Tag: gaming

Monster Cuisine Steam Play Test Thoughts

Monster Cuisine is set to release sometime in 2027, and Team Machavelli was nice enough to let me in on a current playtest. Please realize that everything I am about to say and describe is subject to change and is far from being finished. With that being said, the playtest does leave me with a lot to be excited about.

The game starts with you dropping a ton of money (apparently) to buy a franchise so you can sell monsters as food, or so you thought. Turns out it is just regular food named after monsters. Beef sold as minitour legs, if you will. This does not sit well with our hero, though he hilariously plays it off as if he were joking.

The game manages to take itself both seriously and not seriously at the same time in this regard. You will quickly find yourself going out on hunting trips, and this is where I found the game was at its best. The combat is fluid and feels pretty nice. I never felt like I was fighting against the mouse or keyboard, and this is big for me because I prefer a controller.

The next stage is cooking up the critters you kill. This is done in stages, and it is pretty in-depth. It isn’t as simple as tossing a goblin on the grill and feeding people. You will be following a recipe book, cutting and crushing things, etc. This isn’t hard, but I do think it needs a little work to be more intuitive at times. If there is a weak link in the gameplay, this is it. However, if this is the weak link, we are still getting a damn good game.

Finally, your next step is to open your tavern. This may actually be my favorite part because you get to actually run the tavern. You will be pouring drinks and making food to fulfil orders, for example, and the controls to do so work well and aren’t needlessly complicated. It is also a nice touch being able to watch your sprite just slide stuff down the bar like he is in a movie or something.

Obviously, I won’t be giving Monster Cuisine a score since this was only a play test. This one still has plenty of time to cook with a 2027 release date on the horizon, but an action RPG that lets you hunt monsters to craft new weapons and armor, create food, and run a business that functions this well in playtest is worth waiting for. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Time Break Chronicles Steam Review

Time Break Chronicles on Steam is far from new; in fact, the Steam page says it entered early access on September 1st, 2020. That’s a long time for a game to be in EA, and even longer for a turn-based RPG. So I asked Warrior General Games if they would hook me up with a copy so I could play it, and they were nice enough to do it, so huge shout-out to them.

The first thing you will notice is that the graphics are that old throwback sort of pixelated SNES style, and they have that turn-based combat as well. Now, if you know me, I am a sucker for exactly this, but I will also come down hard on a game for doing this badly because, honestly, it isn’t hard to do. Happily, it is done very well, with my only real complaint being if you are one of those people who insist you will only play with your favorite people and not with what classes work, you may have a hard time. The game has probably around 100 people; I have not unlocked them all, or even most of them, to be honest. But you will find some more useful than others.

The hub is essentially a city within the void you play the game in, which is a nice touch. All your runs start here basically, and you can get your team ready to go here, upgrade all sorts of things, and build your town. Everything you would hope a hub for a roguelike would have is here.

The only real issue I have with the game is the music. It is super repetitive, but admittedly, as of October 2nd, there was an update that did improve it, and the game leaves early access soon I do need to stress something very important. Most of the game is currently available in EA, with only a couple of things left to add, and that final piece of major content to add is the music. However, as I always say, you don’t get credit for what will or could be, only what is. The game is currently an 8/10 title and is $15 on Steam. The price will go up when it leaves EA, so buy it now if you enjoy turn-based RPGs. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Hellraiser: Revival Playstation 5 Review

So first and foremast, insanely huge thanks to Saber Interactive for granting us access to the game. This particular game was the game I’ve been most excited for all year. As a longtime fan of Clive Barker’s writing, The Hellbound Heart, Hellraiser, and Hellbound: Hellraiser 2  I was incredibly pumped to see Barker’s world unfolded of pain and pleasure in game form.

We play as Aiden Lynch, a dude who simply loved a girl. Convict, addict, Aiden never felt whole until he met Sunny, who seemed to share his need for pain and desire as well as her own inner darkness. During a night of BDSM play, she brings out the box, summoning the Cenobites. Sunny is torn apart and whisked away to the mysterious Labyrinth. Now Aiden must not only face a deadly, sadistic cult devoted to the enigmatic Cenobites but face never-ending depravity and torture to save the woman he loved. Can Aiden survive and free Sunny from hell itself or will he give in to the darkness of Levithan?

Ok, much like Terminator: Resistance and Alien: Isolation, the love and attention to detail for the source material is incredible. The labyrinth, the Cenobites, the creatures, Levithan are all captured beautifully. The game uses its IP to the fullest extent, and respects it in ways so few games do. Doug Bradley triumphantly returns to voice the iconic Hell Priest, Pinhead, and is still spine chilling in his line delivery. The game’s strongest feat is making you feel on edge, whether it’s being chased by the gruesome Chatterer through the mazes of the Labyrinth, or roaming through the smoky, vulgar sex clubs fronted by the cult. Seriously, full disclosure, this game holds nothing back in terms of sex and violence- totally understand why this game nearly got the dreaded A rating.

As for gameplay, it’s very akin to Resident evil 7 and Dying Light in terms of melee combat. The box adds a lot in terms of abilities and puzzle solving. The box grants you telekinesis, pyrokinesis, and can summon chains as a ultimate attack. Combat is most fun using the box and strategically wiping out crazed gimp and hell beasts. I appreciate that the game is about creativity and never gives you too much to work with but never fully leaves you dry. I will say, I wish weapons weren’t so flimsy. Melee weapons feel like they’re made of glass so you have to use them sparingly. Aiden himself practically feels like he too is made of glass; god love you if you get set on fire. A few times I was annoyed and wished I had some kind of armor or the weapons lasted longer. Overall, it was still mostly fun to play throughout.

The game had a few clipping issues and a few funny glitches at times but meanwhile played well. During a ten hour hour playthrough, I had just 1 hard crash and only really noticed a couple laughable glitches. My biggest complaint that had nothing to do with skill (because I fully admit I sucked at this game) is the inventory system. I get having to worry about space for weapons and health. I hated having to factor in treasure. The real killer has the oddly huge size of the ammo boxes. I don’t see why a box of ammo should take up nearly as much space as 9MM, SMG, or a damn bear trap. Inventory layout is borrowed from Resident Evil 4 but I can’t lie, I felt it was unneeded enemy in the game.

In the end, I had a lot of fun with Hellraiser: Revival. It’s a good, shorter horror game that doesn’t wear out it’s welcome and it’s a hell of a treat and love letter to an incredible horror writer and his most iconic work. I’d absolutely recommend it with full warning; it’s not for the faint of heart. It is an 8/10. Thanks again to Saber for sharing it with us. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Lostbound Steam Review

Lostbound was sent to me by Tambu Games, which I always appreciate. In many ways, this budget title ( only $7) plays a lot like old Zelda titles. You simply walk around, enter dungeons, find some keys, kill enemies, blow some stuff up with bombs, kill a boss, and hopefully leave with a new relic. Each relic grants you some sort of new bonus to an ability or stat, etc.

Fighting, however, is done in a sort of side-scrolling game, which works very well. Now you may be asking, what is the catch? Every roguelike nowadays seems to have one. Well, the catch is quite literally you if you aren’t both quick and careful. See, every so often, a giant black hand will try to drag you into the abyss and try to end your run early. This might be because you backtracked over the same spot again or took too long in a dungeon.

I would say don’t worry, but you probably really should. See, while the hand isn’t exactly something you need to constantly worry about, it is something you need to be aware of for sure. Being careless can cost you the run.

Truth be told, I can’t really complain about this game. It looks nice enough for a game in its price range, and it functions very well. The only thing is, I can’t really say it does anything well either. It is the sort of game you can enjoy for a while, then just sort of let it go. It is a 6/10 title that you will enjoy for a while and is worth the price, but I don’t see it being anyone’s favorite either. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Ashfield Hollow Steam Demo Review

Ashfield Hollow is an upcoming zombie game, and if you had to describe what it is, the simple answer is just yes. Can you grow crops? Yes. Kill zombies? Yes. Want to go fishing or craft some stuff? Yes. See, the demo is still probably easily 10 hours of content or so, with the full game supposed to be released around Q1 of 2027, but don’t let that stop you from checking this thing out now.

Now, I will be clear: Bitquest Studio did hook me up with a copy of this demo, but as far as I can tell, it isn’t any different from what you guys can download off Steam. The game has basically everything you could want, to the point that my thought was that something has to be either badly done or it has to mesh very badly.

This is where I was wrong. Everything in the game really feels like it has weight to it. Growing food is important for your very survival, and with Camp Ashfield being one of the last places left for humanity, the decision to leave it and search for supplies will also be a decision to carefully consider.

At the same time, I never really felt overwhelmed. The game does a good job of introducing things in a way you can get started on, but doesn’t overwhelm you. This game is for people who enjoy games like Stardew Valley, but don’t have the time to learn Project Zomboid. Ashfield Hollow gives you a great mix of the two, at least the demo makes it seem that way. As many of you know, I don’t score demos, but the full game is one I hope to come back and give you a full review of. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

No More Room in Hell 2 PlayStation 5 Review

No More Room in Hell 2 was sent my way by Green Name Room Publishing, and I truly appreciate it. The game itself looks solid, but there are better ones out there, and admittedly, while the pathfinding could use a bit of work, the sound and weapons are very nice. The reason we all play these games is to kill zombies, and there are plenty to go around for the up to 8 people on each map.

This is the unique part of No More Room in Hell 2: while there is permadeath, you will lose your responder. See, you have two different types of levels: responder and account. The account level unlocks permanent passive perks and loadouts. These never go away and can be used by any responder you recruit. When you lose a responder, however, they are gone forever. This changes depending on the difficulty level. On easy and normal, they are truly only gone if the party gets wiped out, but higher than that, any death sees them killed without a certain item.

The 8 players will all start at different points on the map and simply raid the place for supplies, kill zombies, and do assorted side missions before extracting. Now, you can skip much of it and simply speedrun everything, but the supplies are how you advance most of your experience.

Now you may have noticed I haven’t said much about this game in a negative way, and it is because I don’t have a lot of bad things to say. The big one is that some of the hitboxes on the zombies can seem a bit iffy, most notably while using melee weapons. The worst part, however, is if you don’t have at least a couple of friends to play with; playing with random people is going to be super hit-and-miss. Some people can be very greedy and will simply watch you die when they could easily save you. However, when you find a good group, the game can be magical for a time. Until you find yourself repeating missions /within missions over and over again. The game is still a 7/10 and worth the $30 in my opinion, if you like zombie games. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

The Torn Lands await you in DROVA II! (Reveal trailer – all platforms)

The Divinities have been freed. Discover the Torn Lands that the Mist revealed. An all-new world to explore. New Factions to join. On which side will you make your stand?

Developer Just2D and Publisher Deck13 Spotlight are proud to announce Drova II – Torn Lands, the sequel to the indie smash hit Drova – Forsaken Kin. The time has come to return to the Otherworld as the Dark Fog seems to be gone. The magic has returned to Drova, but a dangerous wound remains… a ravine that splits the lands in two. An unknown threat lingers in the depths.

Drova II – Torn Lands offers exactly what players would expect from a worthy successor: an open world that is slightly larger but similarly detailed, an improved and expanded combat system, two new factions, more decisions to influence the story, all new cultures to get to know, and the very same approach: no quest markers. No Bullshit. The philosophy is the same: With every design decision, the premise is to take the player seriously.

Building upon this philosophy, the mission for Drova II – Torn Lands was clear: Improve upon the strengths, iron out what wasn’t perfect yet, and deliver an experience that players will remember even after years have passed. A true classic.

The Divinities are free – the world is not!

The Divinities have been freed after the events of Drova – Forsaken Kin. The Dark Fog is gone. A ravine is dividing the land. It winds its way not only through the parched earth, but also through the minds of those living in the Otherworld. There are shadows in the dark. An unknown threat. Will those who live be prepared for what is about to come? Two factions, each built around their Divinity. It is up to you whom you will join: Will you choose to follow the Bear Mother or will you join the ranks of the Great Ram?

Cultures are clashing; tension is rising. You have to decide at some point. And decisions will influence how the world is shaped. Your decisions will make an impact on how quests turn out and on how the story unfolds.

Decisions will eventually lead to fights you cannot avoid. But that’s a given, as the Otherworld, while freed from the Dark Fog, is still a dangerous place with well-known and new monsters roaming in the wilderness. The beloved combat system has been improved and expanded, offering more choices, even more unique combat styles and well-iterated mechanics.

Drova II – Torn Lands has been announced for PC and Consoles. It stays true to the philosophies of its predecessor while improving upon the strengths in every aspect. More details about the ambitious Action RPG will be released in the coming months. Drova II – Torn Lands is supported by the Games Fund Germany and the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space.

New Forge of the Fae Trailer reveals that its mystical Celtic world arrives in… (PC/XB/SW 1|2/PS4|5)

What once was a fairy tale for children, has become a dark reality. And this March, Forge of the Fae, the story-rich pixel JRPG from Datadyne LLC, will unleash the world of the Fae.

What awaits you in Forge of the Fae? Join Fiora and her friends as they set off on a journey to solve a series of mysterious disappearances. Explore a mystical world inspired by 19th-century Ireland, but be warned: your decisions will influence what the future holds. You might even awaken an ancient threat…

The newly released trailer marks an important milestone, not only because it reveals when players can finally start exploring the Celtic-inspired world, but also because developer Datadyne LLC and Publisher Deck13 Spotlight have worked hard to bring this adventure to life over the last five years.

Classic Turn-Based Combat, Exploration and Puzzle-Solving

Inspired by classic JRPGs, Forge of the Fae combines strategic turn-based combat with exploration, puzzle-solving, and character-driven storytelling. Players will be challenged to master the “ARC Crystal” system, which offers versatile, customizable spells and abilities, and the “Adrenaline” system, adding depth and excitement to combat. Alongside the action, environmental puzzles, secrets, and optional discoveries scattered throughout the world encourage exploration and reward players with powerful items and hidden lore.

Forge of the Fae will release in March 2027 for XBOX One, Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and GOG. A free demo is available through Steam. Wishlist the game now on Steam and GOG!

Alpha Nomos PlayStation 5 Review

Alpha Nomos is a roguelike with a musical twist. This one was sent my way by Iphigames IKE. The concept here is simple. You play as Cello, and you and her friends will fight to the music and kill magical puppets time and time again as you attempt to do, well, something. I like to be honest with you guys, and this review won’t change that. I am not good at this game.

The combat is heavily based on your ability to time your attacks to the beat of the music, and this is not something I am good at. The game does give you many tools to get better at this, and in the end I became better. This does not mean I was good enough to complete the game; I did not. I can’t tell you much about the story.

Here is what I can tell you. The game looks great. I love the graphics in the game. The characters are cute, and getting to know these charming little people is fun. The music is also well done, and it needs to be in a game whose entire gimmick is fighting to the music. Speaking of fighting to the music, the weapons are all based on musical instruments; for example, the starting “knives” are basically xylophones like the colorful ones kids play with. The second weapon I unlocked was a sort of saxophone sword, which was super cool and fun to use.

The upgrades are also interesting; many didn’t do me much good because they reward you for things like having good timing with the music, but I enjoy that they reward you specifically for being good at what the game is, and when I was able to time it right, the combinations became insane quite quickly. One I put together increased my damage for properly timing my attacks and dodges in such a way that I was in time with the music, while my weapon upgrade also increased my attack for doing a certain combo that ends in a special attack. My final upgrade attached a sort of sticky grenade that did AOE damage with each special. When I got it to work, it was devastating to enemies and bosses alike. Alpha Nomos isn’t for everyone; for example, people like me with 0 musical talent, and might be tone deaf. Those who are good at this sort of thing, however, can look forward to an amazing experience. Do not let my lack of skill dissuade you from what should be a great experience. 8/10, I will let this game beat me again. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Legion Breaker Steam Review

Every so often, I get offered a game, and I think, this looks awesome. So I greedily accept it, start playing, and I wonder, “wtf is this?” for the first 10 minutes. Legion Breaker did this to me, and I can’t thank Baffled Engineer enough. See, I spent 10 minutes wondering why anyone thought being a lone wizard tossing magic at waves of enemies and dying quickly as your life points slowly ticked away would be fun.

I then spent hours playing it, choosing upgrades carefully. Watching as I gathered spearmen and archers. Somehow, I recruited a dog and gained earthen walls.

My lone wizard chucking a single spell was now a small army holding off a horde of enemies; my meager life points that quickly ran out were now enough to manhandle an army of the undead. That single spell now also called down lightning and threw a fireball to burn my enemies to a crisp. All for only $7. What started as 10 minutes of me wondering why I agreed to play this became an obsession with seeing what the next boss looked like or if I could max out the tech tree.

This kind of brings me to my only real issue. You could unlock everything in probably 8-10 hours, but you can see all the enemies in much less, not counting the final boss. After a certain point, the enemies are simply the same enemies, and even the new enemies are simply the bosses turned into smaller regular enemies. Just a little more variety here would have gone a long way and turned an amazing game into probably the perfect game in the price range.

The game is still a 9/10 title, but it was damn close to getting that perfect score I have never given away. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.