Game reviews – Page 2 – Savior Gaming

Demonschool Playstation 5 Review

DemonSchool from Developer Necrosoft Games and publisher Ysbryd Games is a tactical RPG, and proudly wears its Persona and Italian horror roots on its sleeve. Thankfully, they sent me a copy to check out.

The combat is interesting; unlike most of these games, you won’t simply be moving a few squares, choosing an attack, gaining levels, and learning new skills. Every character simply knows the attacks they will know. You, of course, can learn new skills throughout the game, but these work like buffs. Your healer learns to weaken enemies, or your attackers can learn to also stun enemies, things like that.

Killing enemies will see them explode into blood

The other interesting thing about the combat is that you move in directions, not to spaces. This may sound odd at first, but it works out very well and creates an interesting dynamic. This becomes even more true when you realize characters like Namako will move through a group of enemies, stunning them just to end up on the other side of them. Faye can then attack that same group and create a combination attack with Namako.

Bosses create an entirely new situation, however. They are all very large and have their own gimmicks to overcome. Many, if you stay in a certain zone for too long, will kill you in a single shot. This works in both directions, however, and trapping an enemy there will also kill them. Each boss has their own reason for existing and is part of the story attached to them.

Now you will notice I haven’t touched on the story yet, and that is intentional, as I don’t like to risk spoilers. You play as Faye, probably one of the only people left in the world who knows about a prophecy that demons will return to start the apocalypse. She journeys to this college on an island in an attempt to stop it. She teams up with Namako right away, another person with demon hunter blood in her family, despite her initial refusal. There are several tone shifts throughout the game, and they are all amazing.

The writing can be a bit cliché and silly at times, and it won’t be for everyone. The game, however, is a solid 8/10. The battles can be a bit redundant, but I enjoyed them. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master

JDM: Japanese Drift Master has finally come to Xbox after being long available on Steam, and Gaming Factory was nice enough to send me a copy to check out. First thing I have to say is the game is beautiful. There is just no way around that fact. The map is based on real-world Japan, and just driving around it, you can see the inspiration and even some real-world places. Just driving around, drifting for no reason, can be fun. The cars themselves are some of the best I have seen in a video game.

The story itself plays out in Manga-style cutscenes. Don’t worry if you have never read one; the game has a handy help system for that. This, I thought, was a nice touch and really just steered into the Japanese aesthetic. More games really need to do this, I think.

All of that truly doesn’t mean much if the controls aren’t good. As someone who isn’t huge on racing games but has played some, they are fantastic. You have two different modes to choose from. A more arcade-style for an easier beginner person, and a sim mode where pretty much all the help options are disabled. This makes the game more approachable for everyone.

Now, some of you may be wondering, does the game support steering wheels? The answer is no. It was designed for a controller and does not support steering wheels. This may be a deal breaker for some of you, and I understand that. I do find it odd myself, considering it is a single-player game and they don’t have to worry about someone having an advantage in multiplayer.

At the end of the day, it is a 9/10 racing game. Drift fans will love it, many of whom have long waited for their chance to play this game that has been trapped on Steam. Is it easy? No, there is a ton to learn and get used to. But it is beautiful and fun to play. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Duskpunk Steam Review

Duskpunk is inspired by tabletop games and is definitely a mature title, not because of its visuals, but because of the images that will spring to mind by the words on the screen. Sent to me by Clockwork Bird, this title is not for the faint of heart. It is both challenging and grotesque in how it plays how, and I mean this in the best way possible.

My first play-through saw me as a soldier, missing part of my memory nursing an injured leg that I would soon lose. Struggling to survive and even find food in a world at war that didn’t care. I won’t go too deep into specifics, but suffice it to say, even the clergy offered me drugs to help me get by and ease my suffering. Every choice is life or death at times, from gambling in hopes of gathering enough money to eat to choosing where to sleep.

There are some downsides, however, while the story is fantastic and every character I came across is interesting and well thought out, dice rolls can be brutal even on the easiest setting. The game seems to be built on making you fail since many even simple decisions require multiple dice rolls to succeed, but only one to fail. Even a small injury to a stat can be game-ending. I don’t say this to discourage anyone, but gathering resources while racing against the clock and fighting dice rolls won’t be for everyone. After multiple play-throughs, I am still enjoying the game, but I can understand why some people would not.

This is one of those games that fans of this genre need to check out. For example, if you enjoyed Citizen Sleeper, you will likely enjoy this as well. However, if you don’t like games like this, I don’t see this being the game that changes your mind on the genre. At a price point of $20, it is an 8/10 that fans of the genre should’t miss. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Skyformer Early Acess Review

Skyformers is a game where you play as a robot, sent to an inhospitable world by your creators to terraform it to their liking. It was also sent to me by a solo developer, Weatherfused, which is always appreciated.

The premise is quite simple. You build small things to mine things like iron, and small factories turn that iron into something usable, and drones to take that iron from the mine to the factory. You can then use that iron to make other things that will keep your little robot alive, or help you mine other resources and build bigger and better things, and that will help you make the planet more livable for the creators that sent you.

This obviously doesn’t make the game easy. Terraforming a planet is a nightmare in theory, and doing it in a game logistically, while much easier, still requires you to think through the process in great detail. The number of times I forgot something simple, which brought my entire system to a grinding halt, is more than one.

The art style is also nice; it’s cute and simple, but it won’t drag your PC down trying to run it. I appreciate this because it seems like everyone is busy seeing if something can be done as opposed to asking if it should be done. This art style serves this type of game well. Watching the storms roll through my base was still a treat.

Another nice little treat, the lack of having to deal with all the damn belts. It’s nice to have a futuristic game that lets me just fly materials around instead of messing with conveyor belts.

Normally, I would list some bad things about the game here, and I am happy to do so. But honestly, they are really more about my preferences. For example, if you build things up too high in altitude, according to some reviews, they get destroyed once you get so far along in the forming process. I didn’t experience this, but the game should really mention that. I also hate that I can’t simply teleport between ground level and my little air station directly. I understand why from a story point, but it is still annoying.

More importantly, I never experienced any weird crashes or bugs, and while the game may not be as fun as, say, Factorio to me, it is definitely more user-friendly. It is also a 7/10 experience, and fans of the genre will probably find it worth the $18. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Pigeon Simulator Xbox Review

Pigeon Simulator on Xbox is an interesting game sent my way by the people over at TinyBuild. I always love working with them and appreciate the game. The concept is built on the joke conspiracy theory that pigeons aren’t real and are essentially government spy cameras. To build on this, you play as a pigeon that works as a government agent who protects the world from supernatural threats.

Yes, those books are flying, yes, they are dangerous. No, you can not read them.

After a quick tutorial on how to spot these ghostly threats and how to deal with them, for example, how to poop on them or how to use gadgets to lower the chaos meter, the game thrusts you into missions to find haunted objects to bring back to a specific spot to earn money as a reward. This money is used to buy upgrades or items to help in missions. Speaking of future missions, once you fail a mission, everything resets.

The game functions decently enough, the controls aren’t great, and neither are the graphics, but they also aren’t bad. It is all just average. There are just a few things you need to know when playing this game. First, don’t bother playing it solo. It can be done, but it is not fun, by any measure of the definition of fun. You will need at least one friend to find any real enjoyment here, but preferably at least two.

The second thing you need to know, this entire game’s existence is really just based around the idea that you and your friends are going to screw around, collect objects, and have a good laugh. If you and the group you play with are the type to take everything super seriously, you probably will not have a good time. Not that taking games seriously is wrong by any means, that just isn’t what this game is made for. You are a pigeon crapping on people and using a grappling hook to haul haunted objects to an extraction point. Clearly, this isn’t a game made for serious people.

Is it worth $15? For some people, it will be. With the right friends, there is some fun to be had here; it is a decent 6/10 title. Just be aware that, without friends to play with, the game is best avoided. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel Playstation 5 Review

Before I get too far into my review, I do have to give a huge shout-out to Grindstone for tossing me a PS5 copy of Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel to enjoy. The game has been out for a bit, but they still threw me one. There is a huge update coming out on December 4th to the PC and Console versions called The Fall of Alfheim. It will add all sorts of new things, such as a new realm, a new god, and even a new class. If all that wasn’t enough to give you a hint, the game is fantastic. But keep reading anyway, I worked hard on this.

The first thing to know is that the game has a story; you can absolutely ignore it. Just like in all these horde survival games, one exists but there are bare bones. This time around, I actually suggest paying attention to it. It takes place in a dark Viking underworld, and you battle your way through mountains of enemies with the help of Norse gods. Each god offers up special powers and perks, such as Thor lending you Mjolnir and lightning powers. Each run unlocks stones you can use to unlock new powers from the gods, or permanent upgrades from them that apply to all of your characters.

These same stones can also be used to apply upgrades or unlock new powers for specific characters. I personally would wait to do this until you discover your favorite, as the god powers are far more universal and helpful until you decide who you want to spend more time with. While there are an infinite number of upgrades you can unlock, this does take time.

Won’t pretend the kinslayer isn’t badass and my favorite

Each level has multiple difficulties and its own set of modifiers you can unlock. This leads to a ton of replay value, and once you unlock insane difficulty and all the modifiers, you can practically customize your experience anyway you choose. Want enemies to return from the dead? Feel free. Want to act like a coward and make runs super easy? There is a modifier for that. (Seriously it calls you out for it)

Unlike many of these games, it isn’t as simple as surviving for 10 or 15 minutes. The goal isn’t to survive a set amount of time at all; the timer is actually a countdown. You have that amount of time to complete a set number of missions and summon the boss. (Don’t worry, once he is summoned, you can fight it as long as you need to.) This is a nice change of pace from the usual setup.

Truly, if I had any complaints about this game, it’s that unlocking the actual weapons for everyone is a huge hassle, and half of the outfits are locked behind DLC. This wouldn’t be so bad if there were more outfits, but there is such a limited number that I feel forced to buy them if I want anything other than a very basic look. This doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the game; the outfits have no real purpose outside of cosmetics, but I am pretty sure I will never try the majority of the weapons because of how big of a hassle it is to unlock new ones.

Is the game worth buying? Absolutely. It is still a 9/10 experience, one of the few must-buy games of this genre I have played. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

The Spell Brigade Steam Review

The Spell Brigade was kindly sent my way by Bolt Blaster Games and is an online co-op survival horde game. Think Vampire Survivors with magic and wizards. You can unlock a few different little wizards and dress them in fun, different outfits. Don’t worry, this is done by doing things in-game. You won’t be harassed by a dozen different pop-ups when you start the game, screaming buy our premium currency. In my first run, I unlocked two new outfits, and I wasn’t even sure how to play.

The gameplay itself is simple to learn, so simple in fact, you walk around and let your wizard kill things while you collect experience. As you level up, you can learn new spells and passive abilities. Which you choose is completely up to you, of course. I did find some are better than others. Especially when objectives start to pop up. These were simple things, sometimes like finding and killing a specific enemy, and others it was to roll these balls to a location before time expired. I hated that one. Nothing truly bad happens if you fail; you just lose out on some experience.

From a functional standpoint, I never ran into any issues. Playing with random people was simple; I never got disconnected, for example. Graphically, the game is solid and free from any glitches, and the sound is about what you would expect for a game that costs $10. My only real issue is, I never found the game to be fun. It was a pretty slow pace, and the enemies just sort of felt the same. Except for the rampaging bulls that occasionally come across the screen, and when they do, your only real option is to find a gap they leave or die almost instantly when they hit you. This feels like a pretty cheap mechanic for a game such as this.

I will add this caveat to my review. I am in the minority with this opinion. With almost 10 thousand reviews on Steam, it is sitting at very positive reviews, and while I did not enjoy my time with the game, most other people do. The game is a 6/10 for me, but don’t take my word for it. Try the demo out before making a choice. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Anima Gate of Memories: I & II Remastered Playstation 5 Review

Anima Gate of Memories: 1 and 2 remastered is one of those series that, when they were originally released back in 2016, I didn’t get to experience. Anime Project was nice enough to send me a copy to check out, which is always appreciated.

The games themselves are action RPGs, but I use the term very loosely. You have a health, stamina, and magic bar; you gain stats and levels occasionally, and weapons do increase your stats, for example. You won’t, however, be grinding out levels the old-fashioned way.

The game itself has gotten some nice visual upgrades, and the characters, along with the backgrounds, have all received extensive work. You can see that the attention paid really shows they cared about this project. The controls have been revamped as well; they are fluid and feel nice, mostly. There are a few platforming parts that just feel wrong. Worse, being attacked by enemies during them is beyond frustrating. Nothing feels worse than falling down a pit and losing a bunch of health due to poor game design.

The story in games like this is honestly what makes or breaks it. There is nothing new here, and that’s fine because it isn’t a new game. The story of 2 linked beings is always interesting when done right, and this time it was done right. I loved the start, having to chase the Red Lady, only to discover your friend may not have been your friend after all. Her ritual leads to even more questions that truly just keep the ball rolling into more questions than answers.

Now all these questions are eventually answered, but discovering those answers isn’t easy; however, they are worth it.

The real question is, would this game be worth it for everyone, and my answer is honestly no. If you like this sort of game, it is worth the $30. Most people, however, will want to wait for a sale, if at all. There are simply better games. It is a 6/10 experience for those who don’t get the nostalgia boost. Fans of the original.l however, will love it, admittedly. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Dark Quest 4 Playstation 5 Review

Dark Quest 4 has just been released on PlayStation, and Brain Seal was nice enough to send me a copy to check out. I always appreciate this, and after spending some time with this one, I have some pretty mixed feelings about it.

Let’s get started with what the game is. It is a turn-based strategy game based on the Hero Quest board game. The game does a fantastic job of showing this from the very start. The story is told in such a way that you feel like a dungeon master is walking you through the entire thing. You build your party from pre-set adventurers, and can even have a friend join you in couch co-op.

Each party member feels differently; they all have their own ideals and reasons for fighting. The camp itself is even set up in such a way that it truly feels like one would expect a forward camp to feel as you make your way through Gulak’s evil horde.

As you make your way through a dungeon, your characters are moved as if on a board; if you ever played a game of Dungeons and Dragons, you know what I mean. Some characters are better at avoiding traps, for example, and the more speedy characters can quickly outpace slower ones. Slow-moving characters are usually able to tank more hits; however, your wizards can deal more damage but are quite easy to kill. All of this sounds fantastic, and it is really well put together.

The story playing out in a sort of storybook manner is also a great addition to the game. I loved listening to it play out as it was being written on the pages. I truly wish more games would take this approach. The game, however, has some areas where it just quickly became less fun to play.

For example, I found myself dreading exploration. My characters are taking turns while no enemies are around is fine on smaller maps, but on larger maps, this is time-consuming. To make matters worse, when every enemy is dead, I now have to slowly move every character to the stairs to move to the next level.

Having to re-equip potions after each time I delve into the dungeons also serves no real purpose. It adds nothing to the gameplay and doesn’t respect my time or effort.

The game is an ok 6/10, I didn’t hate my time with it, and it does a lot of things right. But I can think of better games to spend $20 on. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed, but I don’t see this one making new fans either. I won’t steer people away from buying it; it has very positive reviews on Steam and is sitting at just over 4 stars on PS5. Fans will be happy, as I said, but people getting into it will want to wait for a sale. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Painkiller Playstation 5 Review

Painkiller on PlayStation 5 is a new shooter from Saber Interactive that I have thought very hard about how to describe without saying “Doom with multiplayer.” Then I sat down with @torstenvblog because Saber was kind enough to send me a couple of codes, since you can play with the game’s bots (and they are very good on the normal difficulty), it is a multiplayer experience. Between the two of us, we really could not think of a better description than Doom with multiplayer.

The movement is crisp and clean; it feels great to slide through a pile of demons, then leap into the air and blast a bunch with my weapon of choice for the raid. This changes because I haven’t found one yet that doesn’t feel viable. The shotgun just showers guts and gore everywhere, and one of its alternative firing modes essentially forces enemies away, and at higher levels, they many times simply explode.

Graphically, the game stands toe-to-toe with many of the AAA titles I have played this year. The game is beautiful on PS5. Each nephilim is especially full of detail and is a horror to behold. The thralls ( the name for the common demons on the levels) themselves are also full of small details that you simply don’t find in most games. There is one that just runs up to you and explodes, and for a brief second, you can see him pulsate and see his insides before he attempts to kill you.

The game isn’t perfect; however, I did run into the occasional slowdown and even got booted from a game when playing online. This wasn’t anything insane or even common enough for me to not play or trash the game, but it did happen enough for me to feel the need to mention it, and Torsten playing the tutorial did enter the menu and became stuck there and was forced to exit the game and force close the entire game. (This did allow him to skip that portion of the game, however, so pro tip)

If somehow you are asking if I recommend the game still, I do. I am still having a blast with it, and I still haven’t finished leveling up the weapons the way I would like. It is a 8/10 experience. It truly is the best parts of Doom, with friends. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring yoy glory.