video-games – Page 2 – Savior Gaming

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.

Decktamer Steam Review

Decktamer released on Steam this week, and Assemble Entertainment was nice enough to send me a copy. The best way I can describe this experience would be if Magic: The Gathering and a Pokémon Nuzloke run had a baby and spit this Deckbuilding roguelike out.

The concept is simple: you start with a deck of cards, which are living monsters. You delve into this cave and fight other monsters, where you can capture new ones when you weaken them, assuming you have the right food. For example, herbivores won’t join you if you try to toss them a hunk of meat. Creatures that prefer fish aren’t likely to accept plants. Worse, if your creature dies during a fight, it is gone forever.

Each card has a health and speed rating, while their attacks do different amounts of damage and have different abilities. Some are weaker but may do damage to every monster on the side. A slower monster may have stronger attacks; it is up to you what you want to try to do. However, remember that if that health reaches zero, it is gone forever. It is very high-risk high high-reward sometimes. Knowing when to switch your monster means more than in most games.

The artwork is also amazing; this is honestly where I thought the game would fall short, considering its $16 price tag. I was very wrong; the sound and art are nothing short of amazing, and I really thought going into this, these would be the areas I would have complaints. In fact, if you look at the Steam reviews, which are very positive with over 150 currently the only complaints you will see are that the game is insanely hard.

This is honestly true; this game is not for the faint of heart. I love the game, it is fun and I am having a blast with it, but damn, will it wreck you. Each battle and each move involves some strategy. Each item matters the further you go. It may even need some balancing tweaks to be honest, but in the meantime, it is a 9/10 experience that fans of the genre must experience. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Lost in Fantaland Playstation 5 Review

Lost in Fantaland is the newest tactical RPG roguelike from Game Source Entertainment, and they were kind enough to send me a PlayStation 5 copy to check out.

The game starts out in a simple yet comical way, which honestly is pretty standard for the game. It takes a rather light-hearted tone throughout the entire game. You start out as a kid walking through the woods and get more or less kidnapped into a world you need to save. This leads you into the tutorial where your character is freaking out about how he can’t move. A hooded but friendly figure explains that you can’t move yet because it isn’t quite your turn.

He then explains what the cards do, how to avoid getting hit, and how to deal damage. This, as you would expect, leaves your character a bit unhappy, but they are convinced to play along. The battles take place on an 8×8 grid, which makes for pretty fast-paced battles that really push you to focus on strategy rather than trying to overpower the enemy. This is especially true if you are playing as one of the mage classes, which really prefer more of a hit-and-run strategy than to stand there and tank hits with shields like the warrior class.

The story admittedly is pretty much non-existent, but there is a reason the game is sitting at very positive reviews on Steam. The combat itself is just fun and easy to get into. Permanent unlocks can be useful, but for the most part, they are perks that make the game more fun and aren’t truly required to make deep runs like most games of the genre. With a price point of around 15 dollars, it’s easy to recommend this game. I would like a bit more variety in the cards you can get your hands on, but it is still a 7/10 experience. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Sonic Wings Reunion Playstation 5 Review

Sonic Wings Reunion is the newest game from Red Art Games, and they were kind enough to toss me a copy. The game is a sequel to Sonic Wings, which was released as Aero Fighters back in 1998 in the West. Now I have some interesting opinions on this game, but I won’t make you read all of that to get to the main point of all that. If you just want to know if this is worth picking up, the quick answer is yes. If you enjoy old-school arcade-style shooters, the game is great.

With 8 initial characters and more to unlock, local co-op, 8 stages, and stories to go along with each character, the content is definitely there. Moreover, the characters will interact with each other depending on who you team up together, Mao Mao and Chaika & Pushka, for example, talk about a singing competition they will compete against each other in (you will discover the winner if you finish the 8 levels)

The damage you do to cities as you fly through the levels and use bombs (that change based on characters) is also impressive. Many games don’t even bother with such details, but here they are pretty well fleshed out. Here is where the game gets a bit odd to me.

Each level starts by telling you to “Gird Your Loins,” which, by the way, is not some messed-up translation issue. This is actually a very old English saying, meaning to prepare yourself for a difficult situation or for something dangerous. The bosses range from things like a rocket to a mechanical gorilla. None of this is ever really explained; this is just the level of insane stuff the game gives you. Sort of like the Russian characters bomb being Russian nesting dolls accompanied by Russian dance music.

None of these are complaints, by the way. This is actually a list of why you should play this game. If games are meant to be fun, this game nails it. Even after I had decided I played this game enough to review it, I found myself wanting to play more. That, to me, is the sign of a good game. It is an 8/10 experience that lets you make it as hard or as easy as you want. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch Playstation 5 Review

It isn’t often that I play a tactical RPG where losing a battle doesn’t just make me cringe knowing I have to do this all over again. But not long ago, Kakao Games sent me a copy of Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch on PS5, and that changed. This isn’t your typical Tactical RPG; it is, at its very core, a roguelite.

Every move can be a life-or-death choice

The game starts out standard enough. You wake up on a beach, with no memory, and you must fight some undead with the help of some people who seem to remember you from the ship you were on. It isn’t long before this proves to be a battle you can’t truly win. So what is a dead man to do? Make a deal with a witch, become her champion, and rid the island of whatever is causing this problem as you set out in search of people mentioned in a letter that you feel are important.

Each of your friends has their own strengths and weaknesses, and you will be able to pick up more along the way to build your party from. Do you want a quick dagger wielder that can disappear and strike from the shadows? Emile is the perfect character for that. Want a more Paladin-like character that can heal and attack? Evie has you covered with her healing skills, but solid sword work.

Each step of the way, you can choose where to go at a fork in the road. Some lead to much-needed healing at camp sites, or a raven you can get relics from. Others will have merchants or NPCs to interact with. All will force you to make a decision on where to go next, most of which will lead you to your next battle.

Most maps are small enough that battles are quick and painful for everyone involved, rarely letting you walk away untouched. Don’t worry, if you lose a character, they will be back for the next fight, minus most of their health.

Customization also plays a huge part in the game; rather than gaining new weapons, you can choose who to give orbs to, which upgrade weapons and armor. At each level, you are also given a choice of a new skill to learn or a possible skill to upgrade. These are random, but you can reroll for a few gold, and certain items increase your odds of getting better skills, just like promoting units allows better starting skills.

The only major flaws I found in the game are, quite honestly, the grind. In any game like this, you expect a grind, but unless you are constantly making deep runs, it will take you a very long time to even unlock all the characters, and even longer to make them viable to use. I never felt a need to switch from the starting characters because I felt like I was being punished by doing it. This is a shame because those later characters are some of the best written in the game and have amazing stories. You don’t truly miss anything by not using them, but it would be nice to do so without suffering.

That being said, fans of either the tactical RPG or Roguelite genre would do well to at least play the demo, because the game is fantastic. It truly is a hidden gem, 9/10. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Lost Rift Steam Review

Lost Rift on Steam is the newest Early Access title from People Can Fly, and they were kind enough to toss me a copy to check out, which I am always thankful for.

I am going to be up front about a few things right away. The game is sitting at mixed reviews on Steam out of around 650 reviews. Many of these reviews have the same complaint, and I won’t sit here and try to convince you that they aren’t valid. The game, from the start, is pitched as PVPVE. Meaning you start on a player vs environment island. You can safely wander around it, gather supplies, and build a base in relative safety.

There is, however, an extraction shooter element to it. Meaning you HAVE to go to the PVP zone at some point to get better stuff to craft certain things. There will be tougher AI enemies and real people there, and they will attempt to kill you and take your stuff. None of this is hidden in the game description, and many of the complaints in the negative reviews are about how this exists in the first place. If this isn’t something you want, the game isn’t for you.

I did, however, say that it wasn’t without merit. Just because they warn you that this is what the game is doesn’t mean that it is all done well. The idea that you have to run into AI characters with guns while armed with a very underpowered bow is odd. Not many people are taking an arrow to the head and just walking away after all, yet somehow I have seen this happen quite a few times in Lost Rift.

The game is solid and looks pretty decent, but it won’t be turning any heads. The sounds are worth listening to, and the little things I found were important. People in the distance do make noise walking around. The game was, however, clearly meant to be played as a group, and as I didn’t have one, death came frequently. The NPC that warns you about this was not kidding at all.

Is Lost Rift worth the $25 it costs to pick up? Honestly, this one is weird for me. The game is still very early in early access and has a ton of potential. If you are /going to play with a group, yeah, it is a 7/10 experience. There is definitely fun to be had here. If you don’t have a group to play with, however, this is one game you probably will want to skip. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Aethermancer Steam Review

Aethermancer is a creature battling rogue-like from Offbrand Games that they were kind enough to send me. I wasn’t really sure how to feel about it at first, since, honestly, there are a million games out there that make you fight creatures nowadays.

Aethermancer has a nice twist, however, since now you do it in runs instead of as one overall quest. Each time, you can purchase upgrades to make future runs easier, as you would expect from this sort of game. Creatures you capture, of course, can be summoned through special means. You can even choose your favorites by talking to a woman in town to make sure they are always available to you.

Your starter is always your starter, and there are four to choose from with different abilities to choose from. Personally, I chose Nixie because she can heal and dish out poison damage. This isn’t a hard niche to fill, however, and if you don’t choose Nixie, you aren’t locked out of these aether options. My friend over at @mrjfeliciano chose Cherufe the fire/earth starter and found a healer pretty quickly. I found a fire/earth combo pretty fast myself, so there is no real disadvantage from who you choose in terms of elements available to you.

The story is solid but basic; you are simply investigating an area between life and death, but I won’t spoil more than that. The important part is how the game functions, and with more than a few hours into the game, I can say I never ran into any weird glitches or frame rate drops playing on my laptop. In a time where companies seem to want to optimize games as little as possible and focus on high-end machines, Aethermancer seems to have done the opposite.

Far be it from me to enjoy a game this much, then see very positive reviews on Steam from over 600 people, and disagree. It’s a niche genre to be sure, but for those who enjoy these types of games, and at a $22 price point, the game is as much of a must-buy as a game can be in 2025. 8/10, please enjoy, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Formula Legends PS5 Review

Formula Legends on PS5 was sent my way by 3DClouds, which is always appreciated. There are a couple of things you need to know going into this game and going into this review, for starters, while I enjoy racing games occasionally, I am not what you would call a huge fan. I am also certainly not a fan of watching racing. I know enough about the sport, but it just isn’t my thing.

You should also be aware that this is not an officially licensed game, so it does not feature real racers or tracks. None of this prevents the enjoyment of the game, mind you, but for some people, this matters. What matters to me, however, is how the cars look and feel. They look great, by the way, graphics are not something I can complain about here.

The rain soaks everything, just like life

The sound is also pretty spot on; the cars sound powerful regardless of the era you play in. Cars from the 1960s sound powerful and vintage, while cars from the modern era roar down the track, much like they do on TV. I do wish they sounded better when they hit things like dirt and walls, probably because I hit them so much.

This brings me to my biggest issue with the game. The controls don’t always feel like an F1 car. Some aspects nail it. If you are at a stop and just put the pedal to the metal, you are going to spin the car out. Don’t stomp the brakes because you will lock them up and lose control. The issue is that it doesn’t seem consistent; some turns you can ease into just fine, but other turns, this doesn’t work, not because the turns are vastly different or you are moving at a different speed, the car just suddenly handles differently.

This also happens with accidents. Small bumps into or from other cars seem to create an odd stick where you can’t remove yourself for a brief instant. This also happens with walls, where a small bump will send you from well into first place into dead last with no recovery.

The game is still fun, and these flaws really do only come down to more of a “skill issue.” The game is far from easy. It is a 7/10 experience that I will probably continue to play when I am bored. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

HELLCARD Steam Review

Hellcard, published by Skystone Games and developed by Thing Trunk, is a cooperative rogue-like deck builder that was recently sent my way. Don’t worry, you can pick this bad boy up on any console as well as Steam.

So, how do you play hellcard? Same as every other card builder. You pick a character, a basic warrior, mage, or archer to start ( you can unlock another by winning your first round or through DLC), and go it solo or find others to play with. If you decide to play solo, you can get NPC characters to play with that you will control. There is no real disadvantage to playing alone in terms of being overwhelmed by enemies.

The battle map will be split into sections based on how many of you there are (up to 3), but you aren’t obligated to stick to your lane. As a mage, for example, I found it prudent to use my area of effect spells many times to level the enemies close to the archer I was teamed up with, since his abilities were weakened against enemies within melee range. In return, this allowed him to use his distance to kill the enemies approaching me. These small details really set the game apart from other deckbuilding games.

Another nice touch is that each person individually picks a path to walk as you descend further down. I might pick a path that allows me to heal, while someone else picks a path for more cards. So while my area may have me fighting skeletons, someone else may bring spiders for us to fight. When we win and reach the rewards, we can select one reward from each location. So now, we can heal, get a card, and a relic. Or maybe we all chose to heal. Communication is beneficial to determine how a run is going to progress.

I can’t say Hellcard is the best roguelike or cardbattler I have played, it really isn’t. It is a solid one, however, that brings enough new things to the table that make it worth the $25 price tag. It’s graphically nice, and the sound is well done, and all in all, a nice 7/10 experience. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Quartet Steam Review

Every so often, I come across a game and I think, damn, I need to play that game. Not because it looks amazing graphically. Just because it looks like one of those games I used to play when I was a kid. You remember the type, you would rush home after school, pop it into your Super Nintendo, and just lose yourself until your parents inevitably said, “Hey, time for dinner,” or “Get to bed.”

Quartet on Steam (consoles coming Q4) is that game, and the great people over at Something Classic Games were kind enough to send me a copy to check out.

The first thing to get out of the way is the combat; it is very fluid and easy to get into. Nothing fancy is going on here either. If you love old-school turn-based RPGs where your strategy matters, the combat for Quartet is something you are going to enjoy. It clicks all the boxes. Exploiting enemy weaknesses, defending to lower damage, restoring AP (ability points), buffing your characters, and debuffing enemies. Most battles, you can just power through but bosses and higher difficulties, these buffs and debuffs will make or break your battles.

Speaking of battles, this game won’t waste your time with random battles. You can see the enemies on screen, and if you feel like you need to level up, you can usually find more to fight, but mostly, you will always be at an appropriate level to get where you need to go. I rarely say this about a game in 2025, but Quartet really tries and succeeds at respecting your time. Maps aren’t small, but they also aren’t huge for no reason.

This brings me to one last point. The story, you guys know, I am not going to go into a ton of detail about the story because I don’t do spoilers. Just know the story deals with magic, a government conspiracy, and a poor cook named Ben who just wanted to go to work. The game starts by letting you choose between one of four characters to play as for their introductory story. While you play through all of them, I recommend starting as Ben. He doesn’t have the best story exactly, but what he does have is the best mixture of story and humor, and that is where this game shines.

There are a few things I would have liked to have seen, maybe some more interactions between certain characters, but truly, for a game that you can beat in about 20-25 hours, I understand what they were going for. Something they may have left out in favor of a shorter experience, and I can’t be mad about that. This was a 9/10 experience for me, and I will be playing through this again. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.