In the beginning, computers were functional but not intuitive. With invention came innovation and today the world is walking around with personal computers in our pockets.
Technology’s ease of use has lowered the barrier of entry for game developers; it has democratized video game development and given the power to the people.
The Rise of Independent Voices
Software like Game Maker Studio, Unity, and Stencyl have opened the gateways for amateur hobbyists and small indie studios to tell a story and create an experience that, just fifteen years ago, would’ve been restricted to mass-market video game titans.
We are at a time when indie games are at their most prosperous and the call to action is here to begin filling the void of diverse, untold stories. In the 90s we got games with male protagonists or female protagonists with busty tops and wide bottoms. Granted the men were in peak physical form as well.
Today, we still carry this tradition onto a new generation, but also sprinkle in protagonists like Mae, a twenty-year-old cat college dropout, from Night in the Woods and Madeline trying to scale the titular mountain in Celeste.
The innovations in game development have opened the door for these types of representations, which can only be helpful in expanding the longevity of video games and growing the possible market.
Gameplay Ideas
It’s not just representation of characters, either. Indie games have become a breeding ground of new gameplay ideas from fresh perspectives.
The shooter is a genre that is as old (if not older) as the people playing them. It’s gotten faster, it’s added locked-on aiming, it’s added a battle-royale mode, but it hasn’t truly evolved in any monumental way since the second Halo brought playing online to the mainstream.
Superhot
That changed or is in the process of changing, with the help of indie titles leading the charge.
Superhot, a game that blasted onto the scene in 2017, introduced the idea of syncing your own movement with the game’s speed. They added a new perspective to the genre and created new opportunities to interact with FPSs.
Call of Duty slaps a fresh coat of paint onto their engine each year, but Superhot took the shooter genre and created a new way to play and think about killing your enemies.
An Influx Of Indie Game Developers
Indies have redefined characters and gameplay, but the biggest space that has developed from an influx of indie game developers is story. Games like the aforementioned Night in the Woods, Firewatch, and Undertale have tackled political issues and stories that would never dare be addressed in a AAA title.
Undertale
The ease of technology afforded by innovation has opened the market for indie video game developers to contribute their voices to the gaming scene. They have brought with them new characters, gameplay, and stories that can now appeal to a vast number of niche markets that were once thought to be unattainable from the AAA perspective.
Power has been given to quieter voices in the past few years and with Steam and Switch leaning hard into indie games, the roar doesn’t look to be silenced anytime soon.
The 90’s were something of a golden age for the Graphic Point-and-Click Adventure.
From the likes of Revolution Software’s Beneath a Steel Sky and Broken Sword to LucasArts’ Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and The Curse of Monkey Island, many who grew up playing these narrative-heavy, puzzle-solving games look back on this era fondly.
Indeed, reflecting on such an era makes one lament how relatively unpopular the genre is nowadays. There are many theories surrounding the genre’s downfall – the rise of DOOM and the fast-paced action game was more fun and more instantly rewarding than the slow-paced, puzzle-solving brain-scratchers that were Point-and-Clicks, some say.
Or, perhaps, the genre simply suffered from overexposure – after all, a ton of Adventure Games were released during the 90’s and many were predictable and samey in their game mechanics (point cursor here, collect an item, combine with this item, talk to character here) that the genre merely became stale.
Heck, a great deal of Point-and-Click adventures used LucasArts’ SCUMM engine in their games so maybe it’s no wonder if that was the case.
Past Blast: Discworld Noir
Thus, when Discworld Noir was released in 1999, it’s no surprise the game fell under the radar for most people. It was at this point that far more fast-paced and insta-rewarding 3D polygonal platform and shooting games were ruling the gaming roost on such platforms as the PC and Sony PlayStation.
In addition, the publisher was folding just as the game was being released, meaning it received little to no promotion. This is a shame – because many missed out on what is arguably one of the funniest and inventive narrative-driven video games in existence.
Based on the late author Terry Pratchett’s comical fantasy universe, The Discworld, Discworld Noir mixed traditional character archetypes and themes from 1930’s film noir with Pratchett’s strange and humorous world to create a unique take on both of these things respectively.
Add to the mix gameplay based around a notebook and clues (and smells – more on that later) as well as the occasional object puzzle and you got yourself a success – if not the most obvious one.
The game’s story centres around the adventures of the Discworld’s first and only Private Detective, Lewton (a seeming nod to famous 1940’s film producer, Val Lewton) who, in traditional Noir fashion, has a fateful meeting with a femme fatale, Carlotta von Uberwald.
Asking Lewton to investigate the disappearance of her lover, Mundy, this sets the fledgeling Private Eye on a long case that will take him all over Ankh-Morpork, the Disc’s greatest city, in a plot that thickens by the hour.
In fact, it would be accurate to say that, out of the three Discworld video games developed by Perfect Entertainment, it is the most in-depth and engaging in terms of its narrative, with a few plot twists and interesting characters along the way that keep things fresh and interesting.
Whereas the original Discworld and its sequel, Discworld II: Missing Presumed…!? reflected the quirky and light-hearted tone of Pratchett’s earlier work with obvious fantasy parodies and even nods towards the absurdities of game design, Discworld Noir captures the relatively mature tone of Pratchett’s later work, especially from the ‘Watch’ novels.
Gone are the two-dimensional, zany cartoon visuals of the first two games – in their place are realistic 3D pre-rendered graphics that create a darker atmosphere. Indeed, the whole game takes place during night.
This is a different Discworld game, for sure – but it’s in these differences that the game truly shines.
The crux of the gameplay revolves around visiting locations from the game’s overworld map (the city of Ankh-Morpork which appears in most of the novels), interacting with characters in these locations and asking them questions to proceed the case.
The player asks these questions through a simple menu of dialogue choices but more frequently through the use of Lewton’s notebook. When Lewton hears important information or potential leads, he will automatically note it down in his notebook.
The presentation of the notebook is satisfying, with players able to freely flick through the pages and choose a subject to grill the character with by simply clicking it. Often, the path forward is illuminated by thinking about what subjects to ask the character about and in what order.
Part of the way into the game, Lewton obtains the ability to switch into a werewolf and out again at will – this allows him to track different scents and smells that can help with his investigations.
This, again, adds another dynamic to the gameplay, encouraging the player to use their brains and think about the various tools in their arsenal that can be used to crack a puzzle or situation.
It makes that moment when you do figure out a puzzle all the more satisfying. Where traditional object puzzles are concerned, many players will find relief in that they are relatively sparse, particularly in regards to the previous two games which were notorious for their overuse of this mechanic.
The presentation in Discworld Noir is visually impressive, and especially so given this is a video game released in 1999. From the music (the main theme of which employs old-style sombre saxophones) to the dark brooding setting, the game beautifully exudes the atmosphere of 1940’s film Noir.
Like with many games of its era, it utilises pre-rendered backgrounds for its various locations and characters, giving it a significant edge which wouldn’t have been achieved had the developers decided to use 3D polygonal graphics.
In fact, the only 3D polygonal character in the game is Lewton himself. Admittedly, some of the pre-rendered character animations can look a bit robotic and unnatural sometimes – and especially so, compared to the exuberance of today’s graphical technology.
Regardless, it works and doesn’t detract from the game. What does help is the game’s high-quality voice acting – which is even more impressive when you realise that four actors are providing the voices to over seventy different characters.
The stars include Irish comedian Rob Brydon (who masterfully provides Lewton’s ‘hard-boiled dialogue’ among other voices), Kate Robbins, Robert Llewellyn and Nigel Planer.
All four of these extraordinary talents are experienced UK comedy actors and it shows. The delivery of the dialogue is great, the voices varied and wonderfully executed and the comedic timing is on point.
Each character is uniquely brought to life and, with a game that revolves around character and dialogue, it’s good that they got that right.
But ultimately, Perfect Entertainment got a lot of things right with Discworld Noir.
It’s one of those rare gems that will not only appeal to a niche audience (fans of Terry Pratchett) but also to those who enjoy adventures games in general – particularly if you like your fantasy with a twist.
The fact that the game flew underneath the radar during the time of its release is simply criminal. It’s so unique in its premise – mixing Pratchettean comedic fantasy with film Noir themes – and its plot so deep and engaging that it is undoubtedly worth playing today.
While players have experienced considerable difficulty making the game work on newer versions of Windows, you can find a workable solution on lead game designer Chris Bateman’s blog. Trust me when I say it’s worth the effort.
This review is going to work a little differently than the usual here on Nitchigamer. It’s broken up into two parts.
The first part is a concise review containing a summary of the game followed by a recommendation on who might be the right audience.
The second part provides important context and detailed criticism for the curious reader.
The Concise Review
Venture Kid is a throwback retro 8-bit platform game. The development team says it’s their love letter to the games they grew up playing. It’s akin to the J. J. Abrams film, SUPER 8, which was his homage to the Stephen Spielberg adventure films of the same era.
This game has all the hallmarks of titles that were popular from that era, from the colorful overview map to the melodic chiptune soundtrack.
There is even a pitch-perfect storyline where you assume the mantle of Alex, a young man who must stop the evil Dr Teklov from completing his super weapon in an attempt to take over the world.
Alex is aided by his uncle who provides new special weapons as well as upgrades that can be purchased anytime during the game.
Players run-and-gun through nine visually distinct levels including classics of the platformer genre such as the futurist city, the snake-filled jungle, and the slippery ice caves.
Navigating each level tends to be a reasonably straightforward affair – fight a variety of hostile enemy combatants while avoiding deadly environment hazards, like spikes and lava, until you reach the final boss battle.
Venture Kid is tough to recommend for most audiences.:
People who are new to retro platformers might find this game frustrating, even on the easy difficulty setting.
Hardcore gamers may be unsatisfied with the short levels and inconsistent design.
Casual gamers might find titles with contemporary mechanics better suited to their taste.
The game is best suited for players who grew up with 8-bit platformers, and still love them – warts and all.
Context And Criticism
Creating a video game is difficult under the best circumstances. Ideally, a developer has sufficient funding to pay the entire team market-rate wages (with benefits).
They should also have the backing of an experienced publisher to manage the go-to-market tasks, such as distribution and marketing. Even with that, success is not guaranteed.
Most indie teams are working on a shoestring budget with the hope their finished product will find an enthusiastic audience to provide them with some measure of financial security and the ability to make the next game.
That makes a difficult task significantly harder.
Anyone with a developed sense of empathy would take great care in suggesting that an indie game could have trouble finding their audience.
With that in mind, let’s dive deeper into how that conclusion was reached. There are three areas worth examining in greater detail: level design, powerup weapons, and difficulty setting.
Level Design
The biggest concern with the level design is simply inconsistency. Sometimes the design feels inspired and surprising, other times it feels confused and derivative.
The design and placement of enemies are emblematic of the consistency issue. Many levels feature unique enemies that perfectly mesh with the theme. The primates feel right at home in the jungle level. The robots whose heads pop off in the factory level are delightful.
But then we have snakes, jumping piranha, and giant spiders that appear in multiple levels. That isn’t to say a designer can never reuse quality enemies, but there are already some nearly identical clones (snakes/scorpions, piranha/fireball, rifleman/spearman).
If you’re going to commit to reskinning enemies, it’s best to go all the way.
The use of branching in the map feels similarly inconsistent. Most levels are linear, while a few of the levels contain branching paths. Some branches appear to lead to dead ends or circles, while others contain secret passages.
Unfortunately, some players may never find those secrets and end up frustrated. Confusion and frustration are generally emotions that players don’t want to experience.
It would be preferable to streamline the levels and hide most (or all) of the branches behind secret passages along the main route.
Power-Up Weapons
Power-up weapons are an aspect where Venture Kid could really shine. The weapon designs are interesting and provide variety. Two major problems with how the weapons are implemented: usage and management.
First of all, there just aren’t enough opportunities where the weapons provide significant advantage. Players can easily defeat most enemies with the standard blaster weapon and they can reach most items without things like the boomerang or the freeze weapon.
Later stages show a little bit of promise in this regard. For example, the grenade and spike boots come in handy in the factory level. However, these situations felt like the exception to the rule.
The bigger problem is managing the weapons. Each special weapon has limited charge. Enemies will randomly drop fuel canisters that recharge the power, but those canisters are only useful if a weapon is actively equipped. So, picking up a canister with the standard blaster will result in nothing happening, even if all of your weapons were drained. This effectively wastes the energy.
This design choice means that players are required to constantly cycle through all the weapons in order to use and maintain their arsenal. That can quickly become tedious for all but the most hardcore players, and those players might find the limited effectiveness of these weapons disappointing.
It would be great if more enemies, boss and regular varieties, were weak to particular special weapons. For example, many of the denizens of the ice cave could be weak against the fire blast from the grenade.
Also, it would be great to have a special weapon slot so that a player could have one of special weapon active at all times. That way picking up a canister would always charge the active weapon.
Difficulty Setting
The last thing that is challenging is the difficulty setting. The only difference between the various difficulty settings appears to be the maximum number of hearts allowed to the player.
This is a problem because there are many other variables that make the level challenging, including a high number of instant-kill environmental hazards.
The game would benefit greatly from changing other variables too.
Depending on the difficulty level, enemies could also have a lower or higher rate of fire, respawn points could be moved closer or further apart, and some enemies could take fewer or more shots to kill. Those changes could increase the appeal to a much wider audience.
The release date of Detroit: Become Human is just around the corner, and I have taken a little look at the demo. So, if you’re still on the fence about whether to buy the game and want some more information about it, read on…
From the creators of Beyond: Two Souls and Heavy Rain, Quantic Dream has now created a science fiction adventure game called Detroit: Become Human.
What Makes Us Human?
That is the question as the player joins the story of three different androids in a society where they are mere slaves, designed to do our every bidding. What happens when they realize that they are, in fact, self-thinking individuals though? You will be challenged to answer moral questions, leading the androids onto different paths, ultimately to different end points.
Will they stray from their given paths, or will they fulfil their originally designed program?
What these three androids have in common is that they have all broken from their original programming, as the player helps them adapt to their ‘new life’.
The visuals are amazing!
Connor (played by Bryan Dechart from True Blood; The Remaining) is an android designed to investigate crime scenes, assisting the Detroit Police Department in tracking down so-called deviants – androids that have broken their program, leaving their owners and/or turned to crime.
Will you remain cool and calculated, or will you begin to feel sympathy for your fellow androids, and consequently begin to question the orders you are given?
Markus (played by Jesse Williams from Grey’s Anatomy; Cabin in the Woods) is one of the androids that have broken free from his programming, and he is the one that might be the cause of an android revolution. He becomes a part of a movement that wants to liberate the android population – but in doing so, will you resort to the pacifist route… or to violence?
Kara (played by Valorie Curry from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2; Blair Witch) is a deviant on the run with an innocent girl she has sworn to protect, and Kara must accept the inequalities she faces… or strive to rebel against them as she keeps the girl safe.
I mean, seriously. Look at these details.
Hostage Situation
In the demo, you play as Connor, who has been assigned to assist in a hostage situation. A rogue android has taken a little girl and is threatening to kill himself, taking her with him.
As Connor, you have to search around the apartment and piece together how this could have happened in the first place. By scanning and analyzing the crime scenes, there are small things in the environment Connor can interact with, challenging his abilities to be empathic.
After you’ve created a good picture of the crime scene, the time has come to confront the criminal; and save the girl.
Deducing from the mere half hour it took to play this demo; I must say it looks pretty darn good. How about visually stunning, as well as having some super smooth gameplay.
The narrative design is familiar if you’ve played Quantic Dreams’ games before, where each decision you make will shape and form the outcome of the story.
How you control the androids will have an impact on their life – if you decide that they will have one. Because there is a catch; if the path you choose leads to a character’s death (and yes, that can even be one of the protagonists), the story will move on nevertheless.
So be mindful – otherwise, a second or third playthrough might be in order.
In other words, if you categorize yourself as a science fiction enthusiast or just love a good story in video games, Detroit: Become Human is probably for you. Something different perhaps.
As they say, there’s no “I” in “team.” From the man who has believed in this mantra since his previous game Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Josef Fares is the director of the co-op exclusive A Way Out. Made by Hazelight Studios and published by Electronic Arts, this is a game I have been looking forward to ever since it was announced on E3 in 2017.
A Way Out is a textbook action-adventure game, but it’s unique in so many ways. As mentioned, there is no single-player option. You can play either local co-op, with a traditional split-screen style, or you can play online with another player. I chose to play the game in local co-op, so I can’t comment on how the game works online. From my experience with Fares’ previous game, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, I knew local co-op would not be a problem, as Brothers offered an amazing co-op experience.
A Way Out Review
At the beginning of the game, each player has to assign a character, which can be described in these short terms:
Meet Vincent Moretti. Smart and strategic, Vincent prefers the stealthy route when it comes to handling situations and is not one to be underestimated. Vincent is convicted of murder, and the game opens with him being lead into prison. Outside the prison, Vincent is in a somewhat rocky place with his very pregnant wife.
Meet Leo Caruso. Tough, honest, and never afraid to do things the hard way, Leo is a stubborn man who is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Leo is already an inmate when Vincent entered the prison and was convicted of grand theft. Outside the bars, Leo’s faithful girlfriend and their beloved son are waiting for him.
While the two men have each taken a very different path in life up until this very moment, Leo and Vincent’s unique stories are connected into one fantastic storyline. As they slowly get to know each other, they find out about a common enemy, a con man named Harvey – the sole reason for them being in prison in the first place. Queue revenge-plot!
Prison is a dangerous place to be and escaping it isn’t easy. Leo and Vincent are determined to get out. How else are they going to get their revenge? So, walk around the prison, do your chores, and make discreet conversation with the other inmates to gather information on security, how the prison is built, its weaknesses, etc. Do everything you can to make the prison break more manageable, without letting anyone else know what you’re planning.
Take a break from the “escaped convict” life, and play a round or two of tic-tac-toe with your partner!
There are bound to be some fights in prison and this is no different. The fighting scenes are well-made, and in the very first one Leo and Vincent must work together in a ‘fighting circle’. The fights are badass, smoothly shifting from Leo’s perspective to Vincent’s – and it works really well. The quick-time events are terrific and so much fun. Three words: slow-motion scenes. However, there are also stealth-missions while inside the prison; one is the distraction, the other does the dirty work. The reliance on both of you to do your job is exciting and serves for some very refreshing gameplay.
The question on everyone’s mind is; how did they get there in the first place? The storyline moves back and forth between past and present, giving the player a right amount of story both before and after their escape from prison. And yeah, that is not a spoiler, by the way. The majority of the game does not actually surround itself with after prison; it surrounds itself with what happens after their escape. Leo and Vincent’s reunion with the world is not necessarily easy, as they finally must encounter the problems that have been waiting for them outside the bars.
What I really like is how A Way Out integrates the co-op factor into every single aspect of the game – with masterful success. Upon completing a task, such as opening heavy doors and climbing certain obstacles, you are dependent on your partner to help you. That’s just the minor things. The game is extremely interesting in how it presents a variety of different ways of getting through multiple situations.
The two escaped convicts have their own methods: while Leo prefers brute force, Vincent wants more stealth. Most importantly, the players actually have to agree on the choice. And let me tell you, that can definitely create some tension on each side of the couch. This also creates some great replay value – I would like to find out if the story unfolded differently if I had made other choices.
The nice pacing of the game makes each moment all the more engaging.
When it comes to dialogue and script, there is an excellent synergy between Leo and Vincent and it is well-written, intriguing and thrilling. The voice-acting was good, and the synergy between the voice-actors was just as good as the characters in-game. The emotions change quickly from witty commentary that made both me and my partner laugh out loud, to severe conversations that created a pit in our stomach.
Visually, A Way Out is a stunning action-game with perfect pacing. Like Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, the game knows that it has beautiful scenery, and gives the player plenty of chances to slow down and observe, before throwing out a fast-paced challenge. As Leo and Vincent naturally must spend a lot of time outside, the game really gets a chance to show off incredible lighting and with perfect corresponding ambience.
The more I think about it, the more I realize the different nuances implemented within. In different instances of the game, the perspective changes. Some parts use the classic GTA top-down style, others it’s a Tekken/Street Fighter style. Josef Fares has made some bold decisions by adding a lot of variety, but somehow it just works perfectly and feels refreshing.
There is also a distinct change in audio when each character has separate conversations. If the players are exploring on different sides of a scenario, then the one who started to speak first will have the highest audio or the ‘focus‘ of the conversations. When one of the characters encounters a critical discussion, the game will automatically focus more on that. It’s an excellent way to focus on the essential things, and even though it was a bit confusing at first, it worked surprisingly well.
It wasn’t until I played A Way Out that I realized how much I’ve missed classic split-screen co-op. Nothing beats it. Where have all the good ones gone anyway? Because if I had to find a flaw in this game, I would say that I wished it was just a little bit longer… I wanted more, and though I know that wishes like that are often a double-edged sword, A Way Out is so much more than a get-out-of-prison game.
[There’s a huge twist at the end, a true turning point of the story; if you’re playing with someone in the same room, there might or might not be a problem. And that’s all I am going to say about that].
Humans, despite our lack of brute strength, when compared to other predators in the animal kingdom, have managed to stay on top of the food chain due to our innovation, particularly when it comes to the creation of weapons.
But, what if another species suddenly developed weapons as well and decided our time as king of the jungle had come to an end? And, no, I am not talking about Charlton Heston against a band of royally perturbed, highly intelligent apes.
I am talking about an enemy that seems far less likely to arise, but if they ever did, man would find they have a bone to pick with us: sentient fruit.
Juicy Realm Review
Juicy Realm is a roguelike in which you’re taking part in an ongoing war against cognizant crops of various berries, pomes, and melons.
Notes left behind by a brave, or foolish, observer provide some context for the world in which you now find yourself. However, it doesn’t take more than a few seconds of gameplay to figure out regardless of why or how these once docile and delicious eatables are out to kill.
Equipped with weapons ranging from dual-wielded swords to portable Gatling guns, the fruit prove to be formidable foes.
You have the choice to stand in the shoes of four different character types who come with varying stats and starting weapons: the Boxer, the Botanist, the Mercenary, and the Ninja.
All, except the Ninja, begin with a gun. The Ninja is the only one who begins with a melee weapon in the form of a giant sword. Between playthroughs, you can choose to switch out characters by going back to camp, but not during a play session.
Each character also comes with a unique item/secondary weapon classified as “gear” that cannot be dropped or replaced during combat. The Botanist comes with a grenade launcher type weapon. The Ninja has a tiny, mobile companion that can be dispatched to electrocute enemies. The Mercenary can set up a turret that sends single blasts toward approaching enemies. And, finally, the Boxer can use a life potion that refills portions of her HP as long as she stands within the glowing, green circle.
Once a character deploys their gear, a meter on the bottom of the screen empties and then slowly refills, indicating when the gear can be used again. the time between uses is long enough that you don’t depend too heavily on them as a sort of trump card during combat.
However, they do give some characters more advantage over others.
For example, the Boxer’s life potion and high beginning HP do make her easier to use than, say, the Ninja who’s beginning weapon, as badass as it may seem, make him far more vulnerable to attack since he must engage enemies at close range.
His companion, however, being mobile is far more useful than the Mercenary’s turret which requires you to lure enemies close to it before it becomes useful.
In this way, the developers of Juicy Realm have done a decent job of establishing a simple balance between characters and requiring you to use each character slightly differently during combat.
I do wish the game allowed you to compare the stats of each character’s starting weapons along with their other stats. Without this information, I had no way of knowing whether there was a specific advantage to any of the guns over the others, or even how the Ninja’s sword stacked up against other melee weapons I found throughout my journey.
The game does give you some simple stats for new weapons you find but unfortunately does not offer a way to compare them to weapons you are currently carrying.
A recent update improved the attack power of melee weapons, thus making their use feel a bit less like an unfair disadvantage during combat. This is especially important since weapons are dropped or discovered randomly.
So, if you end up running out of ammo and need to use the baguette you just found to defend yourself (yes, a baguette), you are not at the disadvantage you once would have been before this was corrected.
In fact, I often noticed certain melee weapons could take out enemies in two hits when the gun I was using took at least four or five shots. The advantage of the gun, obviously, is that I can keep moving and stay much farther away from enemies during a firefight.
The only issue, however, with the game giving you melee weapons is as effective as they may be, you are literally bringing a knife (or, rather, a wrench) to a gunfight. Some of the enemies can shoot three shots in quick succession. Others can fire multiple rounds one after another.
When there is a cluster of enemies, this makes using melee weapons quite difficult and made me wonder a few times why melee was available at all, or at least as common as it is, within what is clearly a dual-stick shooter type game, along with its roguelike elements.
In order to help players maintain use of their guns longer, the same update that increased melee attack power also added random enemy ammo drops. This means that while you can indeed run out of ammo, I rarely did. I was quite thankful I did not have to battle a boss with the baguette.
Plus, blasting away your equally equipped fruity foes was far more fast paced and enjoyable than the comparably slow melee attacks.
Aside from locating weapons and ammo at random, you can also break open boxes to reveal food which will restore your health.
Coins that you can either find or collect from fallen enemies can be used to purchase randomly generated items from vending machines you will find also at random throughout your run.
Keep your eyes open because “hidden” areas will appear that, though not hard to figure out how to get to, can offer extra coin or food or ammo. The game’s controls are smooth and straightforward. On the keyboard, you use the mouse to aim and WASD to move about. You click left to fire and clicking right on the mouse allows you to dash a short distance in the direction your mouse is pointed.
This works especially well when in close combat with an enemy that can fire several shots in succession, but I found I rarely needed it when using a firearm because all I needed to do was keep moving about.
Just like with the gear, there is a meter that depletes each time you use your dash ability which will need to refill after a certain number of uses before you can use the dash again.
The game also has controller support, though I found aiming with the mouse much simpler than the dual-stick controls on the controller. There is no way to customize the controls using either, but with such simple design, I didn’t feel the need to do so.
Boss battles have a traditional Zelda-like feel, requiring you to learn a series of attack patterns in order to achieve victory.
For instance, the first boss I fought, a giant melon, had four basic attacks: a dash, a ground pound, shooting several rows of wooden spikes, and setting loose a gaggle of tiny watermelon slices that are surprisingly aggressive despite their tiny appearance.
I quickly learned I could not do any damage unless the boss was momentarily incapacitated. So, I had to learn how to make that happen.
Of course, this means you will likely die at least once or twice before reaching your goal.
Punishment for death means going back to camp and starting over again. This might seem likely a heavy price, but due to the constantly changing level layouts, I never felt like I was making the same run twice.
On the downside, though, without any real way to upgrade or customize your weapons or characters, the multiple run-throughs begin to lose a sense of reward aside from hopefully making it all the way through.
The game is rather short, at least, so I never got to the point where I lost interest entirely. But, if I could customize my weapons or my character so that each run-through at least rewarded me with something that would make tearing through the same levels much faster and with more satisfying violence, it might raise the replay value quite a bit.
As it is, you can play against your own time once you finish the game, but there isn’t much else to keep you coming back. Unless that is, you want to play through with a friend using the local two-player mode.
Despite its tendency to perhaps be a bit overly simplistic, Juicy Realm boasts gorgeous visuals and a handful of different level designs. From dense jungle to desert sands, the vibrant, stimulating colour palette paired with the jovial soundtrack adds a level of excitement and wonder.
There aren’t many times where I don’t sing the praises of the Nintendo Switch, and the same is going to happen here. Albeit not in the form of praise for its power, prowess or its stellar first-party line-up, but more for the fact it is helping me catch up with some games that I have missed on other consoles.
The Switch is the perfect platform for smaller, indie games new or old and it’s great to see so much support for the little guys out there by Nintendo.
Max: The Curse of Brotherhood Switch Review
Such a title that I missed back in 2013 was Max: The Curse of Brotherhood. Not through ignorance or purpose, it was just something that I never picked up at the time, much like many indie games I must ashamedly concede that launched around this time.
So, Max has had his time already on other platforms, including this generation and the last generation of consoles, not to mention PC. Now, though, is his time to shine for Nintendo…
The Curse of Brotherhood starts with Max squabbling with his younger brother Felix – much like anyone else did when they had another sibling. Rooting through his toys and making an almighty mess, Max puts a curse on Felix that he found on the internet in an attempt to make him disappear.
Somehow it works and both Felix and Max get pulled through a wormhole into another creepy and bizarre universe where Felix has been kidnapped and Max must rescue his brother.
Max: The Curse of Brotherhood Review
Permanent Marker
The game plays out across your typical 2D platformer landscape with you having to navigate Max over obstacles and dodge enemies to move onto the next area.
Sadly Max didn’t come well-equipped for this task beyond having a permanent marker in his possession when he came through the wormhole. After meeting an old lady who has magic power, she grants his marker the ability to manipulate certain parts of the terrain to Max’s advantage.
This allows the Switch to show off its multiple inputs by having you control Max with the thumbsticks on the Joy-Cons but allowing you to use the marker by using the touchscreen display.
It’s simple, and makes perfect sense, as I imagine most people will play the game in handheld mode – as I did for the duration of my time before writing this review.
The game also looks very shiny on the console and runs smoothly, but it does also show its age sometimes, with the textures and reliance on the same mechanics throughout.
There are also a couple of issues with the detection when jumping and input for the marker pen which can result in you repeating certain sections.
But, for a five-year-old game, this does not detract from the title and it is to be expected that it won’t be as ‘shiny’ as if it were launched today.
Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is the perfect game for the Switch. It’s a game you can pick up and play at any point and makes use of the Switch’s portability and touchscreen. In fact, if you ask me, playing games like this is one of the biggest selling points for the Switch.
I remember playing Oregon Trail in the library of my middle school back in the day. Even with the best planning, hunting, and river rafting skills, you died often enough on your journey that the ability to leave witty messages on your tombstone for a future passerby to read became a regular ritual.
Bandits stealing all your supplies and dying of dysentery became part of the expedition. Luck played in almost as much as skill, but we kept playing, again and again, determined to get a bit further this time and, eventually, make it all the way to Oregon.
Death Road To Canada Review
Death Road to Canada, a rogue-like title set during the zombie apocalypse, takes a lot of the simple concepts from earlier adventure titles such as Oregon Trail and sets you on a fun, addictive, and often hilarious journey. Like that childhood trip to Oregon long ago, death comes often in this game, but you will almost instantly find yourself ready to get back on the road.
Your goal in Death Road to Canada is clear and likely self-explanatory. You must guide a ragtag group of survivors to Canada, the only allegedly safe place after the world has been ravaged by the ravenous undead. Everything you have you must scavenge from locations you visit along the way. Food, medical supplies, gasoline, weapons, and any other items you need must be obtained at the risk of life and limb. And, as if fending off hordes of the undead wasn’t difficult enough, you also have to keep up morale.
The Caretaker
Along with ensuring everyone is fed and rested, you must also keep characters happy and loyal and, obviously, keep them from getting murdered. The events in the game are randomized, so you don’t always know how your choices will turn out. Sometimes, your choices appear fairly straightforward.
We chose not to accept an overnight invitation from a creepy-looking caretaker (and, yes, the game explicitly told us the caretaker was incredibly creepy). Of course, perhaps we shouldn’t judge by appearances, but as we have learned from TV shows like The Walking Dead, trust doesn’t come easy and is rarely rewarded during the zombie apocalypse.
Other times, choices seem more capricious. Once, I had a character shoot a deer that was standing in front of our car, blocking our path. One of my other members became angry I hadn’t chosen him instead, thus dropping his morale. After losing our car later due to an unfortunate encounter with a man wearing heavy body armour standing in the road, this member’s morale dropped so low he became despondent and wandered off into the woods to an unknown fate.
Oh, and I also learned not to tell bandits to “Cool it.” They don’t appreciate it and can become surprisingly violent as one of my former teammates tragically discovered. On second thought, perhaps that really isn’t so surprising.
Zombie Forecast
What you do have more control over during the game is how you handle your inventory. Weapons range from rifles and shotguns to blunt weapons such as wrenches, hammers, and even femurs. There are also less common weapons such as grenades, and you might even get the chance to buy a turret.
You can easily swap weapons between team members during missions by pulling up the menu, as long as you are within range of that teammate. Some characters can hold more weapons than others, but most can hold three. You are able to drop weapons if you find one during the scavenging event you would like to keep, rather than one you came with. You can also easily switch between the weapons you are carrying during a battle with the press of a single button.
There is no crafting in Death Road to Canada, so weapon management is simply a matter of distributing weapons thoughtfully, and only keeping the ones you think you will need. You have a total of 14 slots that can be used for storing weapons not currently being carried by characters. Before each mission, you can select which weapons you would like to take. Things like medical supplies are used automatically by team members after certain events and do not need to be managed.
In fact, one of the best aspects of the game is how it keeps it simple while offering just the right amount of customization. For example, each character comes with a certain set of skills and attributes which includes things like Medical, Shooting, Strength, and Mechanical ability. It might also include personality traits like a low morale, or low loyalty.
Boosting Characters
In the regular game mode where you will encounter random characters, you can increase some of their skills and attributes through certain activities or choices. For instance, you may get the opportunity to take shooting lessons, thus increasing everyone’s shooting skill. Or, you might have a certain character tinker overnight while at a rest stop, increasing their mechanical skill.
You also have the option of building your own custom characters. Each character comes with a certain set of traits. Traits can both positively and negatively affect skill sets and attributes. For instance, the “Inventive” trait will add two points to your mechanical skill, which might help you fix your car eventually if it breaks down.
I say eventually because on the negative side it might take a little practice. Sometimes the negative effects are comical. The “Nurturing” trait says it adds two points to your medical skill and gives you a great attitude. On the negative side, your positivity “may be an act.” For the risk taker, you can choose more extreme traits like “BESERK!” This boosts the character’s strength, fitness, and shooting ability by four points, but they can also be killed in one bite.
Being Surrounded On All Sides
You earn Zombo Points throughout the game that can be traded for perks. For instance, “Phoenix” resurrects a character upon death to full health, though it can also be used once per game. There are also more bizarre perks such as “Anime Fan”, which gives the player an overpowered Katana that cannot be dropped upon death. Just what every anime fan needs.
Combat is super simple, but fun. Cracking zombie skulls never seems to get old, and the splat they make when defeated is always satisfying. Using guns is also super simple and doesn’t require careful aiming, only that you are facing in the right direction.
But, be careful. Don’t be too overzealous with your zombie slaying. Your weapons break, and bullets, though not particularly scarce, are valuable, particularly when you find yourself in a siege event. What is a siege event, you ask? Only your worst nightmare, if your worst nightmare involves being surrounded on all sides by zombies.
There are five different game options available aside from the regular mode. Familiar Characters mode increases your chances of running into your custom characters. Rare Characters Mode increases your chances of coming across special characters, some with incredibly useful abilities, and some that look a lot like well-known characters such as Link from the Legend of Zelda series.
Deadlier Road Mode makes the game, well, more deadly than usual. The two remaining options either significantly shorten or elongate your road trip.
Best of all, the game never takes itself too seriously. The music, a 16-bit style techno and rock mix, is exhilarating and sometimes even quite catchy.
Quirky And Weird
The characters themselves are quirky and weird. My first character was using his time at the end of humanity to write a comic book about his life. I also ran across a man in a horse mask who, for all intents and purposes, considered himself an actual horse. I found him running along the highway, perhaps trying to locate his four-legged compadres, before my team forcibly pulled him into the car and made him join us.
Then, we all went to Y’all-Mart (you read that correctly). While at Y’all-Mart, I located a treadmill I had the horseman use despite the game’s warning against using a treadmill while surrounded by zombies. It all turned out for the best, however, as using the treadmill increased the horse man’s strength. Which was all well and good until I died some ten minutes later in a blaze of glory, mobbed by ravenous corpses. And, thus, the cycle began anew. The circle of life.
Yes, believe it or not, you read the title card correctly. DayZ, the phenomenon that swept the PC gaming scene by storm in 2014, is finally making its way over to consoles. This process only took developer Bohemia Interactive 4 years to finally port it.
The question I have for Bohemia is: isn’t this port a couple of years too late?
Resurrect DayZ From The Dead
Four years ago, all you heard was how amazing DayZ was. It was consistently a top-played and top-streamed PC title. It had adrenaline pumping gameplay, and was overall a very intense zombie survival experience, because not only did you have to worry about running into a horde of zombies, but at any giving moment you could be getting hunted by a fellow player.
At that time there was nothing like it, but 4 years on, the DayZ scene has changed drastically.
Let’s face it, DayZ is nowhere near as popular as it used to be. If you take a look at Steam charts, this game has been haemorrhaging more and more players every single year. This could be directly related to the recent rise of the battle royale genre.
The Battle Royale Effect
DayZ and the battle royale titles have similar gameplay loops: being a player in a large open environment, you have to use the terrain, loot supplies and fight other players around you in order to survive.
Another issue that could have caused DayZ’s demise is the fact the game is STILL an Early Access title after being playable for over 4 years. And, to make matters worse, DayZ still has some of the same glaring issues that it did when it was originally released in Early Access. The main issue? A lack of an end game.
Yes, the end game has been the biggest issue for Bohemia since the beginning, they can’t seem to figure out what players want to do in their title.
DayZ’s end game is simply ‘survive for as long you can with your character’, and that’s it. So, you end up doing to the same gameplay loops over and over again. Loot supplies, avoid zombies, kill or hunt other players to take their loot, and avoid getting killed at all cost. Yeah… sounds pretty repetitive right?
So, what I’m assuming is after the rise of games like PUBG and Fortnite, Bohemia is thinking, in order for their title to survive, they need to tap into a new audience. And, this seems to be why they’re finally porting DayZ over to Xbox. I understand the reasoning behind this because the brand still has some recognition, but is it too little too late?
We will find out soon enough if Bohemia can bring DayZ back to its glory days when it launches later this year on Xbox One.
In the meantime, you can check out some early gameplay footage of DayZ running on an Xbox One X down below.
The Sony PlayStation (or the PSone in its later slim, white iteration) was home to some of the biggest and best JRPGs in gaming. From the likes of the unforgettable Final Fantasy VII to Star Ocean: The Second Story to SuikodenII, Sony’s first console rivalled the Super Nintendo in terms of diverse and epic JRPGs. In this Past Blast, we’re focusing on one of the more charming and vibrant releases in the genre during the PSone’s lifespan. This release is Grandia.
Grandia Past Blast [PSone]
Grandia was developed by Game Arts, a company previously famous for their Lunar series, the last of which had been released on the oft-forgotten Sega Mega-CD system in 1994 in Japan. Development began shortly after Lunar: Eternal Blue had been completed, taking a total of two years to finish. Although the game was initially going to be released for the Sega Mega-CD, it was eventually decided to be released on Sega’s next-gen console at the time, the Saturn in 1997. It was welcomed with large amounts of praise from fans and critics alike during its initial release in Japan but, despite a fan campaign as well as massive import sales, it wasn’t released in the West. It wasn’t until the game journeyed to Sony’s magic grey box two years later in 1999 that it was given an official English localization. And for many players, this is where their experience of Game Arts’ classic began. So, what exactly is so good about it?
Well, firstly, there is the charm and character of the game which is not only apparent in its colourful, anime-esque presentation, but also in the shoes of its protagonists. The story follows the escapades of fourteen-year-old Justin, a wannabe adventurer, and his sidekick and childhood friend, eight-year-old Sue, as they travel the game’s world searching for the lost kingdom of the mysterious long-forgotten Icarian race, Alent. This consequently has them lock horns with a private army known as the Garlyle Forces, whose evil leader is looking to seize the secrets of the Icarians himself and use them to take over the world. As is evident, the story isn’t exactly groundbreaking – the game clearly has younger players in mind, after all – but it works.
Even the characters are admittedly not all that original, fulfilling specific archetypes down to a tee, but they’re so well-written (and many of them so well-developed over the course of the game’s narrative) that you are unlikely to care. The energetic, impulsive Justin’s rapport with the relatively level-headed but humorous Sue provides much of the game’s charm, especially in the opening chapters of the game. Even then, many of the later characters such as master swordsman, Gadwin, who acts as a mentor to the younger characters provide a lot of personality to the game, not to mention the teenage adventuress, Feena, with whom Justin develops a budding romance. Their personalities are further amplified by the emotive character portraits that appear during dialogue as well as the game’s impressive range of character animations. In fact, the range of animations – particularly during in-game scenes – are so large and varied, that it makes one think that maybe all games with sprite-based characters should be like for this.
Another area where Grandia is strong is its in-game world. Unlike many of its contemporaries in the genre, Grandia doesn’t use pre-rendered backgrounds for its locations, instead opting to use fully 3D polygonal areas. While this does mean that the areas have a very jagged look about them (and especially noticeable in today’s climate where games are held to a much higher graphical standard), the game’s bright and vibrant colour palette, as well as the variety in location assets, nonetheless make it a joy to explore.
From lively towns to derelict temples to maze-like jungles, the game has it all, with an atmosphere aided by its great music. Now, while the game’s music is something of a mixed bag – shifting between inspired, catchy tunes and atmospheric dungeon music to rather lacklustre bongo drum loops for some of its outside areas – when the music gets good, it gets really good. This is particularly evident during some of the game’s important scenes which employ sweeping emotional strings during key emotional moments and a riveting orchestral score as its main theme. It’s a shame that the game’s soundtrack couldn’t have been completely orchestral, although this is perhaps a result of the limitations of the PlayStation’s disc space.
Luckily though, plenty of disc space was left forbattles that are fun and engaging in equal measure. In an interesting twist, the game combines elements from both turn-based and real-time battle systems. During a battle, both the party and their enemies must wait until their icon reaches the midway point of the ‘IP’ bar before they can make an action. When an enemy or player is attacked, this usually means that their icon’s journey to the midpoint of the IP bar is momentarily postponed thus giving an opportunity for the player or enemy to reach their midway point before the other and gain an advantage. If the player manages to attack the enemy while they are planning an attack or spell, they will ‘cancel’ that enemy’s action – naturally, the same applies vice versa.
As can be expected from a JRPG, there is a wide range of special attacks and magic spells for the characters to learn and exploit. In the case of the special moves, these are (mostly) unique to each character and, interestingly, are linked to the player’s use of magic. By consistently using their magic (bought at town shops using special ‘mana eggs’ found in the field or dungeons), party members not only upgrade the vigour and effect of their spells but also their stats and their repertoire of special moves. Similar effects can be achieved through the continued use of different weapons. The nature of this is that it encourages players to switch between different kinds of weapons and to keep using different kinds of spells, working out which spell works most effectively on which kind of enemy. In addition, the prospect of more punishing special moves gives the player more reason to utilise their magic.
The real magic, however, is in the game as a whole. Combining vibrant, colourful locations with brilliant characters, a fun battle system and intriguing lore, Grandia is well-worth a look, even in this day and age. There is a reason, after all, why it is still widely talked about and given that the game is readily available on the PSN network, you really have no excuse! In an era of angst-filled JRPG solemnity, the charm and brilliance of Game Arts’ classic is a welcome one. It’s time for adventure. It’s time to level up. It’s time for Grandia.
There’s a meme that I’ve seen circulating on the Internet that shows the Xbox One console package promoting Microsoft’s exclusive characters. It shows Master Chief (obviously), Lara Croft, Marcus Phoenix, and… ‘car’. This latter figure represents the Forza series, but it’s a bit jarring to see it next to the likes of the others. This image speaks to Microsoft’s biggest problem, but that’s discussed so much that to elaborate more here would be pointless.
Nintendo Is Playing The Long Game
The real lesson to be learned from this meme is not just that consoles need exclusives to differentiate themselves, it’s that gamers get attached to their characters (as opposed to just gameplay) and a strong line-up will benefit the success of the console. Video game companies need characters that players can form an attachment to. PlayStation and Nintendo have cracked this code with Nathan Drake and Mario to name a few respectively. Where Nintendo differs, however, is in their decision to capture a child’s interest and hold their devotion through their adult life. The big N’s youth-targeted strategy ensures the company’s livelihood for decades.
They’ve been smart to create all-ages games. It ensures that almost all kids can play (believe it or not some parents don’t let their children play M-rated games) and form a connection with their characters during the prime nostalgia-building period of their lives. When Super Mario Odyssey came out last fall and sold over 9 million copies by the end of the year, the game wasn’t just purchased by children. While the content of the game was far more “kiddie” than other AAA on the market at the time, it tugged on the nostalgia cord of adults who had formed a connection with the character from their childhood. They were itching to dive back into adventures with Mario.
This year, one of the most anticipated games is Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo Switch. Yeah, the gameplay is fun, but more so it’s entertaining to see your favorite character kick the living [redacted] out of each other. These are characters that you’ve met before and they are characters you can look forward to meeting again (well, maybe not the Ice Climbers). Nintendo built their properties with longevity in mind and isn’t afraid to tug on the nostalgia heartstrings not just to attract their current audience of gamers, but also the audience that has grown up and retains fond memories of playing with these characters.
This is a strategy that is not just proven in games, but probably has been most visibly successful at Disney. They have created a stable of properties that appeal to kids, for example Beauty and the Beast from 1991, and continued to lean into these properties to keep their fans coming back time and time again, whether that’s enticing them to come to Disney World or see the “grittier” live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast from last year. That film made over a billion dollars and that’s not because the story was particularly groundbreaking. It’s because children wanted to see a princess movie and adults wanted to revisit the characters they had grown up with.
The console market is extremely fluid. Just last generation Xbox 360 was the market king in the US and PlayStation was in third place. Even this generation Nintendo saw themselves struggling with the Wii U – one of their big risks that didn’t pay off. Given the tendency for the market leaderboard to fluctuate, it’s smart to focus on creating exclusive characters (not just games) that fans can attach themselves to only on your family of systems. This is, as aforementioned, something Microsoft has always found great difficulty with.
If your console is underpowered as a home console (Switch) or is lacking a huge online community (Xbox One) then you’ll still find an audience by milking nostalgia and using your core gaggle of memorable characters. Create fans when they’re young, keep them forever. That’s smart business – Rodders.
Swim Out is a turn-based puzzle game designed to be mentally stimulating while also relaxing the nerves and refreshing the soul. You can backstroke your way through a few levels to unwind after a stressful day at work, or perhaps enjoy a dog paddle after some guided meditation without harshing your mellow.
Swim Out Review PC
The game offers new players almost no tutorial. All you get are a couple of arrows to guide you to the exit. New elements are introduced one at a time, steadily increasing the complexity of the puzzles over time. The team at Lozange Lab does a nice job of making the elements feel intuitive, with their visual design complementing how they interact with the board.
Getting to the other end of the pool requires thinking a couple of moves ahead. You’ll need to first learn the pattern of behaviour for each different element in the pool. You will encounter different varieties of swimmer, ranging from elegant divers to kids doing cannonballs. Then you have to negotiate around the many types of environmental hazards, such as snippy little crabs or big waves that will delay you (or other swimmers) for a turn. Some puzzles include items that you will need to solve the puzzle, such as beach balls that can be used to stun nearby swimmers.
Relaxation is the guiding principle for the entire game. There is no timer. There is no move count and no “world average” like many other turn-based puzzle games. The game tracks your progress of which levels you’ve completed and gives bonus objectives on select levels, but there is no traditional score.
Handcrafted With Love
When you make a mistake, like running into another swimmer, the lifeguard will blow a whistle. It’s a sharp sound that could pull you out of the relaxed state. This is a minor quibble, but the sound might make some players hesitant to try out new strategies (or mute their audio).
Some of the puzzles are challenging and you might find yourself getting stuck. One of the nice features that Lozange Lab included was to unlock every level from the start. So, if you find yourself starting to feel frustrated, just skip back to the menu and try a different puzzle. That is a rare choice that fits nicely with the entire design ethos.
Swim Out’s gentle nature means that it might not be addictive in the traditional sense. The game doesn’t put you on a treadmill of accomplishments where there’s always some quest left unfinished. While that might be a downside for some people, this choice is another element in a cohesive design.
