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video game reviews

Skybreakers is fine for what it is

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I was sent Skybreakers for free as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, make sure you leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee. 

Skybreakers is an action-packed roguelike available now on Steam. It has cool flavor, cooler art, and a solid gameplay loop. Players must survive against waves of enemies and the occasional boss. There is a story, but you’re mainly playing this game for the combat. 

Players have access to four playable heroes, three of which need to be unlocked. Each character has its unique flavor and playstyle, and I enjoyed them all. Some of them need a few upgrades before they get fun, but I have no overwhelming complaints. Between each round, players can purchase upgrades with resources they earn throughout the round. These upgrades are determined by RNG, but I felt that the RNG is fair. The top-down style makes the game feel like a MOBA but with a focus on combat. Combat is simplified to movement, a basic attack, a special attack, and whatever effects you pick up along the run. 

Skybreakers gets busy with its effects, but it never gets overwhelming or confusing. As simple as this game may seem, there is still some thought involved when it comes to upgrading a hero and moving them through combat. You won’t need to look up guides or keep a notebook, but it won’t be mindless either. 

I enjoyed Skybreakers, but it definitely isn’t something that I can play for too long. While the game is fun, combat gets repetitive after a couple of runs. The RNG heroes give the game some replayability, but they aren’t enough to make this anybody’s main game. You’ll get $9 of fun from this game, shelve it, and either forget you own it or pull it out when you need it. If you’re looking for something simple and fun that doesn’t require much commitment, Skybreakers is a solid choice. 

You can pick up Skybreakers on Steam for $8.99.

video game reviews

Tevi: The cute metroidvania game that almost could

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I was sent Tevi as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

Tevi is a cute bullet hell Metroidvania releasing on Steam later today, but you can try out the demo in the meantime. You play as Tevi as she fights her way through intricate dungeons in search of ancient tech.

If nothing else, Tevi will be one of the cutest games you’ll play this year. I am a huge fan of the art and ethics, but the story didn’t do enough to hook me. I found the story a bit generic as it spent more time hitting certain anime tropes than developing an interesting story. There is voice acting, which is nice, but it is much more efficient to read through the cut scenes. If you aren’t already skipping them.

The main draw to this game should be the gameplay. The game runs great, and the gameplay has a retro vibe that I enjoyed until the novelty wore off. The game starts to feel repetitive after a bit, even when new bosses and skills are introduced to shake things up. I like how the game slowly introduces new combos and abilities as you progress through the game. It makes progression feel more fluid and manageable.

Combat is simple, but it has its charm. After memorizing enemy patterns, this turns into your traditional Metroidvania with the occasional boss to mix things up. Bosses are unique in flavor and strategy, and they never felt unwinnable. I played the game on Normal difficulty and found it too easy, but the game offers an easy way to change the difficulty in game when you need to. 

Honestly, I am somewhat in the middle when it comes to Tevi. While I enjoyed the casual retro vibe, the pacing of the combat, and the cute aesthetic, this isn’t a game I can spend too much time on. I certainly wouldn’t finish the game if I bought it with my own money. The problem with Tevi is that if you don’t care about the aesthetic, there are simply better options. Even then, I would wait for a sale and play something like Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune if you want to play some good Waifuvania, or Nocturnal for something more serious. Don’t get me wrong, the game isn’t bad, but you have better options.

You can pick up Tevi on Steam later today. There is also a physical collectors edition available for $106.39 on the official website. 

The Collectors edition includes:

  • Original Soundtrack SteelBook x1 (4 discs with a total of 72 tracks)
  • Enamel Pin x1
  • Art Board (Shikishi) x1
  • Astral Gear Wireless Charger x1
  • Commemorative Number Card x1
  • Collecter Box x1
video game reviews

SteamWorld Build A Cute New Casual Village Builder with a Twist!

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I was sent SteamWorld Build as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave me a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

SteamWorld Build launches on Xbox, Switch, PlayStation, and Steam on December 1st. If you enjoy village builders or are in the market for a new game, you need to buy this game.

Take command of a group of robot settlers as they make their last-ditch effort to escape a dying planet. Together, they must build a settlement, recruit new citizens, and mine for the materials that will lead to salvation. But getting off-world won’t be easy. Can you find a way off the planet before the monsters destroy your settlement?

SteamWorld Build is an adorable addition to the SteamWorld universe and a must-have for any fan of the series. The game does a wonderful job of capturing the quirky and delightful vibe of the franchise without sacrificing any of the fun. You don’t need to have played any of the other games to understand the story, but you are going to want to after. SteamWorld games are always a quirky good time and a fantastic addition to any library.

The art, graphics, and animation for this game are adorable. The scrappy design reminds me of the Warhammer 40k Ork Aesthetic, and I love it! If you are a fan of the SteamWorld games, you’ll appreciate the attention to detail put into capturing the essence of the series. If you aren’t a fan, you’ll appreciate the amount of detail put into bringing this world to life. Little details like watching them walk through the wash or getting a drink at the saloon as they carry on their tasks make the experience feel vibrant and alive.

Be prepared to lose a couple of days as you scrutinize the most efficient way to grow your settlement. I had so much fun with SteamWorld Build that it became an addiction. I restarted a few times as I tried the different maps and strategies until finally forcing myself away long enough to write this review. The casual gameplay yet engaging gameplay, the cute and quirky gameplay, and the pacing all come together to create an experience worth having.

SteamWorld Build is a fantastic blend of village building, resource management, and tower defense. It starts like any traditional village builder, with limited resources and a space to build. As the settlement grows, new mechanics are introduced to keep the game feeling fresh. Each world is split into four levels, each with unique gameplay and design. At the top is a basic settlement game where players recruit new citizens, keep them happy, and trade with the passing train. Lower levels introduce a mining game where players dig for resources, maintain the mine’s stability, and defend against oncoming threats. The lower you go, the more dangerous it is. It feels like playing three games at once, but it never becomes overwhelming. Building inefficiently does impede your progression, but I wouldn’t worry about that until your second or third playthrough. I recommend you go into this game as blindly as possible before looking up guides because learning from your mistakes is half the fun.

I love SteamWorld Build and recommend anyone looking for a new game these holidays to pick it up. It’s cute, it’s casual, and an addicting amount of fun. SteamWorld comes out on Xbox, Switch, PlayStation, and Steam on December 1st. Don’t forget to wishlist if you haven’t done so already!

video game reviews

My Impressions of the Taris Land Closed Beta

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I got to play Taris Land during the closed beta and was left underwhelmed by the experience. I went into the beta with an open mind, ready to overlook many imperfections. I am not unreasonable. I knew the closed beta would feature a rough and unfinished game. My problem isn’t the performance or bugs. My problem is that the game isn’t fun.

Taris Land is an MMO for PC and mobile devices. This feels like a mobile game, and while there is nothing wrong with simple mobile MMOs, I would rather be playing Kakele. They messed up advertising this game as WoW killer because it makes it impossible to ignore it as the cheap generic clone that it is. While it may pull folks who want to play Wow but can’t afford it, there isn’t enough to keep them. In its current state, the grind isn’t worth it, the world bosses are lame, and I am not interested in PVP. I tried all the classes but couldn’t find one that made the game fun. 

There were allegations that there were items in the cash shop that made Taris Land pay to win title. The devs quickly released a statement on the official discord where they apologized to the community and assured players that Taris Land isn’t paying to win. They also removed all mentions of Taris Land isn’t pay-to-win from their website, which is a little concerning. I’ve played a few shameless pay-to-win titles, and Taris Land never gave off that vibe. I never felt like I was at a disadvantage for being free-to-play because you can’t buy resources, levels, or power with money. I felt like I could enjoy the entirety of this game without spending any money, it just wasn’t fun. 

I was very excited for Taris Land when it was announced, but that excitement is dead. Now that the novelty has worn off, there is no reason to go back. I am sure future updates will make the game better, but for now, this game isn’t for me. There are better options out there, so the search continues. 

If you enjoy my content, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me a coffee.

video game reviews

Howl: The Beautiful folktale strategy puzzle game you need

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I was sent Howl as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy these reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

Howl is a turn-based strategy game you can pick up now on Switch and Steam, and PlayStation, Xbox, and Epic Games on January 23rd.

A strange disease spreads through the land, turning anyone who hears it into a violent beast. It is now up to one lone girl to brave the dangers of this new world and find the cure. Fight monsters, save survivors, and forge your destiny. Do you have what it takes?

Howl is such a beautiful game with a unique concept. I am a huge fan of the living ink art style. It reminds me of old Germanic folktales and makes for such a magnificent vibe. It has beautifully voice-acted narration, a phenomenal score, and some neat animations. I recommend you at least check out the demos to appreciate how pretty this game is.

Most importantly, Howl is a fun game with unique gameplay that would make an excellent addition to your library. While Howl does have unique strategy elements, the game feels like a puzzle. 

Each stage has a limited number of turns, actions, and resources you can use to clear the stage and collect all of the loot. Each stage awards players with nodes of light or skulls that players will need to level up the prophet. These upgrades unlock or power up new spells and give you more turns per action. You’ll need these upgrades to 100% clear some stages. 

The action economy is what makes this game unique. Where other strategy games separate hero and enemy actions, Howl combines them. Players have a set number of actions they can perform per turn. They can move a space, attack with an arrow, or use magic. Enemies perform their actions in reaction to a player’s. Players need to queue up all available actions in a turn while guessing how the enemy will react, turning this game into a puzzle. Players must manage their resources efficiently while guessing or memorizing enemy patterns effectively. There is an assist mode that lets you see enemy movements, but it is much more satisfying to solve correctly on your own. 

I loved Howl because of how unique and manageable it is. If you are looking for a beautiful casual experience with enough of a challenge, this game belongs in your library. It looks cool, sounds great, and the gameplay is fun. You can pick up Howl on Switch and Steam today, or wait till January 23rd to get it on PlayStation, Xbox., or Epic Games. There is a demo available for Steam, Switch, and Xbox.

video game reviews

Worldless: A minimilistic but Beautiful RPG Platformer

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I was sent Worldless as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews or any of my other content, leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee. 

Worldless is a minimalistic 2D platformer with unique turn-based RPG combat. You can pick it up on Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox on November 21st, but you can pick it up now on Steam. 

In a newly formed universe, the forces within it fight to establish order. You’ve awoken in this fight and must brave through this conflict to find your place within it. What secrets will you uncover?

This game is one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve had with a game this year. I love the minimalistic artwork, the vibrant world design, and the atmospheric soundtrack. It is so cool to watch the world change around your character as you move through your adventure. I can recommend this game on looks alone, but the gameplay is also fun. 

Worldless’ gameplay is split into two parts: platforming and combat. I am an awful platformer, but the platforming is manageable. I found the experience rather soothing, especially when paired with everything that makes the game so beautiful. 

Combat is where most of the challenge lies. The combat system is a unique turn-based system you need to experience at least once. Worldless is a lot more involved than your traditional turn-based RPG. On a player’s turn, you can choose between a combination of magic and physical attacks. On an enemy’s turn, you must time your blocks to mitigate damage. Each enemy feels unique, and the game does a fantastic job of providing visual cues to help players time their blocks and figure out weaknesses. You’ll pick upgrades along the way that will give you access to new abilities and powerups, but I never felt like they made the encounters too easy. While some of them are easy, it was so satisfying to beat an enemy that was giving me trouble. 

I got to play an early version of Worldless at GDC and have been excited to play it since. I am pleased to write that I was not disappointed by its release. The game can be a relaxing good time, but there is enough of a challenge to keep things engaging. If you are looking for something different and beautiful to add to your collection, go check out Worldless. You can pick it up for $19.99 on Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and PC. There are also demos available for PC and Xbox if you need more convincing. 

video game reviews

The Foglands Review: the VR Roguelike That Fails to Deliver

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I was sent The Foglands as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, this will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, make sure you leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

The Foglands is a western-themed action roguelike VR game out now for the Meta Quest and PlayStation, and will be coming to Steam next year. 

A toxic gas now ravages the world, forcing the few remaining survivors to live underground. A brave few must brave the foglands and its dangers to run supplies for these settlements. You must go out on one of these missions, but can you make it back before the fog swallows you whole? 

This game is awful, don’t waste your time or money on it. It’s been a while since I’ve given up on a game, but The Foglands managed to break me. This game looks and feels generic and unfinished. While the concept and pitch are interesting, the execution lacks everything that would make this game playable. Levels are poorly designed, combat is slow and dull, and the game is broken and unplayable. I got to a point in the game where the game broke, and the only way to fix it was to start over. I didn’t have it in me. 

As far as VR games go, The Foglands is ugly and rushed. I don’t expect high-quality 4K graphics from a VR game on the Meta Quest 2, but I’ve played enough good-looking VR games to know when I am being cheated. Some assets were broken or missing, or walls that didn’t properly connect. This game is unstable, and I find it ridiculous that they charge $25 for something that clearly isn’t finished. 

I am not a snob. I could have excused the bugs and the ugliness if the game was fun and playable, but it isn’t. Players crawl the dungeon and fight monsters with pistols and improvised weapons like rocks or bottles until they die and do it all again. As they progress, they can unlock upgrades to make the runs easier. The problem with this loop is that combat is clunky and boring. There really is no reason to pick up this game when there are other games in this genre that do it better. 

The Foglands is a waste of time and money. It is clearly unfinished, and no amount of updates or added features is going to make it any more playable. You can pick it up now for the Meta Quest for $24.99 and PlayStation for $34.99, or wait for its release on Steam, but I wouldn’t bother. 

video game reviews

Haunted House: A Spooky Stealthy Roguelite Adventure

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I was sent Haunted House as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be an honest review of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. If you want to show your support, you can always buy me coffee. 

Haunted House is a roguelite reimagining of the Atari classic of the same name out now for Xbox, Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam and Epic Games. 

Famous treasure hunter Zachary Graves has gone missing, and it is up to his niece to find him. Play as Lyn as she makes her way through a ghost-infested mansion in search of a way to bring him back. As Lyn, you’ll have to solve puzzles, sneak carefully, and occasionally fight to survive. Can you stay alive long enough to bring your uncle back? 

Haunted House has fantastic flavor. The isometric design and cartoonish art style give it its classic feeling flare, while the mechanics and atmosphere it creates make it appropriately creepy. Halloween may be over, but this is the perfect addition to any spooky playlist. 

If you are a fan of stealth games, you are going to want to look into Haunted House. Don’t let the game’s cutesy aesthetics fool you. This is an unforgiving roguelike, and you will die a lot. While this game does offer players ways to fight off the ghouls and ghosts that roam the manner, it is almost always better to tread lightly. This game is punishing if you try to fight through every encounter. Although I don’t have the patience for it, I found sneaking to be exciting and fun. 

Like most games in the genre, the Haunted House gameplay look is a bit repetitive. Players will explore the manor one room at a time while completing similar tasks. Between each round, players have a chance to buy the upgrades that will help them venture deeper into the castle. I enjoyed the repetition and found the gameplay loop rather relaxing. While the stress and fear of getting caught loomed with each playthrough, I had a lot of fun exploring the manor, completing each room, and getting farther each time. 

I enjoyed my time with Haunted Mansion, and recommend it even if it isn’t Halloween. It’s cute with an engaging gameplay loop and has a classic feel without feeling too old for the current generation. If you have kids, it is a solid inoffensive game to add to their collection. If you don’t have kids but are looking for a stealth game that isn’t too stressful, you’ll definitely get $20 of fun out of it. 

You can pick up Haunted House on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games for $19.99. 

video game reviews

Dungeons 4: A Wonderful Blend of Humor, Strategy, and Evil

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I was sent Dungeons 4 as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions about the game. This will be my honest review of Dungeons 4. 

If you enjoy my reviews, make sure you leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can always buy me coffee.

Dungeons 4 is a quirky and unique RTS out now for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Steam, Epic Games, and the official Kalypso store. The Absolute Evil is back to claim victory over the last remaining bastion of good. With your trusty servant Thalya captured, it is up to you to raise an army, spread your evil across the land, and get her back eventually. Do you have what it takes to finally defeat the forces of good?

This is the 4th installment to the Dungeons, but you don’t need to have played any of the Dungeons games to understand what is going on. Aside from a few references to the previous games, Dungeons 4′s story is self-contained and fantastic. Dungeons 4 is fun, quirky, and meta in a way that you need to play once to appreciate. It has a fantastic cast of voice actors, and a magnificent soundtrack to get you in the mood for evil. 

Most importantly, the gameplay is fun. Dungeons 4 is a wonderful blend of the village management, tower defense, and RTS genre. The game will frequently switch between genres as you move through the camping. 

Underground, you will build a dungeon where you gather resources and defend them against the forces of good. The game plays like the usual village builder, except the build phase won’t be endless. Eventually, you’ll build a strong enough force to clear the rest of the dungeon or make your way above ground where you’ll attempt to rescue your evil assistant Thalya. 

Heroes will occasionally attempt to raid your dungeon to steal your resources, kill your minions, and destroy the heart of the dungeon. You’ll be responsible for setting traps, building an army, and keeping them happy. I found this part of the game extremely relaxing and my favorite loop. It was fun trying to design a dungeon that was both functional and well-defended. I wish there were a way to speed up the levels, but the wait isn’t long enough for it to be a huge problem.

The RTS portions of the game are a bit simple, but I found them perfect for my skill level. I am not good at RTS games, so I appreciated that it provided enough challenge to keep things fun. There are ways to make this game more challenging, and there is even a co-op mode for added insanity, but I enjoyed the normal solo experience well enough to recommend it.

I loved this game and see myself replaying it in the future. It’s cute, it’s quirky, and everything I want from a casual RTS game. If you a looking for a wacky, relaxing experience in any of the mentioned genres, do yourself a favor and pick up Dungeons 4. 

You can pick up Dungeons 4 on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Steam, or Epic Games for $49.99. You can also get it directly from Kalypso for $47.99. It’s free on Game Pass if you have a subscription.

video game reviews

Why You Should Play Beyond Sunset, a Pixel-Art Cyber-Punk FPS

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I was sent Beyond Sunset as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions of the game. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. 

Beyond Sunset is a retro-style arcade shooter out now for PC. Use your powers to defeat enemies as you zip through a futuristic city, trying to earn back your memories. What truths will your deeds unlock? 

Beyond Sunset plays like a sped-up retro shooter like Doom but with enough modern tweaks to make it interesting to new and old fans of the genre. Players have access to fun and unique weapons to hack or shoot away unique enemies as they fight their way through a vibrant cyber-punk-inspired city. While this game may seem simple, the speed gives this game its challenge. Zipping and maneuvering through the hoards of enemies gets some getting used to. You will die a few times, but have a blast doing so. 

As you fight your way through the city, you’ll pick up upgrades and new weapons that affect gameplay. While it does make some encounters easier, there will always be enough of a challenge to keep the game engaging. Success in this game boils down to careful maneuvering and appropriately timed assassinations. While there was an occasional stutter here and there, the game ran great. I honestly forgot it was an early-access title. 

I had a lot of fun with this game. I love the pixel-art cyber-punk aesthetic, the high-speed gameplay, and the amazing synth-wave soundtrack. If you are a fan of the classic FPS, Beyond Sunset is a very welcomed update. If you need a new title to pass some time, Beyond Sunset is a fantastic addition to your collection. I know the game isn’t finished yet, but it honestly isn’t a problem. There is enough content available already to be worth every penny.

You can pick up Beyond Sunset on Steam for $9.99. It is currently on sale for $8.99 until November 15, but there is a demo available if you need further convincing.