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video game reviews

Experience Dreamout: An Alpaca’s Wacky Journey

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Dreamout to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

Table of Contents

What is Dreamout?

Dreamout is a ridiculous rpg about a drunken alpaca and her wild adventure to find a talking skeleton’s body. The game is out now on Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via Steam and GoG

Hook

After another night of heavy drinking, you find yourself having to help a talking skull find his body. With the help of your trusty sword and a bit of booze to fend off the hangover, you set off on one of your weirdest adventures yet. Fight off mobs of strange enemies, solve puzzles, do all the side quests you can, and get that skull his body back. With plenty of booze to keep this buzz going, there is nothing that can stand in your way.

Gameplay

In some ways, Dreamout is your typical hack-and-slash adventure. Players take control of their quirky protagonist and travel across the game’s strange world on an even stranger adventure. Players move from quest to quest, unlocking fighting off enemies, completing quests, and solving puzzles. There is a very simple combat system, and a fishing system to break the game up. There is also a hat system for those who want a little customization in their rpgs.

Combat

Combat in Dreamout is very simple and approachable for a hack-and-slash. Players have access to a simple sword attack and dodge. Enemies will telegraph their attacks, range, and target. Although timing can be tricky, dodging attacks is pretty easy. Getting three hits on an an enemy kills them.

A player can die, but death doesn’t have consequences. Death resets players to the last check point without any draw backs, and the game is pretty generous with its checkpoints.

Adventure

The game is short, and the story is a rail road. Players experience linear progression between quests with very little room to deviate or explore the strange world. The game does a lot in the little space that it has, but it is an adventure that doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you are looking for a silly game with a lot of spirit, Dreamout is a solid contender.

Review

Dreamout is a very silly take on the RPG genre, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While the tone and gameplay make a niche title, its quirky spirit gives it enough charm that it is worth some consideration.

Story

The story is ridiculous, full of puns and jokes that don’t always land. The silly tone does make it a refreshing take on the genre, but the humor isn’t going to be for everyone. I love that this game doesn’t take itself serious, and although the game does get cheesy, it was a nice change of pace from what I usually play. That said, the story isn’t anything special and unless you need a silly story like this in your life, it isn’t going to make much of an impression.

Art and Aesthetic

Dreamout‘s whimsical artstyle makes the game delightful. I love the character’s silly design, and I appreciate the amount of detail that went into the world building. The game gets very creative with its weirdness.

Difficulty

Dreamout leans more on the casual side of gaming. Combat is simple and easy to maneuver, and the puzzles aren’t hard. This is the game to play when you want to shut off for a couple hours and do something silly. There isn’t enough depth for a second playthrough, but there is enough of a challenge force some engagement. I enjoyed the games casual nature because it fit with the overall silly tone of the game.

Puzzles

While none of the puzzles require a guide, they were fun and creative. I wouldn’t play this game if you are looking for a real puzzle game, but I do appreciate that the puzzles gave me a break from combat. Some puzzles do feel like buzy work as you work from one quest to the next, but overall, they were fun enough to keep me playing till the end.

Performance

Aside from one game breaking bug, the game plays fine. I only had to reset the game once because I didn’t get the item I needed to move to the next part of the map, but luckily I didn’t have to repeat too much of the game. Best of all, the game works great on the Steam Deck. I prefer these kinds of games on handheld.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a silly game to spend a couple hours on, Dreamout has a solid enough loop to make it worth at least a playthrough. It is a small game with a lot of heart, but not enough to make it replayable. You won’t hate the few hours you spend beating the game, but not all of the jokes are going to land and some people will be turned off by the lack of danger. I say its worth $10, if you are looking for a less serious hack-and-slash.

You can pick up Dreamout on Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via Steam and GoG. If you are looking for something with a little more depth, check out Sunokuni.

video game reviews

Is Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening Worth Playing?

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening

Cobra makes his triumphant return in this nostalgic action platformer available now on on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch. . The game takes players through the first twelve episodes of the anime, staying as true as possible to the source material.

Play as Cobra as you make you travel across exotic planets and fighting everything that stands in your way with. With a bit of skillful platforming, well placed shots from his Psycogun, and a little help from Lady Armaroid, there is nothing that can stand in his way. He is determined to live his life as a free space pirate, but will this be the end of his journey? You are going to have to play to find out.

Review

I wanted to love this game because the flavor and the tone is so much fun. I am a huge fan of this era of anime, and although I’ve never seen the source material, I felt a strong sense nostolgia. Everything around the actual game is fantastic. You have fun vibrant art and cinematic and a cool cast of characters with fantastic voice actors to bring them to life. The story is cheesy, but that 90’s epic cheese that makes you feel good and safe. The soundtrack is epic and will get you hyped for a game that at its best is pretty mediocre.

As a platformer, the game isn’t good. The levels, enemies, and bosses are all boring. Every chapter feels the same but with a different skin, and it gets old and repetitive quickly. It doesn’t help that the controls suck and there is no way to rebind your keys, at least not on controller. On controller, aim and move are bound to the same stick making combat an annoying endeavor. The platforming itself is fine. I am bad at platformers and thought it was easy. What makes it hard is the controls, but you might get better results with a keyboard. I wanted to play it on the Steam Deck, and while it works great, the controls made it difficult to keep playing. You can power through if you enjoy the anime and flavor of the game, and there are definitely ways to cheese some of the fights, but you need to be a dedicated fan.

If you are looking for a new platformer, you should look elsewhere unless you are a fan of the anime. I would argue that you are better off rewatching the anime. If you are interested in the story, go watch the anime or wait for a sale.

You can pick up Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.

video game reviews

Honest Demo Impressions for Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi

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Disclaimer

I was sent the Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi demo for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. I understand this game is still in development and will try to be a bit more lenient with my criticism.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi?

Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi is a 3D puzzle adventure coming to Steam in August 21. You can request access to playtest as of the writing of this article.

Lili and Sadi must learn to work together to traverse across the fantastical world of Atarassia. The world is a dangerous place, but our heroes have the skills to survive it. Fight off monsters, destroy the darkness that corrupts the land, and solve a few puzzles in between. Can they push back the void’s corruption and save the world?

Gameplay

Players control a sword wielding guardian who can tap into her monk friends powers to traverse across the map, fight monsters, and solve puzzles. This is your typical 3D puzzle adventure, but it does very little hand holding. There is no markers on the maps. Players must explore to find clues and solve the puzzles on their own (or with a guide). The combat system is simple and reminiscent of games like Breath of the Wilds. Players have access to a melee attack, bow and arrow, and skills like a bomb ability.

Impressions

Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi is fine, but it feels like a Breath of the Wild clone, and that will really hurt it. The biggest issue I have with this demo is with the performance. Combat feels too clunky, and the abilities don’t feel impactful. The bow and arrow ability feels useless. This might be a skill issue, but it was more trouble than it is worth. I like that they make you aim the bow, but making it more stable is the move here. I know the game isn’t finished yet, so I can only hope the full version will have smoother combat.

Another issue with this demo is the tutorial. Some of the tips disappeared before I had a chance to read them, and there was no way of looking up the mechanic that I needed to progress through the game. Button mashing does nothing when the mechanic requires players to hold down a certain combination. Other tips are easily missed and if you don’t read them, you won’t pick up important mechanics. This game would benefit from having a section where players can look up tutorials.

The puzzles were also kind of boring, at least for the tutorial bits. If there aren’t engaging puzzles in the tutorial, this game is going to lose its player base before it can start unraveling its lore and world building. The world also feels empty. There was no reason for exploring because even though everything looked cool, there was nothing to do but follow the path to the next puzzle. Maybe the full game will have secrets and unlockables to promote exploration.

The game has a decent artstyle and concept, it just needs to run smoother for the launch. With launch date creeping up, I don’t think it will be possible. Unfortunately, Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi didn’t do enough to grab my attention. I am going to have to pass on it for now.

video game reviews

Gaucho and the Grassland: A Cozy Adventure Farming Sim Review

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Gaucho and the Grassland to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link.

What is Gaucho and the Grassland?

Gaucho and the Grassland is a adventure farming sim out now on Steam. Make sure you check out the demo.

Your father was worked on keeping the balance between the spirit world and the human world. Since his death, this balance has shifted, creating a bit of chaos. Luckily, you are here to take the mantel and restore order. With a bit of guidance, travel across magical and diverse landscapes as you help locals, farm materials, and build your farm. Luckily, you have the help of your horse and dog companions. How much of the world order will you be able to restore?

Gameplay

There are two parts to Gaucho: the farm sim and the adventure game.

The farm sim is straight forward. Players collect materials and use them to craft, repair, and build the world around them. Players can buy land to build on, capture and keep animals, and help other citizens with their issues. Helping locals will earn favor that can be used to unlock other areas.

What makes Gaucho and the Grassland unique is that it has set goals. Players can spend time building their farm and crafting, but the game incentivizes exploration through its story and quest line. Players need to restore order by traveling to the different realms and completing its quest lines. Questing unlocks new buildings, items, and crafting recipes.

Review

Gaucho and the Grassland is my comfort game. It features a cute art style with a cozy gameplay loop that had me hooked out the gate. I love farming sims, and Gaucho has a lot of flavor with a few interesting mechanics that set it apart from others in the genre. The pet mechanics are my favorite, and I love that they are customizable with unlockable skins to work towards. Questing can feel a bit repetitive, but it is a very soothing form of repetition. Gaucho is easily one of my most relaxing titles in my library.

What I love about the game is that it gives players a bit of direction. Players have to complete quests to unlock resources, materials, and items they need for farming. There is nothing wrong with games give you the freedom to create your own content, but exploring the different realms, solving the different problems, and learning about the lore makes this game worth playing through once. If you don’t get distracted by how much there is to do in this game.

The game does need a bit of work. On PC, the performance was solid with a few glitches here and there. Nothing game breaking, but they were noticeable. The game doesn’t run well on the Steam deck. There were noticeable drops in frames that made the game look ugly. Turning the camera too close to trees caused the most issues. While the controls felt fine, and ideally I would prefer playing on handheld, the optimization isn’t there. It is playable, but the drastic dip in performance makes it difficult to go from PC to the Steam Deck. At least the sync works flawlessly.

That said, Gaucho and the Grassland is a cute and cozy farming sim that deserves more attention. It is a fun game with enough passion to give me faith that updates are coming, and the game will only get better.

You can pick up Guacho and the Grassland on Steam for $19.99. There is a demo available if you don’t believe me.

video game reviews

Emotional Journey through Puzzles in After Light Fades

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of After the Light Fades to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link.

What is After Light Fades?

After Light Fades is a sokuban-style puzzle adventure out now on Steam.

After the loss of her partner, Alice must travel through a magical land, collecting memories and learning to let them go. Alice must go back to the places she shared with her partner Aura as she works through her grief with the help of magical artifacts. What she will uncover along the way? Will she be able to let things go?

Gameplay

After Light Fades is a top down puzzle game where players must interact with the parts of the map to find a path forward. There are over 100 puzzles to solve, each guiding the player through an emotional narrative of grief. The game also have a level creator for those who are feeling creative.

Review

After Light Fades is a hardcore puzzle game that will test a players patience and challenge their problem solving skills. Puzzles are creative, and they get challenging once it teachers its players the core mechanics. A guide might be needed in a few places, but it is satisfying to beat the harder levels. I appreciate how creative the game gets with its mechanics and solutions.

One aspect I didn’t like is that the interactions can bug out. Sometimes, you will move a piece on accident because of how interactions work. It isn’t a deal breaker, but it does lead to some frustrations. Other than that, the game is solid, if you’re looking for a puzzle game. It definitely does feel a little more niche side of puzzle games, but it has a decent story with some interesting puzzles.

If you enjoy Sokuban puzzle games and want a challenge, After Light Fades is for you. If you don’t want to think too much, this game closes its chill pretty early on. I thought it was fine, but I’d recommend checking out the demo before making the decision. The niceness of it all makes it hard to recommend.

You can pick up After Light Fades on steam for $14.99.

video game reviews

Ruffy and the Riverside: A Whimsical Adventure Game Review

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Ruffy and the Riverside to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link.

What is Ruffy and the Riverside?

Ruffy and the Riverside is a quirky 3D adventure game out now for Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

An ancient evil has reawaken, hungry to reclaim this world as its own. Its power has corrupted the land, caused wide spread destruction, and damaged the world core. It is up to Ruffy and his special powers to travel across the whimsical world of Riverside, and restore the peace it once knew. Using the powers to change the world around you, solve puzzles, defeat enemies, and repair the world core. Do you have what it takes to restore this world’s peace?

Gameplay

Ruffy and the Riverside is a 3D adventure game with a unique gimmick. Ruffy has the power to change the world around him in a way that helps him move through the world by copying elements and pasting them elsewhere. For example, he can copy a piece of ice to freeze a lake so he can walk across, or turn a stone pillar into wood to create a bridge. The game gets extremely creative with this mechanics, and it is one of those things you need to experience first hand to appreciate. The game is filled with collectibles, puzzles, riddles, and enough platforming to keep its player base busy.

Review

I have been excited about Ruffy and the Riverside since I first saw the trailer. It looked like a cute platforming adventure, and I was not disappointed. I did try the demo out as soon as it went public, and I recommend you check that out if you’re somehow still on the fence. The demo provides the perfect snapshot of what to expect, and full game only gets better.

First off, this game has a fantastic art style. I love the 2D figures moving through a fun 3D world. The world is chaotic, with lots of wacky details to build its whimsy. I had so much fun exploring the world, that I kept forgetting to play through the main quest. There is so much to see, and even more to collect which is fantastic for those who value good world building in their video games. There is also a fun soundtrack to keep things light which is always appreciated.

The story itself is cute. I enjoyed the humor and quirks, and it honestly kept my attention. Despite being constantly distracted by the world, I did genuinely want to know what happened next. It definitely is a silly story that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it is all part of the whimsy.

The gameplay is the reason to get this game. If you enjoyed Spyro or Banjo Kazooie, Ruffy and The Riverside should be in your library. The game has a fantastic gimmick, with fun creative puzzles to make full use of it. The puzzles in this game are challenging. I almost broke and looked up solutions, but it was much more satisfying to solve it on my own. While the game does shower the players with achievements, nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment when you figure out one of the challenging puzzles. Best of all, it runs great on the Steam Deck.

This game is easily one of my favorites from this year. The game is fun, the concept is interesting, and the aesthetic is cute. If you’re looking for a new game, you can’t do better than Ruffy and the Riverside. Go get it now.

You can pick up Ruffy and the Riverside on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

video game reviews

Review of Dragon is Dead: A Captivating Metroidvania Adventure

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Dragon is Dead to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out.

What is Dragon is Dead

Dragon is Dead is a dark fantasy 2D Metroidvania out now on Steam.

The black dragon is dead, and now an unholy force spreads across the land. You are his successor, and it is up to you to get rid of it. Using the powers granted by the gods, fight against the Corruption and restore the peace this world once new. Your journey will be one full of death, but luckily, you are able to learn from death and come back stronger. Can you be the successor this world needs?

Gameplay

Dragon is Dead is a 2D action platformer with roguelike tendencies. Players Journey across a linear 2D map, fighting off its monsters and bosses. Unlike most games in the genre, there are no save points. On death, the player resets at in the starting town of Cliffshire, keeping all their loot, gear, and runes accumulated during the run. While the loop can feel repetitive, it does start getting better the more experience a player gains throughout a run. Combat and and platforming is what you’d expect from the genre, with a unique build system. Players have a good amount of choice when building their character through a run. I am sure there is a meta for this game, but I had fun exploring the different builds and finding something that fit my play style. I like that players can reset the build between runs so there is always a bit of variety.

Review

If you don’t have Dragon is Dead in your library, it needs to be. This is definitely the most fun I’ve had with a Metroidvania, and I will recommend it to everyone. I love how diverse the skill tree is, and how each weapon feels different. While I did eventually settle on a group of skills and weapon types, I never felt like I chose the wrong path. There is a grind, and it can feel repetitive, it doesn’t feel too bad. Leveling and gearing feels impactful. It is nice to earn a weapon or level and seeing how much more effective it is against enemies.

I would argue that Dragon is Dead is a more casual entry to the genre. I like that the game didn’t force me to find my way through a dungeon in search of save points because I have a terrible sense of direction. I also like that I didn’t lose leveling and gearing progress on death because it made having to redo whole sections of the map feel less bad. The bosses are fun, flavorful, and creative, but they aren’t impossible. You can definitely over level and defeat them if all else fails. There is a story, but it does feel like I can pick up this title at any time and not be lost, especially if I just want a quick Metroidvania fix.

My only real complaint is the with the Steam deck experience. The game works great on the Steam deck, and I will only play this game on one, but the words are too small. The game does warn players that the words are too small, and there is a magnifying feature. The magnifying feature on the Steam Deck is too much trouble, I will just ruin my eyesight or invest on a real magnifying glass if it comes to it.

Aside from that small detail, this game is awesome. Dragon is Dead has great art, fantastic flavor, and a fun loop that any player will enjoy. If you are looking for a new game to play, I don’t think it gets much better.

You can pick up Dragon is Dead on Steam.

video game reviews

Exploring Maliki: A Cozy RPG Experience

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Maliki: Poison Of The Past to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotions

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System. I’ve also started a web novel that I update every two weeks.

What is Maliki: Poison Of The Past

Maliki: Poison Of The Past is a casual strategy RPG with a bit of farming sim. The game is out now on Steam and Nintendo Switch.

In the near future, humanity is on the brink of extinction as a poison contaminates the world. Fortunately, a few brave souls stand in the way of total annihilation. Maliki and her collection of warriors are the only ones who can resist the poisons time altering effects and fight back. Will they be enough to save the world and rid it of this poison?

Gameplay

Players explore a world frozen in time by the poison’s corruption. Players slowly unlock more of the world by extending the reach of the Thousand-Root Tree’s protection. But this won’t be easy. The world is full of the poison’s corrupted mission, and it is up to Sand and her friends to fend them off.

Combat is a turn based system with a unique swap and combat mechanic to help it stand out against other titles in the genre. Players can occasionally bend time to change the turn order, and hopefully change the tide of combat in their favor. Players can also perform powerful combo moves to vanquish there enemies. There are also fun puzzles to solve, and a cute world to explore.

What truly sets this world apart is the cozy farming mechanic. To level up the Thousand-Root Tree, players will need to collect materials by building a farm. The crops a player grows and harvests can be cooked into different foods or crafted for useful materials.

Review

Maliki: Poison Of The Past is an adorably casual game that should be considered for any collection. It has very cute character and world design, and a fun soundtrack to set the mood. I also enjoyed the story enough to keep playing. Most importantly, the gameplay is relaxing. The combat is solid. The attacks and abilities are unique and flavorful, and it requires enough strategy to keep things engaging. I really like the temporal abilities and the depth it adds to combat. I also like that it doesn’t feel that grindy. There is a grind, but I’ve sat through worse.

If you get tired of combat, the game features a unique farming mechanic that is a cozy change of pace. Maintaining the different crops is very relaxing, but movement can make things a little awkward. If you’re the type of person that likes to have everything lined up and neat, this game is kind of frustrating. Sometimes, you will overshoot the where you want to place it, other times, the plot doesn’t allow for neat rows. This bothered me more than I thought, but is in no way a deal breaker. When it worked right, it was a fine experience.

I do recommend playing this game with a controller. There is keyboard and mouse support, but it feels wonky. There is still some awkwardness to the controller, but it is a lot more manageable. I played this game exclusively on the Steam deck because I preferred the experience. Everything was clear and legible, and I love that I can play something cute and casual away from my desk. Movement is a little wonky, but it is a lot better than keyboard and mouse. There are also a few other noticible bugs that suggest the game needs a bit more work, but nothing gamebreaking. They game still deserves at least one solid playthrough.

If you’re looking for something cute, casual, with a lot of charm, go pick up Maliki: Poison Of The Past on Steam and Nintendo Switch for $29.99, or at least check out the demo.

video game reviews

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark Review

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I was sent a free copy of Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest opinions of the game.

Shameless Self-Promotions

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System. I’ve also started a web novel that I update every two weeks.

What is Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark?

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark is a 2D action Metroidvania adventure out now on Steam, Switch, and PlayStation.

The castle has been invaded and Lord Maxim is dead. It is up to Kirika and Masha to make their way through the castle and revive their lord. Fight through waves of demons and their bosses, collect helpful tools and abilities, and prove why you are the best pair of demon maids Do you have what it takes to reclaim your home and save your master?

Gameplay

Gal Guardians is your typical classic metroidvania. Players crawl through the 2D dungeon, collect new items and abilities, and beat everything in their way. What makes Gal Guardians unique is the coop mechanic. Players can play this game solo, or team up with a friend to control one of the two maids. Coop allows for some interesting interactions between the players. Playing solo allows players to switch between the two maids and their abilities, as well as revive them when they go down. The game also showers the player with loot and allows for a good amount of customization and playstyles.

Review

I really wanted to like Gal Guardians: Shadows of the Dark, but it doesn’t do enough to stand out against the genre. I love the art and flavor, there is some solid voice acting, but the gameplay sort of falls flat.

What I like about the gameplay is the amount of customization. Aside from the main weapon, players can mix and match abilities to find a build that works best for their playstyle. Unfortunately, there are some absolute garbage items that will flood your inventory. Aside from that, combat is kind of boring. It is no where near the worst of the genre, but it does leave a bit to be desired. This is especially noticeable during the boss fights which can be challenging, but aren’t really worth the trouble.

I had high hopes for the game because I enjoyed the demo, but once I got deeper in the game, it didn’t do enough. It had decent writing, the voice acting is great, and the art is good, but the gameplay didn’t do it for me. Gal Guardians isn’t the worst Metroidvania I’ve played this year, but I will forget I ever played it. If you’re looking for a new Metroidvania, you simply have better options.

You can pick up Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark on Steam, Switch, and PlayStation for $29.99, but I would wait for a sale.

video game reviews

Honest Review of Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotions

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System. I’ve also started a web novel that I update every two weeks.

What is Amerzone?

Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy is an interactive fiction puzzle game coming to Xbox, PlayStation and PC on April 24.

You are a young reporter on your latest investigation. An old explorer you’ve befriended over the years has left you with instructions to an adventure of a lifetime. You find yourself on a trip to South America where you must venture into the Amerzone and return the egg of an ancient bird. Solve puzzles, collect clues, and survive the dangers of the Amerzone. What will your adventure uncover? Will this be the story you’ve been waiting for?

Review

Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy is the adventure book you didn’t know you needed. If you’ve played the original, this is a fantastic remaster. The graphics look great, and the game plays fine. I didn’t experience any major performance issues. The gameplay is what you’d expect from a a point-and-click game. Players move through parts of the world, exploring and collecting clues to progress through the story. The game design makes exploration enjoyable, but the story is the reason why you play this game.

Amerzone’s story holds up after all these years, and update to visuals is sure to find its modern audience. The story is a solid adventure with nice pacing, great world building and flavor. The voice acting is fantastic, and it was real easy to immerse myself in the story. The puzzles make the game the engaging experience that it is. The puzzles are creative and interesting, but some may require a hint or two. Make sure you explore and click on everything!

This is a solid piece of interactive fiction that I recommend to anyone looking for a chill game with a good story and solid flavor. It is a lot of clicking, but the story makes it all worth it. I think the price is a little too steep for the type of game, but this might just be the new normal.

You can preorder Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy for Xbox, PlayStation and PC for $39.99. There is a Steam Demo available you can check out in the meantime.