Book Preview

As many of you know myself and @torstenvblog like to spend our time writing and watching horror movies. He hasn’t really put much up here in the last year or two because he has been hard at work writing another book. ( There is a link to his first The Flies Inside as well as my own at the bottom)

He did however send me a copy of it, which unknown to him I finally got around to finishing. It is only a beta version and he was editing earlier parts as I read later parts and others gave him feedback.

I won’t pretend it is the greatest thing I ever read, I won’t even try to convince anyone it is top 10. It is an unfinished book that still needs quite a bit of editing after all. What I will say is the potential for a great book is definitely there.

The story revolves around Pinstriker, a youth that has had a less than steller life and is about to get some special powers that won’t be making it any easier. As he struggles to come to terms with his new life in what I can only describe as a world that has undergone some sort of apocalypse I assume Pinstriker will be dragged into a brutal life of death and destruction.

Now I know you can find most of that on Netflix, but much of how it is done is what made it so interesting. One of the characters, Sid, is essentially a humanoid duck with superpowers and no not like Howard the Duck. Think a human that had duck-like features forced on him.

That is just a small preview of a book I read that has a long way to go before it is officially released, but has a ton of potential as well. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-flies-inside-torsten-v/1138929829?ean=9780578858821

https://a.co/d/cQB2rFf Ghost Stories of America

https://a.co/d/cRWBQaI More Ghost Stories of America

Final Fantasy 16 Review

It took me awhile to play this one honestly, I usually pick the Final Fantasy games right away, but sadly life got in the way for this one. But damn if it wasn’t worth the wait.

The game starts out with you training to be your brother Joshua’s shield as he was chosen by Phonix to be what they call a dominant and have the ability to summon it. This has made you very unliked by your mother, even if your brother is pretty sickly it seems.

This opening prologue which is as long as many games entire chapters sets you up well. It teaches you the basics of combat and how to use your powers. It also sets the story in motion letting you know about some sort of issue killing the land known as the “Blight” that won’t be explained in detail until later chapters. To make matters worse there is a huge war being fought by numerous parties.

Final Fantasy 16 is also a much more mature iteration than games have been in the past, with foul language and blood everywhere at times. It is actually quite nice to see the emotional reaction of Clive having lost everything screaming obscenities. This is exactly what we see and hear in the prologue chapter as Clive witnesses the death of his brother at the hands of Ifirit and the destruction of his home before being taken away as essentially a slave solider.

The world of FF16 is very complex and beautiful, watching two summons try to kill each other is a treat, and seeing wild Chocobo run around the open fields is amazing. I usually go kill them for experience but its a great sight all the same.

The game isn’t perfect. The side-quests are mostly just busy work most notably early on and the combat while beautiful feels shallow much of the time, almost like a toned-down Final Fantasy 14 with some basic attacks and dodges thrown in.

All in all Final Fantasy 16 is a great addition to the series one I am not surprised most fans seemed to enjoy. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Over Horizon X Steel Empire’ Out Now! (PS4/Switch)

 Ready to save the galaxy? Over Horizon X Steel Empire is out now digitally on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4!

In this bundle, players will get to relive Steel Empire in the original Sega Mega Drive and Gameboy Advance versions, and play Over Horizon in its first ever global release!

Considered one of the best games on the NES, Over Horizon is one you can’t miss out on. Upgrade and combine your weapons in the space adventure retro shooter, Over Horizon, while you battle massive bosses and strike down enemies! Fight back against the Motorhead Empire in your fully equipped Striker airplane or Zeppelin!

DROVA –  Forsaken Kin Reveals Release Window Trailer

 Deck13 Spotlight and Just2D are proud and excited to announce the release window for their upcoming grim dark Pixel RPG DROVA  – Forsaken Kin which is set in a mystic celtic world is drawing closer.  The brutal open world will welcome new travelers soon on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch as the freshly revealed release window trailer shows.
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Enslave the spirits of nature – or save them. Welcome to the promised land of Drova, where the priests have praised this new world. Full of hope you travel through a portal into this new otherworld – just to realize that you are on your own and no one seems to appreciate the paradise. Instead, Drova is a grim world where every man is for himself.
Two factions  – one trying to enslave the spirits of nature, one trying to save the spirits to keep the world alive – which path will you choose? And more importantly, will you be able to survive in a world which will always try to kill you?

A journey to grow uponNext to the release window the just released Trailers has more to offer: Progression. “One of the core ideas of DROVA has always been that the players have to survive in a world which just hates them,” says Christian Sandkämper, Co-Founder of Just2d. “We really want to offer a journey which will make them feel the progression over time, going back to an enemy which murdered them with one strike before and just beating it up!” The new Trailer focuses on that journey. A journey which will be available to all players in ***ber.
Grab your axe, sharpen your blades and explore a grim dark world when Drova – Forsaken Kin will launch on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch in 2024.

The Precinct is Delayed, coming out in Fall 2024

As the title states, The Precinct has been delayed. I will simply copy and paste the news release so you can see it for yourself and join me in disappointment. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

We have an update regarding The Precinct’s release date. The game was planned to release on August 15, 2024, but we’ve decided to give it a little more time for some final polishing and bug fixing. We want to ensure we can give our players the best experience possible.The game is now delayed until Fall 2024.

Idol-Filled Visual Novel ‘B-PROJECT RYUSEI*FANTASIA’ Is Out Now!

PQube (London, UK) – July 15th, 2024 – PQube and MAGES bring show-stopping visual novel ‘B-PROJECT RYUSEI*FANTASIA’ to the West.

‘B-PROJECT RYUSEI*FANTASIA’ is out now on Steam and Nintendo Switch eShop! 10% launch discount available on Steam until 29th July! Physical Nintendo Switch edition releases on July 26th, 2024.

14 male idols, all with unique personalities and styles, are now yours to guide and grow together with. Brought to life with live2D animations and voiced by famous voice actors, B-Project Ryusei*Fantasia, is an unforgettable, lengthy visual novel that will have you fighting for their dreams as if they were your own.

A sparkling visual novel: Full of brightness and colour, B-PROJECT RYUSEI*FANTASIA is a visual novel which follows the lives and careers of the idol group “B-Project”.Become an idol A&R: Support these idols towards their dreams in the role of an A&R (Artist & Repertoire) where you are their representative and the expert in their artistic development.
14 different idols to represent: Each with different personalities, likes and dislikes, but all with the same dream, pick your bias or stan them all.Original music: Enjoy exclusive B-Project music, unlocking songs and tunes by the very idol boys you represent.Interactive mechanics: Your phone is your gateway to nurturing your relationship with the idols, don’t miss your chance to respond to messages and calls!Voiced and animated: Voiced by famous seiyuu, let the idols beautiful voices take you away and watch their lively animated reactions.Endless magic: With 2 different possible endings, 14 character epilogues to explore and many CGs to unlock, there’s a lot to discover in the world of idol management.Available now on Steam and Nintendo Switch eShop.10% launch discount available on Steam until 29th July, 2024.Nintendo Switch physical edition releases on July 26th, 2024.
Check out the ‘B-PROJECT RYUSEI*FANTASIA’ Launch Trailer: 

Princess Maker 2 Regeneration Review (Nintendo Switch)

I can say a lot of things about this lifesim from the early 90’s that has been redone for today,and I will. Right after I thank Bliss Brain and Gainax for tossing me a copy. It’s always a pleasure.

I won’t go into too much depth with the story, suffice it to say a god gives you a child free of sin to raise after you save a kingdom and you will make many choices that can lead to at least 70 endings. These choices will do things like raise any of I don’t know how many stats, probably around 2 dozen I never counted them. Some have real uses you will see in action like attack and defense for battles. Others are more like cooking or decorum which are things your princess does or how she behaves.

She is rather adorable

The game plays much like the first,you make a schedule and she will follow it for the month. Send her to work to make some money (apparently her father is a slaver as well as a hero) or send her to school to study things like fencing or horseback riding.

  As cute as the game is it does have some fundamental issues, nothing that ruins the game by any means but it does make it harder. I’m not crazy about the chosen font which in a bigger screen is no big deal but if you toss it in your switch lite does get a little harder to read (it is still perfectly legible) and the game doesn’t offer much guidance. For example it doesn’t tell you that the 30 gold it cost for classes or per day, and you can only send your princess to class for parts of the month not single days. It’s a very quick way to burn through your cash.

I’m sure the game came with an instruction manual back in the day,but today it does not. And while graphically it’s improved and the controls aren’t bad at the price they are asking I would have like more done to it. The game is still fun and is a 6 out of 10. Id pick it up on sale for fans of the genre. Best wishes and may the Gaming gods bring you glory.

Princess Maker 2 Regeneration (console and PC release date)

  Before we hit the release date (July 11th PC and Steam August 8th PS4 and PS5) enjoy this beautiful trailer of Princess maker 2 regeneration. You may remember awhile back I reviewed the first one and it was a fun game to play.

Now July 11th (PC and Switch ) we get to check out a new princess, with new graphics. You play as a father raising his daughter from the age of 10 until the age of 18 with stats to manage,choices to make that will change her personality and much more. Here are some words from the creator in this 30th anniversary.

Comment from Takami Akai

“I am so grateful that Princess Maker 2, which was created 30 years ago, is still loved by many people and that a new version is being released. This time, I was finally able to achieve the graphic renewal that I had always wanted! Please enjoy the newly drawn vacation and ending.”

Hopefully you will enjoy this one as much many others have over the last few decades,and may the Gaming gods bring you glory.

Capes (Xbox review)

Capes from Daedalic Entertainment and Spitfire Interactive, which they were kind enough to toss me a review copy, is a tactical turn-based RPG. Think X-Com with superheroes.

The game itself plays the same as most games like this. You take turns moving your characters, using skills or attacks, and you get a handy turn order bar off on the right. The ability to disarm enemies is also a nice touch. It feels cool to teleport in, hit a spin move, and knock guns out of someone’s hands.

That some up the gameplay, and honestly if you like X-com and superheroes you will probably enjoy this, but the game isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. For starters the characters themselves look for lack of a better phrase, odd. They have a cell-shaded look to them that is very inconsistent between fights, your hero lair,and what I will call story-boards because I can’t in good conscience call them cut scenes. In fact,at first I wasn’t entirely sure the people I just fought with were the people talking.

The battles themselves are on smaller maps and are rather short which I like, but leveling up characters to feel more powerful was kind of a chore to me. I never really felt like a superhero during battles because even run of the mill goons could somehow wreck my day. I don’t mind the difficulty of the game, but at least let me fight other people with powers so Dave the security guard doesn’t drop my supposed super-heroes.

The game isn’t nad tho by any means, but at $40 there is better out there. You will definitely want to wait for a sale on this 6/10 superHero game. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Primal Survivors Xbox Review

  Primal Survivors from Old School Vibes is a sort of bullet storm twin stick shooter. Think Vampire Survivors. Don’t let that comparison fool you however this is a much smaller budget game and isn’t anywhere near as in depth. But is it as good?

The game lets you choose between one of two weapons,you can either chuck bones or rocks at the enemy. They are similar except one is faster and does slightly less damage. Both are perfectly viable options and you won’t be putting yourself at a disadvantage by choosing one over the other.

As any long time reader knows, when I review games I only compare them to other titles in the same genre and at a similar price point.

As you level up you get new abilities in the form of cards,each with it’s own little perk so to speak. Some will let you collect souls that summon help or will give you more damage or faster attacks. Many let you burn or poison enemies. This is where the strategy and randomness comes into it.

The game looks solid for a budget title and it does lack enemy variety with there only being a handful of them. There are also only 3 bosses but each one is quite different and will take some skill to get the best of. I don’t say any of this as a bad thing, the replayability you hope from a game like this absolutely exists, there are permanent upgrades to get different builds to master and play with. Everything you expect from the genre is present.

  As an added bonus, with the short run time (10-15 minutes per run) it’s very friendly towards gamers that just don’t have a lot of time. And with that time there are 1000 game points you can rack up fast. I got about 900 in one run.

As anyone knows when I review games I only compare them to games in the same genre and at a similar price point,and here is where this game sort of gets punished in a way. The game is solid,I enjoyed my time with it a lot. And I truly hope the devs keep up with it and add more to it. But the game is being compared to Vampire Survivors.  They cost pretty much the same amount and vampire survivor is a much better game with far more to do and play with. This game is a solid 7/10, and if you are looking for quick points to up that gamer score this is for you. Or if you want to scratch that twin shooter itch with something faster to play this is also a great option. But there are better options. Best wishes and may the Gaming gods bring you glory.