Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

Resident Evil has never been bigger with the overwhelming success of Resident Evil Requiem as well as the remakes and the hype buzzing around Zach Cregger’s new film reboot. So what happens when you try to be faithful to the games that started it all on a shoestring budget and a even more half-ass understanding of the source material then the Paul W.S. Anderson movies that came before?

Claire Redfield has returned to Raccoon City in search for her estranged brother Chris. Raccoon City is a near dead town overseen by the Umbrella Corporation. Chris, a member of the police’s S.T.A.R.S team is sent to investigate trouble in the Spencer Mansion in the Arklay Mountains while trouble begins in town. A sickness is spreading and Claire’s only companion is bumbling rookie cop, Leon Kennedy. Zombies, monsters, secrets-what is really going on in Raccoon City?

This movie frustratingly tries biting off more than it can chew by combining the stories of the first two RE games into one and fails pretty miserably at it. There are names and easter eggs galore from the games but none of it is implemented well. Chris is a smarmy pro Umbrella crybaby, Leon is a dumbass who only was only a cop because his daddy pulled strings, Wesker is a chilled out bro, and Lisa Trevors is a friendly ghoul secretly living in the orphanage. The shoestring budget is pretty apparent. The zombies, what very little their are, don’t even look like zombies, the monsters except for the licker look like they were ripped off of the sci-fi channel, and the city itself looks like a small town instead of a bustling city. There are a few great sets like the mansion and the police station that made me happy but feel really out of place. What makes this movie entertaining unfortunately is how unintentionally hilarious the movie comes across. There’s one scene Savior and I watched on repeat for almost twenty minutes because we couldn’t stop laughing- just watch the flaming zombie scene and thank us later. In the end, if you’re a die hard RE fan avoid this movie like the plague. If you want something to rip on with your friends and few beers, this is for you. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Street Fighter 2026 trailer

I admit I’m not a huge Street Fighter fan but I do enjoy playing here and there. I figured with the success of Mortal Kombat 2021 , this movie was certainly going to happen. Honestly, I liked what I saw more than I thought I would. The movie looks fun and the over the top. Even as a casual fan, I give the movie major props for trying to capture the look of the games. There’s a heavy 90’s vibe I honestly dig. In the end, I really like this first trailer and I hope it’ll be a rare good video game movie. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege PlayStation 5 Review

Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege was sent my way by Lillymo Games, and not only am I grateful they sent it, but I am also grateful that I decided to take a step out of my comfort zone and play this one. See, I love retro-style games, but I am not really a fan of Castlevania-style games. This one wears the Castlevania homage not only on its sleeve, but it also waves a huge flag for it.

That isn’t to say it is a rip-off of that game, not by a long shot. This isn’t even in just small ways; this game features full co-op from the moment you boot the game up. All 21 levels can be played with your friend. Fight all 7 bosses with your best friend sitting right next to you in old school couch co-op, chugging monster, and eating pizza just like your school days all over again.

While the game is done in 8-bit chiptune sound we love, and the NES graphics, many of us miss, there are some things you will want to be warned about. Many people who didn’t grow up playing games like this will want to be warned that when you die, you will be starting the game over again. This game is truly retro in many regards, including a password system. I won’t spoil what that does for you.

The controls are nice and better than I expected. Many of these games forget that while people love retro games, we don’t miss the stiff controls. While certain things do come with the graphics, things like input lag are not one of them. I feel like Saint Slayer does an amazing job of walking this line.

You may have noticed I still haven’t mentioned the story, and that is because, honestly, that is where the game is probably weakest. A long war has just ended, and your character has returned home just for that short peace to be shattered by an evil force he must now fight. It is very basic and been there, done that. While far from bad, it isn’t new or special. Saint Slayer Spear of Sacrilege is a must-play retro-style title, however. 9/10 for fans of this type of game, best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Sente Demo and Announcement Trailer OUT NOW

Experience the strategic depth of Sente, a simultaneous turn-based board game where every decision unleashes a cascade of electrifying reactions. Built for 1-6 players, this is the final battleground of humanity against AI supremacy. Check it out on Sente Steam now.

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance PlayStation 5 Review

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance Legacy of Kain: Ascendance was sent to me by the fine folks over at Crystal Dynamics, and I always like to give a shout-out to them and be up front with people when I get review copies of games.

The first thing you need to know, if you are new to the Legacy of Kain series, you can absolutely start here. The game starts as a prequel and assumes no knowledge of the other games in the series. You should also know that if you are a fan of the series, this one is a 2D side-scroller. It is fast-paced and has multiple playable characters, and you will see the story unfold in multiple chapters from different perspectives.

The game also has some choices in difficulties; for example, if you just want to see the story, it has a story mode that says you can’t die. I haven’t tested this, however. I doubt they would lie or lock the ending this way, but it has been done by companies before. The hardest difficulty is quite challenging.

The gameplay is exactly what you would expect, and changes depending on who you play as. Playing as a vampire, for example, lets you drain enemies of their blood and regain health if you are quick enough. On the flip side, touching any fire will damage you. Humans can set vampire characters on fire to destroy them.

Seeing how the Legacy of Kain series started is interesting for fans of the series, something I have never been. Worse, it seems to be more connected to the comic than the game series itself. While it isn’t a bad side scroller by any means, it is a very basic one. Fans of the series may enjoy it, but everyone else won’t really find much here. It is a 6/10 title that might be worth it on sale. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Tiny Bookshop Xbox Review

Tiny Bookhop was sent to me by Skystone Games, and I always appreciate it. Now there are cozy games, then there is Tiny Bookshop. If you don’t believe me, it is part of Game Pass. Try it. I don’t think I have ever been less stressed playing a game in my life. The concept is simple: you move to a town with a trailer to sell books from. You set up shop daily at a place of your choice, and people come and buy books. Occasionally, people will ask you for a recommendation. They tell you what they like and you help them choose from what you have in stock.

Occasionally, you will unlock new items to decorate your little bookshop, which will make people more likely to buy certain genres. Now these will change how much it costs you to keep the doors open, but honestly, between buying used books and my upkeep, I never felt like I was low on money or running out of books.

Do not misunderstand, none of this should be mistaken for me saying the game is easy and money is infinite. It is not; I found myself not buying things I wanted right away for obvious reasons, and there are plenty of people asking for help that you need to keep track of. It is a cozy game, not a boring game. There is plenty to do and keep you busy beyond selling books.

The real question you have to ask yourself before picking this one up, and I mean this honestly, is, do you care to spend your time relaxing, selling books? It is worth mentioning that you do not even have to run the cash register. Tiny Bookshop has truly mastered the art/ of a cozy shop sim, but how fun that is remains a real question. It is still an 8/10 experience. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Skautfold: Moonless Knight Xbox Review

Skautfold: Moonless Knight is a semi-open world game sent to me by Red Art Games. I find myself having a hard time truly describing this one. I feel like Soul Like gets tossed around far too easily these days, but I feel like not using the term also would be dishonest. With a system that relies heavily on your ability to guard and dodge, and will both punish and reward you for doing so. I would almost say the game may be unbeatable if you can’t manage these systems well.

The story, however, is still the main selling point here. You play as Gray, a 2nd Knight from Brittania. You are sent to aid in a negotiation in Japan that quickly goes badly when a cult that is well known to both sides decides now is the time to kill the Emperor. Your mission quickly becomes to aid the Dawn Empire in freeing the castle from the clutches of this evil cult and the magic they have trapped you all in.

Now, if you are looking for something new from this Metroidvania, you won’t really find it here. The combat, story, and graphics are all things we have seen in some capacity before, if I am being truly honest here. How many times have most of us shot a zombie or killed a Nazi in WW2, however? These things exist because they are fun and they work or challenge us. That is where Skautfolt: Moonless Knight shines. It takes all these things and puts them into a tight package you can enjoy at a nice $15 price point.

While the game will feel unfair to many in terms of difficulty, for those who enjoy a challenge, it offers a story worth seeing. It is a 7/10 title that could use a few tweaks, but is well worth the price asked. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Spiderman: Brand New Day trailer 1

Everything I’ve seen about BND felt too much. So far we’re getting Punisher, Hulk, Tarantula, Boomerang, Scorpion, Tombstone, the Hand, and maybe Jean Grey (?) plus other cameos and it looks very much like they’re doing the Man-Spider arc. I’ve seen many statements that they wanted to do a more street level spidey movie- cool. The Man-Spider stuff could also be really cool for a movie. Together I can’t help but feel its too much. The movie doesn’t look bad but after Thor: Love and Thunder and Captain America: Brave New World I’m really, really nervous about 4th MCU installments. I’m praying for Spidey. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Five years has passed since Cal Kestis resumed the Jedi path and began fighting against the Empire. He’s become a valued part of the resistance, but no matter what, the Empire is always one step ahead. Everything changes when he hears of the fabled planet of Tanalorr- a force sensitive planet thought untouchable, unreachable, the perfect haven for the Jedi. Unfortunately, Cal awakens a long dormant High Republic jedi obsessed with the world, who’s willing to do anything to find it. Can Cal reunite his friends and beat the odds while avoiding the dark side?

Survivor is a sequel in every sense, good and bad. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was one of my favorite games of the last console gen, almost a masterpiece. Survivor goes bigger, deeper, but not always for the best. Essentially the game feels like 2 different stories pressed together. Dagan Gera’s story in the first half didn’t really do much for me; I felt Dagan lacked the emotional depth of Trilla in the previous game. The later half, delivers a darker, more compelling story with a villain who not only challenges Cal on a combative level but a personal level, leading to pretty impactful finale (no spoilers on this villain’s identity). I seriously wished the rest of the game was just as powerful as the mid to endgame.

Gameplay is mixed. There’s more force powers which great expand combat in some fun was that are really epic. There are 5 lightsaber stances instead of 2, which vary gameplay style but I feel like dual wield and double bladed are the most OP options; if you max out dual wield, you can virtually become untouchable. I had to use the Kylo Ren crossgard saber for the biggest challenge on my first run. You can do partner attacks at certain points but I rarely used this feature, forgetting they were even there a lot of the time.

Rather than multiple worlds like the first game, we get less that are bigger and more open, including a hub world that unfolds like a typical souls map. I wasn’t a fan of this approach. The worlds of survivor mostly aren’t very interesting or memorable, except for a a few set pieces here and there. I hope you like desert biomes. The platforming feels less Prince of Persia and more cheap Zelda with a bunch of puzzle heavy temples that offer piss to no loot. Oh loot plays a big part of this game, but none of it really adds to much except skins. This big hub world is full of side quests that are predominately stale, generic fetch quests. I felt myself giving up on side missions pretty quickly every playthrough.

Sadly, I do have to say my experience wasn’t as flawless as Fallen Order’s. The previous game was a silky smooth ride. Survivor had some pretty hilarious bugs on my first playthrough, including a rock yeeting me into the sky. There’s also a fair amount of hard crashes I had that set me back a few times. Later play throughs were cleaner but still noticeable like playing with a invisible lightsaber for a while and falling through solid objects.

In the end, Survivor, despite my various complaints, is a solid game that could’ve been great. I feel like if it cooked another year, and dialed some things back it would’ve been much better. If you loved the first game and find it on sale, it’s worth checking out but keep your excitement in check. May the force be with you all.

Ereban: Shadow Legacy PlayStation 5 Review

Ereban: Shadow Legacy was sent to me by Baby Robot Games, and I always appreciate that. The story is very basic but intriguing; you play as the last known member of a race that can literally become one with the shadows. You can use these powers to either kill or simply hide from enemies and make your way through levels and discover what really happened to your people.

There are a few things I didn’t care for, but let’s start with what I liked. First off, as far as a port from a PC game goes, it was really well done. Playing on the base PS5, it was really well done. I never experienced any frame rate drops, and graphics maintained their beautiful cell-shaded look without popping in or out.

The game’s stealth is also really well done, to the point that it won’t allow you not to use it. Killing enemies must be done from stealth; if you try to just run in and stab someone, you will fail. The flip side of this is that the game makes the stealth controls and functions very well. I never felt like I was guessing if an enemy would see me or if I were in shadow.

As for the thing I didn’t like, well, for starters, the game might be 6-7 hour and this is without knowing where I was going. The dialogue also leaves much to be desired. It isn’t the worst I have heard, but it wasn’t great. None of that should be taken as the game is bad; I still had fun with it. It is a solid 7/10 that stealth and even platformer fans will want to pick up. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.