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.
If you’re a deckbuilder convert who is looking for a fun distraction, a throwaway riff on your favourites, then you could do much worse. Rise of the Slime has some quirks in the side-scrolling and character movement, and just enough newness in the pet system. Just don’t be fooled by the presentation: it may look like this slime has its own personality, but most of it has been absorbed from other games.
The combat system and its associated mechanics are woefully under-developed, and the game’s tendency to use those very same mechanics in the platforming sections only emphasise the problems. Look for your high fantasy elsewhere. Mystic Fate is far too frustrating to be truly enjoyable.
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance is a good game; one that is enjoyable almost despite itself. The visuals are very old-skool - and that’s being kind - the animation is ropey and fights don’t ever feel balanced, but it still provides a decent amount of fun; all helped along by the story that unfolds
There’s no getting away from the fact that Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield is a very short game. Thankfully, it’s a truly enjoyable experience that will likely tempt you back to play more than once. It offers something different from the vast amount of games that are released in today’s market, and deserves full credit for it.
With a vast array of great point and click adventure titles launching over the past year or so, I think it’s safe to say, the age-old genre is ‘alive and kicking’. That’s not a phrase you could use to describe the protagonist in the latest of such offerings though, The Wardrobe: Even Better Edition. He’s a deceased and skeletal looking chap who’s on a mission to not only achieve redemption on behalf of a friend, but also to entertain you with old school problem solving. Does The Wardrobe: Even Better Edition manage to pay homage to its ‘90s inspirations and create an enjoyable experience for the modern gamer, or is there room to become even better?
Death Crown has style and originality pumping through its disgusting veins, and it’s not often that you get to say that about a real-time strategy game. Often the most clinical and militaristic of genres, Death Crown is ghoulish and characterful. Hell, the world-building is probably worth a recommendation on its own.
Flowing Lights is a game that demands planning in advance; these aren’t simply run and gun levels, they are puzzles that need to be solved. And it is having to adapt this mentality that makes Flowing Lights such a unique and fun experience.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is going to be the perfect game for some people and the most tedious of ones for others. Presenting a more directed take on the classic Minecraft structure, this succeeds at retaining that creativity while actively giving players something to work for and something tangible to do. But, more impressively, Builders 2 never feels like a pale imitation.
Subnautica: Below Zero is an excellently designed survival experience. It's a place where the most creative can utilise the tools that they find, going out, exploring and creating a whole world under the sea. It’s helped by a cracking story that sits perfectly alongside this adventure of a lifetime. Admittedly, initial moments are confusing, but once you get into the rhythm of things and understand the resource hunting, it all becomes second nature.
R-Type Final 2 is a very good shooting game in its own right, and having the history and background of the R-Type legacy makes it even better. There’s a lot to get involved in besides just shooting stuff, and the ability to unlock new ships that may suit your playstyle better is a big draw.
Rising Hell is a fun, challenging roguelite that is perfect for those with a full schedule. It’s not as expansive as some of the other roguelites available, but it’s still a great bit of fun and well worth a buy if you are looking for something new to try.
Cosmic Top Secret is a unique and novel way to use video games to create an experience that no book or documentary format could even come close to achieve. There’s a great deal to learn and discover in this adventure, and above all it presents a very raw and honest look into the very human lives of those who worked tirelessly and confidentially during a very unique period in history.
Karma. Incarnation 1 is a point-and-click as a petri-dish: full of bizarre organisms interacting with each other, and wiggling away or bursting as you prod at them. It’s fascinating to watch, and even better to listen to. But it’s when you try to play with it that it falters.
The charm and originality means that Buildings Have Feelings Too! is infectious to begin with, however it doesn’t take long for things to go awry. The control system fast becomes clunky and it’s certainly not a game that is as intuitive as it should be.
Glitchangels might not dazzle with its looks or soundtrack. It might occasionally feel like you’re trying to navigate a fireworks display. But for a penny less than a tenner, you are getting an extremely effective twin-stick shooter and two thumbs up. It’s a joy to control, incredibly more-ish, and it keeps tempting you with more ways to progress. If you’re hungry to play a new Geometry Wars, but are willing to take a hit on the presentation, then Glitchangels is manna from heaven.
