksiders III Review]]> Each title in the Darksiders series has taken inspiration from other game series. While the original Darksiders took clear inspiration from The Legend of Zelda, some even coined the phrase “mature Zelda-clone,” Darksiders II added an expansive loot system more akin to Diablo and other loot-focused action role-playing games. Darksiders III feels more akin to a Metroid title merged with elements from a Dark Souls title, but at its core still feels similar to the original game (without as many puzzles). As a member of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the angry and self-centered Fury, you hunt down the now escaped Seven Deadly Sins. Fury must venture across the ravaged remnants of Earth and defeat these creatures to further advance her her own ambitions. Without dedicated dungeons or mini-map, the environments in the game tend to flow into each other, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Darksiders III has abandoned the action RPG loot system from Darksiders II and instead feels more like the original title, focusing on getting new equipment through narrative progression. Consumables, crafting ingredients, enhancements, and crystals are the only things that you’ll pick up strewn throughout the wasteland and from fallen enemies. The glowing ember-like appearance of the items is very reminiscent of the Dark Souls franchise, especially since the game has many aspects in common. Crystals come in various forms, either providing additional attribute points to further increase Fury’s stats or lurcher clumps/clusters that contain a set amount of souls once shattered. Ulthane (Black Hammer), a Maker, who appeared in the first game, makes his return, improving your weapons in exchange for adamantine fragments. He can also enhance your socketed gems using artifacts (demonic or angelic), giving you two different paths to choose from depending on your preference. Each of your weapons can socket a single gem that you find during your adventure. For example, the Unfocused Chaos gem returns a percentage of dealt damage to you as health and boasts its effectiveness further during havoc mode.

The heart and soul of Darksiders III revolves around the four Hollows that you’ll acquire, serving more than just secondary weapons. The chains of Scorn, for example, grants Fury with the power of fire, setting her hair ablaze with a fiery orange glow, and letting her freely walk through lava without succumbing to the scorching heat. Although your range is limited when using the chains, they make up for it with speed, whereas the Lance of Scorn (lightning element) is slower, but has a lunging attack for closing the gap with your foes. Each one also grants additional traversal options, based on the specific element at hand. The world you explore feels largely interconnected, as new areas open up with each new traversal option you gain. However, at the same time, it makes fast traveling hit-or-miss as you don’t know exactly where you are going to wind up in relation to where the next boss/area is located. The compass does an acceptable job at pointing you towards your next objective (namely the location of the subsequent boss), but I still miss being able to see which areas remained unexplored. However, you’ll be hard pressed to miss any of the hidden passageways and branching paths, as they stand out quite well.

Souls can be spent on not only consumables but to increase the level of three key stat categories for Fury: health, strength, arcane. Both strength and arcane relates to your damage output, adding a percentage bonus to both physical and arcane damage. Physical damage is dealt through your basic attacks using your primary and secondary weapons, while arcane damage is dealt on evade counters, charged attacks, wrath attacks and when you transform into your havoc form. As you attack and defeat your enemies, you’ll fill both your havoc and wrath meter. Wrath form increases Fury’s offensive prowess, while havoc form transforms her into a larger than life fiery beast, unleashing the full fury (pun-intended) of the Horsemen.

Consumables can be quickly sorted through using the direction pad (left and right) and used with a press of a button, however, there is an animation involved, so you’ll have to have a spare (and safe) second to use them. These shards can assist you in various ways, either providing healing, replenishing your wrath, boosting your strength, and more. Instead of collecting the life energy from fallen enemies directly like in the first game (the floating green skulls), it is absorbed by the Nephilim’s Respite flask. A gift crafted by Death, it allows Fury to heal once recharged, however, it is upgradeable; increasing its capacity and healing power.While the game does include three different save game slots, there is no way to save the game manually. Instead, you are forced to rely on the autosave functionality. This could mean you are going to have to replay certain sections or traverse a few rooms to return where you left off, especially during boss encounters. It's not always an issue, but there are a couple of frustrating sections. You’ll have to juggle with the notion of killing freshly respawned foes, which take additional time to fight or sprinting past them. Upon death, you’ll drop any souls that you haven’t banked, but the game is less harsh with punishments. Even if you die again, the souls won’t disappear, and can easily be reacquired.

Simply Put

The well-designed and vibrant post-apocalyptic world of Darksiders III is simply a joy to traverse. The narrative is well-written, and the boss encounters, including the interactions between characters, before, during, and after encounters are quite enjoyable. Although the game takes its inspiration from new titles and genres, it still feels like it belongs in the series I’ve been playing for the past eight years. On the technical front, the game suffers from occasional hitching and slowdown, even on an Xbox One X.

November 26, 2018
<![CDATA[​Speed Brawl Review]]> Arcade style brawlers, or beat ‘em ups, mostly play quite similar to each other; focusing on walking/running to the right, attacking all enemies on each stage before advancing. Speed Brawl attempts to add a sense of urgency into the genre, by setting predetermined time limits to each of the levels. With your goal of completing each event with a coveted gold trophy, there are rewards for achieving the time set for silver and bronze as well; you must perfect the act of speed fighting and platforming if you want to survive.

The game revolves around the ultimate public spectacle, Speed Brawl, with the hope the entertainment quells the ever-growing unrest with the working and middle class. It’s described as a sport only for the elite, pitting players against not only the clock but the remnants of the defeated insect-like menace known as the Selenites. In all honesty, the basic alien creature, the Ripper, resembles the arachnids from Starship Troopers although you will also have to face returning veterans from the war, mercenaries, and even former speed brawlers.

Before starting each event, you’ll be encapsulated in a cage, while a countdown prepares you for the start of the event. Think of it like waiting at the starting grid in a racing game. In similar fashion to some arcade racers, if you charge and time your dash correctly (begin holding right as “steady” appears), you’ll get an instant burst of speed to maximize your placement on the leaderboards. There are various types of events, ranging from championship events that combine your time from multiple runs to challenges that will push you to your limit. In pole racing events, you’ll have to swing on each pole, or checkpoint, before crossing the finishing line. You must choose an optimal path and find your groove as you platform your way across the stage and swing between poles for satisfying speed boosts. These racing stages start simple enough but quickly add to the complexity requiring you to activate checkpoints above, below and even behind you. Fortunately, you can quickly change direction mid-swing using the left stick to point in the proper direction.

As already mentioned, championships combine multiple events, requiring you to platform your way across levels as fast as you can, before being interrupted by combat encounters. Even then, you are expected to keep your momentum during engagements to best make use of your time. Using both finesse and power, you’ll want to use your basic attacks to push enemies into groups, optimizing your time by attacking as many foes at once. Once grouped, make use of your launcher attack to pummel them in the air, and then slam them back down for even more punishment. Getting hit completely stops your momentum, especially if you are knocked to the ground and forced to recover, all of which costs you valuable seconds. It may even be quicker to switch brawlers instead of waiting. You’ll heed my words once you miss out on achieving gold by one-tenth of a second due to getting hit once in the final encounter.

Besides basic attacks, the game prioritizes dodging and counter-attacks, not to mention special abilities and ultimate attacks. These character specific abilities are great at dealing out damage multiple foes at once, but I found it more important to learn how to counter-attack properly. The counter window is very tight, even if enemies telegraph their attacks. Dodging once you see an attack coming is an excellent way to avoid damage, but in order to counter, you need to be quite precise with your timing. It is probably the smallest counter window I’ve experienced in recent memory, but there are items/skills you can equip/unlock to make it slightly easier. During the tutorials when you are dealing with stationary enemies, it may seem simplistic to pull off, but in practice when dealing with a handful of foes on the ground and in the air at the same time, it becomes much more complicated.start each event, by selecting a team of two brawlers. Even if you are playing cooperatively, online or locally, each player chooses their own team. Since you will have a group of two, you can tag in/out at any time, as well as trigger an assist attack. This is especially useful as each of the characters have different playstyles. You may have one character equipped with the best offensive gear and skills and another focused on movement speed. As you progress and earn fame (essentially experience points), you’ll obtain skill points to spend on your characters across three individual branches; power, defense, and technique. Power generally relates to special attacks for each of the characters. For example, Ebba can add the chance of poisoning foes, with her special attacks, whereas Cassie can add a slashed status. Defense focuses on your dash attacks, movement speed, and overall health. The last branch, technique, is more uniquely tied to individual characters, adding additional damage output when near or at full health, or increasing damage when your combo reaches a set amount.

Characters have three slots to equip items from your inventory, gloves, boots, and trinkets (rings, necklaces, etc.). Your goal is simple, beat the allocated time on each event to earn prizes. The treasure chests yield RPG style equipment, such as a rare tier set of gloves that can inflict a burn status and increase your attack rating. It isn’t limited to equipment, however, as you’ll unlock new color palettes for the six brawlers. With the money you earn, you can purchase new equipment from the shops, if you aren’t satisfied with your current loot.

Simply Put

Speed Brawl has a lot more to offer than standard beat ‘em up titles. I certainly dig the unique and colorful stylized animated characters. The game features satisfying local and online multiplayer for the game’s 50+ events. There weren’t any joinable open online parties while testing, but I was able to invite a friend without issue. There are global leaderboards for each of the events if you are into that type of competition as well.

November 23, 2018
<![CDATA[HellSign (Early Access) Review]]> SelectButton’s Early Access reviews provide valuable insight on a work in progress. The game will be reevaluated once officially released, as the review below is based on the Early Access build of the game at the time of the review’s publish date.

HellSign legitimately caught me off guard. This surprisingly deep action role-playing game (RPG) is a visceral approach to the supernatural investigation and elimination process. You're not a fun loving Ghostbuster in this game, but rather the victim of a HellSign and you're dealing with some seriously dark things. Don't expect the demons and other forces of darkness to go easy on you, in your attempt to rid the city from their influence.

And what an influence. The game consists of you traveling to points across the city to scout, sweep, or hunt down paranormal foes. Sweeping involves gathering signs of an infestation - clues in the form of ESP recordings, photographs, ectoplasm, and other items that allow you to deduce what's taken residence in the house and killed the occupants. Sweeping consists of you doing a simple sweep through the premises, clearing out any creatures you find. And hunting is essentially the combination of both - figure out what's haunting the place and eliminating it. It's fascinating how much goes into determining not only the type of monster you are dealing with but the best way to kill it. You have a journal where you take your discovered clues and use them to figure out what unholy being is there and the best method for getting rid of it.

Using a traditional mouse and keyboard control scheme movement is handled by the w, a, s, and d keys, with your actual view being manipulated by a mouse cursor. HellSign uses an isometric view, similar to many classic action-RPG titles. Using the number keys, you can select your weapons, items, and other investigation tools and traps. Equipping a weapon gives you the ability to sprint with shift and combat roll with the spacebar. Shooting/Researching is done via the left mouse button, but you can press and hold the right mouse button to "more accurately target." It honestly takes some time to find the sweet spot of combat - I sucked at it no matter what I did, and I ended up giving up on attempting sweeping missions because I'd get decimated.

Aside from the annoying combat aspects of never hitting the damn ground-based creatures, the user interface (UI) is cumbersome. Some screens do offer an "exit" option, but there were many I swear I could not find. I always ended up reverting to just hitting the escape button in order to continue unabated. Being in Steam Early Access as well, there were some things I noticed, like some skills required being level 99, but I'm assuming those are still being worked on and will be in the full version of the game.

The attention to the audio in the game is excellent and probably the game's best aspect. Voice actors, ambient sounds, using the parabolic mic or the EMF reader. All of it. Even the music, while repetitious, is still well done. Aside from the focus on supernatural and boogiemen creatures, the audio pieces really tie this game together. Horror and supernatural are built on an ambiance, and as you steadily explore the houses and bodies, the sounds inside and out help to amp up the situation. Especially during any appearance of an enemy.

Simply Put

I think HellSign has some outstanding pieces and I'm curious to see what a final, polished product will look like. The game looks good, even though it regularly recycled environments, but some odd visual hiccups still occur (especially during reloading). Once the game has been fleshed out and finished, I think it'll be a solid title that will interest many.

November 19, 2018
<![CDATA[Steel Rats Review]]> An intriguing blend of ideas, Steel Rats, utilizes ripping motorbike combat and side-scrolling platforming set in an alternate version of the 1940’s in America. As a member of the biker gang Steel Rats, it is your sworn duty to protect the city from an invading superior robotic alien race, known as Junkbots. Standard motorcycles won’t cut it, so you’ll need to upgrade your expensive bikes with enough firepower to cut your way through hordes of enemies in 28 levels spread across five city districts.

The Steel Rats are comprised of four different bikers, which you’ll unlock by progressing through the game. It wasn’t apparent at first, but each member is highly unique, not regarding how they maneuver, but primary weapon loadout, a charged attack, and the awe-inspiring ultimate attacks. Once unlocked, you don’t have to worry about selecting a character for each mission; instead, you can alternate between Lisa, James, Randy, and Toshi on-the-fly with the press of a button (the right analog stick). Based on the situation, you may find one group member to be better suited than another, such as Lisa’s ability to wipe out all foes around her by leaving a fiery trail behind her or James’s mid-air hammer drop that decimates enemies directly in front of him.

Each level hides a secret collectible that serves as backstory about each of the characters or the various locales through audio logs and imagery. By collecting enough junk, you’ll unlock new perks, and upgrades spread across each team member. Junk can be obtained by not only taking out enemies but also objects in the environment. See an abandoned car in your way, turn on the chainsaw (wheelsaw) on your front wheel and cut it in half. The upgrades expand upon your basic attacks and help flesh out the combat portion of the game. For example, you can upgrade Randy’s harpoon or Toshi’s "junkpet" by extending the range and boosting the damage of each. Perks are generally stat boosting, such as adding additional sections of health, energy cells (for abilities) or improving defensive capabilities. Once unlocked by reaching the set score on each level, there are also objectives to complete that can boost your total, you’ll need to spend junk points to unlock them.

Although the game can be described as a side-scrolling action platformer, there is some dimensionality to the movement system. You aren’t limited to a strict side to side motions, as you can move back and forth along the road, platforms, rooftops, etc. The game uses this added freedom to the level design, in some fantastic ways. At one point, you must outrun, or in this case, ride) a collapsing wooden structure, requiring you to leap off broken edges, make hairpin u-turns into the foreground and leap down again and again. Once mastered, the controls are a bit clunky at first, you can easily navigate around at ease without sacrificing speed and precision. The movement isn’t precisely free-flowing, as there are invisible lanes that you’ll adhere to once you move closer or further area from the camera. One of the cooler mechanics involves clinging to metallic pipes when using the wheelsaw, allowing you to ride directly up walls, and even upside down. These moments are some of the best in the game, especially when mixed in with death-defying leaps and requiring you to maneuver around obstructions in the environment while doing so.

Checkpoints are quite generous, and if you miss a jump and fall to your doom from a great height, you’ll respawn with a portion of your health missing. Lose all your health on a character, and you’ll only have to pick someone else and continue along your way. I can’t recall ever failing enough to warrant a game over, especially if you take your time to understand what you need to accomplish to move forward, instead of merely just holding down the accelerate button and speeding through each level. Not to say that I have not been guilty of doing this, but not all levels worry about your completion time and it is more rewarding to destroy most, if not all enemies and objects in the environment instead. You’ll find the collectibles off the beaten path as well, and if you are speeding through like a bat out of hell, you may miss it.

Simply Put

Steel Rats may be the surprise I’ve been looking for as we get into the busy (and crowded) holiday season. It combines a rather robust motorcycle combat system with a slick movement system. The developers even threw in massive boss encounters that utilize all of your abilities. It wasn’t apparent at first that you can freely switch between biker members, but once realized, you can tackle any situation. Each biker has their own set of skills, but regardless of who you use, the game is simply fun and engaging. There are also unlocking bike and character skins for each of the four characters. Playing on a PlayStation 4 Pro, however, textures seem to take forever to pop-in, which is disappointing as the rest of the game is mostly impressive visually.

November 13, 2018
<![CDATA[The One We Found Review]]> Outlast is considered one of the best survival horror titles released this generation; containing a tense atmosphere, a creepy asylum, and limiting your ability to see and do anything in the environment by keeping you attached to a camera with night vision. The One We Found does everything it can to emulate the building blocks of Outlast (and similar games in the genre), but it is not nearly fleshed out enough for it to be worthwhile.

When initially starting the game, players are quickly welcomed to the darkness with a warning screen stating that you may experience nausea and vague feelings of discomfort due to a "horror note" of sound some doctor discovered. I don't think I ever felt that, but it was a nice touch to try and start building the atmosphere through the caution of ambient noise. In an attempt to keep the feeling of dread, the menu system uses screaming horror sound effects/noises straight out of your local haunted house experience. Not only were they not scary, but they instantly started to get annoying.

At its core, The One We Found is primarily an atmospheric, tense game that relies on the use of your flashlight (and batteries), puzzle-solving skills, and eventually a mixture of your ability to play hide-and-seek as well as gun down wraith-like creatures. Honestly, it's not that fun to do any of this, and it pains me to say that. The flashlight illuminates everything, but it puts a sheen on any item that can be picked up. This can make it difficult to discern between the background and specific objects, causing you to overlook puzzle-critical items or additional batteries. I also had issues with the flashlight not responding to my controls properly, sometimes turning off/on when I was attempting to do something else with it. Switching weapons requires popping back into the menu itself, but you better hope the game doesn't glitch and cause things to disappear (this forces you to restart levels for the items to reappear).

Throughout the game's levels, you're a psychoanalyst at the Whisperwood Asylum, there to solve some of the asylum's issues and attempt to get it back on track. While it's pretty evident from the get-go, there's something else going on besides mismanagement and neglect of patients. The game starts to go off into a stranger path once you reach the later levels. Keen-eyed players will be able to flesh out more of the story through notes and files left around, but there's still a lot of odd questions you may want answered. Beating the game unlocks survival mode, where you get to take on waves of enemies from the main game. Successfully surviving grants you points to use towards additional weapons and ammunition, and this is arguably one of the better aspects of the game.

The enemies in The One We Found aren't exactly terrifying. There are some cool effects and neat things you'll experience, but there's not a ton of variety. You have two options to deal with them; hide and wait for them to pass or just pop them with your weapon and continue moving forward. Although the environment feels creepy, the enemy encounters don't add to the tension.

Simply Put

I wanted to enjoy this game, I honestly did. However, The One We Found suffers from a case of "no polish." There's a lot of good ideas and gameplay in theory, but the practical aspect falls short of expectations. If this had received some more time to fix the overall buggy experience and improve upon some of the clunky control aspects and elements, I feel this review would be in a much different tone entirely.

November 12, 2018
<![CDATA[2064: Read Only Memories Review]]> 2064: Read Only Memories is an interesting game that asks questions about ourselves and the future we're preparing for the world. This pixel art adventure draws parallels from real-world scenarios currently happening, as well as other pop culture (X-Men, anyone?). The futuristic and fantastic world of Neo-San Francisco is filled with technological marvels and speaks to the future success of humanity. However, with the rise of genetic engineering and ROMs, virtual intelligence machines, and a connective MeshNet bringing it all together, this bright and cheery looking future still contains some of the well known Cyberpunk and Dystopian tropes we all love. Hybrids especially, genetically modified humans choosing to change their appearance and move beyond your basic Homo Sapiens, as well as the onset of true Artificial Intelligence, leaves some concerned about the future of Mankind. This is where you and your connection to the leading developer on AI and tech come into play - he's missing, and it's up to you and his creation to find him.

Being a point-and-click adventure game on a PC makes sense. You've got your mouse to select and manipulate objects to further the plot. It mostly works the same on the Xbox, but players are given the option of either using the D-Pad to select objects or using the left stick to move a cursor around (slowly and clumsily) to choose your next object. Once you've found what you want to interact with, you can bring up a context menu - look, act, talk, and use an item. Looking will provide a brief description, Act will have you act upon the object (or awkwardly touch someone you weirdo), Talk will have you either initiate a conversation or talk to an inanimate object, or Use an Item will have you combine an item from your inventory to see if it solves the puzzle at hand.

Additionally, it's possible to navigate over to the menu options on the far right of the screen to travel to another area or bring up the menu/save. I found using the D-Pad to be the simplest and less annoying way of navigating through the game. But that didn't fix everything. I had challenges as the contrast between what you had "highlighted," and the overall brightness and backgrounds of the game sometimes made it hard to know what was being selected. There were more than a few times I either ended up picking the same object/person, or I was inadvertently on the menu option without realizing it. Small annoyances, but this one started to add up at times.

The best aspects of the game itself are the wide-ranging cast of characters and the voice acting helping shape them into memorable people. The people you run into are widely diverse and represent a very different future than modern times. Throw in the inclusion of people purposefully modifying themselves to have items like cat ears or lizard-like skin, and you've got a whole slew of social commentary built into the game. It's neat to talk with everyone, and your responses and personality will dictate how they react to you. Considering the excellent voice acting, I'd love to hear some of the other possible exchanges. Topping this off with the beautiful pixel art juxtaposing a bright and cheerful future with some nasty underlying concerns.

Simply Put

2064: Read Only Memories draws its inspirations from the greats of the old-school adventure games like Grim Fandango, Myst, and Monkey Island. This point-and-click adventure title has all of the trappings of games made upwards of 20 years ago contained in a beautifully rendered pixel art world with a fun, quirky cast of characters behind it. For fans of slower, puzzle-based games, this will be a must-have on their consoles. However, it is better suited for the PC and feels a little sluggish and off-putting using an Xbox controller when trying to manipulate objects. Plus, with how the game is slower paced and requires a lot of backtracking and managing of objects to help fill out the game's world and provide humor, those seeking faster and more direct gameplay/humor will turn away quickly.

November 8, 2018
<![CDATA[​Call of Cthulhu Review]]> One does not need to have read the cosmic horror stories from H.P. Lovecraft to appreciate the mythos steeped with supernatural and extraterrestrial elements. Developed by Cyanide Studio, Call of Cthulhu is an official adaptation of Chaosium’s classic pen and paper RPG. A down on his luck private investigator, Edward Pierce, has not been sleeping well, in fact, we journeyed into his mind during the opening sequence of the game. What we found is not only gruesome but lays the foundation for his descent into madness. The Hawkins family tragically died on Darkwater Island, off the shores of Boston. Sent to the island to investigate by a relative, the hostility received by the local inhabitants hinders your pursuit for the truth, but it doesn’t take long before you are neck deep in a twisted cultist plot with more cephalopod-like creatures than you could even imagine.

A role-playing detective mystery game, Call of Cthulhu delves deep into player skills and branching dialogue with every character integral to the narrative. Call of Cthulhu lets you decide on how you want to establish Edward Pierce, besides his apparent drinking problem (although there is an achievement tied to being sober) and dependence on sleeping medication. There are seven essential skills; five which you can spend points to improve and two that can only be enhanced by exploring and interacting with objects in the world. Some of the core skills relate to how you handle conversations, such as your ability to influence others during dialogue (eloquence), or using psychology learned by studying human nature to better understand what motivates them (psychology). In my first playthrough, these two skills were the lowest, as my focus was on maximizing spot hidden, and investigation first, with the rest of my character points added to strength.

I would call spot hidden one of the two most essential skills in the game, considering it relates to being able to find hidden objects. If your skill level is too low, you won’t find an item that could lead you down a new path in your investigation or a clue to use when conversing with the locals. The other important skill is investigation, which heavily ties into your ability to reconstruct crime scenes and other past events. It doesn’t hurt that it also boosts your chance at picking locks. Strength, on the other hand, is all about your physical prowess to force doors/mechanisms open, or use of violence. I know at least one critical interactive sequence in the game where I wish I added points to this skill sooner. The last two abilities, occultism and medicine can only be improved by discovering certain objects in the environment. This is another reason why you want to fully uncover and explore each area, to increase your understanding of occult artifacts or how to diagnose conditions. I am purposely staying as vague as possible, as not to spoil anything involving the plot, so just trust me on this.

As you explore the always darkened former whaling port, you’ll talk to various merchants and inhabitants. The more you explore and interact with others and the environment, the more dialogue choices will become available to you. Typically, you’ll want to choose the option that becomes unlocked (marked by an open lock on the dialogue wheel) by finding the relevant tidbits from somewhere else. Most of the time, you won’t get a second chance at an exchange, so ensure that you are content with the path you plan on following. Just like in other adventure games, a popup appears on the screen, letting you know “This will affect your destiny,” when you make a crucial decision in the game. You won’t know how it will affect your destiny, as there aren’t any recaps for things you missed or things you could have done differently, like in The Council, another series published by Focus Home Interactive. I can tell you that by making these choices, you’ll be presented with alternate ending options.

I was caught off-guard during my second playthrough, as a single choice made a massive difference. For example, while exploring the harbor area upon reaching Darkwater Island, you are instructed to use your sleuthing skills, to find specially marked objects in the environment in a specific area. In this case, you collect all of the items to operate a wrench to gain access to a hidden tunnel to explore the Hawkins’s warehouse, which you can’t access directly. On my second time through, the wrench snapped, blocking access into the tunnel system. Instead, I was interrupted by one of the significant characters in the game, was beat up, knocked out, and dumped on the other side of the harbor.

The environments that you’ll explore in first-person are quite breathtaking, in a horrible nightmarish sense. The perpetual green-tinged night of the island had so much impact in setting the vibe for each locale throughout the 12-15 hours you’ll spend on your first playthrough. You’ll experience the game via chapters, with each one taking place in a different location on the island. From the neglected and decrepit looking Hawkins Mansion, underground cave systems complete with gory visuals of sacrificed marine life, to turn of the century insane asylums, the environments are horrifically delightful to explore.

Regrettably, Call of Cthulhu does feature moments where you must use stealth-based mechanics. These sections are not only frustrating but rather dull. I understand the desire to add more “gameplay” focused interactions, but it was simply not needed and does nothing for the overall mystery narrative. During one of these moments, which happened to be a boss encounter, you are left to your own devices without any indication of what you need to do to complete the deathly game of hide-and-seek. Over time, you will realize that you must collect a specific item and use it in a particular spot (without being seen). Of course, there are a handful of choices, and nothing to give you an understanding of which one you should use (until you pick the right one). Also, if the monster hears/sees you, you are killed almost instantly. After much frustration, I ended up running straight from point a to point b in full sprint, completing it and circumventing the entire design for the encounter.

The exploration stealth sequences aren’t inherently bad, but ruin the pacing of the game and feel somewhat incomplete. Without spoiling some of the locales in the game, I would say that it can be quite easy to find yourself turned around, having to go back and forth repeatedly. When you consider that you are crouch-walking to remain unseen, you are moving at a snail's pace. At least the game does include the ability to lean, which can help you finish these sections faster.

Failing any of these stealth sections merely sets you back to the previous checkpoint. There aren't any health or stamina meters to manage. However, the game does have a sanity system, which is a concept I haven't seen in a game for quite some time. If you succumb to the darkness, Edward’s mind begins to unravel, slowly at first. You’ll start to see hallucinations, either some hellish creature coming towards you or even dialogue choices in Lovecraftian (R’lyehian). Generally speaking, when playing these types of games, you’ll want to explore and understand everything possible. However, while knowledge for us, the player, is essential, it will take a heavy toll on Edward Pierce. You can only imagine the state of his mind by the end of the game if you read all of the unholy books and absorbed as much Lovecraftian knowledge possible.

Simply Put

Without question, Call of Cthulhu captures the nightmarish Lovecraftian cosmic horror feel. Even if you haven’t read any of the mythos or haven't experienced the tabletop game, it is still a satisfying investigation into madness. It’s impossible to see everything the game has to offer in a single playthrough, but the stealth and equally awful boss encounters and gunplay (one section near the end of the game) may turn players off from returning. An option to autocomplete these sections may be a worthwhile addition, especially for those that want to experience the wonderfully dark storytelling and see all of the alternate choices.

November 5, 2018