Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue isn’t a bad game, it’s just that others of a similar ilk, like Danganronpa, do the social thriller visual novel concept much better.
Dodgy menu system and an online community which is lacking numbers aside, should you be after a deep, highly detailed rally racer, WRC 10 is going to cover everything you want and need… and then some.
Surgeon Simulator 2 on Xbox has a few things going against it which will unfortunately put a lot of people off. Things such as a buggy launch and a high degree of difficulty for a starting point hinder it somewhat. If you can get over these stumbling blocks, there is a fair amount of variation in here.
Library of Ruina has an audience but I’m sure much of that audience would have already played it on PC. Deck-building games are insanely fun and addicting, doubly so for one with a great narrative as well, so if you're a fan of the genre it's a no-brainer to get involved. However if you're looking to just learn more about what these games bring, it’ll maybe be best to pass on this one till you've got a bit more experience.
Quake is a certifiable classic that hasn't aged a day and this remastering of all its original content is masterfully done. The console may not be the preferred place to play it, but it’s well done nonetheless and is still an incredibly worthwhile experience.
Rustler is a lot of fun, but the big decision you need to consider is whether or not that fun is for you and whether or not you can buy into the comedy references and mature humour offered. But away from that, Rustler makes a great attempt at taking influence from older games and using that to create something original.
We’re not going to be running around screaming about Ravva and the Cyclops Curse. It’s distinguishing feature, a series of beasts you can summon, are nothing more than four different attacks, and you’ll only use a couple of them. But what’s left is sturdy enough, somewhere between Mario and Megaman. This owl-based platformer won’t turn any heads, but it’s a minor hoot while it lasts.
Kitaria Fables is certainly not for everyone, but neither are donuts. Its visuals are mostly great, the music is a delight, and the story is charming. Sure the combat and quests are a grind, but if you enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes from completing lengthy tasks and you don’t have a gluten allergy, grab yourself a donut and give Kitaria Fables a try.
I mostly give Catlateral Damage: Remeowstered a hall pass. What Manekoware have coughed up here is so simple and immediately joyful. The moment you clamber onto a shelf with a row of vases in front of you, you feel that pang, that urge to rush at them, jamming RT to knock them down with your paws. And as they do synchronised dives to the ground, you feel a surge of happiness and want to do it all over again.
Bone Marrow is an affordable game and it does give an easy 1000G, but there are free games that have similar mechanics, and are far more enjoyable. It’s hard to recommend.
Rogue Explorer is a game I really did want to like. I liked the inclusion of the crafting system and I think it could’ve been developed into a really fun rogue-like, or at the very least a basic platformer. But the amount of quality control issues have just kept piling up.
Barry the Bunny can be completed in under two hours, especially if you are rushing through things. If you’re an achievement hunter then it does give you a quick 1000 Gamerscore, but I don’t think you’ll get much more joy out of it then that. There’s nothing wrong with the game per se, it’s just easy and a bit redundant after a while.
Tools Up! Garden Party doesn’t really do much to advance the repetitive gameplay of the original, or remedy any of its issues. However, it’s a generous package for the price, despite being the same game with a different skin on.
Whilst the farming part of Monster Harvest, the interacting with townsfolk and so on, is perfectly nice, relaxing to play almost, the whole Planimal thing is a bit of a faff; trying to get one to stay alive long enough to level up is a real challenge. The grind is real as well - believe me, you’ll need to chop a lot of wood and grow a lot of crops to make progress here.Â
The Artful Escape is well worth the wait. An exciting, well-acted feast for the senses, it does not disappoint. There are a couple of technical issues that need to be sorted, but on the whole, games this imaginative and enthralling don't come along very often.
