Realm of Ink is an action roguelike coming to PC and consoles this year. The game features a unique brushed artwork, a neat isometric design, and promising gameplay. The art is what initially drew me to this game, but the story has me interested.
Red discovers she is a fictional character within the Realm of Ink short story collection. She must now travel through the depths of her story to discover the truth of her existence. Is her fate prewritten by some faceless author, or does she have the power and free will to write her own?
I am curious to see how Red’s story pans out. Players will also get to play as other characters as they are unlocked, and I am a huge fan of the spoiled character designs. I did get an early copy of the demo and will be posting my impressions as soon as the embargo is lifted. Until then, I recommend you watch the trailer and add Realm of Ink to your Wishlist.
I was sent Guardians of Holme for free to review on my site. While I am 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.
Guardians of Holme is a tower defense deck builder available now on PC. Demons and monsters are making their push toward Royal City in their campaign to destroy humanity. The fate of the world falls in the hands of a few skilled artisans. Build traps to stop the attacking forces before they can get to the city. Can you stop them before it is too late?
Players start each run of Guardians of Holme with a randomized deck of traps. This deck is upgraded and expanded throughout the run, and the cards players have access to expand over time. The longer you play, the more diverse your card pool becomes. The goal of the game is to set up traps to prevent the hoards of monsters from destroying the core. This makes for a soothing and relaxing gaming experience, but it can also be a bit repetitive. There are a few features that mitigate the monotony like being able to speed up rounds, the RN, and different heroes you can play, but the loop will always be the same.
I loved Guardians of Holme because it combines two of my favorite genres well. Other than a few reworks, the deck building is solid. The game is cute and relaxing, but the repetitive loop makes it hard to recommend, especially at the price point. I find the repetition soothing, and I enjoy the genre enough to justify the price, but it isn’t going to be for everyone. If you are looking for a relaxing game that isn’t much of a commitment, Guardians of Holme is an option. If you love Tower Defence games and want a cute one to fill your downtime, this is a solid choice.
I was sent Tevias 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 Fortuneif you want to play some good Waifuvania, or Nocturnalfor 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)
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 Xboxon 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.
The new gameplay trailer for the upcoming Star Ocean: The Second Story R just dropped, and it’s got me hyped for the release. This is a fantastic remaster with a beautiful art style, fun updated and new mechanics, and a story I want to get into. I didn’t get to play Star Ocean when it first came out, so I am excited to get the opportunity on the Nintendo Switch. Star Ocean: The Second Story is coming to the PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Steam on November 2nd at $49.99 MSRP. You can preorder yours today, or try the demo if you need more convincing!
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I’ve been excited about the release of Sea of Stars since I first saw the trailer. I love the art, and I am always in the market for a good RPG. I grew even more excited when I got to try the demo. Needless to say, I got Sea of Stars the minute it was on the eshop. If you haven’t played this game yet, it needs to be in your collection. Sea of Stars is a fantastic RPG and one you will be replaying.
I’ve written about this game before, so I’ll try not to repeat myself too much. Sea of Stars is a fun twist to the classic RPG genre that innovates in a way that you see to appreciate how good it is. This game is one of the first games in a while where I slowed down because I wanted to savor the experience. It has a fantastic soundtrack, a fun and quirky tone, a nice story, engaging and manageable puzzles, and a fun combat system.
I adore the combat system in this game because it fixes the problem I have with a lot of RPGs. Instead of waiting idly while the characters finish their turns, you press a button to get a bonus melee attack, cast a stronger spell, or mitigate some damage. The small bonuses you get from this mechanic could mean the difference between wiping and beating the encounter. This game felt a lot more tactical, but it could be a result of the mechanics being a lot more engaging than I am used to.
I love the unique flare Sea of Stars brings to the genre, specifically the relic system it implements. Throughout the game, you can find or purchase relics that you can activate as a permanent buff to adjust the game’s difficulty. You can toggle these buffs to make the game as casual of an experience as you want. One of the first relics you find in this game automatically brings your team up to full health. Between save points, the only way to heal is through spells or cooking. You will be constantly managing your food, supplies, and mana to keep your team alive, and you can easily find yourself low or out of all three. This relic eliminates this challenge so you can focus on other aspects of the game, which is a completely valid way to play this game. There are other relics like this throughout your adventure, and they are all optional. I love when games allow players to adjust the experience because sometimes I want to have the feeling of achievement I get from beating a nearly impossible run, and sometimes I want to sit back and chill.
Now I didn’t turn on every relic I came across, but I turned on enough to make it an easier run. That said, I never felt the game got too easy after turning on the relics. I still had to plan out my combat and the boss encounters needed some thought. Boss fights are a different form of puzzle that will claim a few of your teams. It is a lot of fun trying to find the right way to kill a boss, but there are solid guides out there in case you need them. The cool part about wiping in this game is that you don’t lose much progress between saves.
If you haven’t played Sea of Stars, it should be on your list. This quirky RPG has a beautiful retro feel with some impressive innovations you need to experience at least once. You can play Sea of Stars on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and the Nintendo Switch for $34.99. It’s also included on Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Extra if you have a subscription. But if you need further convincing, go check out the demo.
Persona 5 Tacticais coming to consoles and PCs on November 17, 2023. The Phantom Thieves find themselves in a strange realm surrounded by Legionnaires. Now they must help the revolutionaries and find a way back home. Do you have what it takes to get the Phantom Thieves back home safely?
I love the art style of this game. If you are a fan of Persona or just want a new strategy game to hop into, this might be worth looking into. It certainly gives me Mario vs. Rabbids vibes, and I love Mario vs. Rabbids.
Persona 5 Tactica will have a skill tree to unlock for each character, unique combos you can perform, and a reserve unit system that I am dying to try. You are able to change the difficulty after you start the game, which is an amazing feature for people like me who aren’t very good at strategy games but still want to enjoy the experience.
I’ll be picking up a copy when it comes out, but am still deciding which version. I am not convinced the digital deluxe version is worth getting if I am only getting two additional characters.
Preorder your copy today!
Xbox: Regular ($59.99)/ Digital Deluxe Edition ($79.99)
Terra Memoria is a cozy turn-based RPG coming to Steam, Xbox, PS5, and Switch. This cute RPG mixes a beautifully drawn 3D world with cute 2D pixel art characters and I am here for it. It definitely gives me some Octopath Traveller vibes, but Terra Memoria seems a bit more whimsical. Terra Memoria puts its emphasis on exploration and adventure as a group of friends travel across Terra in search of a solution for the crystal shortage. What makes this game unique is its building mechanic. Players can use this mechanic to create objects, solve puzzles, and create their own village. If is anything like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley, I’m never getting anything done.
If you are looking for a new RPG that might be a bit more on the casual side, you should give this a look. No release date has been set yet, but you can at least wishlist it on Steam.
I’m working on getting a review code for this, so stay tuned for the full review when it’s out. Until then, It might be time to finally start up Octopath Traveller II.
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I was very fortunate to get to review Nocturnal Earlier this year. Nocturnal is a beautiful and unique platformer for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation that might be worth looking into even if you don’t enjoy the genre. I had a lot of fun with this game and recommend it to those interested. Go check out the full review if you want to get the full opinion.
Well, Nocturnal just got its first major update, and I felt the need to share the news. The new update brings with it some much-needed quality-of-life changes, a new enemy, and new story bits to play through. The update introduces a new performance mode that opens up the game to lower-spec computers, which I always love to see. I remember the days when my toaster could barely run anything, it’s nice to see when companies care about their players.
There are also some nice updates to the level and UI design and improved combat feedback for both players and bosses. The game has been released, but it is nice to see the devs are still passionate to make the game better for their customers. It is even nicer that this update isn’t locked behind paid DLC.
I recommend you look into this game if you are in the market for something new. It looks like there are still plans for future updates. It is currently on sale on Steam for $11.89 (normally 16.99) until August 7th. PlayStation also has it on sale for $14.99 (normally $19.99) until August 16th. Sorry Xbox mains, you have to pay the full $19.99 for now.
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I picked up Revita for the Nintendo Switch because I was in the market for a casual game that didn’t require much commitment. The game features cute art, a fantastic soundtrack, and promised gameplay that seemed manageable with my current skill level. Revita delivered on most of my expectations. The game is a fun casual journey through a cute world that I will continue to pick up.
Revita is a unique twin-stick shooter roguelite with procedural dungeons. There is a story, but it serves more as flavor rather than creates the game’s identity.
The gameplay loop for Revita is simple. You start each run with a set amount of life and fight through the floors of enemies until you either clear the tower or die and start again. Each floor is randomly generated, making each attempt feel unique. The RNG isn’t always fair, but you can easily and quickly restart without losing your progress.
What makes this game unique is that it uses life as a currency. You can trade life for randomly generated upgrades at shrines or stores to give your character an edge against the monsters and bosses. There aren’t many chances to regenerate life. Life in Revita is a precious resource and the source of many difficult decisions. How much life will you be willing to sacrifice for power?
Revita is a game where you will die a lot by design. As you play the game and collect resources that you can use to buy permanent upgrades that make future runs easier. This game has a grind, but it doesn’t feel soul-crushing. The gameplay is a bit repetitive, but I found the repetition relaxing. That said, this isn’t a game I can main or no life because the loop gets stale after a while. This is a game you pick up in quick bouts when you don’t have enough time to game or are just looking for a quick and fun distraction.
I had a lot of fun with Revita. The art is great, the soundtrack is amazing, and the gameplay is solid. While I don’t necessarily regret my purchase, $17 is a bit too much for this game. Unless you know you are going to love this game and will be putting hundreds of hours into it, I would wait for it to go on sale. You can pick up Revita on Switch and Steam for $16.99. It is currently on sale on Steam for $11.04 until August 7th.
