Posts Tagged ‘2010s’

July 3rd, 2014 Featured, PC, Reviews No Comments »

The Chaos Engine Review

The Chaos Engine Logo

Developer: The Bitmap Brothers
Publisher: Mastertronic
Platform: PC – GOG*, Steam

Now, I’d never played The Chaos Engine in the past but somehow the game always stuck with me. Thanks to the ‘remastered’ version on Steam I’ve finally gotten to play this Amiga classic. Although it might not be very in-depth, I found it quite enjoyable, if difficult. Just make sure to not turn on smoothing if you have any affinity toward pixel art.

The basics of The Chaos Engine are that it’s a top down action game. You select from a cast of characters (each with unique weapons) and play alongside a co-op partner. This partner can be a real person via local or online play or simply a computer-controlled buddy. Of course, enlisting a real friend is the best idea.

The Chaos Engine Featured

Apparently this version of the game has been made a bit harder than the original release. If so, it definitely shows. Although it looks like you can go guns blazing through the stage, slow progression is really the way to go. I found myself creeping toward the edges of the screen so as not to be jumped by an enemy. Some ram into you while others shoot bullets and in either case it’s all terribly damaging. For whatever reason, characters start with very low health. It’s definitely a challenging game but enjoyably so.

One change was making the game have “360 degree” shooting. It’s more like 8-way shooting but it works well. You can play on a gamepad (not just of the Xbox 360 variety) as well, which is pretty cool. This ended up being my preferred method of play. My biggest issue with The Chaos Engine is a severe lack of level passwords to return to old stages in online matches. Fans have been clamoring for this for over a year so such an update is unlikely. Overall, I enjoy the difficulty and just wish there were ways to temper it when needed.

Score: 3

3 out of 5 alpacas

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July 1st, 2014 Featured, PlayStation Vita, Reviews, Sony Systems No Comments »

Z-Run Review

Z-Run Logo

Developer: Beatshapers
Publisher: Beatshapers
Platform: PSN – Vita

So, what would you do when placed in the middle of a zombie apocalypse? Run! In Z-Run that’s exactly what you do. Playing as one of two characters you simply try to maneuver through zombie-infested streets safely. Of course, you’re still free to pick up a weapon or two along the way to make the trek easier.

After choosing to play as Clair or Alex players get to either work through story mode or test survival mode. Story mode sends players through a variety of increasingly difficult levels. Levels themselves have a third person perspective with the character running directly “forward” in a 3D space. As zombies or other obstacles appear, you can whip out a melee weapon, kick them, or even try to dodge. As the playing field is fairly narrow dodging in particular can be hard to do successfully.

Z-Run Featured

One important aspect to note is the two bars (health and stamina) which must not drain. Stamina is used whenever you attack, dodge, or sprint. Health drains by being hit. Luckily there are item pickups to restore both bars. Visually, the game is gloomy and a bit repetitive with only a few stage designs to speak of. Sometimes zombies glitch out and that makes for unexpectedly humorous moments. Those spoiled by modern zombie games may also be disappointed by a meager dozen weapons. Still, Z-Run does throw players a bone by letting them level up a host of stats as they play.

Z-Run is a pretty difficult runner that excels in some areas and is lacking in others. It might not have a huge variety of stuff to do, but the core gameplay feels competent. This being a Vita game also makes sense considering each stage isn’t terribly long to complete, lending itself well to portable play. Still, there have been many entries into the runner genre over the years and Z-Run doesn’t quite reach the bar.

Score: 2

2 out of 5 alpacas

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June 19th, 2014 Featured, PC, Reviews 1 Comment »

Lost Civilization Review

Lost Civilization Box

Developer: Icarus Games
Publisher: Phoenix Online Studios
Platform: Mobile – Android, iOS PC – Direct, Green Man Gaming, Steam

Lost Civilization is a hidden object adventure game with some very unusual story twists. The basic setup is that you’re an archaeologist named Sarah with a husband in the same profession. Things were going along fine until your husband gets kidnapped! Of course, your goal is to save him and also unravel a larger archaeological mystery along the way. The setup is pretty cool although things get really weird by the end.

Players solve hidden object puzzles, retrieve objects from said screens, and use them to solve item-based puzzles. For the most part, item puzzles are simple and keep the game moving at a quick pace. I enjoyed seeing some different uses of hidden object screens as well. For example, some tell you to place objects where they belong in a scene. Unfortunately, this did lead to trouble when exactly what objects pair with was unclear.

Lost Civilization Featured

Visually, Lost Civilization looks great. The backdrops are well-illustrated as are the characters. It’s just a shame that Sarah’s male model-esque husband only appears a few times. Hidden object scenes are also nicely designed to keep the difficulty about average. Only a few posed issues because of unclear terms (ex: “cone” referring to a pine cone). Puzzle solutions are also sometimes cruel, such as when you’re tasked with lighting a firecracker in the middle of a pigeon gathering just to get them to fly away.

So maybe Lost Civilization’s story gets wrapped up a bit too much like a modern Indiana Jones movie… It’s still a mostly fun experience. Hints are always readily available and help move things along when you get stuck. I totally admit to using the skip function on the final puzzle simply because it was of a higher difficulty than anything else prior. In any case, give Lost Civilization a go if you’ve got two or three hours to spare.

Score: 3

3 out of 5 alpacas

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June 17th, 2014 Featured, PC, Reviews No Comments »

Infinite Game Works Episode 0 Review

Infinite Game Works Episode 0 Boxart

Developer: Sakura River Interactive
Publisher: Sakura River Interactive
Platform: PC – Direct, Steam

Have you ever dreamed of making your own video games? In Infinite Game Works, Justin has that dream. After joining up with two classmates, Aki and Cleo, the trio work together to create title after title. Along the way your friendships deepen and have the opportunity to become romantic – but they don’t have to either. Infinite Game Works Episode 0 is the start of a fun management sim series.

Players are tasked with creating games through a variety of traits. They must work on areas such as programming, music, graphics, and the like. Once Cleo and Aki join the party they offer artistic and musical talents respectively. Each day is utilized to work on projects, rest, or buy stuff to increase productivity. Sometimes there are story sequences that often come with a choice. Selecting choices might help a character learn a new skill or trigger a specific story path.

Infinite Game Works Episode 0 Screenshot

You may recall the name and that’s because Infinite Game Works Episode 0 originally launched in 2011. As such, it isn’t entirely comparable to the current age of indie visual novels out there. Yes, there’s a workable GUI but it is somewhat annoying to have to switch between scenes to check various stats and whatnot. There’s also a total lack of voice acting which, depending on your tastes, is a bad or good thing. Sakura River Interactive do intend to remedy old bugs and modernize the title nearer to Episode 1’s release.

There are five games to create in all, which takes three to five hours. As simplistic as the gameplay is I found it very enjoyable. It was incredibly satisfying to work on various parts of the game until each stated it was of “amazing” quality. If only real game creation were so simple! Perhaps it’s a bit too easy though as I ended up regularly having weeks left over to just grind skills further. Finally, make sure you budget early because the game will end if you can’t pay your friends/staff. Give Infinite Game Works Episode 0 a try, and if you like it, stick around for the rest of the series.

Score: 3

3 out of 5 alpacas

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June 12th, 2014 Featured, PlayStation 4, Reviews, Sony Systems No Comments »

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Review

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Boxart

Developer: Kojima Productions
Publisher: Konami
Platform: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Metal Gear is a longstanding franchise which gains a larger audience with each and every release. By this point, fans have been aching for Metal Gear Solid V but that’s still a ways away. As a way to tease fans (and make some extra money along the way) Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes launched. This, apparently, is just a sampling of the “next generation” gameplay and visuals. Oh, and it also introduces a bit of the storyline which will pick up again once V comes out.

As someone who at one point considered themselves an avid Metal Gear Solid fan, my experience with Ground Zeroes was immediately disappointing. Oh, no doubt it looks astonishing (mostly). Yes, there is excellent music. Controls also handle with ease and precision. But none of that could compel me to have much interest in anything that was going on. Fans like to praise Hideo Kojima’s wacky, twisting narrative sensibilities but at some point it just seems unintentional parody.

It was all thanks to a (since removed) interview with Metal Gear Solid 2 translator Agness Kaku that these thoughts first entered my mind, but now with Ground Zeroes I can clearly see what she meant. Kojima has an obvious love for Hollywood action films and, by effect, our government affairs. Injected in these action-genre sensibilities are his own concepts but these concepts no longer appeal to me. For example, early on you meet a character named Skull Face. And guess what? His face is horrifically burned and white – just like a skull! Maybe for some this seems completely awesome but at some point the mishmash of wannabe serious military narrative and ridiculous flourishes become too much.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Featured

This is only further compounded by the fact that (spoilers?) the introductory chapter takes us to a fictional section of Guantanamo Bay. Is it possible to have Metal Gear silliness in such a serious location? Maybe, but it would take incredible skill. I do not feel that is demonstrated in Ground Zeroes. Snake mutters about how he “kept you waiting” but this was not the game I was waiting for. Thankfully, it took only an hour and 45 minutes to finish. Apparently it was only at 7% completion but there was no drive left to attempt to unlock more.

At one point I would have made the ideal candidate to review a Metal Gear Solid game, but that time has apparently passed. Those who know and love everything that Kojima does will likely enjoy this too, even though some of the more obvious wackiness has been toned down. Snake may have a new voice actor but this game still follows down the gameplay path that Metal Gear Solid 4 brought about. With that said, it was not fun for me to play at all, which makes it impossible for me to recommend.

Score: 2

2 out of 5 alpacas

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June 10th, 2014 Featured, PC, Reviews No Comments »

Noir Syndrome Review

Noir Syndrome Logo

Developer: Dave Gedarovich
Publisher: Glass Knuckle Games
Platform: Mobile – Android PC – Desura, Direct, Steam

Do you fancy yourself a detective? In Noir Syndrome, you get to put on your best detective garb and get to work solving a murder before many more victims surface. The supposed Anubis Killer is incredibly smart though, able to lure even the best player around town to dodge arrest. Even so, a good bunch of clues should make it very apparent who the killer is in town.

Noir Syndrome tells one basic murder story again and again but changes the clues and murderer each playthrough. You start off in your tiny apartment with cute cat and (hopefully) a chunk of cash. The player then weaves through various buildings to collect clues, talk to townspeople, and maybe nab a bite to eat. Some characters drop hints about shady locations while others name suspects.

Being a detective apparently makes one quite hungry. After a bit of searching, the game alerts you to a constantly depleting hunger status. Those who ignore it beyond the announcement of “starving” will actually die before solving a case. This, along with a two-week timeline, make Noir Syndrome a bit too difficult. Sometimes finding enough clues and names isn’t possible if you go to one or two “wrong” locations.

Noir Syndrome Featured

Still, the challenge lends itself to a lot of humorous failures. I don’t know how many attempts it took to finally apprehend the correct suspect, but it was always entertaining to try again. After a while I became better skilled at finding food and items, and knowing what items might mean. Items being basically invisible on-screen (requiring constant pressing of the investigate button) is a pretty annoying design choice, though.

If you’re someone who enjoyed The Ship or are looking forward to SpyParty then this is another game to check out (specifically, try Dinner Party mode). Even if you aren’t, it still offers a murder mystery with arcade-style play. The short playtime each case also makes it a good choice for smartphone play. Noir Syndrome is an odd, goofy look at being a detective. Despite the steep difficulty, it’s worth a look.

Score: 3

3 out of 5 alpacas

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June 5th, 2014 Featured, PC, Reviews No Comments »

Paranormal State: Poison Springs Review

Paranormal State Poison Spring Logo

Developer: Teyon
Publisher: Legacy Games
Platform: Mobile – iOS PC – Big Fish Games, Steam

Paranormal State is apparently a TV show about paranormal investigators that has been running since 2007. Having cut cable some point around there, I’d actually never heard of it before. In any case, the game focuses on the team as they’ve been called onto a new case in Poison Springs. A museum built near a historic Civil War battle is experiencing a haunting that only they can solve.

Many TV shows get the hidden object treatment. Paranormal State: Poison Springs attempts to bring its ghost hunting style into the game with an assortment of ghost-sensing tech. Alongside hidden object segments are special puzzles involved in sensing spirits. These end up as fairly simple minigames. I seriously appreciated that the sliding tile puzzles simply let you pick up segments and place them elsewhere. Actually having to slide picture pieces around has always been my biggest gaming weakness.

Paranormal State Poison Spring Featured

Hidden object sequences themselves are mostly standard. Some objects are out in the open while others require a multi-step procedure to show up. This is kind of annoying at times where the solution seems obvious but doesn’t work out. Of course, hints make this an easier task by casting blue bubbles around what you need most. Hints extend across the entire game. In fact, Paranormal State includes a built-in walkthrough in case you’re ever completely stuck.

There are some great conveniences in this game but it still drags on. Story pacing seems a bit off, with ghosts posing a serious threat one moment to wandering around without much pressure the next. I don’t know how the story compares to ones in an average episode, but it was alright, if hokey at times. It was pretty cool to see that most of lead characters were women and that the player character is never gendered. As for the character art, it didn’t seem the best digital paint work out there but is definitely good enough. The landscapes fare far better.

Paranormal State: Poison Springs brings a serviceable story with four to six hours of gameplay. With a handful of accessible Achievements, handy walkthrough, and additional unlockable chapter, it’s a neat modern hidden object game.

Score: 3

3 out of 5 alpacas

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May 22nd, 2014 Featured, PC, Reviews No Comments »

Ether One Review

Ether One Logo

Developer: White Paper Games
Publisher: White Paper Games
Platform: PC – GOG*, Humble Store, Steam

Are you someone who enjoyed the exploration of Gone Home but isn’t interested in puzzles that are typically aplenty in adventure games? Are you an adventure gamer who thoroughly enjoys wracking their brains on puzzles? Somehow, White Paper Games managed to make a game for both crowds with Ether One.

Ether One places players in the shoes of a “Restorer”. According to an omnipresent voice, you’re told that this means you enter into the mind of a dementia patient and try to restore their memories. Looking through memories not your own is an interesting concept and manages to overcome the sci-fi technology of it all. The story slowly unfolds and has a pretty heart-wrenching conclusion if you see it through the 3 to 7 hour playtime.

The most mechanically interesting aspect is that players can simply explore and uncover memory tidbits or they can solve puzzles to proceed. Since these are not required, you can simply ignore the ones you come across and enjoy the story that way. Of course, solving puzzles does appear to give you a deeper understanding of the storyline. Choosing to mess with the puzzles, most seemed simple enough, although I didn’t enjoy how a few seemed to require careful backtracking.

Ether One Featured

What ended up being the biggest issue for me was the fact that your player held inventory can only consist of one item. Players bring extra items to home base (accessible with a button press) and place them on shelves. This completely messed with my adventure game instincts of picking everything up because not every object in Ether One is required. All the same, I took everything back home and ended up with very cluttered shelves by the end.

My favorite feature was not the storyline, as it seemed kind of sparse early on. Instead, I was simply awed by the visuals. The 3D world is all hand drawn/painted style textures. It looks gorgeous and will definitely keep the game from looking “dated” for quite some time.

This may not be the best new adventure game of the year, but Ether One is still an admirable attempt. Players of different skillsets should all be able to make their way through the storyline and enjoy it. I just do not understand why they cluttered the world with objects (some unnecessary) and don’t let you keep multiple easily accessible. Still, what an interesting game.

Score: 3.5

3 1/2 out of 5 alpacas

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May 20th, 2014 Featured, PC, Reviews No Comments »

Full Bore Review

Full Bore Logo

Developer: Whole Hog Games
Publisher: Nkidu Games
Platform: PC – Steam

Full Bore is a game about an adorable little boar who digs underground searching for gems. And no, it’s not boring as the name may suggest to some. To bore is to dig by twisting or turning, and that’s exactly what the in-game boar does. It also happily bashes its head on the walls or floor when objects aren’t breakable and somehow that still looks incredibly adorable.

Once one gets past the “aww” factor, is Full Bore an entertaining game? That depends on your interpretation of entertaining, as the digger/puzzler hybrid is quite challenging. There are a wide variety of areas in the mine shafts to explore and each contains its own host of puzzles. Basically, you’ve got to figure out how to get from point A to point B by boring through blocks or pushing things around. This is so you can reach gems, characters, or new areas. Some puzzles are quite simple but other times it takes a good deal of consideration.

Some of the most challenging aspects are when Full Bore asks the player to solve a puzzle quickly. While playing with an Xbox 360 controller I found them especially tough because my boar would run off further than I commanded. The last thing anyone wants when trying to execute a precise, quick puzzle solution is to have the character lack precision. There is a saving grace to this issue though and it is a rewind function.

Full Bore Featured

At any point you can choose to rewind your moves up to the last save point. This could be just a few steps or a ton and there’s no other restrictions placed on it. The feature is cool, if overwhelmingly overpowered, and saved my hide on many occasions. Still, it would be nice if the boar could have tighter control. Unfair failures are always a tad annoying in games.

Enjoyment of Full Bore is fully dependent on the player digging, exploring, and solving puzzles. Because boar control can be a bit spotty, at least some of this is less fun than it could be. Of course, getting stuck is never any fun either but that is true of all puzzlers. It just seemed that I got into tight situations more often than in other similar games which inhibited the fun of digging around. Thankfully, the silly cast of characters and cute boar kept me engaged. Full Bore is a cute new game that puzzle enthusiasts should look into.

Score: 3

3 out of 5 alpacas

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May 1st, 2014 Featured, PC, Reviews 1 Comment »

Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike

Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike

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.

Rogue Shooter: The FPS Roguelike Featured

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.

Score: 4

4 out of 5 alpacas

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