https://virtuamuserredux.blogspot.com/
A PlayStation fan for most of his childhood, once he picked up an Xbox with Panzer Dragoon Orta he never looked back.
Tamarin on Xbox is a game that does not know what it wants to be, one capable of completely blindsiding player expectations. It’s simply a weird game, perhaps one of the weirdest in the platformer genre. Still, the real disappointment is just how boring and bare the third person shooting action is, with no real sense of rewarding level design or progression.
Alchemic Cutie on Xbox is an interesting but tough sell. It no doubt has its charms and strengths, and yet its distinguishing ideas lack real substance in execution; the experience as a whole can feel pointless for a genre that is known to champion a pointless slice of life loop in the first place.
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a solid and enjoyable remake of a Harvest Moon classic. Yet while you get to enjoy a classic experience intact, it also feels incredibly dated given the other options available on Xbox today.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy- Definitive Edition on Xbox is an overpriced and poorly produced release which does absolutely no favours to the classic games it attempts to celebrate. The experience here is far from definitive, and aside from the sheer laziness in the graphical remastering and performance, it introduces a whole slew of performance issues.
Project Starship X on Xbox is a surprisingly inventive entry in what is normally a tried and tested genre. Although stirring the pot when it comes to sound shmup design is usually a bad idea, here all of the zany and crazy ideas are fun and entertaining thanks to the sound fundamentals of the core shooting mechanics.
When all is said and done, Iris.Fall on Xbox is over in a flash and doesn’t linger in the memory despite some strong ideas. The monochrome graphical presentation alone will turn some heads, and some of the puzzles can be quite interesting. But once you make your way through the adventure and piece together the mystery, then there really isn’t much to come back for.
Skycadia on Xbox is as basic an arcade flight game as they come, and the simple, functional mechanics serve their purpose well to deliver a reasonable score-chasing experience.
Shoot 1UP DX on Xbox is a chaotic mess of interesting gameplay ideas and a visual onslaught of sci-fi innuendo. As far as shmups go, it definitely deserves points for originality and for the interesting game design. It does, however, lack the level of polish and thoughtful designs that are evident in some of the best games in the genre.
With instantly gratifying multiplayer game types and also a substantial single player mode to top it off, Ponpu combines entertaining gameplay with an excellent stylistic presentation like very few games can.
Wunderling on Xbox is a fun little puzzle platformer, and even if you’re not too blown away by its bite-sized casual platforming action, then the rest of the presentation will be something that genre fans will appreciate and enjoy.
Although it has been part of the Xbox PC line-up for quite some time, having Star Renegades on Xbox consoles is a great thing. For most this is a combat-focused RPG with an addictive battle system, smooth pacing, and fantastic neon presentation. If you are a fan of Battle Chasers: Nightwar then Star Renegades is the perfect game to fill that niche.
Sparkle 4 Tales on Xbox One is a great example of how a video game can never simply just be a piece of art, as it needs to have gameplay substance which goes beyond just superficial fodder to make players pick up a controller. There is certainly an attempt to evoke some sort of existential wonder, but it all comes across rather pretentious, especially when the game design as a whole just feels rather superficial.
Carto on Xbox One is one for the younger gamer, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing at all. It has the right vibe and presentation of a children’s book coming to life, and the whole setup of using puzzle pieces to bring a map together makes for an intuitive and engaging gameplay mechanic. While the game world and exploration within is a bit on the simplistic side, the puzzle design is still effective in what it achieves, both in the game design and in driving a meaningful narrative.
Switch 'N' Shoot on Xbox One is a neat idea and for the most part the single button premise and design has appeal and replay value, but in order to get used to the mechanic and pace, it does demand a considerable amount of effort. And so, unless you’re a seasoned veteran looking for a clever take on an Atari 2600 classic, then there’s really not much here to encourage players to stick around for the long term.
TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD on Xbox One definitely feels like a product of its time, both from a game design standpoint and especially in its true blue, albeit stereotypical, depiction of all things Straya, but it’s no dramas really. Back then and even now, with all the remastering bells and whistles in place, the game is far from being an absolute ripper of a platformer, but it’s still a gnarly beauty all the same.
Pumpkin Jack is both timely and welcome on Xbox One. As a Halloween-themed action platformer, it fills a niche and void nicely and delivers a brilliant adventure in its own right. From its great pacing, solid gameplay, and consistently engaging design with only a few minor annoyances, this is one spooky adventure that can potentially achieve cult status
Tears of Avia on Xbox One is the very definition of an underachiever. It feels unfinished in almost every regard, and the combat is functional at best but offers nothing compelling in terms of gameplay variety or depth. There is a tactical turn-based RPG at the core, but nothing about it is designed to reel a player in or make them want to stick around.
Ikenfell on Xbox One is a special release; one of those games that will be appreciated more in hindsight years down the line. Anyone willing to give it a chance in 2020 will find it to be one of the most unique and memorable RPGs of the year.
WARSAW on Xbox One is a welcome release even though there are no shortage of games set in World War II. From its strategic turn-based RPG combat, to the focus on characters within the backdrop of a war-torn Warsaw, this is a unique take on historical warfare, one that will leave you appreciating the worth of each individual life as they try to change the course of history.
For those of you who have been living under a rock or deep in the jungle for the last ten years, the Devil May Cry games feature a protagonist called Dante. And this is Dante when he was just effortlessly cool...
Summertime usually brings with it beer gardens, (the occasional day of) sunshine and music festivals. The latter being the chance to forget troubles of the real-world and just exist in a several day long party. But what if you annual pilgrimage to your festival of choice turns sour when say, the uninvited undead come and crash the party? Find out how you would cope in Dead Island 2: SoLA DLC, out now for Xbox, PlayStation and PC.
The final week of the Horizon Race Off dawns in Forza Horizon 5, yet as we prepare to bid farewell, there is a last hoorah in the shape of the Festival Playlist Weekly Challenges for Series 32 Spring.
Pull on your wooly pulleys as it is Winter in Mexico, and in the world of Forza Horizon 5 we all know what that means, right? Yep, more weekly Festival Playlist Weekly Challenge shenanigans to keep us entertained and racing hard through Series 32 Winter!
