Tag: Reviews

Ammossum (Steam Demo Review)

Ammossum is a demo sent to me by West Glade, and I have to be honest: I’m not sure I will ever forgive them for that. Don’t get me wrong; the game is perfectly functional. It looks pretty decent, and while the controls are way too slow for this type of game, they work.

I use the term works very vaguely. The demo does a very bad job of explaining what anything does. Does anything carry over from one run to another? What do weapon upgrades do? Why do they suddenly split off but don’t seem to do anything new? It doesn’t really say, and trial and error doesn’t do much when you die and get tossed new stuff to try to figure out every five minutes.

Eventually, you will figure it out, but that doesn’t really change how you end up feeling once you do. There is no sense of achievement since all you did was figure out a basic game function.

The game looks fun, and it sounds fun, but truthfully, it ends up just being an overall frustrating experience. At no point did I enjoy my time with this demo, but the potential is there, and with a few months before release, I am hoping it turns it around. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Cargo! Xbox Review

Cargo! is the last of the games sent to me by Ultimate Games and is probably the most difficult to play but the easiest to review. If you ever played games like Order Up! or any of the similar games where you simply run around a kitchen making stuff or fixing cars with a little person and multiple stations you will feel right at home here.

Pick up stuff in one spot, drop it in another, get paid

You quite literally just pick up something from one spot in your truck, drop it in another, and get paid. In later levels, you have multiple stops to make. Sometimes, there are bridges or road blocks in the way. Of course, there is multiplayer (couch co-op).

Honestly, there isn’t much to say here. The game just is what it is. If you like games like this, there are hours of enjoyment here for you and your friends, and you definitely want to play with friends. If you don’t like games like this, this won’t be the one that changes your mind. It is another 7/10 game from Ultimate Games and to me, that’s a solid record to have. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Pets Hotel PS5 Review

Pets Hotel is the next game that Ultimate Games sent me to check out, and it might be the one I enjoyed the least. Don’t let that fool you into thinking it is a bad game; it isn’t. The animals in the game are damned adorable. Running a pet hotel is pretty simple; you just build a room, decorate it the way you like, add items to it for the pets you want, and wait for the phone to ring.

Once the phone rings, you type in ( yes, literally ) the name of the pet, click some options for any special treatment they want and you wait for them to check in. From there, you do things like give them baths, trim their nails, take them for walks, feed them, pet them, and otherwise care for them.

Honestly, my lack of enjoyment with this game is on me and me alone. if you have followed this blog for any real amount of time, you know I don’t really care for decorating stuff. With a big part of this game being building rooms and decorating them, it was bound to limit how much I liked it. I also don’t care for having to type in the name of each pet coming into the hotel. Neither of these things are major issues or even issues at all for most people. The game is still a solid 7/10 and worth playing for $22. It just isn’t for me, personally. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Police Shootout PS5 Review

Police Shootout was recently released on PS5 and Ultimate Games was kind enough to send me a review copy. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. As you will see in the coming days, they sent me several games. (all of which I enjoyed on some level for what they are)

Police Shootout puts you in the role of an officer who, for his own reasons, just transferred into the station. So, after a quick but extensive tutorial that will introduce you to the world of this turned-based first-person shooter, you are off on your first mission, a call to a grocery store parking lot.

Mom of the year

Soon after getting here, you will discover the store is being robbed, and mom of the hear ditched her kid when the shooting started. Your job, is to be a cop. Talk to witnesses, call a medic for the guy that was shot and made it outside, or be like me and never find him so he dies and you get bitched at for it later. The choice is yours. Eventually, you can make your way inside and use your stealth training to arrest people. Or just shoot everyone, like I did. I am not a very good cop. I did save the little girl however, unlike the mother that abandoned her.

Every mission is full of choices like this. Call in each step of the way so dispatch knows what is going on, call in ambulances if need be, gather up evidence like guns and drugs, and use a stun gun instead of the lethal option. These are all choices you will have to make.

The game is far from perfect. It looks like an old PS4 game so don’t expect to see some high-quality graphics, and while the sound could be worse, it certainly could be better. The voice acting is nice; I will admit to that. For $20 there is plenty of fun to be had, 7/10. We have all spent more money on worse games. best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Vanguard Exiles Steam Review

Vanguard Exiles was sent to me by The Tea Division, which I always appreciate. Vanguard Exiles is a rather easy game to explain and learn to play. You pick an army, start a match, and set your troops down into a zone. Your opponent does the same thing. If your opponent doesn’t set a troop down in the same zone, you score points after a set amount of time. If they do, an auto battle will commence, and the winner will get the zone. After you conquer a zone, your troops will move to an adjacent zone. The process continues until all the zones are taken or until nobody can move to a new zone.

This is very simple to learn, and in between each round, you will get the opportunity to recruit new troops with your old troops being returned to you. At no point do you have to worry about having no troops. This is a game based on strategy, not raw power,

This game disappointed me a bit and took so long for me to review because I didn’t want to review it until I played with some real people, and I spent the first couple of hours playing bots. Thankfully, it is becoming easier to play with real people as more people have bought the game. This game should be far more popular than it is. Coming from the mind of Richard Garfield, yes, one of the minds behind Magic The Gathering, and being as simple to learn and hard to master as it is, the game is in the perfect position to be the next big thing. And at the low price of $15, this 8/10 is absolutely worth checking out. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Monster Hunter Wilds™ Title Update 1 Makes a Splash with New Challenges and More on April 4!

Scrubs in Bubbles
Last seen in Monster Hunter Rise™, Mizutsune slips into the Forbidden Lands on April 4. Starting at Hunter Rank 21, players can unlock the mission to hunt Mizutsune by speaking with Kanya in the Scarlet Forest, but hunters should prepare for the leviathan’s graceful attacks and immobilizing bubbles or risk ending up in the wash. At Hunter Rank 41 and above Tempered Mizutsune will also begin appearing in the environment overview. Arch-tempered Rey Dau will also debut in an Event Quest for players above Hunter Rank 50, offering an increased challenge beyond that of Tempered monster hunts, plus a new Rey Dau Gamma armor-set to forge as a reward. The Hunter Rank 50 mark will also unlock a mission to once again hunt Zoh Shia, after which the fearsome monster will appear during the Wyvern’s Wakening in the Ruins of Wyveria for additional hunts and the ability to gather Zoh Shia parts for high-rank hunter and Palico equipment.
 
Arena Quests, Challenge Quests, and Free Challenge Quests will also appear starting with Title Update 1. Challenge Quests and the newly introduced Free Challenge Quests will only appear as limited-time Event Quests. Arena Quests and Challenge Quests can be completed by up to two players using pre-determined equipment. Meanwhile, Free Challenge Quests have no equipment restrictions and can include hunting parties of up to four players. All of these quest types can be completed solo, cooperatively in cross-platform online multiplayer, or using Support Hunters. Replay for faster clear times and earn a spot on the Expedition Record Board for special pendants as rewards. New Event Quests will continue to appear on the Quest Board and will include opportunities earn special armor, quickly raise your Hunter Rank, collect cooking ingredients, and more.
 
Gathering Forces and New Hunting Choices
Title Update 1 introduces the Grand Hub to Monster Hunter Wilds – a massive gathering space for hunters to engage in new ways, such as competing in the new Barrell Bowling minigame to earn useful items and pendants. Hunters can also gather in the Grand Hub to observe the village of Suja’s traditions, including the Diva’s occasional vocal offerings sung at night. Talking to Tetsuzan in Suja after reaching Hunter Rank 16 unlocks the Grand Hub, at which point the Squad Information Counter will relocate from the Windward Plains so hunters can conveniently manage their Squads in the communal area. The entrance to the Grand Hub will also host the Expedition Record Board, where the newly added Arena Quests’ fastest global clear times will be displayed alongside Arena Quest limited bounties.
 
Each season, a unique celebration will be held in the Grand Hub. These will begin with the Festival of Accord: Blossomdance, which runs from April 23 to May 7. During festivals, the appearance and available meals in the Grand Hub will change, and hunters can obtain limited-time equipment, gestures, Pop-Up Camp decorations, and more. In addition to seasonal Event Quests, most previously held Event Quests will also make a return. Arch-tempered Rey Dau will appear as part of an Event Quest near the conclusion of the festival from April 30 to May 21.
 
Don’t be Blandgonga
Looking to style out more than just your hunter? A new free outfit for your trusty handler Alma will be introduced in Title Update 1, and following a certain side quest the ability to change her glasses will be available. Classic gestures are also making their return as free DLC in Monster Hunter Wilds, alongside Cosmetic DLC Pack 1 that is being offered as a stand-alone item and included for Premium Deluxe Edition and Cosmetic DLC Pass holders. In addition to all of the fun cosmetic options for your hunter and Palico, Cosmetic DLC Pack 1 will also include new Camp Gear options for your Pop-Up Camps throughout the Forbidden Lands. Additional Paid DLC not included in Cosmetic DLC Pack 1 will also be available.
 
There is another update planned at the end of May, including a collaboration with another Capcom title, a function that allows you to see the Endemic Life you’ve captured, and some other adjustments. Please also keep on the lookout for more information regarding the second free Title Update coming to Monster Hunter Wilds this Summer.

Nif Nif (Steam Review)

Nif Nif is a cute rogue-like card battler sent to me by Springfox Games. The general idea is you play as a pig cleaning up the forest. As you make your way through the single-level you will use different cards to wipe mud and dirt off different forest creatures.

If this sounds simple, it is because it kind of is. My second run let me finish the whole thing. This unlocked the second character, a cat. The cat plays very differently but the game doesn’t really get any harder. You will however notice that enemies, including the final boss, do change and it will take a few runs before you see them all.

Leveling up each character unlocks new skins and hats, hats give you power-ups for the run

Leveling up unlocks new skins and cards, and finishing runs unlocks hats. Each hat offers a powerup for the entire run, and finishing the run while wearing a hat unlocks a new hat. There is also a full garden to unlock, which can be used to create food and cards.

They managed to do a lot with this game while also making it friendly for younger gamers. As a fan of these types of games I still enjoyed it, not every game needs to be super challenging, sometimes I just like to relax. This is a 7/10 game. I would like to see moe levels added to it, but aside from that I had a lot of fun with it. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Spilled! Steam Review

Spilled! over on Steam will be released on March 26th and was sent to me by its Developer and Publisher Lente who honestly I couldn’t really find their social media for. She is a single person who made the game over two years.

I took these off Steam, I swear I’m not stalking her or anything

The game is simple, in every way imaginable. You simply use the arrow keys to drive your boat around and clean up oil and in the process save some cute animals.

As you clean up the oil being spilled by a huge oil tanker, you earn money. This money is then used to upgrade your tiny boat with a bigger oil catcher, a faster motor, or a tank to hold oil. This makes gathering oil quicker and easier. There is only one enemy to fight at the very end, and I use the term fight very vaguely as he can not kill you, you simply use your hose to sink him. This same hose can be used to put out fires or wash oil off the sides of mountains throughout the world.

The game is fun for a little bit before it gets repetitive, which is nice because the game is only about an hour long. This doesn’t mean you have to sit there for an hour straight and beat it. Play it for 10 minutes at a time if you want. It wasn’t a bad way to spend an hour.

Another cool thing is that 10 cents of every sale goes to whale and dolphin conservation, so really you get to play a fun game and help animals in need. So if playing an 8/10 game wasn’t enough to support an Indy game, this should really help push it over the edge. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Suikoden 1 HD Remaster Review

  I have always loved the Suikoden games,so hearing about the remaster coming a few years ago I was obviously pretty excited. Reliving the story of a young man attempting to topple an empire after being saddled with a cursed rune (the Soul Eater) a story I have played probably a dozen times.

I did begin to worry, would it hold up? Could it even hold up to those memories? Happily the story is still amazing. The graphic updated also look great,mostly. The world map takes a bit of getting used to and they didn’t do anywhere near the work on the sprites of the characters as they did on the world itself. This isn’t a bad thing since the characters look good anyway,but it does create a weird disconnect that takes a bit to get used to.

There are some quality of life updates, for example anyone that has played the game will know who I am talking about. That piece of shit on the docks,will no longer block your path. If you know,you know. The ability to boost up the speed of battles is great when you just want to get through a dungeon, for example trying to get back through Necords castle for the second time.

All around, what I have always believed was the better of the first 2 games holds up. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Sugardew Island PS5 Review

Sugardew Island on PS5 is a nice treat sent my way by Rokaplay. All I really knew about it was it was a cozy farm shop game. The results were pleasantly nice.

You start the game as a female character (Sorry anti-woke brigade, this can’t be changed, go cry somewhere else, the rest of us don’t care) and you can give her a cute outfit. From here she will crash and end up on a not-so-deserted island surrounded by thorns. Your job is to use your farm and store to revitalize the island.

Unlike most games like this, you start off with a huge area you can farm, and you can buy animals right from the start. The limited stamina will hold you back though. This is increased simply by doing things. You improve the island by doing missions for the magical tree in the center of the island where Hare lives.

Hare doesn’t like humans, they screwed up the island in the first place with their greed. Hare does become more receptive to you as you accomplish missions and unlock more and more things such as different seeds, new tools, and bigger houses and shops for yourself. To achieve this you sell crops (well anything honestly, I sold extra wood once) at your store to the sprites that live on the island. This grants you harmony towards the missions.

Now I know many times I give my trophy hunter readers a heads up, and this game has some easy trophies. sell 250 of certain crops, or finish all the missions none of which are hard. The game does NOT contain a platinum trophy however.

So is this game worth your time? Truthfully for you more hardcore farming sim fans, no. A lot of the bells and whistles you have come to expect are missing. There is no fishing for example and while there are people to have a sort of romance with there are only 4 options. But if you are just looking for a casual farming sim to relax after a hard day of work, this game is great. I can’t wait to see what future updates might bring, it is a solid 8/10 game. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.