2021 has been an incredible year for the PlayStation 2 modding scene. The PS2 may be over twenty years old now, but the community around it is still quite strong. Earlier this year, MechaCon was dumped in full. This allowed […]
Developer: Monolith Productions, Nightdive StudiosPublisher: Nightdive StudiosPlatform: PC – GOG, Steam I first tried to play Blood years ago but failed due to extreme inability on my part. The game seemed way too tough to even survive the first level! […]
Director: Greydon ClarkWriter: Dana Olsen, Michael Spound I didn’t know quite what to expect from Wacko. Horror comedies are all over the place these days, but they were still a fairly new concept in the 80s. And like many 80s […]
Director: Michael Anderson Writers: Edward Abraham, Valerie Abraham I was recently introduced to Vinegar Syndrome. These purveyors of obscure genre films quickly caught my attention due to the fact that they released many films I wanted – and many I didn’t know […]
Director: Anthony Hickox Writer: Clive Barker, Peter Atkins Year: 1992 The original Hellraiser left quite an impression on me. Not only was it creepy, but it had a powerful visual aesthetic that stands up today. Years ago I watched the sequel and didn’t […]
Developer: Presto Studios
Publisher: Presto Studios
Platform: PC – GOG*
The Journeyman Project first launched in 1994 by then newcomer developer Presto Studios. Their tale about a time travelling hero hooked many, which led to the creation of a second and third game in the series. After the second, Presto went back and remade their original game as The Journeyman Project: Pegasus Prime. It was a seriously hefty upgrade and is the version currently available on GOG. Does the game hold up today?
Yes! Although, there are certainly some really hokey things going on. The Journeyman Project: Pegasus Prime begins with the lead character going through a dull daily work routine in Earth’s distant future. Of course, everything doesn’t stay routine for long. Something weird is going on and requires Agent 5 to enter into the Pegasus time travel machine. From there, it’s up to the player to travel between times to fix whatever broke the space time continuum.
There are only three time periods to really fuss around with, which is a shame when the concept is so neat. In any case, your goal is to correct the wrongs present in these periods. This includes a variety of puzzles to solve, some of which require traversing between multiple time periods before you’re prepared to solve them. It can be tough for some adventure players to walk away from a puzzle, but that’s exactly what you have to do sometimes. Near the end there were also a few puzzles that seemed a bit too reliant on retrying (or maybe I was just really poor at them).
The story itself is not particularly amazing, and wraps up really suddenly, but what makes it worth experiencing is the ridiculous actors. Each character has a FMV sprite and overact with incredible devotion. If you pay attention, you can even see their eyes move subtly as they read their lines while acting out. I love games that have such overwhelmingly silly acting and The Journeyman Project: Pegasus Prime definitely provides in this respect.
It is not a very long experience, but it is mostly entertaining and unusual. Now I want to check out what the sequels have to offer!
3 out of 5 alpacas
Review code provided
About our rating system – *Affiliate Link
The contest has concluded! Congratulations to DarkCobra86 and DrPixl!
Hello and welcome to our latest contest on Pixel Pacas! Last week we reviewed 1849 and found it a fun town management sim with a Gold Rush slant. Thanks to Somasim, we have two copies of the game to give out to lucky readers!
Here are your options for entering our giveaway.
Option One:
1. Follow our Twitter account – @PixelPacas
2. After you’ve followed us, post the official contest tweet: I want to test my skills running a California Gold Rush town in 1849. Pick me, @PixelPacas ! wp.me/p3taEI-Av
Option Two:
1. Leave a comment on this post describing why you’d like to play 1849.
Note that you are allowed to use both options! This will grant you two entries into the giveaway instead of one. If you do both, make sure you tell us your Twitter handle in the blog comment so the entries get paired up.
Our 1849 giveaway ends on Sunday – May 18th at 10 AM PST. Good luck!
If you’d like to stay in the loop about our contests and content our Twitter is always kept up to date. But if you don’t use Twitter, we also have a Steam Group that updates whenever a new giveaway goes live.
Developer: Somasim
Publisher: Somasim
Platform: Mobile – Android, iOS PC – IndieGameStand, Steam
There is something about city management sims that hooks people. Most of us probably have no desire to ever deal with the realities of legislation, building codes, and the vast expenditures that a real city planner has to deal with. Put them in a game though and suddenly it’s fun. What if you could manage a city during the California Gold Rush? If that sounds awesome to you then you’re definitely going to want to check out 1849.
In this game, you’re the mayor of a newly settled town somewhere in Northern California. The goal is to hopefully capitalize off the sudden immigration of people as Gold Rush fever sets in. With good enough planning, the town will boom with people. Fail to provide them with the right resources though and they’ll simply move on to another town.
Maps come in three varieties (small, medium, large) and have an isometric viewpoint. Players must build their town up with homes, wheat fields, jailhouses, and a good deal of other buildings. Many buildings require a chain of other buildings to produce any items at all. For example, you can make fancy clothes for the citizens but that requires first harvesting cotton, turning it into fabrics, then transforming the fabric into an outfit. This same style of mechanic holds true for creating wine and other specialties.
Getting all the buildings required for these types of chains is expensive, but pays off. Other towns need things that you can provide. Some may spend money for your excess fabrics and wood, while others offer to sell pickaxes to you. For the most part, players always have to manage both exporting and importing because no plot of land has everything. Sometimes, events crop up that task the player to do certain things before the time runs out.
Although it might seem a bit simpler than other games of the genre, 1849 is fairly difficult to do well in. Many of my missions ended in failure as I bought the wrong buildings or didn’t realize what other towns would want to trade for. After a while you do get the hang of things, though. It’s a total joy to see your town grow into a bustling, successful place.
There are a few ways in which the experience could be improved. The view cannot be rotated, only zoomed in on. This leads to many times you can’t see where exactly to click or tell if something was placed properly. It is also unfortunate that there is no easy reference to view what chain of item creation is needed before creating specific buildings. Finally, it appears there are not multiple saves for sandbox towns, which is a definite disappointment.
Even with a handle of troubles, 1849 is a game I find myself coming back to often. The core gameplay mechanics are fantastic and easy to learn. It’s always fun to try fussing around in a new town to see how much it can expand. As such, anyone with a taste for city management games should definitely embark on a digital Gold Rush journey with 1849.
3 out of 5 alpacas
Review code provided
About our rating system
Developer: Joep Aben
Platform: PC – Direct
This post is part of a series on The Pirate Bay Bundle.
Abandoned is a bit odd. After the main menu, there’s an incredibly brief cutscene showcasing a hatching egg. Then, you’re immediately thrust into playing with little explanation as to what needs to be done. There’s a timer ticking down from 10 minutes, colored squares blocking exits, and then there’s you. Whatever you are.
The player controls something that looks like a Frankensteinian creation. Part bird, tree, and alien (?), your sprite flaps around stages. There are many rooms to explore and many appear to be dead ends at first. It’s only after grabbing a power up item that the gameplay conceit is revealed. Grab power ups, which grant access to more areas, then grab other ones and so on.
I enjoyed the art style simply for the inherent alien nature of it. Despite being pixel art, the lead character is certainly unique. So too are the backdrops which start out fairly average but quickly become more interesting. For example, some areas look somewhat like crackers, while others make you feel like Abandoned takes place in someone’s intestines.
The music is a definite high point. It is ambient but still manages to enhance the sensation of being totally alone. If not for the 10 minute time limit I would have probably enjoyed it more. However, that must mean it can become a quick game if you can remember (or map) where everything is and how to reach them. Still, I don’t think Abandoned is something I’ll be looking to speedrun in the near future.
Developer’s comment: “Abandoned” was my first attempt to express myself through games and base my game design choices on enhancing the mood and atmosphere, instead of what would be the most ‘fun’.
It is still a goal of mine to make games that express my feelings and thoughts in some way, and I think “Abandoned” is an important part of what set that in motion.
Hello and welcome to our latest contest on Pixel Pacas! Last week we reviewed Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike and seriously enjoyed it! Are you interested in checking it out too? Thanks to Hippomancer we’ve got a code to give out!
Here are your options for entering our giveaway.
Option One:
1. Follow our Twitter account – @PixelPacas
2. After you’ve followed us, post the official contest tweet: Rogue Shooter looks ridiculously fun with its mix of classic FPS and roguelike gameplay. Pick me, @PixelPacas ! http://wp.me/p3taEI-A8
Option Two:
1. Leave a comment on this post describing why you’d like to play Rogue Shooter.
Note that you are allowed to use both options! This will grant you two entries into the giveaway instead of one. If you do both, make sure you tell us your Twitter handle in the blog comment so the entries get paired up.
Our Rogue Shooter giveaway ends on Sunday – May 11th at 10 AM PST. Good luck!
If you’d like to stay in the loop about our contests and content our Twitter is always kept up to date. But if you don’t use Twitter, we also have a Steam Group that updates whenever a new giveaway goes live.
It doesn’t seem like much time has passed since the purchase and setting up of PixelPacas.com but apparently a whole year has passed! Exactly one year ago we posted an introductory message but were relatively unsure about what direction the site would go. Honestly, there was no guarantee that we would even remain interested in it for very long!
Yet, here the site stands a year later with a surprisingly huge library of reviews. There’s also a handful of interviews and giveaways which were never anticipated at launch. It’s both surprising and exciting to see that the site has grown and that a few cool people actually browse here from time to time.
To anyone who is or has browsed our site over the past year: Thank you! PixelPacas loves sharing a wide variety of games with others via reviews. Hopefully there will be even more awesome developments in our second year!
Developer: Hippomancer
Publisher: Hippomancer
Platform: PC – Steam
Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike is a brand new video game with the heart of something released in the early 90s. All you have to do is look at one crude screenshot and nearly believe this is lost FPS shovelware. If you can get past the ridiculous visuals, there is one heck of a compelling game to dig into.
As the name implies, Rogue Shooter combines retro 3D FPS stylings with roguelike elements. These include randomly generated levels, a perk system, restart upon death, destructable weapons and armor, and tough bunches of enemies. As you progress through the 100 floors (50 on easy), you’ll check out a wide variety of weapons. Some are pretty average while others, such as a gun that shoots out goofy dogs, verge on the hilarious.
Although all perks are deleted after a death, there is an overarching upgrade system that carries over between playthroughs. You can use it to increase health, attack power, and inventory slots. Getting enough points for these upgrades takes a while but the fun gameplay makes accumulating enough intel manageable.
If you did not enjoy games like the original DOOM, Quake, or even knock-offs like Chex Quest then Rogue Shooter isn’t likely to please you either. However, it doesn’t exist to simply cash in on nostalgia. Playing is tremendously fun once you get accustomed to retro elements such as no ability to aim your gun up or down. I wholeheartedly recommend this oddball game to anyone who harbors a crush on 3D FPS games of yesteryear or unique roguelikes.
4 out of 5 alpacas
Review code provided
About our rating system
Developer: MumboJumbo
Publisher: MumboJumbo
Platform: Amazon, Big Fish Games, MumboJumbo, Steam
Angelica Weaver: Catch Me When You Can is an unusual point and click title. As with many modern games of the genre, your main goal is to solve a handful of puzzles alongside hidden object segments. Interestingly, the hidden object aspect is really downplayed in favor of a bevvy of puzzles and an overarching story that spans centuries.
You play Angelica Weaver, a special agent on the Chicago police force. She’s on the trail of a murderer who appears to be mimicking a series of historic London slayings. Because of Angelica’s unusual ability, she is able to actually travel to the past and connect the clues to help solve the modern day crime.
The story is unique but unfortunately Angelica is not the most interesting protagonist. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by Nancy Drew’s game persona, but Catch Me When You Can’s lead feels a lot more self-serving. Once she “solves” mysteries there is a distinct pleased gloating in her voice and words. It’s weird how she stops to praise herself in the midst of a murder investigation, but maybe I’d praise my own intelligence too…
Puzzles are not too difficult for the most part, although there are some cumbersome sections. Piecing together 30 pieces of a dress (without a reference image) is one of those moments. Thankfully after a minute or so of time these puzzles are skippable. Hint chances are also very numerous. Still, I just don’t find the mystery all that intriguing. The biggest mystery to me is Angelica’s obsession with dreamcatchers. That, and the fact that the game is called “Catch Me When You Can”.
2 out of 5 alpacas
Developer: Sébastien Bénard
Platform: PC – Web
This post is part of a series on The Pirate Bay Bundle.
Created for Ludum Dare 21 (Escape), this has proved to be the most surprising of the bunch thus far. A Tale About Life, Death, and a Looser at first irked me thanks to purposeful misspelling of “loser”. After a while though I began to think that this character was such a loser that he really deserved the typo. Anyway, let’s get into discussing it.
You play as a red-headed guy who goes through his terribly average life. At various important moments, such as birth, college, and fatherhood, the player is presented with one of two options. They are continue or escape. Depending on what event you’re on the results of the choices will be different.
In a way the game felt a lot like Alter Ego, in which you attempt to navigate the life of a virtual human from birth to death. The main difference here is you can only be this loserly fellow and there are a lot less choices. Of course, that’s to be expected given the time constraints during creation! With that said, the pixel art is fairly nice as is the amount of screens you can see while playing.
There was definitely something that bothered me while playing A Tale About Life, Death, and a Looser and that was its sour display of women. Certainly, the entire game is meant to paint a very dreary picture for the lead character but it could have taken things in another direction. Or maybe, the plot of each woman could vary from the other rather than both of their stories converging into the same stereotyped view. Who knows?
Developer: SEGA, Crypton Future Media
Publisher: SEGA
Platform: PSN – PS3, Vita
It’s a joy to see Hatsune Miku slowly, but surely, becoming fully recognized in North America. Heck, she’s even opening for Lady Gaga! The best part, however, is that we’re getting Project Diva games published here now. I already played Project DIVA F on PS3 last year and loved it, but I wanted to see if its handheld counterpart was an even better experience.
Like any other rhythm game, you press buttons to the beat of the music in Project DIVA f. There are also moments where you must swipe either the front or back touchscreens. With faster songs and higher difficulties, swiping quickly enough feels almost impossible, especially with the fact that they are sometimes not recognized. In any case, the more accurate you are with your timing, the better your score.
Paired with a selection of over 30 catchy tracks, Project DIVA f‘s main gameplay will have you hooked. It can get really crazy and demand your utmost attention and reflexes, but it sure as hell feels good to do well on that super difficult song that you’ve had trouble with for so long.
When you want to take a break from the main portion of Project DIVA f, you can interact with Hatsune Miku and the other Vocaloids in their rooms. This includes dressing them up, giving them gifts, and redecorating. It’s oddly satisfying.
Other modes include Edit Mode and Portrait Mode. Edit Mode allows you to create your own music videos, which is sure to please creative folks out there. Portrait Mode, on the other hand, lets you take photos of Miku in your environment.
Having played both versions of Project DIVA f, I can safely say that I vastly prefer the Vita version. Although it’s lovely seeing Miku dance and sing on a large television screen, the gameplay feels much more suited to a handheld platform.
Why choose Project DIVA f over other rhythm games? Well, its appeal lies heavily in the Vocaloid franchise. So, if you’re not interested in Hatsune Miku and her friends, you’re probably better off skipping over Project Diva f. But for those of you that are fans, even just a little bit… Definitely add it to your gaming library and help show support for Miku in the states!
4 out of 5 alpacas
Review code provided
About our rating system
May 13th, 2014 
